New data from pet insurance provider ManyPets, has revealed an average 18% decrease in puppy prices since the lockdown boom in 2021. With many eager for companionship throughout the pandemic, prices for popular dogs including Cavapoos and Dachshunds soared up to £2346, leaving new owners paying up to 25% more, while others were priced out completely.
Today, ManyPets has unveiled the UK’s cheapest breeds ranked on their overall costs; taking food costs, insurance costs and potential annual vet bills into account. The top ten include:
- Jack Russell
- Chihuahua
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Shi Tzu
- Border Collie
- Greyhound
- Border Terrier
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Sprocker Spaniel
- Beagle
Taking the top spot as the cheapest dog breed is the sturdy Jack Russell. With just a £685 average buying cost and an average food bill of approximately £13 a month, they're both inexpensive to buy and to keep compared to their other furry counterparts. In addition, the £300 average annual pet insurance cost for a Jack Russell comes in well below the average pet insurance cost for all breeds of £421.60.
Other traditionally fashionable breeds such as Chihuahuas and Shi Tzus have also made the list, with low food and vet bills keeping costs at a more manageable rate.
Oke Eleazu, CEO of ManyPets UK, said: "It feels like we all know a family member, friend, neighbour or colleague who welcomed home a pet during the pandemic. It wasn't unusual to hear of pet parents paying over £2,000 for popular breeds like Cockapoos, Cavapoos and German Shepherds, sometimes over £500 more than they would have paid in 2021.
"Our data shows that the pet boom is starting to steady which has helped bring prices down, in some cases below 2020 levels. And while the initial cost of the breed is not the only consideration, differences of £500 can be game changing when considering inflation on other key pet costs such as vet visits, vaccinations, toys and even insurance (sorry, we wish it didn’t). With things slowing down naturally post lockdown, we hope this will help to make pet parentship more accessible for those who felt priced out previously.
"Choosing the right breed for you, your lifestyle and home environment is the most important factor when it comes to pet ownership. The hard working Collie might be the top 5th cheapest to care for but has entirely different needs when compared to the more expensive Cavapoo!”
