How much should a mutt dog honestly cost?

[Rusty Heap]

We've been shopping for dogs lately, not any fancy registered pure breed with blah blah blah papers. Just a healthy mutt dog.


People seems to think $500-800-1000 is the norm............really?


Adoption where they have microchips and all shots are $150, you look on Craigslist and some people (IMHO) are wayyyyyyyyyy overpriced.



So what's a "fair" price for a puppy or 2-3 year old mutt dog from a private party?

[Tobra]

Free

[gordner]

Yup, free is about right why not just go through a rescue association?

[Alan A]

Originally Posted by gordner

Yup, free is about right why not just go through a rescue association?

Last rescue dog came with a $350 adoption fee.
They aren’t free.

[masraum]

If the dog is up on shots and chipped and seems to be well cared for, then I'd be ok with $100-200 if I really wanted that dog for some reason. Otherwise, I don't see dogs as something that are bought and sold unless you're getting something very specific (and I'm not likely to do that).

I'd be much more willing to pay an adoption fee of some sort if I was getting an animal from the humane society, pound, etc....

[Jeff Higgins]

It's fair to pay for any recent shots and a general check-up (pre-purchase inspection). Beyond that, for a non-papered mutt, that's about it.

[stevej37]

The 'old days' of buying a pup from a paper listing for a decent price...are gone.
I don't know why...it's a shame though.

[javadog]

I’ve never paid for a dog in my life. Yeah, the shots cost money but the dog is generally free. All have been rescues, that’s what I’d recommend.

[pwd72s]

Look around for no kill shelters in your area...

[stevej37]

^^^ The choices are terrible. Heinz 57 or abused.

[LWJ]

Supply and demand.

I know at least four families that have gotten dogs in the last 1.5 months.

I think we paid $550 from a no-kill shelter. Seemed like robbery.

[RKDinOKC]

Paid 900 for my 7 week old Golden, but she has papers and heredity out the wazoo. Sire was local ad dog, print and tv, and won pet of the year from better homes and gardens magazine. Was high but replaced another golden that my mom would not get out of bed after it passed. She was the only golden available that day, and I checked no-kill shelters. Really woke up Mom's Alzheimer's. Mom started doing and remembering stuff she hadn't in 6 years. Even started cooking herself meals again so she could feed the puppy while she was eating. Puppy stuck to Mom like glue until Mom passed. Made that puppy worth every penny.

Since purchaing have spent under 200 per year on shots/vet and under 100 per month on food, treats, toys, leash, etc. Have a dog bed seat cover for back seat of vehicle, seat belt/harness, and spill proof water bowl for traveling. Don't use a kennel.

Have not spent anything but time on training. She speaks in English...hello, I want out, good morning, feed me, etc. When I take her with me and do drive thrus she says hello out the back seat window and gets treats from the window person because she "is so cute." House broke her by leaving the back door open enough she could get out. Followed her then praised her when she went. Started closing the door and she would bark to get let out. She never once went inside the house.

After mom passed trained her to be my Diabetic Alert dog. Gets my attention pawing and barking when my blood sugar gets down to 70 or below. Most importantly she wakes me up to test my blood sugar so I don't wake up with sweats or worse from a low blood sugar event in my sleep.

Her only downside is she gets way to excited when anyone comes to visit. Doesn't jump on people, but says "hello", wiggles, rolls around, and whines acting like a little puppy starved for attention for about 10 minutes.

Breed is such a personal choice. Have had goldens since I was 22 and am 60. On my third. Had a nephew live with us for 2 years when he was still in HS. Because my first golden was so well behaved, smart, and fun he became a veterinarian.

I would say budget about $100 per month.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by stevej37

^^^ The choices are terrible. Heinz 57 or abused.

Sadly true. Many are pit bull mixes. The most irresponsible pet owners seem to like pit bulls. So..they often get placed on death row for the crime of having been born.

[Hugh R]

Pit Bulls:

IIRC a decade or so ago here in SoCal a landlord tried to evict a tenant because they took in a pit bull,other dogs were OK. At court the tenant brought in an AKC rep who was asked if it was a pit bull the expert said if it didn’t have papers it was just a mutt, no matter what it looked like.

IN Los Angeles I think its $150 from the pound for fixing, shots, chip, registration/license.

[vash]

Mine was free. The day afterwards, it was about $300 in supplies.

[Bugsinrugs]

My in laws grabbed a puppy for free. Pit mix. Very sweet dog but bad genetics. Poor dog needed surgery on both knees. $3000.

[john70t]

It should be mostly free.

Many dogs are bred for high resale by puppy mill farms.
"Purebreds". Mostly fakes. You don't want an inbred dog with hip dysplasia .
The extra puppies are put in the river.

Many dogs are clogging up the SPCA/Humane Society.
Pitbull throwaways from scumbags with mental issues who might randomly kill something or someone you love.
Good luck. I warned you.

Most are available until they cost the seller money. Look further..constantly..but be choosy.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Bugsinrugs

My in laws grabbed a puppy for free. Pit mix. Very sweet dog but bad genetics. Poor dog needed surgery on both knees. $3000.

There is that factor as well. In reality, there is no such thing as a "free" pet. They require more than just food. Care can become expensive quickly. So in a way, pets are like children...if you can't afford them, don't have them.

[varmint]

1st heeler, free from a coworker
2nd heeler, free off Craigslist
3rd heeler, free from a neighbor
4th heeler, $1000 from a breeder. The dog won’t stop costing me money. First night home he tried to swallow a fishhook. A month later ate a chair. Four months in jumped out of my wife’s car and shattered his femur like a lightbulb.

[aigel]

The issue with puppies is the same than what I see with classic cars:

Original big block 4 speed muscle car sells for 70k at Barret Jackson.
Guy down the street who watched the show now thinks his 4 door with a two barrel carb, bench seat and a three on the tree is worth 35k ...

So, translated into dogs ... a performance breed hunting dog with 10+k invested in each parent in hunt tests, show visits and half a dozen hereditary health checks will sell for $1-2k

A backyard bred puppy where the neighbor's lab humps someone's poodle with zero health checks or performance testing is now also worth 1k - labradoodle.

In summary, you get a dog from the pound, pay the fees. You get a dog from someone that does a half way decent job mating a couple dogs $300 tops to help pay for firs vet visits, food and effort.

That's my two cents.

G