Bringing home a new dog is always exciting, and if your new pet is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, get ready for the best cuddles and a whole lot of fun. This small house dog is a wonderful companion to have in your home who enjoys quality time with its owners but is independent and fearless. These dogs are adaptable, loyal, and easy to train because they’re so intelligent—but they do need regular vet checkups, a high-quality diet, and frequent grooming.
As with any pet, Pembroke Welsh Corgis are a responsibility and will cost you a lot of money over their lifespan. It’s important to determine if you have the budget to care for them and give them the lifestyle they deserve before purchasing or adopting one of these dogs.
Giving your dog away is not an option, so let’s discuss how much a Pembroke Welsh Corgi could cost you from the moment you start setting up your house to welcome them home to what you can expect on a monthly basis.
Bringing Home a New Pembroke Welsh Corgi: One-Time Costs
Although there will be monthly costs involved with owning a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, there are also initial, one-time costs. These include adoption fees or the purchase of your Corgi from a breeder, vaccinations, neutering, and environmental setup. A puppy or new adult dog will require a list of items to make their new home feel safe, secure, and comfortable.
Free
There are situations where someone you know may have died, and that person may have left their Corgi to you. You may have found a lost or abandoned Corgi that hasn’t been claimed by its original owner. Or perhaps you’ve taken on the Corgi of someone who has had to move to a different country and was unable to take their pet with them. Either way, you have saved a lot of money by not having to pay a breeder for a puppy or adoption fees for a rescue.
However, it’s important to understand that although the dog is free, their needs and health care won’t be. Make sure that you’re ready to home this new dog and can take on the responsibility before accepting it. It’s not fair to the Corgi to be passed from one home to another.
Adoption
Adopting a Corgi is a cheaper option than purchasing one from a breeder. It’s also a way to provide a dog with a home that doesn’t have one. If you find a Pembroke Welsh Corgi through a Corgi rescue shelter, you may pay anywhere from $250–$600. However, you may find a Corgi at your local animal shelter for an even lower price.
How much you’ll have to pay for your Corgi will depend on their age and the amount of medical care they received upon entering the shelter. The amount you need to pay to adopt your dog covers their vaccinations, neutering, and any other medical expenses, with little to none of that money going towards the shelter or volunteers.
Breeder
Buying a Pembroke Welsh Corgi from a breeder is going to be expensive, but there are many benefits to this option. Most puppies from breeders come already socialized, microchipped, vaccinated, and dewormed. You’ll also be offered lifetime breeder support, a medical history of their parents, and a few other benefits to ensure your pup gets the best chance at life.
Corgis are an expensive dog breed to purchase because they’re popular and in high demand. Puppies might be more expensive than others depending on their sex, coat color, and parents.
If you find a breeder without the necessary documentation to accompany their puppies or who offers a below-average price for their puppies, do more research into them as they may not be trustworthy, and you may end up with a sickly puppy or one that isn’t truly purebred.
Initial Setup and Supplies
Every new puppy or dog needs a few items that will make them feel more comfortable, such as a dog bed or food and water bowls. Some of the items you’ll need will be used by you to groom your dog, and some items will be useful for keeping your dog occupied and entertained. Depending on where and how you got your dog, you’ll also likely need to get them vaccinated, neutered, and microchipped.
Thankfully, these are mostly costs that you’ll only need to pay once, and they won’t have to be added to your monthly budget. If you’ve had a dog before, you can use some of their old items for your new pup.
List of Pembroke Welsh Corgi Care Supplies and Costs
| ID Tag and Collar | $13–$24 |
| Dog leash | $6–$22 |
| Spay/Neuter | $50–$300 |
| Microchip | $45–$55 |
| Teeth Cleaning | $150–$500 |
| Bed | $20–$45 |
| Crate (optional) | $35–$150 |
| Nail Clipper (optional) | $8–$20 |
| Brush (optional) | $8–$35 |
| Toys | $6–$23 |
| Carrier | $23–$40 |
| Food and Water Bowls | $15–$35 |
How Much Does a Pembroke Welsh Corgi Cost Per Month?
Food is a large monthly expense for a Pembroke Welsh Corgi because feeding your dog a good-quality option is pricey but so worth it. A dog that doesn’t receive the nutrients they need in their food isn’t going to be a healthy one and will require more vet care, which will ultimately cost you more. Taking your dog to a groomer and using a dog walker are also costly options.
Health Care
The monthly cost of health care for your Pembroke Welsh Corgi can be as high as $300 per month, but that will depend on your finances and lifestyle. Instead of taking your dog to the groomer for every bath and nail trim, you could do it yourself and save a lot of money each month.
Taking out pet insurance will add to your monthly expenses, but it’ll save you from paying large vet bills in the future. However, there are often various coverage options with various prices available, so you can choose the option that best fits your budget.
Food
What food you feed your Pembroke Welsh Corgi is up to you, as there is a wide range of dog food on the market. However, make sure that it is good quality food that contains probiotics and is nutritionally complete and balanced according to their life stage. Thankfully, you’ll pay less for a bag of food for your medium-sized dog than someone else will with a larger dog.
High-quality dog food can cost over $100, and as much as it may be a great option for your dog, you can find more affordable options for around $60 that will provide your dog with everything they need nutritionally.
Grooming
Grooming your dog once you’ve bought all the initial grooming items can cost you little to nothing per month. You may have to purchase shampoo occasionally, but other than that, your dog’s brush and nail clippers should last years.
A Pembroke Welsh Corgi can shed quite a bit, and bathing them regularly will not only keep them looking and smelling clean but will remove the loose hairs from their coats. Daily brushing will also help reduce shedding and remove debris from their coats. You can trim their nails once a month and check their ears for wax build-up and signs of infection frequently.
