At 8 weeks old, German Shepherd puppies usually range from $600 to $5,000, depending on their bloodline, breed type, show potential, pedigree, etc. Older puppies with additional training from responsible breeders often cost more.
If you are not familiar with the huge differences in shepherds, please reference our article on the different types of German Shepherd Dogs and selecting a German Shepherd breeder.
We’ll start with the cheapest and work our way up.
Rescue Dogs
There are many great rescues that charge a reasonable fee. There are many costs that go into rescuing dogs. I’m not quite certain what adoption fees are, however whatever they are, you are basically supporting the rescue of the dog, be it $75 from an SPCA or $500 from a no-kill shelter. Some shelters specialize in rehabilitating German Shepherds, and this can take a lot of time and money.
American/Canadian Line
This is typically what people are picturing when they hear the term “German Shepherd”. These shepherds should at a very minimum be AKC certified. They range from $200 – $800.
With no paperwork, free might be acceptable if you just want to give a dog a new home. Hopefully the people responsible for their actions would also cover deworming, vaccinations and other fees.
German Working Line
These Shepherds range depending on the breeder, facilities, bloodline, etc. Typically puppies tend to be in the $1000 range. They can be more with additional training. We’ve seen trained working dogs go for $17,000 to the Police Dept down the street and there are breeders in NC who get around $85,000 for specialized dogs.
German Show Lines
These are dogs that adhere to the breed standard and are significantly different animals. While any dog can be an excellent companion, these are beautiful, extraordinary family members with a little less drive than the working line. 7 or 8 week old puppies start off around $2,500 and work their way up to $4,500 depending on the pedigree and titles and awards held. Adults with Schtuzhund training and hip certifications or other titles can easily run into the $10,000 range.
The very first steps to picking out a puppy should first be you determining what it is you would like out of your new puppy. First, determine which German Shepherd type fits you best, then, carefully select a breeder. If you are interested in a show line GSD please visit our German Shepherd puppy page.
Thank you,
Len
Hektor Haus
