Cost of owning a dog rises to almost £250 a month

The cost of owning a dog has risen to almost £250 a month and could total nearly £40,000 over the animal’s lifetime, new research reveals.

The survey from Burns Pet Nutrition shows that pet owners current monthly spending on their dogs includes £50 on food, £35 on insurance, and £32 on dog walkers and doggy daycare.

In addition, experts are warning that these figures could easily rise by at least 10% before the end of the year as inflation and the war in Ukraine push up the cost of raw materials and transport.

Burns’ founder and leading veterinary surgeon, John Burns, said: “Better quality dog food can often work out just as cost-effective because it is packed with nutrition and the animal needs less of it. There’s the added benefit of less poo to pick up too. You can’t skimp on the care you give an animal and that is an expensive lifetime commitment.”

The research shows that two-thirds say their dog is worth every penny, one third say they give it the best of everything, and a quarter say they shamelessly spoil their pet.

More than a quarter say they already make financial sacrifices to own a dog and a similar number say having one is worth going without holidays or new clothes.