Pet food brand launches new puppy cost guide

Pet food brand Webbox has launched a new online guide to finding out the real cost of owning a puppy during the first year of their life. 

New research has found that on average it costs more than £1,000 to raise a puppy during the first twelve months. This includes estimated costs of food, equipment and toys, medical bills and professional services. 

Aimed at potential new puppy owners, PupPal, also compares the costs of raising a puppy and a child during the first year with surprising results –  a puppy is over eight times cheaper than raising a child.

PupPal has also covered the average lifetime costs of owning a dog. Owners will spend an estimated £8,500 during a dog’s average life expectancy of 13 years. 

During a puppy’s first year of ownership, owners should roughly expect to pay:

• Food – £429

• Equipment and toys – £301

• Medical Bills – £338

• Training school – £50

Jennifer Dean, NPD technologist, from Webbox said: “Owning a puppy is one of the most rewarding experiences anyone can have, as they bring happiness and love into your life.

“We understand many potential owners might not know much a puppy actually costs, which is exactly why we created PupPal to help prospective pup parents figure out the first year and lifetime costs of a puppy – after all, a dog is for life!”