Chihuahua’s are amongst the favorite dog breeds purchased annually. Their size and charm are their most prominent attractions, and despite their small built, they’re under the top ten watchdogs as recommended by experts. Although they might not be as fierce as large dogs, Chihuahua’s can deliver a strong bite that can result in damage.
Biting is a defensive mechanism for this breed. Still, they make good family pets who thrive on attention. They have a lifespan of 12-20 years, which means purchasing one can be a lifetime investment. If you tend to spend a lot of time away from home, Chihuahua’s are a great breed choice as they do well when left alone, especially when they have a mate.
The price of Chihuahuas can range from $1000 – $2000, although many factors determine a dog of this breeds’ price. Pure white Chihuahua’s are the rarest color available, making them more expensive while purchasing a teacup Chihuahua can easily run over your budget too. However, when you decide to get yourself a dog of this breed, its price should be one of your last determining factors since you really need to spend time investigating its bloodline for medical conditions and personality traits.
Chihuahua Price by Source
1. Specialized Breeders
- Average Cost: $900
If you’re unsure of where to begin your search for a Chihuahua, then a specialized breeder is an excellent start! If you buy a Chihuahua from a breeder, Chihuahuas can cost around $900. With such a wide assortment of breeders available, it can be challenging to know exactly what you’re getting. For this reason, it’s a good idea to contact different breeders to determine whether they breed show dogs, pet dogs, rare colors and sizes, or solely for profit.
Depending on why you want to purchase a Chihuahua, you should try to stick to a breeder specializing in your category. Chihuahuas are often bought to be pet dogs, and although finding a breeder who specializes in this isn’t hard, you should make sure that the breeder is reputable.
Before purchasing your Chihuahua from a specialized breeder, ensure that they follow acceptable breeding practices, pay attention to the bloodline’s behavioral, emotional, and medical problems, and allow you to verify all information they provide without being reluctant to share their references, sources, or certifications.
2. Rescue Homes
- Average Cost: $250
Many people fall into the trap of purchasing a Chihuahua for its physical appeal before researching the breed. These dogs end up being misunderstood in the homes of such people and consequently abandoned. This is where rescue homes step in and try to find new, loving families who understand the breed and will be devoted to their care.
Mostly, you’ll end up finding older puppies or older dogs at rescue homes, but don’t let that scare you from adopting one of their Chihuahuas. Even though these dogs feel abandoned, reputable rescue homes shelter them from further neglect and shower them with proper care and love to ensure that they’re family ready before leaving for their new homes.
Buying Chihuahuas from a rescue home will cost around $250, which is an operation fee. When you choose to go this route, do diligent research on the rescue home you plan to support. Ask for references and verify them. You can even do a quick online search on them or ask your local vet office for a list of questions that you can ask the rescue home to ensure that they’re a safe and reputable place to purchase from.
3. Family and Friends
- Average Cost: $600
If you love the Chihuahua breed and you’re planning to purchase one, the chances are good that you have a friend or family member who already has one. If not, they might still know someone who does! Purchasing a Chihuahua from a friend or a family member can make the process much more trusted and smoother.
That said, trusting a friend or family member blindly is not the way to go about when purchasing a new puppy. Instead, have an open conversation with them and ask everything you want to know about the breed and their specific dogs used for breeding. Questions concerning health, emotional or behavioral problems should be on your priority list.
Friends or family who plan to sell Chihuahua puppies for the love of it and not the money will gladly spend time addressing any concerns you have and verifying any information you need verifying. A bonus in choosing this route is that you get to spend more time with the parent dogs or puppies than you would when following other purchase avenues.
Ongoing Cost of Having a Chihuahua
1. Medical Expenses
- Average Cost: $1000
Although Chihuahua’s have an average lifespan of 15 years, they’re prone to experience some health issues over the years like many tiny breeds. Besides taking your dog for a general examination, necessary vaccines, and a heartworm test, routine bloodwork is also needed to detect potential hidden health issues. The cost of taking care of your Chihuahuas medically is around $1000 per year.
Chihuahua’s are at high risk of developing the following health issues:
- Collapsing Trachea
- Patellar Luxation
- Mitral Valve Disease of the Heart
- Dental Diseases
Budgeting for a situation where these illnesses can arise is a wise idea. You can either put money aside into a savings account or invest in an insurance plan to cover the specified health issues. Although both these options can be pricey, you’ll be happy you made provision for health issues before you were faced with them.
2. Feeding and Treating
- Average Cost: $130
A great benefit of small dogs is that they generally don’t eat much. As someone who wants to own a Chihuahua, you’ll be happy to know they only consume around $50-$90 worth of food each year. Of course, this is dependent on which food brand you purchase and from were.
Besides meeting their necessary food needs, spending money to treat your Chihuahua will make them feel loved and help you build a bond with them. You can also use additional treats when house-training them or teaching them some basic obedience tricks.
If you opt for premium grade products, you can expect to pay significantly more.
3. Play and Activity
- Average Costs – $150
Although Chihuahua’s aren’t known to be a very energetic breed, they still enjoy some playtime and definitely need exercise to stay happy and healthy. When time is spent stimulating them physically, you’ll be surprised about how long they can go without rest. When you play with them, it’s important to monitor your Chihuahua, or else it might wear itself out.
A healthy exercise routine should include 20-30 minutes of active playing or walk per day, and this can be split into two shorter sessions to allow your pup enough time to sniff around, explore and take in the fresh air.
If you don’t plan on using a dog walker’s services to keep your Chihuahua active, your expenses in this department will be much less. However, you still need to ensure that you purchase a sturdy collar, leash and take some dog poop bags along on your walk. If you’re going to spend time playing with your dog at home, investing in high-quality dog toys will take you a long way.
In the right home, a Chihuahua will fulfill its life quest: to love and be loved. With the proper training, care, and social skills, you’ll be able to build a strong bond with your dog, and it’ll have no need to be aggressive towards strangers. Ultimately, if you’re in search of a low maintenance dog breed with a charming, sassy, and sometimes stubborn personality, then a Chihuahua is right up your alley!
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