Buying a puppy can be expensive, and finding one under $500 is a challenge. After reviewing thousands of ads from all over the US, we have established a list of 16 breeds that can be bought on a budget. For each breed, we concluded that a puppy would be easy or hard to find (for $500 or less) depending on the number of ads found for this price or less. Buying a good and healthy puppy this cheap will probably require patience and work.
It is possible to buy a puppy for under $500 for the following breeds: Australian Cattle Dog, Australian Shepherd, Basset Hound, Beagle, Bloodhound, Border Collie, Chihuahua, Collie, Dachshund, Dalmatian, Great Pyrenees, German Shepherd, Labrador, Mini American Shepherd, Mini Pinscher, or Husky.
Keep reading to see which breed will be the easiest to find and get a few tips on finding a cheaper puppy. If you are on a tight budget, we invite you to check our complete cost analysis (supplies, food, vet, training, grooming, etc.) for the breeds you are interested in to find how much the dog will cost you every year and in total.
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Labrador Retriever – Very easy to find
Average Price: $800
Price Range: $400 – $1,500
Ads Found: 3,160
Ads Under $500: 687
Breed Popularity Ranking: 1
Weight: 55 to 80 lb.
Life Expectancy: 10 to 12 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Labrador or learn How to Find a Labrador Retriever Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
German Shepherd – Easy to find
Average Price: $800
Price Range: $450 – $1,900
Ads Found: 2,349
Ads Under $500: 512
Breed Popularity Ranking: 2
Weight: 50 to 90 lb.
Life Expectancy: 7 to 10 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a German Shepherd or learn How to Find a German Shepherd Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
Siberian Husky – Easy to find
Average Price: $650
Price Range: $400 – $1,200
Ads Found: 1,485
Ads Under $500: 438
Breed Popularity Ranking: 15
Weight: 35 to 60 lb.
Life Expectancy: 12 to 14 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Husky or learn How to Find a Siberian Husky Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
Australian Shepherd – Easy to find
Average Price: $800
Price Range: $400 – $1,500
Ads Found: 1,740
Ads Under $500: 422
Breed Popularity Ranking: 13
Weight: 40 to 65 lb.
Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own an Australian Shepherd or learn How to Find an Australian Shepherd Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
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Beagle – Hard to find
Average Price: $550
Price Range: $295 – $1,125
Ads Found: 528
Ads Under $500: 253
Breed Popularity Ranking: 7
Weight: 20 to 30 lb.
Life Expectancy: 10 to 15 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Beagle or learn How to Find a Beagle Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
Chihuahua – Hard to find
Average Price: $800
Price Range: $375 – $2,420
Ads Found: 899
Ads Under $500: 229
Breed Popularity Ranking: 35
Weight: 3 to 6 lb.
Life Expectancy: 14 to 16 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Chihuahua or learn How to Find a Chihuahua Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
Mini American Shepherd – Hard to find
Average Price: $800
Price Range: $450 – $1,500
Ads Found: 1,102
Ads Under $500: 204
Breed Popularity Ranking: 29
Weight: 20 to 40 lb.
Life Expectancy: 12 to 13 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Miniature American Shepherd or learn How to Find a Mini American Shepherd Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
Australian Cattle Dog – Hard to find
Average Price: $450
Price Range: $250 – $1,200
Ads Found: 300
Ads Under $500: 186
Breed Popularity Ranking: 55
Weight: 35 to 50 lb.
Life Expectancy: 12 to 16 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own an Australian Cattle Dog or learn How to Find an Australian Cattle Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
Border Collie – Hard to find
Average Price: $700
Price Range: $300 – $1,000
Ads Found: 513
Ads Under $500: 172
Breed Popularity Ranking: 33
Weight: 30 to 55 lb.
Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Border Collie or learn How to Find a Border Collie Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
Great Pyrenees – Very hard to find
Average Price: $550
Price Range: $290 – $1,000
Ads Found: 267
Ads Under $500: 126
Breed Popularity Ranking: 69
Weight: 85 to 160 lb.
Life Expectancy: 10 to 12 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Great Pyrenees or learn How to Find a Great Pyrenees Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
WONDERING HOW AND WHERE TO FIND A PUPPY TO BUY OR A DOG TO ADOPT? Our Guide will help you find a dog near you. We share the 26 best places to find your perfect pet.
Dachshund – Very hard to find
Average Price: $850
Price Range: $450 – $1,500
Ads Found: 593
Ads Under $500: 99
Breed Popularity Ranking: 11
Weight: 16 to 32 lb.
Life Expectancy: 12 to 16 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Dachshund or learn How to Find a Dachshund Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
Basset Hound – Very hard to find
Average Price: $800
Price Range: $450 – $1,400
Ads Found: 393
Ads Under $500: 72
Breed Popularity Ranking: 37
Weight: 40 to 65 lb.
