Siberian Husky Price Range & Cost for a Puppy
Ah, the Siberian Husky. Fluffy, beautiful, and majestic, these dogs are one of the most famous dog breeds across the globe. They are also some of the most loyal and intelligent dogs that you could get. But how much do they cost? This is a common question for someone who’s thinking about or wanting to buy a Siberian Husky breed, and we’re going to get into this – as it may seem a little bit tricky. We’re going to look at the price of a Siberian Husky in the USA.
No Longer Just a Sled Dog
In the olden days, this was a breed that was used as to pull people when it first was created in Asia. It was meant to be a sled dog, helping to pull supplies and people with their travels. Today, they’re more of a majestic and domestic dog breed, and is actually in the top 20 (ranking at number 12) in the most popular breeds in America to date.
The Price Can Vary
There are many factors that can affect how much a dog’s going to cost. These could be
- Their bloodline
- Where you buy the pet
- The color of the dog
- The gender
- Their age
And many more things affect how much you’re looking to spend. Most common husky breeds in the US range from about $600-$1,500. The average price of a full-bred husky with papers is still above $700.
Depending on the pedigree of the dog (their blood line), you can end up paying very much more. Some of the highest lineages of husky breeds (like those who were of a royal bloodline, etc.) can cost anywhere from the $1,500 mark and even go as high as six or seven thousand dollars!
What About Adoption?
This is often a good alternative. If you’re going to adopt a husky pet or husky mix, you may be able to purchase them for anywhere from $100-$500 dollars. This can be at animal shelters, or rescue shelters. Sometimes animal shelters that are not a no-kill facility may even have them on the lower range, but this also depends on location (which justifies a lot on pricing). This will often include its shots, getting them spayed or neutered (many shelters have you sign a contract stating you’re going to do this), and even vet visits and registration. However, you need to consider the positives – you get to save money, but at the same time give a good dog a home that is in need. And you got a husky to boot! Adoption is one of the best bets if you’re on a budget and looking for a husky.
Feeding Costs
Being that these dogs can become pretty hefty as “medium-sized” dogs, they can eat about 3 cups of dog food per day, which is about a pound or two per day. If you calculate the price of dog food into the mix, and you spend a good amount on a high-grade dog food (which is best for their fur coats and health), then you’re looking to buy a 30-pound bag of dog food (which is about 120 cups worth) – or about a 30 day supply of dog food. Some dogs who are more active have a higher appetite than that, and have been known through a 50-100 pound of dog food in a month. Therefore, you’d need anywhere from $400-$500 just for dog food every year alone. Of course, that’s not including treats and snacks, which can cost anywhere around ten bucks a month. These are necessary and good though, because it helps with their diets, helps you train them, and helps them be in better health.
Vet Costs
Unfortunately, Siberian huskies also have common problems associated with other dogs their size, and as they age, they’re more common. If you have them fixed surgically at a vet, this can get expensive as well.
Common things that a husky needs help with are:
Hip Dysplasia – This treatment can cost anywhere from a thousand all the way up to over $5,000 easily. It is the most common problem when it comes to huskies, as well as other breeds of medium-sized dogs.
Entropion – This syndrome causes problems because huskies are known to have big and bold eyelashes. This can cost anywhere from a few hundred up to over a thousand to fix.
Corneal Dystrophy – this condition often causes blindness as your pet ages. It can also been noticed when dogs eat high amount of cholesterol or have high levels of calcium in their blood.
Deafness – Many dogs have problems hearing as they get older. This can cost hundreds of dollars.
Hair Loss – While dogs are going to shed a lot (especially huskies), they commonly have problems with follicular dysplasia, which causes extreme hair loss and hot spots. This sometimes can cost hundreds of dollars a year to treat. More importantly, this can end up being genetic, and treatment doesn’t always work.
Obedience Training
You also need to factor in training your dog. Fortunately though, even though things like obedience school, and all of these other things can cost a lot, they’re generally cheap and they’re more temporary (you often won’t train your dog more than once, and huskies are well-known to be trained well the first time).
Conclusion
Fortunately for you though, you don’t have to concur all of these expensive expenses at once. You may be tempted to go out and buy everything ahead of time for your pet if you’re going to own a husky, but don’t worry – you really don’t need to do this. The life expectancy of Siberian huskies is actually a very long one. Some have even been known to live for anywhere from 15 years or more (there are a few out there who have lived almost 20 years). You’re not going to have to pay all of these out of pocket expenses at one given time, and it’s not like you’re going to realize that you’re paying that much for your dog anyway. Most dog owners don’t even realize how much they spend a year on dog food and other things alone for their pets. Just remember that if you can get the initial cost of buying the husky (and getting a bag of dog food and some toys), then you’ll be fine!