How much does it cost to own a GERMAN SHEPHERD?

ive been wanting a german shepard for a long time. i was wondering how much it would cost to raise a german shepherd from a puppy to an adult?and how much would it cost (yearly) to maintain as an adult?who are some good german shepherd breeders? websites? (im looking for a working dog, police quality.. not a dog that was bred for the specific purpose of show

Go to http://www.dogtraining.com/ They specialize in protection and Bob Taylor can tell you everything and more. Check it out and you can't do much better than him. He's been winning Schutzhund Competitions in Germany for years (not a beauty show).

I know a woman in Missouri that bred my GSD and several others for the local sheriff's office. Out standing dogs IMO.Cost of raising one to an adult would depend on your area, but vaccinations, food - you want a good quality large breed puppy food - I used Science Diet, heartworm preventative, flea and tick meds.training, etc.My DH is a K9 officer w/ a local pd - his dog isn't from there, but he would highly recommend her, as would I.

Get a healthy one to start with and the vet bills would be normal priced.. Watch for hip dysplacia in them,,,View the mom and dad to pup if possible. and watch them walk.

Well, you'll need to take into account the annual costs of food. Say, your dog finishes a 50-pound bag in two months. The bag costs thirty dollars. Multiply thirty by six and you end up with 180.00. Then, you'll need treats (a definite necessity), training, toys, vet bills, and equipment (leashes, collars, bowls, pooper-scooper, etc.). This will bump annuals up to roughly 2,000 bucks. Because of German Shepard's, um, reputation, owning one of this breed will also add to your homeowners insurance, so that, if your dog turns out to be temperamental, which is common in the breed, and someone ends up injured by your dog, in your home, your insurance covers it. So now, say, 3,000. If your dog lives to be 15 years old, try multiplying 3,000 by fifteen. You probably won't like the sum of money spent yearly, but owning your dog will be worth it.If you're looking for a good place to find breeders, there are particular breed rescue sites. I know of Labrador and Golden Retriever sites, but try googling 'German Shepard rescue' and you're sure to come up with something special about your breed. The ASPCA usually sponsors all sort of stuff, so you should check them out, too.Good luck, and I hope everything works out!!

It's a significant amount of money. If money is a concern, then really, don't get a dog right now. Even if you can afford the money for high quality pet food, annual vaccinations, altering, annual exams, and typical illness stuff - can you afford the several thousand dollars if you get one with hip issues? Can you afford the several thousand dollars if some other emergency happens? Please, check out your local rescue groups, and your local breed rescue. They are beautiful animals, but you need to make sure you know what you are getting into. If rescue won't approve you, you shouldn't get one. Period. If you decide to go to a breeder, please use only a reputable one who strives to improve the breed. They don't sell to pet stores; they don't advertise in the newspaper; and they aren't an 'oops'breeder nor a 'I'm only breeding to make money' breeder. Good luck to you.

It really depends on what you want it for, show, companion, guard dog, etc. they propably will go from $250-1500. My next door neighbor's german shepherd just had pups and he sold them for $350

They are not cheap dogs.... i have two myself.... they are not cheap to buy or to keep alive they can get big so they need nuitrient rich puppy food i suggest chicken soup for the puppys soul mine seem to love that...I think to buy they can range from about 300 to 500 dollars! Then of course about 35-40 a month for food and toys. I only was lucky because one of my dogs has a heart murmer and her breeder was just going to put her to sleep so she just gave her to my family and the vet said that she only had about three months to live but here she is next to me now about 2 years later!

Buying a quality German Shepherd should run you $800 - $2000. After that, all dogs cost about the same money to take care of. Puppy shots are another $200, then $100 a year. Annual Heartworm test and preventative medication $100. Quality food like Nutro - $30 a month.Obedience classes $200 and up. Professional trainer $600 and up. Going on vacation? Boarding kennel $40/day. Spaying or neutering? $250. BEFORE you get any dog you should read some great books on training. (Try not to pick books randomly - there are a lot of bad books out there also!) These are some of my favorites and you can get them on Amazon.comWhat All Good Dogs Should Know - VolhardGood Owners, Great Dogs - Brian KilcomminsDog Tricks : Eighty-Eight Challenging Activities for Your Dog from World-Class Trainers by Haggerty and BenjaminDon't Shoot the Dog - PryorTraining Your Dog: The Step by Step Method - VolhardDog Problems - BenjaminCesar's Way - Cesar MillanAlso, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Millan is the best trainer I've ever seen on TV.Dogs are terrific companions but they require training and discipline and daily exercise. Shepherds live about ten - twelve years so paying $1200 for a pup means that the dog cost you only $100 a year.Find a good breeder by going to www.akc.org or talking to people at dog shows. Shepherds are prone to hip dysplasia - make sure the pup's parents and grandparents x-rays were OFA certified excelent or good. You can also find info about the breed clubs on the akc site. The best breeders will be members of their breed club, promoting healthy dogs with great temperaments. They should ask you a bunch of questions to make sure their puppy will be getting a good home. If all a "breeder" seems to care about is whether your check will clear, you can be sure he won't care a week later when the pup is dying from distemper or parvo and you want your money back.Whatever you do, DON'T go to a pet shop, a flea market or buy one sight-unseen off the Internet!!!! You'll pay top dollar for what is usually a poor quality puppy mill dog. And you'll be supporting one of the cruelest industries in the country. The breeding animals are often kept in deplorable conditions - spending their entire lives in small wire-bottomed cages. They probably haven't been vaccinated against contagious diseases or tested for any health or temperament problems or genetic diseases - that costs money and cuts into their profits. A female is often bred every time she comes into heat. When her poor little body can't take it any more, she is often clubbed in the head and tossed into a dumpster or an open ditch. Most puppy mills ship their pups to pet stores at wholesale prices and many pups die before they even get there.

I have two GSD's. I usually go thru,,, roughly 40lbs of feed every two weeks. My feed last year was $572.00. My vet bills varry, usually around $280 per year, and up to $650.00 when we have pups, (blood work, vitamines, x-ray, medications.) In a normal year I will spend $250. on treats, training aids, etc. But if you only own one GSD and you are not breeding you dog, you should be able to make it easily on half of what I spend. You should expect to spend around $550.00 per year. Not counting training, and that varies. Now the largest investment will be you GSD. You can just about pay as much as you want to for a quality GSD.