How much do Australian Shepherds cost?
If you are wondering how much do Australian Shepherds cost, you will be happy to know that there are a few options to own one and not all of them involve a payment.
If possible you should consider purchasing your Australian Shepherd from a reputable breeder to ensure that your Aussie is bred to be healthy, gorgeous, and otherwise the most fabulous dog possible.
You could even meet your Aussie’s parents, so you don’t have to guess about their parentage. You can also get the breeder to answer all of your questions about caring for an Australian Shepherd puppy.
If you’re considering bringing one of these lively dogs home, it’s a good idea to have a sense of the associated costs, aside from the original purchase price. Let us begin! We’ll examine all of the costs associated with bringing an Australian Shepherd home.
Locating trustworthy Australian Shepherd breeders
This is possibly the most often asked question among new Aussie puppy owners. The good news is that there are numerous methods for locating respectable breeders.
Consider the AKC’s Breeder of Merit Program. They claim unequivocally that their program recognizes responsible breeders who go above and beyond.
This entails paying close attention to health, temperament, genetic screening, and care during prenatal and postnatal periods.
Inquire with your breeder to see if they are a part of the esteemed program. If they are, you may run a fast search here to see if that is the case. If they aren’t telling the truth, that should be a massive red flag.
How much do Australian Shepherds cost?
We will look at the various options available if you are interested in getting an Australian Shepherd as a pet.
1. Breeder
Cost: $800 – $1800
Getting your Australian Shepherd from a breeder has fantastic benefits, but it comes at a cost.
You can start your search at the American Kennel Club Marketplace for Puppies.
The breeder determines the price of the Aussie, but you should expect to pay around $1800 or more.
2. Free
Cost:$0
If you’re lucky, there might be an Australian Shepherd looking for a home nearby.
Many people choose these dogs because of their pleasant personalities and attractive appearance. However, the high energy levels of these dogs often take the new owners by surprise. Unable to meet the exercise needs of these dogs, many of these owners give them up free to good homes.
Here are some ways to get your Australian Shepherd for free:
- Free adoption events – Watch out for free adoption events at your local shelters. This is the most responsible way to obtain a free puppy.
- Friends and coworkers – You can also ask your friends, coworkers, and casual acquaintances to inform you if someone is giving their Australian Shepherd away for free. Someone’s dog is bound to have puppies at some point, and those puppies will need new homes after weaning, which occurs between the ages of 8 and 12 weeks.
- Newspapers – You might also go through a daily or weekly newspaper in your neighborhood. Whether it’s a regional newspaper or a local weekly, these publications usually provide at least one page of classifieds. There’s a strong possibility that one of them will have a section dedicated to or featuring dogs up for adoption. Some advertisements state, “Puppies free to a good home.”
- Craigslist – You may be able to find free, inexpensive, or low-cost puppies on Craiglist. However, you should exercise extreme caution when looking for free pups on the internet, such as on Craigslist. If you choose this way, read the listing thoroughly and ask as many relevant questions as you can. Why are they giving away the dog? Is the dog immunized, spayed, or neutered?
3. Adoption
Cost – $0-$300
While purchasing a puppy from a breeder is ideal, adoption is a wonderful opportunity to provide a caring home to a dog who needs it the most.
Adoption shelters may have purebred Australian Shepherds available, or you can ask them to look for one, but it will most likely be a hybrid. This is the one disadvantage of adopting a dog; you will not know their specific ancestry or whether they are a purebred dog.
Some agencies may have information about the dog’s past, but you won’t know in most situations.
Adoption fees are typically used to cover the costs of rescue and primary care. They may, however, include spaying and neutering, immunizations, and microchipping, which can up the price slightly. Nonetheless, it will be less expensive than purchasing from a breeder, plus you will be saving a dog in the process!
4. Online pet websites
Cost – $2900 to $3600
Let’s imagine you can’t find a local breeder. Instead, you might be able to purchase one online. For example, PuppySpot features a large number of Australian Shepherd puppies for sale.
Yes, that’s a lot of money, and it’s not always indicative of what you’ll find in every online pet store. However, don’t forget that you get what you pay for.
Make sure you thoroughly investigate the pet store before making a purchase. Read reviews and even inquire about past customers’ experiences and the current health of their dogs.
