Advertiser Disclosure

How Much Is A Dog In Australia?

Candiece Cyrus
Forbes Staff

Updated: Mar 13, 2024, 12:51pm

Johanna Leggatt
editor

Edited By

Editorial note: Forbes Advisor Australia may earn revenue from this story in the manner disclosed here. Read our advice disclaimer here.
How Much Is A Dog In Australia?

Table of Contents

Dogs are the most popular pet in Australia, with 48% of the nation owning at least one, according to Animal Medicines Australia’s Survey of Pets and People. And yet thousands of unwanted dogs are taken in by the country’s animal shelters each year, with many facing euthanasia.

It’s easy to underestimate the cost and time a dog requires over its lifetime. Animal Medicines Australia’s latest research reveals 37% of dogs were acquired throughout the pandemic, when an increasing number of people worked from home, enabling them to take care of their animals throughout the day. However, the spike in pet ownership has taken a downturn post-pandemic. Australians facing pressures such as the cost-of-living, inflation and natural disasters, and some having returned to workplaces, has sometimes forced them to find alternative living arrangements for their pets.

The RSPCA reports receiving 18,778 dogs in the financial year 2022-23, of which around 15% were euthanised. It can therefore help to know how much a dog can cost throughout its lifetime, before deciding whether to commit to owning one. Dogs can be expensive, costing thousands of dollars over the course of their lives, before accounting for vet bills, which is often the largest expense of all. We take a look at the various doggy expenses you’ll want to consider.

How Much Does a Dog Cost Per Year?

The first year of a dog’s life is typically the most expensive, with costs adding up to anything between $3,000 and $6,000. After this initial sum, which includes registering it with the council, its first round of procedures such as microchipping, desexing and vaccinations, the annual cost amounts to an average of $3,218, according to Animal Medicines Australia.

Dog Food

As an essential, it’s not surprising that dog food accounts for a substantial proportion of doggy costs. The government’s Moneysmart website estimates it costs $2,024 a year for premium meals, and treats. That’s just over $200 a month.

Most owners surveyed by Animal Medicines Australia purchase food items for their canine from supermarkets, and an increasing number source cold and baked food from pet shops. This group rose from 9% to 12% year-on-year.

Vet Expenses

Budgeting for routine check ups, procedures and any health issue that may suddenly arise, is crucial for dog owners, and can be the difference between restoring your pup back to good health as soon as possible, or it suffering for longer than necessary. After all, there’s no Medicare for animals.

Vet charges can differ depending on whether you visit a clinic or charity, and between each establishment. Your location, the dog’s breed, age and health are some of the other factors that go towards determining what you will need to pay.

Moneysmart says vet expenses can total at least $630 each year, depending on the health of your pet. Meanwhile, microchipping, vaccinations and de-sexing can cost an extra $1,000 in the first year, unless you adopt, in which case they will be free. For healthcare products, such as flea, tick and worming medications, around $320 is needed annually but it can be higher than this depending on the size of your dog. The cost for emergency treatment can easily run into the hundreds and thousands too.

For more information on vet fees you can read our dedicated guide. Note that many vets don’t advertise the costs of their services, and sometimes won’t be able to advise you on price before a consultation.

Pet Insurance

Taking out insurance for your dog can help cover its vet expenses, and depending on the policy, certain other expenses such as the cost of advertising and a reward if your dog goes missing, or kenneling fees if you’re taken ill, and need to be hospitalised.

Pro Tip

Budgeting for routine check ups, procedures and any health issue that may suddenly arise, is crucial for dog owners, and can be the difference between restoring your pup back to good health as soon as possible, or it suffering for longer than necessary. After all, there’s no Medicare for animals

Moneysmart has found a pet insurance policy to cost an average of $60 to $120 each month. However, as with vet fees the specific cost will depend on factors such as the breed, age and medical history of your pet, as well as where you live. You will also need to consider what type of policy is most suitable for your pet, and financial situation. There are three main types of cover:

  • Accident only: offers the most basic level of protection, covering injury resulting from an accident. It is often the cheapest form of pet insurance.
  • Accident and illness: covers accidents and illness as specified by the insurer. It is often more expensive than accident-only cover.
  • Comprehensive insurance: A popular form of pet insurance among Australians, it covers accidents and illness, and can extend to routine procedures, either as an optional extra at an additional cost, or automatically.

You can read our How To Find The Best Dog Insurance guide for more information on how this type of cover works, and included benefits.

It’s worth noting that if you adopt an older dog you may have trouble finding insurance as most insurers won’t cover dogs over the age of nine.

Other Costs

There are also a number of other expenses to factor into your budget when caring for a dog. You can find out what these can add up to, according to Moneysmart below:

  • Council registration: This fee is between $40 and $100 annually, depending on factors such as whether your dog is of a restricted breed.
  • Essentials: A collar, bed, bowls, toys and kennels can add up to $500 in a pet’s first year, then around $100 a year after that.
  • Kennels: If not covered by your pet insurance, kennelling costs can range from $25 to $130 a night. This will depend on the breed and size of your pet, location, time of year and length of stay.
  • Grooming and training: Additional services such as grooming and training vary in price. Over the course of a year, training can cost up to $166 and grooming up to $196.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the cheapest dog to buy?

Care.com an online platform for carers, lists the following dogs as some of the cheapest to buy, due to factors such as limited grooming needs, and few hereditary conditions:

  • Greyhound
  • Bull Terrier
  • Weimaraner
  • Collie
  • Beagle

Opting for a rescue dog can also keep costs down.

How much does it cost to adopt a dog?

According to pet insurer, Petsecure, the purchase price for a dog can start from $200 for a rescue pet to $3,000 for a designer breed such as a French bulldog.

It’s best to buy special breeds from a registered, reputable breeder, as your dog will most likely have better health, and you won’t risk funding a puppy farm where dogs are bred in inadequate conditions.

How much does it cost to get a dog neutered?

Desexing a dog, also known as ‘neutering’ for male dogs, or ‘spaying’ for females, is a medical procedure for removing its sexual organs, to prevent it from procreating. The procedure is mandatory for dogs in certain parts of Australia, and is a choice for owners in other areas.

An owner may choose to desex their dog as it can improve certain behaviours that they may find a nuisance. It’s also widely recommended as a way to keep the population of unwanted dogs down in Australia.

When consulting a number of vet clinic websites, Forbes Advisor found desexing a dog can cost anything between $180 to $510, depending on where you live and the age and sex of your dog, among other factors. You can read our guide: Dog Neutering Costs In Australia to find out if the procedure is mandatory where you live, and what discount schemes may be available to you.

Pet Insurance Cost Guides
Pet Guides
Pet Insurance Reviews

More from   Advisor

Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.
Candiece Cyrus Forbes Staff

I have been writing for newspapers, magazines and online publications for over 10 years. My passion is providing, in a way that is easily accessible and digestible to all, the knowledge needed for readers to not only manage their finances, but financially flourish.