Bringing home a puppy is such an exciting occasion. If you have decided the Cocker Spaniel is the breed for you, you probably want to know all the potential financial costs you could incur—both over time and right up front. You could spend as much as $2,000 on a pup.

We tried to think of all the different categories we could for potential financial expenses for dogs. Here is a little breakdown of pricing so you can factor these things into the monthly budget.

Bringing Home a New Cocker Spaniel: One-Time Costs

The good news is that most of your Cocker Spaniel payout for supplies will be right up front. Monthly expenses thereafter will be way cheaper.

Cocker Spaniel puppies can come with some pretty hefty price tags. Adoption is a lesser cost with complete vetting. You can weigh the pros and cons of each option.

Consider the cost of your dog with any supplies they might need. So, here is a breakdown of one-time costs.

Free

Sometimes you can get lucky and find a Cocker Spaniel for free. Perhaps a friend or family member can no longer care for their dog, or someone has dumped or abandoned their pup.

This also might occur if you know someone who had an unexpected litter. No matter the circumstances, getting a dog can happen at no cost to you. There is no foretelling–so don’t bank on it.

Adoption

People are unable to keep their pets for a variety of reasons. When they wind up at adoption and rescue centers, the professionals there will make sure that they are spayed and neutered, up to date on vaccinations, and microchipped.

So ultimately, you get all your vetting taken care of for your purebred Cocker Spaniel at quite a low cost, considering. Often, these will be older puppies and adults. But sometimes, a litter of puppies might come in, and you could get lucky.

Breeder

Buying your Cocker Spaniel from a breeder can be quite costly, especially if the breeder is legitimate. Be aware of extremely low puppy costs or questionable living conditions. Do your research on the breeder to ensure you’re getting quality pups from someone who truly cares about the well-being of the dogs.

Some breeders require a deposit to hold the puppy of your choosing. A reputable breeder should have no problems releasing vet records, providing information about the parents, and answering any other questions you might have about the puppy.

Also, most breeders put puppy contracts in place to ensure you will give the puppy back to the breeder if you can no longer care for them. This prevents homelessness and puts a layer of protection in place for the dog so they don’t wind up at a shelter.

Even though breeder costs are high, buying from a licensed breeder ensures a healthy, happy puppy that will grow into an excellent family companion. Just be sure to choose a breeder with a sterling reputation every time.

Initial Setup and Supplies

Every pup needs its fair share of supplies. If you already have a dog, you might already have some of these items on hand. But if you’re starting out fresh, here are some much-needed necessities (and some optional products) to get you started.

List of Cocker Spaniel Care Supplies and Costs

How Much Does a Cocker Spaniel Cost Per Month?

When you’re factoring in monthly costs, you have to consider food, medications, entertainment, and so on. Here are our estimates for both the high and low end of the spectrum.

Health Care

Luckily, you probably won’t spend a lot of time at the vet on a monthly basis. You’ll most likely have your routine visits in the first year, including vaccines and boosters, spay or neuter surgery, and microchipping.

After that, your pet should only have to visit their veterinarian annually. However, it might require monthly visits if they have allergies or other health issues. So, this portion of things can be very cheap, or they can be a little pricey.

It depends on the overall health of your Cocker Spaniel.

Food

Food is one of the most expected expenses with your Cocker Spaniel. After all, they need to eat every day! As an owner, choosing the best diet for your dog is up to you and your vet.

At first, this could be trial and error, finding a suitable diet your pup loves. But eventually, you’ll be able to pinpoint what type of dog food works best. As a puppy, they will benefit from puppy chow with high protein and added DHA to aid in brain development.

They also need a substantial amount of protein when they’re growing to keep up with muscle health. Roughly a year old, you can switch them over to adult food. Most adult kibbles are maintenance diets, but there are tons of recipes to choose from that aid in various aspects of digestion.

Fresh Dog Food

More and more pet parents are switching to fresh food options for their dogs. It certainly has its benefits–straight-to-your-door delivery, better ingredients, specially packaged and portioned meals, you name it.

However, these diet plans can be costly, so consider the financial expense.

Commercial Wet/Dry Dog Food

Commercial wet and dry foods are all over the shelves in department stores and pet shops alike. You can select anything from premium kibble to your basic dog foods. We recommend purchasing a dog food brand with no fillers, artificial additives, and other harsh ingredients.

Raw Food

Raw food has become a popular option for some dog owners. This gives your dog a more primal diet without the ingredients being cooked down, losing vital nutrients. Instead, raw food delivers wholesome, fresh ingredients, which locks in nutrients.

In the in the nutrition world, there are mixed opinions about raw diets.

Grooming

Cocker Spaniels have long hair that requires regular grooming. Whether you take them in for adorable fancy haircuts or maintain their coats at home, they need attention! This can have a steep price tag depending on your location and local options.

However, it doesn’t have to be a huge expense. Even if you don’t want to groom at home, there are dog washing stations, doggy day spas, and chain facilities more than happy to do the dirty work for you–if you’re willing to pay, that is.

Medications and Vet Visits

The total cost will vary depending on the dog when factoring in monthly medication and vet visits. Most of the time, you won’t need to spend any regular monthly fees on medication or vet visits, permitting your dog is in good health.

However, with the development of particular issues, you might need to refill prescriptions or come in for routine monitoring. You could spend no money in this category or a couple hundred dollars a month.

Pet Insurance

Financially, more and more parents are investing in pet insurance for their dogs. Pet insurance puts an extra layer of protection in place so you can afford big vet bills when funds are low.

