CraigJ
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 07:17 PM |
|
|
Cost of keeping a dog, food etc?
Me and are lass are thinking of getting an English springer spaniel soon and i was wondering how much dog food costs nowadays.
My parents had spaniels when i was a kid so i know what to expect of the breed but i have no idea how much they will cost per month/food wise.
Any advice will be great.
|
|
|
|
|
twybrow
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 07:22 PM |
|
|
Why is it Spaniels always smell of dog? That means your house and you will also smell of dog...!
|
|
|
tjoh84
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 07:23 PM |
|
|
i got a lab on science plan £44 for sack lasts about 6weeks plust 12 a month insurance and vet bill cost me 350 last month for xrays of hip as walk
odd to find out she has hip displacment so 3 every 3 month 50 for vits to help
|
|
|
theconrodkid
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 07:24 PM |
|
|
my hound,s food is about £1 a day plus treats,corse there could be vets bills,someone/somewhere to look after him when you go away,the furniture he
will wreck if he,s a pup....so it could be a fair amount.
on the other hand they are called "mans best friend" for a very good reason and i wouldn't be without mine
who cares who wins
pass the pork pies
|
|
|
David Jenkins
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 07:27 PM |
|
|
We had a general-purpose mutt until last year, probably about the same size as a springer.
He was a fussy eater so we fed him on Eukanuba, which was recommended by the vet (bit like the Hills Science Diet stuff, but our dog wouldn't
eat that). Fairly expensive to buy the bag, but portions can be quite small so a bag goes a long way. It's cleaner than canned food, much
cheaper, and he lived until he was over 15 so it can't have been far wrong! I think it worked out to around 25 - 30 pence per day. Oh - and the
poo is less offensive too...
The really BIG expense comes when you take it to the vet - we're talking private medicine here! Annual inspection and injections will cost
between £25 and £50, ailments always seemed to cost us over £25 once the medicine was included, and so on. If you are unfortunate enough to have a
dog with a chronic problem - as quite a few pedigree dogs do - then be prepared for big bills! Pet medical insurance is a blessing, although there is
quite a substantial excess for each claim.
HTH
David
[Edited on 3/1/08 by David Jenkins]
|
|
|
peterparsons
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 07:29 PM |
|
|
I've two Labs, The 15kg bag of food lasts 3 weeks and costs £12
Make - wait for it - SKINNERS !
its a working dog food so it's VAT free...
|
|
|
CraigJ
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 07:30 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by twybrow
Why is it Spaniels always smell of dog? That means your house and you will also smell of dog...!
I dont remember any of the spaniels we had smelling lol, nothing a good bath wont sort. plus were getting a pup and it will be kept clean, Cream
carpets in every room
 im very house proud for a bloke lol.
I'm aware of vet bills that are inevitable in the future, the dog will be insured, already had quotes for less than £10 a month.
|
|
|
mark chandler
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 07:58 PM |
|
|
Buy from a farmers shop, Scats etc and its VAT free, I get Chuddlies original, £10 per sack, last 3- 4 weeks on a young retriever and Cocker.
The real cost is Vets, but it does keep you fit. IMHO the best springers come from Welsh farms.
|
|
|
andybod
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 08:05 PM |
|
|
and dont forget spangles are all nuts and can walk/run for hours without even breaking into the slightest pant dont think they mature till there about
ready to die on a posotive note we have an american cocker spangle and he's great never had any problems with him really good in the house i
would reccomend using a cage to tain/housebreak a dog we started with one and our dog was clean in the house really quick and we havn't had any
problems with him chewing things around the house we stopped usinghis cage at about 10-12 months he now has run of the house as for costs he is a
fussy eater he wont eat dry food and we have to regularly change his tinned food with treats we spend under a tenner a wek hope this helps
|
|
|
hillbillyracer
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 08:06 PM |
|
|
Whenever there's discussion about how much our little dog costs (an SAS Jack Russell) there's always the comment that smiles are worth
£1.
So add up how many times they make you smile in a day & subtract it from how much they cost you per day.
We owe the little bugger thousands now!
|
|
|
cossiebri
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 08:07 PM |
|
|
Don't know it's the wifes dog!!
got her a beagle puppy for xmas(well for nov) reckons about £10 a week on food/treats etc, vet bills and other 'needs' around £200 so far
(lead/bed/toys coat etc)
If it doesn't fit MODIFY it!!
Cheers BriF
|
|
|
onzarob
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 08:08 PM |
|
|
Our lab Puppy, now 6 months old and 22kg. She eats a 15kg bag in 6 weeks cost around £40ish. Pet Insurance is £150, 50 excess and £7500 of cover
But don't forget worming tablet £8 every few months, Injections about 50 a year.
Walking in the woods, when its raining...priceless
[Edited on 3-1-2008 by onzarob]
|
|
|
onzarob
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 08:14 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by andybod
and dont forget spangles are all nuts and can walk/run for hours without even breaking into the slightest pant dont think they mature till there about
ready to die
Quote from the wife 'Labradors are Born half trained, Springers Die have trained!!'
|
|
|
coozer
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 08:37 PM |
|
|
We have a small terrier and we feed him with Tescos Premium Complete dry stuff. Once you open the bag its the same stuff as Bakers for half as
much.
£4/3kg that lasts about 4 weeks. Mind he does get a Sunday dinner the same as us!
he also eats all the left over stuff and despite having a bit in mange in the past hasn't cost us too much over the last seven years. However he
has brought a smile and made us laugh loads, especially when he burps!
 
