Dog cost calculator

Data reviewed August 1, 2026

Quick answer

Answer four questions and get a monthly, annual, first-year, and lifetime cost estimate for your dog, anchored to APPA spending averages and the NAPHIA average insurance premium.

Dog size

SmallMediumLargeGiant

Grooming needs

MinimalModerateSalon

Salon = professional grooming every 6 to 8 weeks (poodles, doodles, Shih Tzus).

Boarding or daycare · 5 days/year

Expected lifespan · 12 years

Include accident & illness insurance ($836/yr average)

Your estimate

$179/month

$2,151 per year, ongoing

$3,001

first year (adds ~$850 of one-time setup, vet work, and supplies; excludes purchase price)

$26,662

lifetime over 12 years

Anchored to APPA average food and vet spend and the NAPHIA average premium. Emergencies not included.

Frequently asked questions

What does this calculator include?

Food scaled by size, routine vet care, grooming by coat type, supplies, optional accident and illness insurance, and optional boarding or daycare days. It excludes one-off emergencies, which is what insurance is for.

What data is it based on?

Anchors come from the APPA National Pet Owners Survey (average food and routine vet spend per dog) and NAPHIA (average accident and illness premium, $836 per year for dogs), scaled by size, coat, and coverage choices. Full method on our methodology page.

Sources

We only publish numbers we can attribute. How we build estimates: methodology.