Recent survey results show that men and woman have very different ideas on the cost of cleaning up after their dog. Data shows that men believe their dog costs over 20% more than their female counterparts.
From our blog post of the 10 most destructive dog breeds we learnt that over 55% of dog owners said that their dog had caused damage within their home, one dog in particular “burnt the kitchen down” whilst another ate a whole frozen turkey! Ouch.
Annually, on average, female owners estimated their dog caused £195.47 of damage, whilst male owners estimated an average annual damage cost of £237.54.
Female dog owners anticipated their average annual cleaning bill for their dog was £121.03, whereas male owners guessed higher at £143.66.
When it comes to fixing and repairing items in the home, men think this costs 40% more than women. Perhaps this is due to males placing value on the time they take to perform the repairs. Recent research has placed the ‘value of dad’ at £21,601 a year.
The majority of damage is the work of puppies. Approximately 40% is caused when they are left alone during the day. However, other key times are: Bonfire night, during thunder storms and when they “charge around, all excited, knocking everything over.”
Rather embarrassingly, 13% of dogs have caused damage to other people’s homes. Female owners guesstimate the repair bill to be £264.76 whilst males again guess higher at £302.57.
A dog is for life, not just for Christmas.
Sadly, 10% of people have considered giving away their dog because of the amount of damage caused. 20% of people said they regretted getting their pet, with 45% saying their pet was too much commitment and another 40% citing damage costs.
Michael Ward, managing director of PayingTooMuch.com comments:
“Owning a dog is huge time and financial commitment. As the dog’s owner, you are held accountable for your dog’s actions. Staggeringly, only about 50% of owners have pet insurance. 82% of those people have claimed on their insurance. Clearly you are more likely to need insurance than not.
“The number of dog owners who struggle with the financial commitments of having a dog is saddening. Please make sure you can fully support your dog through the course of its life, and get your dog insured!”
5 most frequent costs
| 1. | Clean carpets/rugs | 47% |
| 2. | Clean chairs/sofa | 27% |
| 3. | Replace carpets/rugs | 26% |
| 4. | Replaced clothes/shoes | 17% |
| 5. | Replaces plants/flowers | 16% |
Common repairs
| 1. | Fill/repaint walls and doorsill |
| 2. | Replace/repair fences to prevent dog escaping |
| 3. | Replace cushions |
| 4. | Replace remote controls |
| 5. | Replace wiring/cables |
