A dog's life

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They might be a man’s best friend but new research has revealed that the average pooch will cost more than £25,0001 to look after.

And it’s the Whippet that tops the chart as the most expensive breed of dog with an estimated 66,236 pounds spent on care and coddling over its lifetime.

In contrast the Doberman Pinscher, which is very big in comparison, costs just 22,010 pounds to care for. Yearly running costs for the Whippet, which has a life expectancy of 14 years, add up to a whopping 4,632 pounds while the Doberman Pinscher, is just 2,246 pounds. The tiny Jack Russell is the cheapest mainstream pooch to care for at 1517 pounds per year.

The figures, which emerged in a study of 3,000 dog owners by esure pet insurance, include the initial cost of buying the pet as well as annual bills for food, trips to the vet, kennel stays, grooming, insurance, and treats.

According to the study, vet bills for the Whippet come to 662 pounds, grooming costs 547 pounds annually and when going on holiday owners spend a further 190 pounds on kennels. Dog lovers also spend on average 281 pounds for insurance for the breed, and another 499 pounds is spent each year on doggy accessories. Whippet-owners are also the most generous when it comes to gifts - splashing out a staggering 845 pounds a year on toys, nibbles, clothing and other treats.

Nikki Sellers, Head of Pet Insurance at esure, said: "Today's household pets are treated more like members of the family and this new attitude is reflected in the amount owners spend on their pet's lifestyle. Giving our pets the best home possible is clearly high on every dog lovers agenda.

The Bassett Hound came second in the poll, with a lifetime bill of 56,064 pounds, followed by the Beagle which costs 34,822 pounds.

The Chihuahua - previously top of the expensive breeds poll - has now dropped to fourth position possibly as a result of larger dogs substaining more injuries during a hard winter with an estimated lifetime cost of 30,820 pounds while the Dalmation finishes off the top five with 29,426 pounds.

The research revealed that a third of all dog owners say they were shocked at how much it costs to own their pooch - with unexpected vets bills being the biggest drain on their finances. Surprisingly, nearly two-fifths (38 per cent) of dog owners have not purchased pet insurance to insure their pooch, and could be left facing enormous bills if they need medical treatment or are lost.

Nikki Sellers further commented: "Despite the amount of money dog lovers spend on their breeds, many pets remain uninsured. Vets' fees can be very expensive and owners should bear in mind that, ultimately, their pet's health is more important than the latest dog accessories or expensive treats."

Yet despite the high costs, owners say the most annoying things about owning a dog are their smells, stray hairs and the hassle of going on holiday.

And 82 per cent of owners wouldn’t be without their beloved dog, claiming he or she really is their best friend.

Annual cost2
(pounds)		 Life expectancy
(years)		 Cost per lifetime
(pounds)
Whippet 4,631.90 14.3 66,236.17
Bassett Hound 4,380.00 12.8 56,064.13
Beagle 2,618.22 13.3 34,822.33
Chihuahua 2,370.76 13 30,819.88
Dalmatian 2,263.50 13 29,425.50
Dachshund 2,324.39 12.2 28,357.56
Poodle 2,268.42 11 24,952.62
Pug 2,220.00 11 24,420.00
Doberman Pinscher 2,245.88 9.8 22,009.62
Jack Russell 1,517.68 13.6 20,640.45

ends

esure's press contacts:

Asia Yasir, Public Relations Officer: 01737 641305
Adrian Webb, Head of Corporate Communications: 01737 641000
Email: pr@esure.com

Notes to Editors:

  1. SWNS conducted an online research survey via Onepoll which interviewed a random sample of 3000 adults aged 18+ who own a dog between 27th April – 10th May 2010.
  2. Annual cost calculation includes: annual cost x life expectance, plus annual treats x life expectancy plus cost of buying the dog