Pet Insurance For German Shepherd Puppies
Dog owners with a German shepherd puppy should consider purchasing pet insurance to cover German shepherds. German Shepherd puppies can be very expensive if they fall ill or are involved in an accident, and German shepherds usually require several visits to the vet during their lifetimes. Dog insurance for German Shepherds is not only a good idea because of these reasons but also because it allows German Shepherd owners peace of mind that.
German Shepherd Puppy Feeding Guide: 6 Months To 12 Months
At this stage in your German Shepherds development, growth will be considerably slower. Since she no longer needs the extra calories to help support her fast growth period, you can safely reduce her feedings to 2 or 3 meals per day.
Youll still want to watch her weight, health, and activity level, but now you can split her daily total calories over fewer meals.
While she should still be eating puppy food at this point, you may consider purchasing a bag of her eventual adult formula.
You can use individual kibbles from the adult formula for treats or training rewards. This will help her get used to the new flavor and texture.
Around 9 months of age, you can begin slowly adding a small amount of the adult formula into her puppy food, though she should still be eating primarily puppy chow.
Again, its imperative that you speak with your vet before making any changes to your GSDs diet.
Only your vet will be able to tell you when your dog has reached maturity and can be safely moved to adult food.
Some GSDs stay on puppy food for a whopping two years! So, make sure you are in close contact with your vet to be sure that your feeding plan is individualized for your specific dog.
Considerations And Cautions In The Search For A Purebred German Shepherd
Keep the following in mind as you search for your German Shepherd:
- When you go to meet your puppy or pick up your puppy from the breeder, you should be able to meet the puppys parents. If their mother is not on-site, this is a red flag, as it means they may have been separated from her sooner than they should have been. Puppies need their mother for health reasons for approximately the first 8 weeks of their lives.
- The puppys living area should be clean, safe, and not exposed to harsh temperatures such as heat in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. While you should expect to see the puppies go to the bathroom, the urine and droppings should be promptly cleaned up the puppies should not be sitting in old excrement.
- Always use caution when a breeder does not communicate well with you. If they are breeding puppies just for the money, they wont want to spend time communicating with you.
- When you hold the puppies, look for the following: Are their ears clean or dirty? Do they have fleas? Are their noses runny? Are their eyes watery? Is their bottom clean or dirty? Is their nose wet or dry and cracked?
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How To Find A German Shepherd Breeder
Before finding out how much German Shepherd puppies cost, you need to know how to find a good breeder.
When searching for a breeder, you want to make sure they are reputable, honest, and ethical. We certainly want to avoid unethical breeders such as those that run puppy mills. But where do you start, you may ask.
Find a German Shepherd breeder by searching national or local kennel clubs websites and GSD clubs for registered and reliable breeders. Consult trainers, groomers, or vets for breeder references. Ask persons who already own a German Shepherd to recommend and refer you to their breeder.
So, an excellent place to start is the AKC Marketplace or the UK Kennel Clubs Find a Puppy. Next, try national and local German Shepherd clubs for reliable references or search their websites for registered breeders. See as an example the German Shepherd Dog Club of Americas Classified Ads.
You can also find breeder search websites such as these:
| US |
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| gumtree.com |
Please note that some ways of finding a reputable and ethical breeder are more reliable than others. For example, if you search on puppyfind.com, you can find a puppy that may cost only $600 to buy, but you may only have the phone contact of the seller and no further information. Instead, others like gooddog.com give a link to the breeders website so you can investigate further.
My complete buyers guide, How to Buy a German Shepherd, will give you tons more information on this subject.
What Factors Determine The Price Of A German Shepherd Puppy
The cost of a German Shepherd puppy does vary, depending upon her age, color, bloodline, litter size, location, as well as the amount the breeder has invested into health tests.
German Shepherds obtained from animal shelters and rescue organizations are relatively inexpensive because they charge only enough to cover their costs.
Here are the 5 most prominent factors that will affect the price of a German Shepherd:
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Final Thoughts On The German Shepherd Dog Price
When considering the German Shepherd puppy price, theres a lot more at play than simply the price of the dog.
The German Shepherd dog price, in total, consists of everything from toys and leashes to higher-priced items like professional groomers and trainers.
You also need to factor in health concerns, and even just bank some money away for those regular vet checkups.
Ultimately, while the price of a German Shepherd, on average, will run you around a thousand dollars, a purebred German Shepherd price can easily run you thousands more.
This is why it is so important to know exactly what youre getting by learning all there is to know about a breed before making your commitment.
Health Problems To Be Aware Of
Not all German Shepherds will have the following health problems listed by Dr Brooks, but it is important to be aware of them when considering this breed.
| Health Problem | |
| High | $1,500 $3,000 |
This price range for hip dysplasia is very wide because of the variety of treatment options an owner may pursue. Conservative treatment including pain management and physical therapy is the cheapest alternative while total hip replacement costs about $5,000-$6,500 per affected hip. Hip dysplasia can affect a German Shepherd at any age.
