Broke the Dog

Buying a Dog at an Affordable Price

by Jill Jaracz

Think man’s best friend should be your best friend, even though your budget’s not that big? 

You can find good dogs on the cheap, you just need to be savvy about it.

Owning a dog is a big life-changer, so before you put down the cash for your furry friend, it’s a good idea to research everything that’s involved with dog ownership.  First off, make sure your living situation permits dogs.  If you’re in a rental apartment, condo, or homeowners association, they may not allow dogs, or if they do, they may have a size restriction.

Secondly, owning a dog involves a pretty big time commitment.  All dogs need food, water, and exercise every day.  Make sure you can give your dog the care it needs to be a great friend to you.

If you’re still on the dog path, then it’s time to figure out how much money is involved.  Although it doesn’t take much money to buy the dog itself, you have to consider the costs of food, vet visits, training, licenses, toys, and grooming as well.  While you can make a great cheap dog toy by tying a knot in an old sock, you’ll still need to spend some dough on the other essentials your pet will need.

Once you’re realistic about the costs involved, it’s time to find the dog.  You’ll probably score the best deal on a dog at your local animal shelter or Humane Society, where dogs can cost up to a couple of hundred dollars, depending on the city you live in.  These fees will often include the price of vaccinations, deworming, and spaying/neutering, which can add up if you have to have these done on your own.  

If you think you can find a cheaper dog at a pet store or through a classified ad, remember that a good shelter will check the health of the animal.  This is a major problem with dogs you may find at pet stores or through newspaper and internet ads because you don’t know how well the dog’s been treated before you get it.  These dogs could be products of puppy mills and could be extremely sick without you knowing it, and you could end up instantly dropping a fortune on vet bills. 

If you’d rather have a pure breed, remember that these dogs can be much more expensive, especially if the breed is popular.  Also keep in mind that just because it’s a pure breed, that doesn’t guarantee your dog from having health problems.  You’ll have to research both the breed to make sure it’s right for your needs, and you’ll have to research the breeder to make sure they’re reputable.

That doesn’t mean that you won’t find a pure breed at an animal shelter. The Humane Society of the United States claims that a fair percentage of dogs at shelters are pure breeds whose former owners couldn’t keep them.  Another option for owning a reasonably priced purebred dog is by looking for rescue groups.  These groups consist of breed experts who save dogs from a particular breed, such as greyhounds, and care for them until they can find loving homes for the animals. 

For more information on how to buy a dog on a budget, look at The Humane Society of the United State’s website, your local animal shelter website, and rescue group websites.

Humane Society

American Kennel Club