How Much does a Lhasa Apso Cost per Year?

Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing a Lhasa Apso on a dog show and wondered how much it might cost to maintain such a beautiful coat of long fur. Furthermore, I wondered how much it costs to keep a Lhasa Apso in general. I decided to do a little bit of research to save everyone else with the same questions some time.

How much does a Lhasa Apso Cost per year? A Lhasa Apso can cost approximately $1,250-1,500 per year — and that number only considers the cost if the dog is a family pet. If a Lhasa Apso is kept as a serious show dog, that number can go up an additional $60,000 or more.

Keeping a Lhasa Apso as a pet means regular expenses such as grooming, veterinary care, flea and tick prevention, and food. While all of these factors remain highly important for a show dog, there are also the added expenses of special training, show entry fees, travel, and more. Breaking down each expense by item is the easiest way to determine if a Lhasa Apso is the dog for you – or if one can be afforded.

The Cost of a Lhasa Apso Dog as a Pet

Like with all pet dogs, the most frequent price to pay is with the purchase of their food. Being a small dog, the Lhasa Apso does not require a lot of calorie intake to maintain their weight. They really only need to eat twice each day with 250 calories in each meal on average. However, the cost depends on the type of diet that you want to feed them. There are always options.

No matter which option is chosen, it is important to know the specific needs of a Lhasa Apso dog prior to making any purchase. Lhasa Apso’s usually have a corn and wheat allergy, so a dog food with these ingredients omitted is the best option if choosing to go with packaged dog food. One might expect to pay an estimated $30 each month to feed their dog this way. If a higher grade of food is preferred, there are options that could put a Lhasa Apso owner back $50 or more each month.

Some people prefer to give their Lhasa Apso real food prepared in their own kitchen, as it is considered healthier for them. No, real food is not only for people. Think of the items that are found in nature rather than being man-made to feed your Lhasa Apso. Also, be sure that nothing is added that might make a dog sick: many people are unaware that onions could kill any dog.

If it is taken into consideration the need to purchase several ingredients — beef, vegetables, the occasional eggs or yogurt — one might budget for $40 a month. If the owner prefers to spoil their Lhasa Apso with salmon or more expensive meats, this number could easily double. In addition, the time needed to prepare the food would be considered an expense to some pet owners.

All Lhasa Apso pet owners should also be prepared for regular veterinary visits. A year’s worth of vaccines generally costs $100 each year. Additionally, if you plan to spay or neuter your pet, a one-time charge of approximately $200 should be expected. While that $200 is just once, there are often surprise expenses in the life of a dog. Sometimes they get into something they shouldn’t — like pills or chocolate. It is important to have an emergency fund for when your Lhasa Apso does something or gets injured, requiring surprise emergency care.

Another major aspect of veterinary care for a Lhasa Apso is preventing fleas, ticks, and heartworm. Oral pills to prevent these potential dangers run around $45 per month. There are other options for preventing fleas and ticks as well, some of which might save a few dollars and others that will cost more. Without heartworm prevention, you may have to pay a hefty amount for heartworm testing every so often.

An additional frequent expense for a Lhasa Apso is grooming. This one is possibly the biggest difference from other dog breeds and their costs. If the long coat of fur is left to grow to floor length, daily brushing is usually necessary, and a bath may be needed every couple of weeks.

To have a groomer do the bath, one might plan to pay $30-50 each time, depending on the location and experience of the groomer. This accounts for another $80 per month on average. If your Lhasa Apso has fur that is kept short, the cost of the trimming or shaving, along with other basic grooming needs, such as nail trimming, would likely add an additional $30 every couple of months.

An optional, yet often appreciated, expense for a Lhasa Apso dog is training. Basic training courses vary in cost but may be $120 for a six-week class. A more advanced course or a refresher is often available to those wishing to continue their Lhasa Apso dog’s training after the basic training courses are complete.

Without training, the Lhasa Apso dog may bark continuously. These dogs were made to alert its owner to any perceived danger. An untrained Lhasa Apso might see danger where there is none, causing a nuisance instead of an appreciated security blanket.

These expenses do not account for new leashes, collars, crates, or toys when they need replacing. Such items can add up to $50 yearly or more, depending on how much such things mean to the owner. Some owners also enjoy purchasing treats for their Lhasa Apso to eat as rewards for good behavior. Treats are often another $10 each month or more.

The sum of these expenses for a Lhasa Apso pet comes to $1480. There is definitely a lot to consider financially when deciding on getting one of these beautiful dogs, but the companionship is generally worth the cost.

COURTESY AKC PHILADELPHIA
Billy the Lhasa Apso competed at the 2018 National Dog Show on Thanksgiving.

The Annual Cost of Lhasa Apso Show Dogs

In general, a show dog is more expensive to keep than just a pet dog. Often times, the owner of the dog is responsible for the training and getting them show ready. If an owner hires a dog trainer, it could cost upwards of $35 an hour or more. This means that three hours over the span of a week would cost $105. Of course, the training begins after a dog is purchased for thousands of dollars.

