Owners up and down the land will tell you that a house is not a home without a dog. But the cost of keeping our best friends in the comfort to which they are accustomed is soaring.
Owning a mutt now costs an extra £256 a year — bringing the figure up to £2,500 — analysis by Money Mail of data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and charity Battersea Dogs & Cats Home finds.
This means families can expect to pay as much as £27,800 over the average lifetime of their pooch, with price rises over the past 12 months adding £2,867 to the overall cost of upkeep.
The cost of pet care has increased by 12.8 per cent overall in the past year, according to the ONS.
Dogs are often treated as another member of the family, with money spent on fresh food, regular grooming and the best medical treatment.
Expensive: Sonali Saujani with her French bulldog Luna who costs £1,740 a year to insure
But with households already squeezed, rising numbers of the UK’s 17 million dog owners are struggling.
New figures from the charity Dogs Trust today reveal four in five people are financially worried about looking after their dog. And almost one in ten say they are ‘very worried’.
But how much you spend will depend on the size and breed of your dog. Some families will spend more than £39,078 during the pet’s lifetime, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home reports.
Expensive grooming treatments, dog walking services, treats and kennels for when you are on holiday can easily add on extra costs.
According to a survey by ferry operator Red Funnel, one in eight owners spend more than £500 a year just on dog sitting services.
One-off expenses in the first year, such as vaccinations, a collar and lead, toys and a bed add another £755.
In comparison, the price of basic needs for a child has increased by 3.6 per cent in the past 12 months.
It now costs £3,864 a year to cover the essentials for a child from birth until the age of 18, according to the charity Child Poverty Action Group.
Meanwhile, a basic standard of living in retirement costs £829, on average, a month — and that includes all housing, food, transport and leisure costs, according to the Pension and Lifetime Savings Association. This sum has increased by 19 per cent in just a year.
Doggy Salon
Over the course of their lifetime, a dog will rack up £7,800 on average in grooming fees, including trims, washes and nail cutting, according to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.
Pet care costs have soared 12.8 per cent, official data shows. This has added £54 a year to the bill at the doggy salon.
Prices vary depending on the location and breed of dog. For example, Tunbridge Wells Grooming Centre in Kent charges £36 to £102 for full grooming, with bath and blow drying services.
Extra costs: Expensive grooming treatments, dog walking services, treats and kennels for when you are on holiday can easily add up
At luxury salon London Dog Grooming Company in the upmarket department store Liberty, clients can expect to pay up to £150 for a full groom.
Polly Arrowsmith, 56, from Islington, North London, spends more on haircuts for her poodle Hattie each year than for her own.
The marketing director forks out up to £55 a month on a trim, blow dry and fur washing for her beloved pet, which she bought almost 12 years ago. However, Polly, spends only £80 a year on her hair.
‘Poodles need more grooming than other dogs as their hair can become matted and tangled. We’ve tried to groom her ourselves, but she gets upset and sometimes tries to bite,’ she says.
In total Polly spends around £417 a month on Hattie, including £240 on doggy daycare and £65 on insurance.
‘Since the pandemic there are more puppies, which means costs have gone up. I’ve had to make cutbacks to afford Hattie, such as getting my hair cut less frequently or buying fewer luxuries or going out less,’ Polly adds.
‘Although she’s expensive I won’t compromise on things for Hattie.’
Vet fees
Pet insurance is the most expensive cost, with bills as high as £720 a year, according to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.
Maximum benefit insurance (covers injury or illness up to a specified pre-set limit) cost an average £144 a year in 2023, according to price comparison site Comparethemarket.
However, the price can be much higher for older dogs, with some owners spending at least £120 a month on pets with a history of problems.
Health cover: Pet insurance is the most expensive cost, with bills as high as £720 a year, according to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.
Anna McEntee, director of insurance at Comparethemarket, says: ‘Older dogs are typically more expensive to insure as they tend to need more medical care.
‘With the cost of vet treatments and procedures on the rise, it’s possible some pet owners, particularly those with older pets, could see their renewal increase.’
On average, the cost of medical treatment has soared by 13 per cent in the past year, the ONS reports. This would add £41 to household bills, Money Mail analysis reveals.
Sonali Saujani, 35, has been forced to make cutbacks in order to be able to afford her beloved five-year-old dog, Luna. The holistic healer, from Offenham, Worcestershire, now spends £1,740 a year insuring Luna — £564 more than four years ago.
‘Luna is my biggest expense. French bulldogs are notorious for health issues. Luna’s breathing problems, skin condition and allergies make her more expensive to insure than other breeds,’ says Sonali.
‘I probably spend about £500 a month on Luna, which includes her daycare, supplements and physiotherapy.
‘But I’d rather sacrifice clothes or very expensive holidays in order to pay for her.’
Lifetime cost: Families can expect to pay as much as £27,800 over the lifetime of their pooch, with price rises over the last 12 months adding £2,867 to the overall cost
Food & snacks
The average cost of dog food has risen by 21 per cent in the past year, adding £76 to annual household bills, according to the ONS. Meanwhile, the price of dog treats has risen by 16 per cent year on year, it suggests.
But in the most extreme cases, costs have risen by almost 58 per cent in the past year, according to The Grocer magazine. Food and treats can easily add up to £960 a year, according to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.
As costs rise, more families are opting for own-brand food for their dogs, according to supplier Pets at Home.
‘Our own-label products are considerably cheaper than equivalent branded goods, and we’ve seen them grow in popularity as discretionary spending has come under pressure,’ a spokesman tells Money Mail.
