Note: The data above reflects the estimated costs of care that we derive from Rover. Note that actual pricing may vary depending on your location and the age and breed of your dog.
Pet Sitting and Riding
Your dog will need care from a pet sitter or a boarding facility if you have to leave home for an extended period of time. If you are lucky enough to have a friend or family member to watch your pet, you can save on these costs, but sometimes dog owners need outside help.
Pet sitters usually come to your home to care for your pet several times a day or stay with your pet 24/7 or overnight. Boarding your dog at a larger kennel facility is usually less expensive than a pet sitter, but your dog may have fewer opportunities with staff members and some pets become stressed at outside their homes.
If you take two, one-week vacations per year, you can spend the following on pet care services:
- Home pet care day visits: $560
- In-home overnight or 24/7 care: $1,400
Walking the Dog
Dog sitting and dog walking services are great options if you work long hours and need someone to take your pet outside during the day. Dog walkers are people you pay to come to your home and walk your dog at set times. This option is perfect if your pet needs controlled exercise or doesn’t enjoy the company of other dogs at doggy daycare. Doggy daycare is a supervised playgroup with multiple dogs that provides daily exercise and social interaction.
Regular dog walking or doggy daycare costs about $20 per visit. If you need this help three days per week, throughout the year, it adds up to $3,120 annually.
Pet Training
All puppies should receive basic obedience training in their first year. Some dogs will require additional specialized training or may have behavioral problems that require home consultations and private sessions to resolve.
Private dog training sessions can be expensive $40 to $250 each, depending on the problem. Basic puppy behaviors or easily remedied issues, such as jumping or counter-surfing, will likely only require one visit. But more serious problems, such as stranger aggression or separation anxiety, may require more sessions.
Repair
Grooming is another category where costs vary greatly, depending on your dog’s breed and hair type. Short-coated dogs may require occasional trips to the groomer for professional bathing or de-shedding, but you can usually do this at home. Breeds with longer coats will need a regular trim every six to 12 weeks, depending on the look you want.
The top dog breeds that require frequent grooming include poodles and poodle mixes, Bichons and Old English sheepdogs. Your dog may also require a specific grooming routine based on its coat. For example, some terrier breeds need it a special technique called “stripping,” which are done by hand by a groomer and cost more than regular haircuts. Each grooming session can cost anywhere $20 to $150which is equal to $20 to $1,200 Every year.
Emergency Veterinary Visits and Accidents
The average dog owner spends $150 to $1,200 every time they visit the vet with a sick or injured pet. Pets suffering serious trauma, such as being hit by a car, or serious illness requiring hospitalization, such as pancreatitis, can cost several thousand dollars per incident.
As pets get older, they are more likely to have higher vet bills, but young pets can also develop chronic illnesses or experience accidents. Purebred dogs tend to have more medical problems than mixed breeds, but this is a generalization and not a hard and fast rule.
Pet Insurance Premiums
Pet insurance is the best protection against unexpected and ongoing veterinary medical expenses. If your pet needs emergency veterinary care, surgery or treatment for a serious medical condition like cancer, pet insurance can help avoid having to make a difficult financial choice.
Insurance premiums for an adult dog are average $360 to $720 annually. Pet insurance costs is usually lower for young, healthy pets and may increase as pets get older. Most pet insurance policies do not cover pre-existing conditions, so purchasing insurance before your pet develops ongoing medical problems is important.
Although pet insurance costs vary depending on factors such as your location and the dog’s coverage needs, some companies offer more affordable insurance plans for pet owners on a budget.
