For those that don’t have a lot of time to read, I’ll get straight to it. In the US, a Weimaraner puppy costs from about $1,000 to $3,200 (fall 2023 prices). The high end is more than three times the price of the low end — that’s a huge range!
Let’s look at the low end first. While you cannot make judgments about the quality of a breeder based on price alone, bargain-basement prices typically reflect bargain-basement practices. Not always, but do your homework and ask the right questions to find out!
On the other hand, you may be gasping at the high end of the Weimaraner puppy cost, and wondering if going to the top of the price point is worth it. But if you think about it, the initial price of the dog won’t even come close to what you will spend on your dog over its lifetime. This may my not hit home without a little math: A $1,000 puppy costs about 20 cents a day over his lifespan. (We are going to use 14 years for this example.) A $3,200 puppy costs about 63 cents a day. The difference is 43 cents a day or $13 a month. $13 won’t even buy you a bag of dog food!
Cost of ownership runs about $1,000 a year (at least!) so going cheap really doesn’t make sense overall. Your initial savings can easily be eaten up in 2 seconds if you have a rambunctious puppy that gets into things or is prone to minor injuries. (Let’s be real here. You are planning on getting Weimaraner puppy. There will be unexpected costs!)
A quality breeder produces quality puppies. And yes, quality does cost more. That $1,000 puppy? Is the breeder cost cutting by not doing the things listed below?
On the other hand, high price doesn’t necessarily mean high quality. Anyone can slap a high price tag on their puppies, and talk a “game.” The cost summary below illustrates just how much it costs to breed a litter if done right.
Make sure that the breeder is doing the things listed below as it justifies the Weimaraner puppy price. Health testing is expensive, and so is raising a litter the right way so that you have the best start you can with your puppy. If the breeder is not doing the things listed below and merely sticking a high price tag on that cute puppy counting on you to make an emotional (not intellectual) purchase — beware!!
Cost of Breeding a Weimaraner Litter
When looking at these costs, keep in mind that the breeder’s location will skew pricing, especially veterinary pricing. Also some items listed under the high end are considering large litters.
Costs Related to Brood Bitch
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| OFA hips and elbows ($50-100 for the vet exam, $150-200 for the X-ray, and $40 film submission. More fees if sedated.) | $240 | $500 |
| OFA thyroid ($50-100 for the vet visit, $100-200 for lab & shipping costs, $15 for OFA submission) | $165 | $300 |
| UC Davis genetic health tests – HUU/HYM/SD ($50 per test, cheek swab done at home, no vet visit) | $150 | $150 |
| CERF ($40-50 at an eye clinic, $150-200 with a veterinary ophthalmologist appointment, $12 to submit to CERF/OFA) | $52 | $212 |
Costs Related to Breeding
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Stud service (Usually the cost of a puppy) | $1,500 | $3,200 |
| Travel to stud dog (Gas, meals, lodging; or flight/transporter costs) | $0 | $1,500 |
| Brucellosis test | $50 | $300 |
| Breeding (Natural $0, or artificial insemination including semen shipment, surgery, post-op care of bitch) | $0 | $2,500 |
Costs Related to Pregnancy
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| 4-7 progesterone tests ($50-75 every 2 days) | $200 | $525 |
| Mom’s food, vitamins, supplements (Additional due to pregnancy) | $100 | $300 |
| Ultrasound for pregnancy confirmation | $100 | $300 |
| Xray for head count confirmation | $100 | $300 |
Costs Related to Whelping
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Supplies (Fixing whelping box, towels, colored ribbons, and other miscellaneous necessities – does not include start up costs*) | $50 | $200 |
| Birth expenses (No complications or complications with a c-section) | $0 | $2,500 |
Costs Related to Raising Puppies
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy supplies (Toys, food, supplements) | $150 | $400 |
| Tail docking and dew claw removal at vet’s office | $200 | $800 |
| Worming (Every 2 weeks starting at 2 weeks, done at home) | $25 | $50 |
| Puppy vaccinations (Done at home or at vet’s office) | $200 | $300 |
| Emergency vet visit for puppy (e.g., fading puppy, sneezing, coughing, limping) | $0 | $800 |
| Emergency vet visit for mom (e.g., mastitis) | $0 | $200 |
| Extra laundry, electricity, paper towels, etc | $50 | $100 |
| Puppy field trips to new homes and for socializing | $25 | $100 |
| Birds for testing and exposure | $25 | $150 |
| Final vet checkup for puppies before going home (including microchip implantation) | $150 | $800 |
| Assemble puppy “going home” packets (copying, food samples, collar, etc.) | $10 | $100 |
| AKC litter registration ($33 per pup online without extras) | $33 | $330 |
| WCA futurity forfeit ($40 plus $30 per puppy) | $70 | $340 |
Does NOT Include:
- Start-up costs: whelping box, hemostats, scale, heat lamp, gloves, lubricant, syringes, suction bulb, thermometers, weaning dishes, feeding tubes, bottles, etc., etc.