Life Expectancy: 12 to 13 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Basset Hound or learn How to Find a Basset Hound Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
Collie – Very hard to find
Average Price: $800
Price Range: $375 – $1,450
Ads Found: 288
Ads Under $500: 63
Breed Popularity Ranking: 38
Weight: 50 to 75 lb.
Life Expectancy: 12 to 14 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Collie or learn How to Find a Collie Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
Bloodhound – Very hard to find
Average Price: $750
Price Range: $450 – $1,200
Ads Found: 187
Ads Under $500: 61
Breed Popularity Ranking: 51
Weight: 80 to 110 lb.
Life Expectancy: 10 to 12 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Bloodhound or learn How to Find a Bloodhound Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
Dalmatian – Very hard to find
Average Price: $800
Price Range: $450 – $1,200
Ads Found: 256
Ads Under $500: 60
Breed Popularity Ranking: 59
Weight: 45 to 70 lb.
Life Expectancy: 11 to 13 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Dalmatian or learn How to Find a Dalmatian Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
Miniature Pinscher – Very hard to find
Average Price: $700
Price Range: $350 – $1,215
Ads Found: 148
Ads Under $500: 36
Breed Popularity Ranking: 74
Weight: 8 to 10 lb.
Life Expectancy: 12 to 16 years
Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Miniature Pinscher or learn How to Find a Miniature Pinscher Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.
With a lot of patience and effort, you might also be able to find other breeds. For example, we have been able to find a few available American Staffordshire Terriers, Bluetick Coonhounds, Labradoodles, Rat Terriers, Anatolian Shepherd Dogs, Jack Russel Terriers, and Toy Fox Terriers, as well as 20 other breeds. But there were less than 25 ads all over the US for each one at the time of our research.
When a puppy is significantly cheaper than others from the same breed, be very careful, make sure the breeder is trustworthy, and try to find an explanation for the price difference.
On a personal note, I would be very hesitant to buy a puppy for less than $500 unless it was from a family member or friend that I was sure had cared for their pregnant dog and puppies and was only trying to cover their expenses. I would also consider a breeder with excellent references. Otherwise, I would focus on finding a young dog or puppy to adopt.
When buying a puppy for this amount of money, there is a good chance that it was bred in a puppy mill or by an unscrupulous backyard breeder. First, it is essential to know that the risk of health issues or behavioral problems is higher for these puppies than for a dog bred by a caring and responsible breeder. Second, it is best not to encourage breeders solely motivated by profits and neglecting animal welfare. But if your puppy comes from one of these breeders, I still think that any dog deserves to be with a loving family (they didn’t choose their breeder after all).
Did not find your favorite breed and looking for more options? Please read our article about puppies you can buy for $1,000 or less.
WHERE CAN I FIND A DOG?
WHAT SUPPLIES DO I NEED?
WHAT SHOULD I ASK THE VET?
WHERE TO FIND THE BEST PRICES ON DOG FOOD?
Please find all the answers to your questions in our Dog Owner Guide. It’s a 5-minute read packed with useful information.
How to find a cheaper puppy?
Here are a few tips to find a cheaper puppy:
- Adopt. Puppies for adoptions are rare and get rehomed extremely fast, but it is possible to find one if you are willing to invest the time to search and visit shelter websites regularly. Adoption should always be considered first.
- Buy an older puppy. As they grow older, prices tend to go down as breeders are more in a rush to sell. In fact, most people want to buy very young dogs. Therefore, a 6-month-old pup is likely to be cheaper than an 8-week-old one.
- Expand your research territory. Breed popularity and prices as well as breeders’ operating costs vary depending on location. Future owners who are willing to drive further away have better chances of finding a good price for their dog.
- Go for a mixed-breed dog. Purebreds tend to be more expensive, and some mixed-breed puppies will look almost exactly like your favorite breed.
- Ask around. Just by letting family and friends know that you are looking for a pet, you might be informed that a trustworthy person near you has a pregnant dog and could get one of the puppies.
Even on a budget, always make sure to buy from a serious and responsible breeder. You will have a much better chance to get a healthy dog without behavioral problems. Avoid puppy mills and unreliable backyard breeders. Before buying a puppy, visit the kennel, question the breeder about the breeding process and how he cares for his breeding dogs and puppies, and make sure to see and interact with the puppy to see if it looks healthy.
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You will learn everything you need to know to raise, train, and care for your dog: from choosing the right puppy, training techniques, picking supplies, finding a vet, selecting the right food, handling behavioral issues, and much more. You can listen and learn so much about raising a dog while going to work, running errands, exercising, etc. This audiobook can definitely make a difference.
If you want to know whether to train your dog yourself or hire a professional and learn about the cost of training classes and supplies, check our article written with a certified dog trainer.
This article is based on information we found while researching and does not guarantee that it will be possible to find a puppy at this price when the article is read.
What to read next?
Learn more about the cost of owning a dog or look specifically for your favorite dog breed, guard dogs, hypoallergenic dogs, or dogs for an apartment.
References and Resources
This article is original content from PetBudget.
