Whether it’s a snap decision or one that you’ve been thinking of, welcoming a new doggo or puppers into your home requires some planning and preparation.

A lot of factors have to be taken into consideration to determine if they’re a suitable fit for your current lifestyle. Because there’s nothing more irresponsible than bringing home a furkid only to realise that you’re unable to cater to their needs and well-being.

The cost of owning a dog also differs between breeds, sizes, health requirements and activities that you as their fur parent decide to sign them up for.

Hence with the adoption or purchase fees aside, here’s a rough estimate as to how much it would cost to own an average sized dog in Malaysia.

For Starters

A “doggo starters kit” would contain their daily use or essentials that shouldn’t require too frequent changes such as:

• Food & Water bowl: RM5 x 2, or nil if you’ve got a spare suitable stainless steel bowl for your furkid (if you’re using a plastic bowl, it must be cleaned daily to prevent bacterial growth)
• Collar: RM10
• Leash: RM10
• Soap/shampoo: RM30
• Brush: RM5
• Towel: RM10, or nil if you’ll be using your old towels

Other optional items that your doggo might require includes:

• Dog Carrier for small dogs: RM35
• Dog Bed: RM25

Total Cost: RM55 – RM135 (price based off lowest priced item on Lazada or Shopee)

License

You would also need to register your dog and obtain a licence from the local city hall or municipality at RM10 per year. All you’ll have to do is provide a:

• Full body photo of your pet (3R size)
• Photo of your house (from the outside including your roof; 3R size)
• Photocopy of proof of vaccination from the vet
• Dog license form (which you can get at their office)

Medical Costs

Pets or humans, a medical bill is never something that comes cheap. Here are the estimates for what you can expect to pay for them:

• Vaccination / Deworming: RM100
• Spaying / Neutering: From RM180
• Annual Checkups: From RM200

Total Cost: From RM480

However, pet medical care doesn’t just stop at these basic mandatory expenses. Pets may require extra medical attention due to health reasons, accidents or poisoning could potentially rack up a monthly bill of up to RM5,000 for hospitalisation. Prevention is best for this which means making sure your pet is safe at all times, and on a nutritious diet to avoid any long term health issues.

Maintenance

Unless you’re absolutely skilled and confident in your clipper wielding skills, your furry doggo would need the occasional trip to the groomers to get all that fuzz under control. Plus they’d also need their ears cleaned, their nails cut and perhaps their teeth checked if they’ve got really bad breath.

Rates start from as low as RM20 (based on PetBacker) and can go more than RM100 depending on the size and breed of your dog as well as the type of grooming needed. A safe average at a pet grooming shop would be about RM80 for a dog’s full grooming (hair, nails, ears, all inclusive).

PS: Here’s how to safely trim your dog’s nails on your own!

Treats and Toys

Puppy or adult, a doggo needs its favourite treats and toys. An average toy that can be ordered online or bought in pet stores would cost around RM15 and above. Treats on the other hand could be cheaper if DIY-ed or bought from local pet food bakers.

With that said, a safe monthly estimate would be RM50 for treats and toys.

Activities & Services

Additional activities and services such as dog walking, swimming and training are optional. However, if you think you might need these services here are their rough prices:

• Pet Sitting: From RM50
• Dog Swimming: From RM32

Food & Nutrition

A 15kg bag of premium dog kibble (soy-free, grain-free, and corn-free, etc.) would easily cost RM200 and above. The problem with buying dry kibble in bulk is that while the food doesn’t expire before the expiry date, it doesn’t actually remain fresh and nutritious either.

Once opened, the kibble will slowly but surely become a breeding ground for bacteria and other nasties due to oxidation. 

While kibbles are the usual go-to to feed most pet dogs, the long term health issues that follow doesn’t make it the right choice.

Dogs are omnivores hence would require a diet that comprises 51% meats, 46% vegetables and 3% herbs and oils. Having your doggo on a fibre or carb rich kibble would not be the best choice because a) they’re not cows and b) it’s not nutritiously balanced.

Hence an alternative to the highly processed and dehydrated kibbles would be fresh human-grade pet food. If you’d like to try making it yourself, here’s a list of ingredients you might need. 

However, here at Petchef we believe that nourishing our furkids should not be an expensive hassle. Starting from as low as RM40 a month for a dog that weighs 1-2kg, we’ll cook and deliver your pet dog’s nutritionally balanced and yummy food right to your doorstep. All you’ll need to do is defrost it a day before and serve it with love.

If you want more information about our food, feel free to chat with our Petchef advisors on what meal plan is best suited for your dog.

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Overall, excluding any unfortunate unforseen circumstances, in total it could cost around RM200 a month to care for a dog. However the initial cost would definitely be higher when you’re first setting up. After that though, it’s all about giving your furkid the best care possible to keep them happy and healthier longer too.