That cost can be extremely expensive outside of standard preventative care. When emergencies or illnesses strike out of nowhere, it’s best to have these measures put in place so your pet is taken care of even when funds are tight.

There are tons of insurance companies on the market. Each of them offers their own coverage and various policies. You can get free quotes on the Internet; much is the same as any other insurance company.

You can even bundle your dog’s insurance with yours, permitting your insurance company covers pets.

Environment Maintenance

When your dog is a puppy, it will create mess after mess. Once they start getting a little bit older, these will taper off and you might not need the puppy pads after the first few months. However, here are a few environmental items to have on hand.

Entertainment

Your Cocker Spaniel will benefit from having many things to do around the home! They will certainly have their preference from toys to puzzles to treat-inspired balls. First, you should get a little mixed tape of several entertainment options to see what they like best.

Over time, you can pinpoint what they really like.

Total Monthly Cost of Owning a Cocker Spaniel

Planning works wonders to care for a Cocker Spaniel on your budget. But aside from regular items and supplies, there are other aspects of care to consider.

Additional Costs to Factor In

Pet Sitters/Kennels

We all need to leave town sometimes. Whether it be a business trip or a vacation, there are places our pets can’t come to.

When these times arise, if you don’t have a friend or family member to care for your dog while you’re away, you must factor in the cost of dog sitting.

You can choose to board them at a kennel or facility or hire a private sitter to take care of them. This is completely a matter of preference. Some folks aren’t keen on the idea of someone being in their home while they’re away. Others prefer one-on-one attention for their pups.

Some kennels are less expensive than private sitters. But everyone’s rates are different, and it’s worth checking into your region’s prices.

Emergency Treatments 

So many things can happen unexpectedly. Your dog could get injured or fall incredibly ill in a moment. Emergency vet care could be extremely pricey.

It often happens after normal hours and sometimes requires extensive treatments or surgery. If you don’t have insurance put in place for your pet, you can wind up with very costly bills, upwards of a few thousand dollars.

Household Damage

Some dogs can be downright destructive. Others are only that way throughout the puppy stage. But regardless of what your dog might destroy, whether it be carpet, door, frames, drywall, or otherwise, these things will need to be replaced.

Depending on exactly what they tore up, prices will vary drastically based on their value category—from electronic devices to home décor.

Behavioral Training

Behavioral training is extremely beneficial for a number of reasons. If you have a particularly challenging dog on your hands, you can have a professional walk you through the training steps.

Or, if you just want a very mannerly dog that is incredibly obedient or listens to a broad range of commands, professional training might also help you out in this regard.

Of course, there are many free resources online to teach you how to train your dog on your own. However, you get what you pay for if you hire a trainer.

Everyone’s rates will be different based on their experience level and personal pricing. It also depends on where you live, whether it be a rule or city location.

Owning a Cocker Spaniel on a Budget

If you are a savings-savvy person and constantly look for options to stretch your dollar, you can save money on dog care.

Even though we don’t recommend cutting corners with dog care, there are ways you can save money. Even though it might seem like nickel and diming, saving a little here and there goes a long way.

Saving Money on Cocker Spaniel Care

Autoship/Coupons

Autoship options are a good measure to put in place when purchasing recurring items like food. If you get an autoship option, it’ll knock a few dollars off of your monthly charge.

Also, if you sign up for emails, many companies send out coupons so you can take advantage of various pet products.

Mobile Clinics

Mobile clinics are an extremely wonderful resource for pet parents on a budget. These clinics perform spay and neuter surgery, routine vaccinations, and other general care for much lower prices.

Secondhand Supplies

We don’t recommend buying secondhand supplies when it comes to just any old thing. However, if you were in the market for kennels, training supplies, or dog houses, you could always see if any are available locally.

Invisible fences and other big-money dog-specific items might save a lot of money if you purchase used ones. You can browse sites like marketplaces, local garage sales, or see if friends and family are looking to get rid of some items.

At-Home Grooming

Cocker Spaniels require grooming every 4 to 6 weeks. Regular groomers charge anywhere from $40 to $75 on average. If you want to save a few dollars every month or so, you could always learn to groom your dog at home.

Buying a pair of clippers and a few other necessary supplies can completely cut out this cost for you. If you pick up grooming supplies, you can easily perform the task yourself.

Some dogs will need to be restrained, so remember that you might need a partner to perform the action. You can learn how to do many different hairstyles on YouTube and other social media platforms.

You might not be great at first, but practice makes perfect. Soon, you’ll be giving your dog lots of cute hairstyles.

 Utilizing Free Resource Training

If you can carve out the time, you can train these eager-to-please little dogs without too much hassle or headache.

 Instead of taking your pet to a professional, you can always utilize natural resources online. Plenty of tutorials exist from trusted professionals who give free tips and tricks for an easy at-home training experience.

Conclusion

The cost to own a Cocker Spaniel can vary quite greatly depending on how you obtain the dog or puppy. Then, you’ll need the supplies and the diet for daily living. More costs can also fluctuate based on your dog’s health.

A healthy Cocker Spaniel will have minimal vet bills, while ones with a few more complications could require more care. It’s best to plan for everything and consider pet insurance to provide peace of mind.

Ultimately, you could spend as much as $2,000 on a pup–not including supplies. Then, factor in all the other costs, and those numbers keep rising. So, you could essentially spend as much or little as you please–permitting you’re still providing proper care.

See also:

• 10 Best Harnesses for Labradoodles: Reviews & Top Picks
• When to Spay or Neuter a Labradoodle: Benefits, Drawbacks & FAQ

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Featured Image Credit: WilleeCole Photography, Shutterstock