HOTSPOT MediaI think all dog owners would agree that our furry friends are just as much a part of the family as their human counterparts, and who doesn’t love spoiling their beloved family members?
But how far is too far, when it comes to spending cash on pampered pooches?
According to dog-lover Claire Kelly Johnston, who can’t resist spending cash on her three adorable doggos, no sum of money is too much.
HOTSPOT MediaThe 33-year-old bank manager has spent a whopping £13,000 on her ‘babies’ – one-year-old Pomeranians Cupcake and Teddybear, and six-month-old Chihuahua Popcorn. The mega cost comes from a combination of things, such as £3,000 a year on dog walking and dog sitting services, £400 on birthday parties, £1,165 on Easter, Halloween and Christmas gifts, and almost £5,000 on clothes, accessories and treats.
People have called her crazy for spending so much of her hard-earned cash on her dogs, but Claire spends more time with her pooches than she does with her friends.
She explained:
People might think I’m crazy for spending so much on my dogs but I don’t care. They are my precious babies and they deserve the world.
The animal lover, who is married to chef Stuart Johnston, added:
Stuart calls me crazy and laughs whenever I rush home with more shopping bags. But he adores them too.
HOTSPOT MediaGlasgow-native Claire had never owned a dog before she bought Cupcake in September 2018, but now she’d never look back.
‘I’d always wanted a dog of my own but I worried about leaving it at home all day while I went to work,’ she explained. ‘Once I discovered dog-sitters in my area, I began my search. I fell in love with Cupcake as soon as I saw her on Gumtree and I snapped her up, paying the breeder £800 without a second thought. I had her flown from Poland to Scotland the same day,’ Claire said.
Fortunately, supportive hubby Stuart can see how much Claire loves the dogs, so shares her excitement for the pooches.
Claire said:
Stuart was so excited for me because he knew how much I wanted one. As soon as I cuddled her, she became my whole world.
I splashed out £300 on sparkling T-shirts, dresses, pyjamas and a personalised wardrobe for her. It takes up a lot of space in our bedroom but I don’t mind.
HOTSPOT MediaBut it wasn’t long before Claire went out and got a couple of friends for Cupcake, spending £900 and £500 on fellow pups Teddybear and Popcorn, respectively.
She said:
My money goes on spoiling the dogs. Every month, I spend £730 on clothing, treats, toys, pampering sessions, dog-sitters and walkers. I’ve had to order an extra wardrobe for £150 as they have too many clothes.
Once a month I take them to a groomer, who bathes them, cuts their hair and clips their nails.
I used to spend £100 a month at the hairdressers but I’ve stopped so I can prioritise money for the pups. Instead, I go shopping for my dogs while my hair is tied up in a messy bun.
HOTSPOT MediaOn special occasions, Claire spends even more:
Last Easter I spent £90 on duckling costumes and had Easter eggs made for them. At Halloween, I bought them spooky jumpers and filled party bags with toys and treats.
At Christmas, their stockings were filled with soft toys and dog sweets and we took them to a log cabin in St Andrews. We wore matching jumpers while we snuggled and watched Christmas films.
I got all the dogs gifts for Valentine’s Day and cut chicken pieces into heart shapes for their dinners. For Cupcake’s birthday, I spent £400 on a surprise unicorn-themed party. She had a blow-up castle, a ball pit and an inflatable unicorn.
She had a personalised cake and the living room was filled with toys and treats. I invited her dog friends to play. It was like a child’s birthday. Cupcake loved it. I adore having any excuse to treat them and see their happy little faces.
When I take them for walks, I dress them up in their ball gown or tuxedo. Every person in the park stops us to admire them in their little outfits.
HOTSPOT MediaClaire is never far apart from her fur babies, though, as she often takes them with her to shops, restaurants and bars.
‘I spend all my time with Cupcake, Teddybear and Popcorn,’ she said. ‘When I’m at work, I miss them terribly. I rarely see my friends and family at weekends because I prioritise the pups.’
She added:
My friends get upset when I turn down another night out to hang out with my dogs. They have children but they don’t understand that Cupcake, Teddybear and Popcorn are my ‘kids’.
Stuart and I used to holiday abroad four times a year but now we only go once, in summer. We’d love to take the dogs abroad but we found out the pups need to be caged on the plane, so we go for one-night stays to places like York instead.
We make sure they allow pets. We also love to take them to dog-friendly restaurants, where they eat from a bowl on the table.
HOTSPOT MediaWhen Claire does have to leave her pooches to go to work, she pays even more to make sure they’re looked after while they’re out of her care.
As she explained:
They’re looked after at home by a sitter and are taken for two walks a day at their local park. I spoil them but it’s worth it. They deserve the world. I spend more on them than I do on Stuart.
But we are both crazy about them and he understands. Being a dog ‘mum’ is a rewarding job. People might not agree with how much I spend but it’s my choice. They’re my babies and they mean the world to me. You can’t put a price on that.
Well, you can, and it’s around £13,000 a year.
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.