You can consider taking them to a groomer instead, but you’ll pay anywhere from $30 to $140 per month for your medium-sized dog, depending on the type of groomer you use, where you stay, and what services you choose.
Medications and Vet Visits
You’re going to have to pay the highest amount for medications and vet visits in the first year of your Pembroke Welsh Corgi’s life. Within the first 12 months, you’ll need to pay for their vaccinations, neutering, microchipping, flea and tick prevention, deworming, and a few other preventative care treatments.
You could pay anywhere from $300 to $1,100 for these procedures, and unfortunately, preventative care isn’t covered by pet insurance. You’ll need to pay out of pocket unless you have wellness coverage, which is an additional package.
However, you won’t have to pay for a vet visit every month. You could prepare for the necessary procedures and treatment by putting money aside each month so that when the bills come, you won’t have to pull from your savings.
Pet Insurance
Unless you have a lot of money saved up for vet care, getting pet insurance for your Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a good idea because they are prone to a range of health conditions that will cost a lot to treat without insurance. A few health conditions this breed is prone to are elbow and hip dysplasia, cataracts, patent ductus arteriosis, degenerative myelopathy, and Von Willebrand’s disease.
The amount you pay for pet insurance will depend on the type of policy you take out, the age of your Corgi, and where you live. If you’d prefer not to take out pet insurance, we recommend putting money away each month into an emergency savings account so that if your dog needs vet care, you’re able to cover it.
Environment Maintenance
Environmental maintenance for dogs isn’t high, and all the items below may not be necessary for your dog. For example, you may only need training pads if your dog is being potty trained or if you live in an apartment. You’ll need poop bags to clean up after your dog, which you’ll need to buy more of every month, but the poop scoop will be included in your once-off costs. Shampoo and treats may also need to be purchased often.
| Training pads | $16–$23/month |
| Poop bags | $7–$20/month |
| Treats | $5–$30/month |
| Shampoo | $8–$18/month |
Entertainment
If you’re able to exercise and play with your Pembroke Welsh Corgi daily, you won’t need to include entertainment in your monthly expenses. However, if you travel a lot or work long hours, paying someone to check in on your dog once or twice a day or to take them for a walk is something you could consider. Dog walkers charge from $15 to $30, which depends on how long you want your dog to walk for and your location.
Most dog toys don’t last very long and will likely need to be replaced monthly. For a variety pack of toys, you could pay around $24, but for a single toy, you could pay around $6.
Total Monthly Cost of Owning a Pembroke Welsh Corgi
How much you spend on your Pembroke Welsh Corgi per month has a lot to do with your lifestyle and the kind of budget you have. If you’re a “do-it-yourself” person, you won’t end up paying as much as someone else who would rather spend a bit more money to have their dog cared for by a groomer, trainer, or dog walker.
If you have pet insurance, you’re going to pay less for vet bills when accidents arise, as your dog will be covered. Owning a dog can be expensive, but there are ways to save money and own a dog on a budget.
Additional Costs to Factor In
There are always factors and unexpected expenses you won’t be able to plan for when owning a dog, but it’s important to consider possible factors that could arise in the future.
A Pembroke Welsh Corgi needs obedience and social training to be well-behaved around other pets, people, and children. If you’re well-researched and experienced, you can train your dog yourself, or you can get a trainer in to make sure they receive all the training they need.
If you’re an avid traveler or go away on vacation, you’ll need to get a pet sitter to stay with your dog while you’re away. One or two nights won’t cost much, but the longer you’re away, the more the pet sitter will charge you.
Pet insurance is beneficial because you know your dog will be covered in times of crisis, but if you don’t have pet insurance, you’ll need to pay large sums of money to cover the vet bills yourself. You may have to take out a loan or pull from your savings to cover their care, depending on how extensive it is.
Owning a Pembroke Welsh Corgi on a Budget
If you’re conscious about where your money is going and want to save on costs, there are ways to own a Pembroke Welsh Corgi on a budget.
Firstly, don’t buy the cheapest toys, bedding, and supplies. Cheap items will break much faster than slightly more expensive options. Although it may cost a bit more initially, you won’t be replacing the items frequently and will save money in the long run.
Dog food, treats, training pads, poop bags, etc., get used up and replaced often, so look out for sales and buy in bulk, as this will save you money. Also, compare prices and use more affordable dog walking and grooming services. You can even look around for the more affordable vet in your area and take your dog there instead of the one who charges a higher fee.
If you have the time, you could consider making your dog’s toys and treats. You can use scraps and ingredients from around your home, which will reduce waste and save you money. However, always make sure that whatever you give your dog is toxin-free and dog-friendly.
As easy as sending your dog off to the groomer might be, it is an unnecessary expense if you can groom them yourself. You don’t have to do a full groom every day as once a month to every six weeks should be enough if you frequently brush your dog’s coat and check their ears.
Conclusion
When you’ve decided that you want a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, the next step to take is to look at your budget and consider all the financial factors involved in owning this type of dog. The first few months of owning a Pembroke Welsh Corgi will be the most expensive because you’ll need to get all their once-off supplies, pay their adoption fees, and cover all their preventative care.
However, you can reduce costs by taking out pet insurance with a wellness add-on, comparing prices, looking for sales, buying in bulk, and making your dog’s toys and treats yourself. These sweet dogs need love and care more than fancy toys, so don’t feel pressured to purchase the newest, most expensive items unless you’re financially able to.
Featured Image Credit: MolnarSzabolcsErdely, Pixabay
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