What does a show-quality Australian Shepherd cost?
Do you want your Aussie to compete in American Kennel Club events and earn gold medals? Then you’ll want a dog that can compete in shows.
We suggest that you search on the AKC website, where you can identify potential champion show dogs.
Prices start from $2500, and some are even AKC bloodline dogs, which means they’re the best of the best.
Additional costs of owning an Australian Shepherd
While it would be lovely just to buy an Aussie puppy and be done with it, you aren’t finished spending money on your dog yet. For the rest of your Australian Shepherd’s life, you’ll need deep pockets, but none more so than in their first year. Then you must prepare yourself for a slew of additional expenses.
Here’s a breakdown of what those costs are:
Microchipping
Cost – $50
Not every pet owner opts to have their cat or dog microchipped, but they should.
If your Aussie loses their collar, anyone who finds him will not be able to identify the dog. Microchipping is similar to an internal collar in that it has all of your Aussie’s information.
If your Shepherd is microchipped and goes missing, they may not always be returned to you, but there’s a good chance they will.
Dogs without microchips end up being returned to their owners 21.9 percent of the time. In contrast, microchipped dogs were returned to their owners 52.2 percent of the time, according to a survey of more than 7,700 stray animals at animal shelters.
Microchipped cats were reunited with their owners 38.5 percent of the time, while cats without microchips were only reconnected with their owners 1.8 percent of the time. (Lord et al., JAVMA, July 15, 2009).
Most microchipped animals who were not returned to their owners were due to inaccurate (or no) information about the owner in the microchip registry database, so make sure you register and keep your information up to date.
Microchipping your Australian Shepherd is a one-time procedure that costs around $50, so make sure you arrange it soon after bringing him home.
Registering the breed
Cost – $25
You want the world to know that your Aussie is AKC-approved. Make sure you register your dog with the organization for a fee of roughly $25.
Food
Cost – $100 per month
Your Aussie has to eat, right? The frequency of feeding, the type of food you use, and whether or not you have other dogs at home all contribute to the monthly expense of feeding your Aussie. Pet food should cost at least $100 per month, but it can always be more.
Toys, collars, and leashes
Cost – $200
Just because you’ve microchipped your Australian Shepherd doesn’t mean you should let them run free. It’s one thing to do it in your backyard, but it’s another to do it on the streets or at the dog park.
That means a leash and collar are required. You will also need toys loads of toys, including squeaky rubber toys and plush toys. It’s not easy to know how much you’ll spend here, but it might easily be a few hundred dollars.
Insurance
Cost – $10-$100
Its a good idea to get pet insurance for any dog, but it’s essential for purebreds like Australian Shepherds. There are various options available with different levels of coverage depending on how much you’re willing to pay, but basic coverage can start as low as $10 per month.
Deworming
Cost – $25
Before your Aussie is transferred to your home with you, the breeder may or may not deworm the dog. If the breeder does not cover the charges, you will be responsible for at least $25.
The expense of an Australian Shepherd’s medical care
- Neuter/spay(optiona) – $50 – $450
- Test for DNA (optional) – $55 – $65
- Cost of a year of vet care for an adult dog – $380 – $825
Ownership on a budget
Certain parts of Australian Shepherd ownership are largely beyond your control.
Your dog must eat — preferably, the best food you can afford — and insurance and vet fees are typically fixed, making owning one of these pets on a budget somewhat challenging.
The easiest way to offset some of these costs is to provide them with a healthy diet, hopefully preventing illness and subsequent vet visits. Additionally, spending more interaction time with your dog and less money on toys will help you save money.
The most cost-effective method of caring for your Australian Shepherd is to take care of their grooming and exercise requirements yourself. This can save you a few hundreds of dollars per year and will improve your relationship with your dog as well!
Conclusion
Any dog comes with a price tag, so it’s a good idea to have a basic awareness of the costs before making the long-term commitment of bringing an Australian Shepherd home. After all, these canines can live for almost a decade and cost thousands of dollars, so the more you can budget for, the less stressful the process will be.
Regardless of the price, keeping a purebred dog like an Australian Shepherd is well worth it because they will provide you with a lot of love and joy!
For more information on the Australian Shepherd, check out our article Australian Shepherd: Not a dog for everyone.
