Raising a dog in Singapore can be quite expensive. Quality food, grooming, vet visits, they can all add up. If you are thinking of getting a dog, it’s advisable to do some calculations to ensure you have the budget to take good care of her for life. Here’s a guide to the cost of dog ownership in Singapore.
The initial cost of dog ownership
Getting a dog:
- Adoption fee: S$0 – S$450
The Military Working Dog Unit: Free
The Police K-9 Unit: S$53.50
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA): S$180
Voices For Animals (VFA): S$250
Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD): S$300
- Purchase cost: S$1,000 to a few thousand dollars
Medical needs:
- Vet consult: S$50 – S$70
- Vaccinations: S$50 – S$55 per shot. Puppies need 3 booster shots in total
- Sterilisation: S$200 – S$600 onwards
ALSO READ: List of Recommended Singapore Vets
Dog licensing and microchipping:
- Microchipping: S$50 – S$80
- Dog licensing: S$15 onwards
1st 3 dogs: S$15 for sterilised/below 5 months old, S$90 for non-sterilised
4th dog onwards: S$180
Dog owners can apply for a 2 to 3-year licence at a cheaper fee + 10% rebate if payment is made via GIRO, online, or AXS stations.
Basic essentials:
- Food and accessories: S$50 onwards
- Walk accessories (Collar, leash, carrier, etc.): S$50 onwards
- Bed: S$50 onwards
- Toiletries (pee pads, pee pan, baby gates, shampoo, etc.): S$100 onwards
- Grooming tools (scissors, brushes, shaver, etc.): S$50 onwards
- Toys: S$10 onwards
Grooming:
- First grooming session: S$50 onwards
Training:
- Puppy obedience training: S$500 – S$700 for a series of group classes
ALSO READ: Doggy Essentials [Free Checklist Download]
The monthly cost of dog ownership
Food and treats
- Ranges from S$60 – S$200 a month for a 7kg dog.
Supplements
- S$20 – S$100 a month
Prevention medication
- Update: We no longer endorse the use of flea, tick and heartworm prevention medication that are made with toxic ingredients. You may read How to Choose a Natural Flea and Tick Repellent or DIY Your Own
- De-wormer, Aristopet: $14 for 4 tablets, approx. $3.50 per month
Full grooming: S$50 onwards for a medium-sized dog
Pee pads, if necessary: $22.50 for 100 pieces, S$12 per month
Fun stuff, such as toys, clothes, and accessories: S$30 per month
The yearly cost of dog ownership
- Dog licensing:
1st 3 dogs: S$15 for sterilised/below 5 months old, S$90 for non-sterilised
4th dog onwards: S$180
Dog owners can apply for a 2 to 3-year licence at a cheaper fee + 10% rebate if payment is made via GIRO, online, or AXS stations.
- Yearly vaccination or titer test: S$50 – S$55
- Pet healthcare insurance: S$350 onwards
Average monthly cost of dog ownership: S$250 onwards for a medium-sized dog
Vet Visits
- Consultation: S$50 onwards per session depending on the clinic and vet’s seniority
- Vaccinations/Titer test: S$50 to S$55
- Routine medical checkup and blood tests: S$200 onwards
- Surgery: S$700 to thousands of dollars. It cost us S$763.60 for Latte’s luxating patella surgery
- Cost per visit (for minor conditions such as allergies, diarrhea, vomiting): S$60 – S$600
Monthly budgets from dog owners
Owner 1, four toy/miniature poodles:
Food: S$600
Supplements: S$50
Grooming S$200 – S$300
Miscellaneous: S$100
Total: S$1,000, S$250 per dog
Owner 2, one 27kg Greyhound:
Food – S$500
Treats – S$50
Supplements – S$150
Toiletries – S$20 (toothpaste, baby wipes, shampoo, poop bags)
Weekly swims: S$80/session
Total: S$1,040
Owner 3, two senior Westies with chronic health issues:
Food and treats: S$200
Supplements and medication: S$300
Handstripping and basic grooming: S$150 – S$200
Miscellaneous: S$100
Vet bills: S$600 for a blood test every six months for two dogs
Boarding: $500 every 3 months
Total: S$1,042, S$521 per dog
Owner 4, one golden retriever:
Food: S$100+
Supplements: S$100
Grooming: DIY
Treats: S$30 – S$50
Total: S$240+
Owner 5, two 1.5kg dogs:
Food: S$50
Treats: S$20
Supplement: S$20
Grooming: DIY
Total: S$90, S$45 per dog
The cost of dog ownership increases with the size of the dog. Different breeds are also prone to their own hereditary and breed-related medical issues. Do your research and your calculations before bringing a dog home. A dog is a lifetime commitment.
