The cheapest dog to get if you’re terrified of vet bills...

OWNING a dog can bring you a lot of joy… until there are vet bills to be paid. New research has discovered which breed is actually the cheapest over its lifetime if you are looking to keep costs low - and also the expensive ones to avoid. If you are looking for a low maintenance dog, you may wish to consider Chihuahua, where were the cheapest with an average lifetime cost of £1,804.53. This is 60 per cent below the average cost of dogs over their life.

Image Credit: The Sun [A red-haired Chihuahua sleeping with a toy.]

The calculation was worked out by adding the initial starting cost of £404, a lifetime of pet insurance at £789.60 and a lifetime of food at £610.93. The study, conducted by pet accessories shop Fur King, found Pomeranians to the second-cheapest dog breed to own. They had an average lifetime cost of £1,863.61, which is 58 per cent less than average. The breed has an initial starting cost of £404 and is predicted to cost £892.32 in insurance and £567.29 in food in its lifetime.

Image Credit: The Sun [A happy red Pomeranian dog standing outdoors.]

Meanwhile, Toy Poodles have the third-lowest average lifetime cost of £1,882.33, which is 58 per cent below average. The breed’s initial starting cost is £404, and owners are predicted to spend £911.04 on insurance and £567.29 on food in their pet’s lifetime. At the other end of the spectrum, the most expensive dog breed was found to be Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dogs. They had an average lifetime cost of £8,662.53 which is 93 per cent higher than the average total lifetime cost for dogs of £4,478.92.

Image Credit: The Sun [Table showing the average lifetime cost of ten dog breeds, including initial cost, insurance, and food costs.]

An initial starting cost of £511 was calculated for the breed based on purchases such as a dog bed and an initial course of vaccinations for a large dog breed. The breed also has a lifetime insurance cost of £2,361.60 for accident and illness cover and owners are predicted to spend £5,789.93 on food in the dog’s lifetime, based on how many calories the breed is supposed to consume per day. Estrela Mountain Dog has the second-highest average lifetime cost of £7,820.63, which works out at 75 per cent above average.

Image Credit: The Sun [Portrait of a Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog.]

This was calculated based on an initial starting cost of £511, a lifetime insurance cost of £2,168.76 and a lifetime food cost of £5,140.87. Spanish Mastiffs rank third, with an average lifetime cost of £7,303.94, which is 63% higher than average. The breed has an initial starting cost of £511, and owners are predicted to spend £1,968 on insurance and £4,824.94 on food across the dog’s lifetime.

Image Credit: The Sun [Nine-month-old Estrela Mountain Dog sitting on grass.]

Top 5 dog breeds for apartment living. Breeds that may struggle in apartments. Source: Angelo Sorbello, CEO of Pet Sprint. Commenting on the findings, Tom Sadler, Founder of Fur King, said: “The study provides valuable insight into the costs of different dog breeds, which could help inform potential owners on what the best breed for them is – and prevent them from choosing one which they can’t afford in the long run.

Image Credit: The Sun [Table showing the average lifetime cost of ten dog breeds, including initial cost, insurance cost, and food cost.]

“Naturally, larger dog breeds are more expensive, with the Afghan Hound the only medium-sized dog to feature in the top 10. “This is because insurance is pricier for larger breeds as they are more likely to have health issues, and their food costs are higher since they need to consume more. “The initial starting cost of larger breed will also be more expensive since they will need more wearable toys and stronger leads than smaller dogs require.”.