- Cost to finish championship or other titles for both parents (Easily in the thousands!)
- Time and wages lost
- Wear and tear on vehicle
- Wear and tear on house
- Wear and tear on yard
- Wear and tear on your mental health!
Grand Total
| Total cost of breeding a Weimaraner litter of 6 puppies | $3,645 | $15,257 |
The average cost of breeding a Weimaraner litter (the right way!) is about $9,450. And let’s say the cost to earn some titles is another $4,000 for competition (low estimate!). You are looking at a breeder spending on average of about $13,450 just to produce a well-bred litter. If there are 6 puppies in a litter, at $2,242 each, you can see that the price for your pup isn’t at all far-fetched and the breeder is barely meeting his or her own costs.
Bottom line: If a breeder is doing things right, breeding is very rarely a money-making operation!
Examine the breeder’s practices and make sure she is reputable and spending not only the money, but the time, energy, and research on producing high quality, healthy and temperamentally sound puppies. If she is, then consider the higher end of the price range as a small price to pay in the scheme of things!
Hey you made it to the end of the article!
If you want more tips like this, just enter your email address below to get 'em for free!
By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from JustWeimaraners. I'll respect your privacy and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Surviving life with Weims!
goDog Plush With Chew Guard Technology
Zogoflex Hurley Durable Dog Bone Chew Toy for Aggressive Chewers
KONG - Extreme Dog Toy - Toughest Natural Rubber
Nylabone Classic Power Chew
Never realized all the costs and amount of work involved in order to offer us our companions. And as you mentioned does not included wear and tear on house, yard, and vehicles. Thank you so much on the insight of the cost and time involved.
Dear Anne, I must commend you on your Weimaraner post and you’re just like me, I can’t live without my dedicated loving Weimaraner. They learn fast and obey all commands even with distractions. Words cannot express the love a loyal Weimaraner gives you every single day!
Truth! 🙂
Thank you!
Please let me know if you breed at leastc2. We bought 1 alone 14 yes ago but lost her recently. Now we know 2 are better than 1 due to temperament. Needy but loyal. Love and miss ours deeply.
Please go to weimaranerbreeders.org to find a reputable breeder.
Thanks!
I have raised 5 Weimaraner. All joy!
My Weim is now 18 months old and is trained to stay off the couch because she has her own exclusive chair and always bolts to it for her Kong Ball stuffed with goodies. I’m on a small ranch ever since I left the big city and all my dogs have loved it out here. You never get over a loss and a new Weim pup is the only solution for another legend.
My blue Morgan is 16 weeks today and is my first Weimaraner puppy since 1996! She is EVERYTHING your writing describes…sneaky, resourceful, determined and beautiful. And very strong! With all her toys she’d far rather grab toilet paper, Kleenex and paper towels, before cozing up to me in bed for her dreams. Her final puppy shots are tomorrow and then she can begin her training. I drove to Tennessee from Scottsdale, AZ 4 weeks ago to pick her up and after a few days on the road we’d become fast friends. So please wish me Godspeed for my life with Morgan!
Congratulations on your new puppy; what an exciting time!!
Thank you again for your reply! I look forward to reading all of your articles and would be happy to send you a picture of Morgan, if I can get her to hold still long enough😂.
Thanks David! Sure, if you have photos that you’d like to share, please send them to me via anne@justweimaraners.com. I especially “need” photos that illustrate certain Weim-specific characteristics for future articles!