Reviewed by Dr Jill McMaster BVM&S MBA MRCVS, Veterinary Surgeon and in-house expert at BorrowMyDoggy on 26 May 2023

If you’re thinking about becoming an owner there are quite a few things to consider before getting a dog. One main factor is cost. Dog ownership is a large financial commitment, and there are a number of costs and expenses to consider before you think about bringing Fido home.

The PDSA states that over their lifetime you can spend up to £30,000 on your dog, and that's before you add vet fees. But before you start getting a pen and paper out to try and crunch the numbers, our friends at Admiral have created a handy dog cost calculator. The pawsome tool works out ruffly the annual cost of your future dog and takes into account a number of different factors.

It’s important to think about the following:

• One-off costs: such as the purchase or adoption of a puppy or adult dog, microchipping and neutering.
• Ongoing costs: this includes food, flea and worm treatment, vet bills, annual vaccinations, insurance, grooming, pet passports if you travel abroad, Kennel Club registration for a pedigree and training sessions.
• Accessory costs: things like collars, leads, shampoo, brushes, comfortable bedding, feeding bowls, poo bags - the list goes on!

Although dog ownership can be expensive, the benefits of bringing a fuzzy member into the family are huge, from reducing stress, improving physical and mental health, to increasing social interactions - they truly enrich our lives. But if you’re still uncertain about dog ownership you can also learn a lot about the responsibilities involved by joining BorrowMyDoggy. By signing up as a borrower you can help take care of local dogs, get to know a variety of different breeds and experience what dog ownership is really like.

Whether you’re looking into dog ownership or you’re interested in being a borrower, our pawsome team are always here and happy to help if you need us. Don’t hesitate to contact us!

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