Money-saving Tips
- Shop online: Check out the cheapest and best online pet supplies shops
- Don’t buy from the clinic just because your vet prescribed it: Things are usually more expensive at the clinic. Do a quick price comparison on your phone before giving your money away! A supplement was selling at S$65 at the clinic while we could get it at S$35 at a reputable online store
- Join online communities: Online communities are great! You can get valuable advice that would help you save money, and ask fellow mamas and papas to share samples or donate things they don’t need to you
- Purchase pet insurance: If you are not ready for unexpected big medical bills, you should consider buying health insurance for your dog
- Join a membership that saves you money: Look out for memberships that offer discounts and subsidies on pet expenses. With a small annual fee, you may enjoy significant savings
- Use the right credit cards: Credit cards give you cashback, reward points, and miles on your spending. Use it well to maximise rewards
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Marils
December 17, 2014 at 10:47 am
Hello! May i know where you purchase your meat? I’m feeding a combination of venison,lamb and pork to my mini schnauzer and it goes up to $100+ a month!
vanillapup
December 18, 2014 at 4:42 pm
Hi! Mama buys the meat from Foodie Market Place. The frozen section’s price is really reasonable! They don’t sell venison though 🙂
Belle
December 5, 2014 at 8:16 pm
Ok! I got it! Thanks a lot for your reply Latte (:
Belle
December 5, 2014 at 1:34 pm
Hi Latte!
Thanks for the prompt reply! Ok, I will probably get that for my dog, Bungee (: However, Bungee is currently on 50% Kibbles and 50% Primal. Would you still advise me to feed him calcium supplement? Or is it only necessary for dogs on homemade meals?
Thanks in advance! (:
vanillapup
December 5, 2014 at 1:40 pm
Oh then I don’t think he needs either supplement actually. Unless your vet recommends it! Commercial food should already be balanced and complete. Feeding too much supplements may not be good for Bungee too 🙂
Belle
December 5, 2014 at 12:26 am
Hello Latte!
Just happened to chance upon your blog! I notice that you are on Life extension dog mix and natural pet calcium powder. How are the reviews for these two supplements? I intend to get the dog mix but not sure if the natural pet calcium powder is needed to add on with it. Would love to hear your review!
Thank you!
vanillapup
December 5, 2014 at 12:05 pm
Hi Belle!
Thanks for dropping by 🙂 Life extension dog mix has been working well for me. Mama likes the fact that she only needs to feed me a tiny scoop of it daily. She doesn’t want to feed me more supplements than real food! As for calcium, mama has switched to grounded egg shells. About half a teaspoon is sufficient for a small dog. You can read more about it online! Calcium is very important to add if you are feeding homemade meals to balance out the high phosphorous content.
cottonthemaltese
August 18, 2014 at 8:29 pm
Wow $2000 in two months? 😛 I thought that amount in 6 months was bad enough hahaha! Lucky pup you are, Latte! Kudos to your mum for writing all these down, I shudder to recall how much I’ve spent on our smelly girl hehe. Btw, for the life extension dog mix, you could try iherb instead it’s approx USD15 for 100g too. http://m.iherb.com/life-extension-dog-mix-100-g/4591 it’s out of stock now but they restock pretty quick! $4 for shipping for up to 8lbs if I’m not wrong (receive within 1-2 weeks) so if you combine with other stuff it’s more worth it! Oh and what’s the de-wormer for? 😀
vanillapup
August 23, 2014 at 11:13 pm
Hehe I am very high maintenance! Thanks for the tip, mama will go check it out. The dewormer is used to prevent worms such as tapeworm but mama just realised that the interceptor heart worm protection I just started using does the job too!
meisi
August 18, 2014 at 8:07 pm
Sarah, you can try to get interceptors. It is a heartguard and de-wormer. $77 for 6 months.
vanillapup
August 23, 2014 at 11:13 pm
I am already using it! Didn’t realise that interceptor is 2 in 1. I won’t need to buy more dewormer tablets anymore 🙂
somewhitecookie
August 18, 2014 at 8:16 am
Totally agree! They are so expensive to maintain
vanillapup
August 18, 2014 at 9:58 am
Yes! Mama keeps telling herself at least I am cheaper than raising a kid. Poor mama and papa… You are so diligent, mama gave up after the first few months!
somewhitecookie
August 18, 2014 at 10:09 am
Yes! And it’s much more enjoyable raising dogs than kids. Bleah.
I’m still in the first few months of recording! Maybe I’ll give up after awhile too