How much does it cost to own a dog?
Latest news email updates straight to your inbox Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice  Getting a dog, as we all know, is a huge responsibility - but its also a financial one, too. Its not just the initial adoption or purchase fee - which can range from anywhere between 50 and thousands of pounds depending on the breed and circumstances - owners must also consider a raft of other costs involved in caring for a canine companion. Peoples interest in getting a pet increased by 123 percent during the pandemic - so discount code site Picodi.com has taken a look at how much first-time pet owners can expect to spend when they welcome a new four-legged member of the family. The research compares bare basic costs with an expanded kit, which consists of additional products or services, or more premium quality products. So - first things first, buying a dog. You can either adopt a dog or buy a puppy from a breeder, with the most expensive usually coming with Kennel Club registration. The most popular puppy breeds cost around 727, Picodi says. Other mandatory expenses include dog registration or microchipping. The expanded kit includes two services that are not obligatory but have a positive impact on the health and safety of a dog. These are neutering and obedience training, which come with a rough price tag of 252. Every dog needs essentials, such as a collar, harness, leash, ID tag, bed, brush and two bowls: one for water and one for food. The cost of that starter kit amounts to around 146. But many owners may also want to buy a special safety harness and belt for traveling in the car, designer clothes for rain protection, as well as a muzzle, LED collar, and the carrier, which can cost an additional 152. Okay, youve bought your dog and given it an adorable name, set up their own Instagram account and taken approximately 754 photos of them sleeping in hilarious positions. Now, for the recurring expenses:  food  care and beauty  toys  veterinary care  licence  additional services. The cost of providing a basic diet ranges from 660 for small dogs and 1,990 for bigger breeds, annually. However, if a dog owner decides to buy premium food, like wet, grainless food without chicken, the cost of such a diet may increase to 1,555 for small dogs and as much as 5,480 for large dogs. Cyclic deworming twice a year, as well as protection from ticks and fleas, shampoo and a year's supply of poop bags falls under the care and beauty category, with an average cost of 71. There are also groomer costs in the expanded kit, including grooming, trimming and wash with a blow-dry. Assuming that we use these services once every two months, you would spend an additional 560 a year. Every dog needs toys: squeaky teddy bears, knot ropes and some basic balls, setting you back about 53 per year. For those willing, there are also activity toys that are designed to develop a dogs intelligence at an additional cost of 13. We cant forget about the physical health of our pet. Annual vaccination against rabies and other infectious diseases, as well as one annual vet check-up (assuming that the dog is healthy), cost around 107, according to the study. If a dog has a problem with plaque, and the dental sticks available on the market dont work, there may be a need for tooth cleaning at an additional 275. In Northern Ireland, a dog licence is mandatory, and an individual dog licence valid for 12 months comes at a cost of 12.50. The last category is additional services such as pet sitter, dog hotels, and health insurance for 803. Although these are not obligatory, they may make life easier when owners go on vacation or if your dog suddenly falls ill. In total, the basic cost of looking after a dog, which only included necessary products and services, was found to range from 904 for small dogs to 2,234 in the case of large ones. For those whose dogs are more accustomed to a life of luxury, dog owners would have to pay up to three times more - 3,451 for small breeds and 7,376 for large dogs, according to Picodi.