Fresh data has revealed the astronomical increase in price of many of Britain’s favourite pups, reaching never-before-seen heights.
Insights by pet experts 4Paws show that the cost of an English Bulldog has soared to £1804, the same as a 10 day, all-inclusive 4* holiday to Portugal with Thomas Cook.
Then you’ve got the Labrador Retriever, officially the UK’s top dog breed, whose average price has increased by 64% to £971 — equivalent to a luxury two-night stay at the Ritz, London (£918).
Owners also reported paying a whopping £1077 on average for a Cocker Spaniel — up by 76.3% in a year — the same as 67 bottles of Jack Daniels or a new Louis Vuitton handbag (£1070)!
The data shows that prices being paid for many popular breeds have grown by an average of 60% over the past 12 months, with the cost of a Labrador Retriever — Britain’s favourite lockdown breed — increasing from £591 to £971.
Another UK favourite, the Cocker Spaniel, saw owner-reported purchase prices rise to £1077 from £611. Some of the most expensive yet popular breeds were bulldogs.
Top 10 most expensive lockdown dog breeds:
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Chow Chow — £1,812
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English Bulldog — £1,804
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Bernese Mountain Dog — £1,587
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Dachshund (Miniature Smooth-haired) — £1,575
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Dachshund (Miniature Long-haired) — £1,525
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Newfoundland — £1,493
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French Bulldog — £1,479
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English Bull Terrier — £1,462
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Hungarian Vizsla — £1,418
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St Bernard — £1,393
Richard Sharman, Commercial Director at 4Paws, commented: “With plenty of enforced time at home during the past year, growth in dog ownership doesn’t come as a surprise. This high demand is reflected very clearly in increased purchase prices for all types of dog — pedigree, crossbreed and mixed breed — as well as in skyrocketing Google searches for all things related to pet care. We already knew that Britain was a nation of dog lovers and data from the past 12 months reveals precisely that.”