Allergies : this depends if the pet has allergies throughout the year or just 1-2 flare ups per year. It would also depend on the owners decision to proceed with allergy testing and injections. Note that the pet may also need to be fed prescription food, which can easily be as high as $100 per month.
Degenerative myelopathy: genetic testing, medications, and/or a dog wheelchair would probably be $500 to $1,500. If a complete range of diagnostic testing is done to completely rule out any other condition that can mimic degenerative myelopathy, the cost can be up to $2,000-3,000.
Lumbosacral instability and degenerative disc disease: the lower end of the price range is if the owner elects a conservative treatment of pain medication, physical therapy, and/or a dog wheelchair. The high end on the other hand is applicable if surgical correction is pursued.
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Common German Shepherd Health Problems
German Shepherds are known to develop a few common health problems such as hip dysplasia and bloat. Hip Dysplasia is a problem that can be tested for before buying but if not detected the dog will have problems walking without pain at some point in its life. Bloat happens when the stomach fills up with gas which causes pressure to build on its other organs making them difficult to function. If the stomach is not relieved from this pressure it will die which makes detecting bloat important as once it is detected there are many steps you can take to help prevent it occurring again and save your dogs life.
Some health conditions stem from poor breeding practices, this can happen when you get your dog from puppy mills or a backyard breeder. Always make sure you check the history of your dog before purchasing it, this should hopefully lower your lifetime costs as you will more easily be able to raise a healthy dog.
How Much Does It Cost To Feed A German Shepherd
An average male GSD weights 70 lbs and a female GSD weights 55 lbs. Each would require 2.5 to 3.5 cups of food a day. There are about 150 cups of dry dog food in a 50 lb bag. That would feed your dog for about 50 days.
FREE TrainingIs your dog easily distracted? Do they sometimes ignore your commands? If so you need to try the Airplane Game to quickly get their attention no matter whats distracting them.
That 50 lb bag will cost about $50 on average. Thats about $1 a day. So it costs about $30 a month to feed a full-grown German Shepherd.
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What Determines The Price Of The German Shepherd Dog
Many factors determine the price of a German shepherd puppy, but the main factors in deciding the price of a puppy are the puppys parents, your location , demand for German shepherd puppies, way of upbringing, and you.
Did you know that you can get a German shepherd just for $300? If you decide toadopt a German shepherd, you can get him for around $300. There are nearly 14,000 pet adoption shelters available just in the United States, and on average, about 1.6 million dogs are adopted annually.
If your budget is limited, please dont spend the last money that you have on an expensive puppy. You can buy a less expensive puppy or adopt. By adopting you will provide a home for an abandoned dog.
The price of a German Shepherd dog depends on many factors, but usually, these 5 factors have the biggest impact on the price of the puppy:
Should You Get Your German Shepherd Pet Health Insurance
German Shepherds are at a higher risk of certain genetic health issueswhich can be scary and lead to unexpected vet bills. Plus, it can be pretty expensive to pay for common first-year expenses like vaccinations for rabies and heartworm, regular checkups, and a spay or neuter procedure.
Dog insurance will give you peace of mind and keep your four-legged friend healthy. You can get a quote from your favorite insurance company in just a few minutesits quick, simple, and even a little fun
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Expensive Puppies Vs Low Price Puppies
Puppies and dogs are a hot commodity throughout the world, and anything that is in high demand is going to attract opportunists looking to make big bucks.
Today, puppies make up a huge chunk of what has become a billion-dollar pet industry. Unfortunately, not everyone who sells puppies is as meticulous or responsible as those breeders we talked about above.
The attempt by many to make fast money while cutting costs can lead to unethical breeding practices and unhealthy puppies.
You can avoid supporting puppy mills by making sure you arent buying your puppy from pet stores or backyard breeders.
You should also stay away from online sellers promising purebred puppies for surprisingly low prices who cannot offer paperwork and proof of health testing.
Not everyone who sells a puppy for a low cost is a puppy-mill contributor. But they may not understand how responsible breeding works.
So you could still wind up with an unhealthy puppy that costs much more in the long run.
So, what do you do if you want to get a healthy, purebred puppy but you cant afford the German Shepherd price from a top breeder?
German Shepherd Price Uk
On average, the cost of a German Shepherd puppy from a reputable breeder in the UK is £2200. Decent UK breeders will ensure health and temperament testing. However, UK puppy prices range from £1800 to £3,000, the cost varying due to lineage, color, type, and litter size.