Typically, a dog show has a fee of $25 to register. An average show dog will do 10 shows per month. Some do as many as 15 or more. On the lower end of the spectrum, it adds up to $250 a month or $3000 each year. Additionally, the cost of traveling to the show, paying for a hotel, and food expenses during the trip could be $1500 monthly. This would include $100 stay for one night at a hotel, a $30 tank of gas, and a $15 meal. For some, this would be considered low. However, considering the possibility that not every show will be require a hotel stay should account for the difference. The previously mentioned dog show expenses would add up to $18,000 annually!

The travel expenses above do not include the cost to board or hire a dog handler. In some cases, the owner prefers to be the handler. If an owner chooses to hire a handler, they could be looking at several hundred per event or more. Since this rate is negotiable, it can be hard to determine the annual cost, but given that training is estimated to be $35 an hour, it could be safe to guess that full day’s work (8 hours) is paid for a show, putting the rate at $280 per event. That’s $2800 monthly and $33,600 annually.

Because of a Lhasa Apso dog’s coat of fur, grooming is imperative for their success as a show dog. Grooming for these dogs would need to occur every week, putting the monthly total cost at around $160. Additionally, since Lhasa Apso show do typically tend to keep their coat long, time and patience would be needed to brush it multiple times per day.

The sum of these expenses reaches nearly $60,000 each year! Surprisingly, these expenses did not include the cost of food, or veterinary bills and preventative measures. With costs this extravagant, it makes me curious as to what kind of profit could be in show dogs. Surely with such a hefty price tag, the profits are massive, right?

The Profit in Lhasa Apso Show Dogs

Shockingly, there is zero profit in Lhasa Apso show dogs! In fact, there is zero profit in all show dogs. It is a highly expensive hobby that does not pay. It is very rare that a dog show competition offers a monetary prize. In fact, the prize for the winners is generally nothing but pure pride and bragging rights. Even the big shows that are televised frequently have no prize money.

Many show dog owners possess a true love for a beautiful purebred dog. They spend thousands and thousands of dollars each year to share said beauty with the world. This is the incentive needed to put so much time and money in a hobby such as dog showing.

A recent Lhasa Apso winner was Billy, who won the 2018 National Dog Show Non-Sporting Group on Thanksgiving day. Billy’s profit from winning was the chance to go surfing and travel, as those are his favorite things to do! Billy seems to have it made.

How to Cut Costs on Owning a Lhasa Apso

There are numerous ways to cut down on the costs of owning a Lhasa Apso, but the important part is that the cuts made don’t jeopardize the health of the little dog. Perhaps the first option that comes to mind is cutting the cost of hired grooming.

An owner can easily bathe and shave their own Lhasa Apso on their own, this alone saving about $960 per year. Being the largest chunk of the annual cost, this is the best and easiest place to start if looking to own a Lhasa Apso on a budget. If the time is available, definitely take advantage!

The next option is to find great deals on dog food or the ingredients to make your own. While it might be difficult to get the wheat and corn dog food at a discounted price, there are always coupons available for real food. Dogs are less concerned with flavor than humans are, so purchase the meat that’s nearing its sell by date for cheaper and cook it all at once. It can be stored in the fridge for use throughout the week. This trick can often cut down on costs by 30% or more.

Lastly, cutting down on Lhasa Apso expenses can be done by training your dog yourself. If you are unfamiliar on how to do this, Google is your friend! Please remember that hitting or striking your Lhasa Apso as a form of training is not recommended and can damage the level of trust that this breed of dog develops. Since the dog was originally bred for guard dog or “alarm” purposes, it would not fare well to have a Lhasa Apso that doesn’t trust the owner.

These tips should allow for a large enough decrease in cost that anyone could own a Lhasa Apso if it was something, they truly desired.

Optional Cost: Pet Insurance

Often times, a Lhasa Apso is a beloved member of the family. Sometimes they are a member of the family in addition to being a heavily invested in show dog. Based on the costs discussed, would it make sense to have pet insurance for a Lhasa Apso? Or would insurance simply be another cost? Let’s go over the facts.

The most widely known fact about pet insurance is that it can help to cover the cost of the veterinary bills. If a particular Lhasa Apso is predisposed to health problems, insurance may be the best option. However, if no problems are foreseen, it is important to compare the quoted premium and specific benefits to the anticipated costs of veterinary care.

An aspect of pet insurance that I was previously unaware of is the funding provided to advertise a lost pet and reward when said pet is found. This may be a great positive for your average Lhasa Apso owner, but a show dog owner that spends $60,000 each year logically would have no problem paying the cash for some flyers and a reward.

While pet insurance policies vary, as do their premiums, it can be guessed that the monthly cost could be anywhere from $10 to $100. This would put the yearly cost in the range of $100 to $1200. Knowing the potential cost might scare off potential Lhasa Apso owners, but the benefits might just outweigh the price tag. This is where it becomes imperative that the owner go over the policy with a fine tooth comb. Here is where either extra, unnecessary money is spent, or money is saved.

Ultimately, the cost of owning a Lhasa Apso dog truly depends on the potential/ current owner and what they perceive as value. For many, the price of a great companion cannot be measured. For others, the price is rarely too high for a quality Lhasa Apso show dog. Very few seem to discount a Lhasa Apso as a dog option due to the cost.