A study has found that owning a designer pooch could be costing Brits up to £33k over a lifetime.
With 26% of Brits owning at least one dog, personal finance experts, Ocean Finance analysed the first-year costs of the six most fashionable designer dogs in the UK to see how much they would set you back.
Their study found that designer dogs cost an average of £2,000 to take care of in the first year. That’s almost a month’s salary for some based on the UK’s average income. Over a lifetimes caring for a designer dog could add up to a hefty £33k.
While the price tag of owning a pooch is high, studies show that dog owners are 24% less likely to die early.
Analysis of the first-year costs of the six most fashionable designer dogs revealed that the Cockapoo and Labradoodle were the most expensive breeds, topping £2700 for their first year alone.
If you want to get a dog but would like to avoid the heft pay-out, Ocean Finance’s research shows that you could save £500 by going for a less fashionable breed.
The UK’s priciest popular dog breeds and their average lifetimes cost are:
1 Sprollie, £33,830
2 Cockapoo, £31,040
3 Boxer, £29, 920
4 Springer Spaniel, £29,250
5 Labradoodle, £27,160
6 Labrador, £25,680
7 Border Collie, £24,840
8 Cocker Spaniel, £24,480
9 Puggle, £23,550
10 Staffordshire Bull Terrier, £22,620
11 Cavachon, £20,040
12, Cavapoo, £19,560
The research found that two of the most expensive top UK dogs (purebred and designer), are fashionable crosses – Cockapoos and Sprollies – both topping £31,000 in lifetime costs.
A mix between two breeds may enhance their cute factor, but you could end up paying out thousands across their lifestyle.
Anastasia Letsos at Ocean Finance comments on the findings: “Our research has found that Brits are spending an average of £172 per month on their dogs with the most fashionable designer breeds costing up to £33,000 over their lifetime – £2,000 in the first year alone. If you’re willing to go for less popular pooch it could save you £500 in upfront costs.
“The UK is a nation of dog lovers, with 26% of us owning at least one. Although our research found that the most popular breeds can cost a staggering £33,000 across their lifetime – a recent study has found that it might well be worth it in the long run as dog owners are 24% less likely to die early.”