[Edited on 3/1/08 by coozer]
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
|
|
|
TGR-ECOSSE
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 08:52 PM |
|
|
Locost option
|
|
|
JUD
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 09:06 PM |
|
|
This is our mutt...
 
Description
Much bigger now though, and enjoying chewing stuff.
Food is the least of your worries on expenses. The most frequent recurring expense we have are; shoes, pot plants in the garden, underwear(!), socks.
Not attacked anything expensive yet and he has just past one year old.
As said before, vets are very expensive. Insurance is OK, but there are always the small things that need to be paid for that don't qualify;
working, dietary issues, minor injuries (fights, barbed wire etc).
However the single biggest expense we will have is changing one of the cars for a "dog friendly" hatch or estate. We currently lug him in
the back with the kids (in a dog seatbelt harness thing), but that is less than ideal!!
This is a more recent shot - now weighs in at 32kgs.
 
Description
For anybody interested he is a Labradoodle - don't ask, just think of Top Gear Dog and you will get the general idea.
As for the original post - go for it, we wouldn't be without him, regardless of how many pairs of the wifes grundies he has munched!
Cheers
Martin
---------------------
MK Indy Blade
|
|
|
cidersurfer
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 09:22 PM |
|
|
Greyhound
£8 per month for Supagreyhound, but usually has a tin of something to mix in with the dry food, so another couple of quid per week, plus treats, I
reckon about £1 per day is right. Oh and she has her own bank account, we stick a DD into it and she's got £190 at the mo for the vet! My dog
against your kit anyday, b#gger me they're quick! Oh, and she's 28kg...
 
Gypsy
[Edited on 3/1/08 by cidersurfer]
[Edited on 3/1/08 by cidersurfer]
shimming solid lifters is a job for a friend...
|
|
|
richard thomas
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 09:27 PM |
|
|
Not wanting to sound as if i am giving 'suck eggs' advice 'cos i read that you've been involved with them before, but...
Having had a springer previously I would never consider another unless i was either:
A - Retired
B - Permanently unemployed
C - A Farmer
D - Looking to become either A, B or C.
Bloody hell they (springers) are a massive commitment! Mine was a good one from a working background, and well trained but I just struggled to give it
the work it needed. My mate still keeps them, does a lot of shooting etc, and he's out ALL weekend with them. AND all weeknights. And they need
it. I always swore that springers shouldn't be allowed to be sold as 'household' pets, if they don't get the work they go
insane - literally!! We now have a 'soft' spaniard - a king charles - and he's bad enough!!
Mind you, if you can give them the commitment, they are FANTASTIC dogs - I just give everyone I come across looking at one the above advice, please
don't be offended, my intentions are genuine.
Anyway, back to the point - a 6kg bag of 'Bakers complete' lasts about 3 weeks and costs a tenner. It's a dry food, and keeps well -
no smell neither. Only thing is i find it made it bulkier than when it was on tinned meat....
All the best,
Rich
|
|
|
Thinking about it
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 09:27 PM |
|
|
A 3 1/2 year old retired racing greyhound was our choice.
Working dog food mix @£10 - £15 15kg 22% protein
Daily intake:
Breakfast
Two rounds of peanut butter on toast.
Main meal
500g mix usually topped with a treat of chicken, pilchards or pasta.
Biscuits as treats and reward.
Cost about £100 to kit him out.
Came with six weeks pet plan but costs about £12 month. Don't forget the £60 excess, flea and worming treatments.
He is great, no trouble and loads of pleasure is had from him.
0-40mph in 3 seconds (6 strides). Locost performance!!
[Edited on 3/1/08 by Thinking about it]
|
|
|
David Jenkins
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 09:44 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Thinking about it
Daily intake:
Breakfast
Two rounds of peanut butter on toast.
Main meal
500kg mix usually topped with a treat of chicken, pilchards or pasta.
500kg a day - he's a big eater!
|
|
|
Thinking about it
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 09:50 PM |
|
|
David, I have corrected it 500g it is. Thanks.
|
|
|
David Jenkins
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 09:53 PM |
|
|
You're welcome!
BTW: I've heard that retired greyhounds make good pets - isn't there some charity somewhere that 'de-tunes' them so
they're not too hyper around the home?
|
|
|
Thinking about it
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 10:03 PM |
|
|
David.
The person that de tunes it is the new owner. Me. you do get lots of guidance. as good as gold in three weeks.
He came through the Retired Greyhound Trust, there is one affiliated to most race tracks. In our case
www.rgtperrybarr.co.uk
As a pet he is great with a lovely temperament. they don't need loads of walking after all they are sprinters. But will go all day at a steady
pace. Well recommended.
|
|
|
cidersurfer
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 10:09 PM |
|
|
David
There are a growing number of greyhound charities in the UK. I've taken the liberty of putting a few links below;
http://www.greyhoundrescue.co.uk/
http://www.retiredgreyhounds.co.uk/
Approximately 10,000 greyhounds retire from racing each year, typically between three and four years of age. Many never make the grade or retire at a
much younger age as a result of minor injury. A great many owners will adopt greyhounds into their homes or arrange for them to live out their
retirement at a kennel. You can usually find a few at your local rescue centre and they'll know the local 'suppliers' anyhow. Ours
is 4 years old, we've had her just over a year and in that time, with encouragment, her prey instinct is now such that we can let her off the
lead on the beach and in the woods. She has no road sense at all however!
shimming solid lifters is a job for a friend...
|
|
|
onzarob
|
| posted on 3/1/08 at 10:42 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by JUD
However the single biggest expense we will have is changing one of the cars for a "dog friendly" hatch or estate.
I got the same issue to be sorted
oh and a Pic
 
The Dog
|
|
|
.JPG)