Again, I obtained these figures from a random selection of ethical UK breeders.
| UK Breeder |
|---|
| . |
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German Shepherd Medications And Vet Visits
- $50$300 per month
Because German Shepherds were bred as working dogs, they are considered very healthy. At the minimum, you should take your German Shepherd for an annual visit, assuming it is healthy. The visit typically costs between $100 and $300.
You also need to pay for fleas, tick, and heartworm prevention. Flea and tick prevention typically cost between $100 and $200, whereas heartworm prevention costs around $180. Most of these medications last for 1 to 3 months at a time.
The Costs Of Owning Agerman Shepherd Per Year:
German Shepherds are a big breed of dog that are expensiveto properly look after and care for as they grow. Remember a German Shepherd isfor life so if you are not prepared tolook after them for 10+ years then they are not the pet for you. When youfirst buy a German Shepherd there are high initial costs including the cost ofthe dog itself, a crate, dog bed, leash and collar, high quality puppy food,grooming brushes and much more. Most people however dont realize how much aGerman Shepherd continues to cost in the following years. If you include anannual veterinary checkup , heartworm prevention medication , high qualitydog food , license fees and a few toys then this adds up to nearly $1500 per year. An unexpected illness orinjury that requires an emergency trip to the veterinarian can also easily addthousands of dollars to the cost of owning a German Shepherd.
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What Is A Reasonable Price For A Purebred German Shepherd Puppy
Reputable breeders, when pricing their German Shepherd puppies, must factor in the expenses involved in breeding, feeding, raising, and caring for the pups as well as their mother.
A reasonable price for a purebred German Shepherd puppy should be around $1200- $2000, depending on your location and the litter size.
If you have ever asked the question: Why are GSD puppies so expensive?, you should understand the very basic cost for the breeders. Below are the estimated costs for your reference:
Cost for a puppy:
- Genetic health testing: $250 to $750
- Vaccinations: $100 to $500
- AKC registration: $30
Minimum cost per puppy: $580
Cost for the parent :
- Stud services: $500 to $1000
- C-sections and birthing complications : $2,000 $7,000
- Dog food, vitamins, supplements: $100 to $200
- Veterinary check-ups: $125
The minimum cost for maternity care, with no complications: $725
Thus, it may not even be reasonable for you to buy a puppy for less than $580, with the consideration of the cost a breeder has to bear at the minimum for the puppy as well as the mother.
That said, when you are looking to purchase a puppy, do not be tempted to go to a low-cost pet store or search for the cheapest puppies online. These puppies are often bred in very poor conditions and are prone to health issues.
Go to AKC Marketplace PuppyFinder to find AKC-Registered litters and the breeders in your area.
How Much Should I Pay For A Well
Finally, the part weve all been waiting for, prices. This is one of the most popular questions, and on that question, there isnt one universal answer. Prices may indeed vary.
Here is the graph that we create, which is based on the German Shepherd owners.
- 15.5% of owners have paid their German Shepherd less than $100
- 29.3% of owners have paid their German Shepherd between $100-$500
- 27.6% of owners have paid their German Shepherd between $500-$1000
- 8.6% of owners have paid their German Shepherd between $1000-$1500
- 3.4% of owners have paid their German Shepherd between $1500-$2000
- 8.6% of owners have paid their German Shepherd between $2000-$2500
- 3.4% of owners have paid their German Shepherd between $2500-$3000
- 3.4% of owners have paid their German Shepherd more than $3000
The ideal price of a new puppy, based on our statistics and votes of GSD owners, is between $100-$1000 because around 72% of owners were paid that price.
If you pay more this doesnt necessarily mean that your puppy will become a latter a perfectly trained adult dog. Without work and train, your GSD will be depressed and probably more aggressive.
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Annual Cost Of Owning A German Shepherd
The long-term ownership costs of owning a German Shepherd will probably break your bank account, but its totally worth it. There are items and services needed to ensure that your German Shepherd is a happy and healthy pup.
Thus, this section will give you all the details about each type of expense you need to prepare for.
The table below summarizes the annual German Shepherd cost:
| Type of Expense | |
| Average Monthly Cost | $222 $404 |
Aside from puppy prices and initial expenses, you should also consider planning the yearly budget for your GSD.
Apart from recurring costs such as dog food, toys, and grooming essentials, a great chunk of your finances must go to routine veterinary care and pet insurance.
Annual check-ups should be done on adult German Shepherds to check their physical condition and ensure they are healthy dogs.
This involves listening to the heart and checking the ears and eyes. This will normally cost around $200 to $400.
Unexpected medical costs and trips to the vet can occur throughout your dogs life. The typical lifespan of a GSD is 7 to 10 years.
Its best to invest in a pet insurance policy that can cover these expenses aside from providing them with the best health care. Generally, this will cost you around $800 to $1,500 per year.