Bred as hunting dogs in central Europe, the energetic and loyal Weimaraner is a solid choice for any highly active household. As with any dog, the Weimaraner has some important upfront costs that you need to be aware of to properly budget for the high cost of welcoming a new dog into your life. You can expect to pay between $50-$1200. Let’s check out all the obvious and not-so-obvious costs you should look forward to.

Bringing Home a New Weimaraner: One-Time Costs

All dogs carry costs, from the upfront cost of bringing them home to vet visits, food, toys, bedding, and so on. Depending on where you get your Weimaraner, you can expect to pay between a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Let’s delve into some of the specific costs.

Free

As a pure breed, the Weimaraner is harder to get for free from adoptions or shelters. You can visit local animal rescue shelters in your area to see if there are any Weimaraners available for free, or maybe look online on places like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.

Adoption

Animal adoption fees vary wildly from place to place, but they generally go toward paying for the cost of the animals’ care. Some shelters have flat fees while others might differ from animal to animal, but you can search for their websites or visit them in person to check for any available Weimaraners.

Breeder

The cost to get a Weimaraner from a breeder usually doesn’t run more than the cost of any other large dog breed. While $500 is the lowest price you’ll likely find for one, $700 is more likely. Prices for pedigree show dogs can run a lot more, from $1,200 or more, but that’s not necessary unless you want to take your Weimaraner to dog shows.

Initial Setup and Supplies

Like children, dogs aren’t cheap! From the cost of actually taking them home to a carrier, dog bed, leash, collar, food, and more, your dog will be constantly costing you money. That’s why it’s important to tally up how much you expect it to cost beforehand so you can slot these costs into your budget. Thankfully, these are generally not recurring costs.

List of Weimaraner Care Supplies and Costs

How Much Does a Weimaraner Cost Per Month?

This figure shares the costs of your dog’s food, grooming, and vet visits together to give you a more spread-out view of where your money is going over time. For instance, you might pay $300 at the vet one time but that was the only trip to the vet this year, so it comes out cheaper per month. Other than the odd vet visit here and there, the biggest recurring expense for your Weimaraner is food and treats.

Health Care

Weimaraners are generally healthy dogs, but your dog’s life will be frontloaded with vet visits to make sure they’re in healthy shape and administer essential vaccines like those for parvo, distemper, etc. Other essentials are flea and tick prevention medicines like Nexgard or Advantage.

A vet will be able to advise you on the best course of action to ensure the well-being of your pet.

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Food

You shouldn’t skimp on high-quality dog food with a good blend of protein, carbs, and other essential nutrients, but we know that value is important too. Buying dog food in bulk is the best way to go, and you save a lot of money by ponying up for a huge bag once a month or two smaller bags biweekly. Weimaraners are very food motivated, so you’ll need to factor treats in as well if you expect to be training them often. Alternatively, you can cook up your own meals with affordable staples like chicken and rice.

Grooming

Weimaraners have short, dense coats that are easy to take care of at home with regular baths and a good brush. That said, it wouldn’t hurt to upgrade to a new vacuum when you bring your dog home. Weimaraners don’t shed as much as other breeds, but you’ll still be shocked about the small nooks and crannies where you find hair in your house. A bottle of good dog shampoo should last a while, making this a cheap category for your wallet.

Medications and Vet Visits

Weimaraners are generally healthy but need heartworm prevention medication like any other dog. These run roughly $10–$15 a month, while flea and tick treatment varies but hovers around biweekly or monthly treatment at roughly $10–$15 per dose. You can save on stuff like Frontline by buying bulk doses online.

Pet Insurance

Pet insurance isn’t mandatory, but it can help you pay large vet bills if something unexpected were to happen to your beloved Weimaraner. On the other hand, you can skip pet insurance and pocket this monthly cost if you have significant savings on hand to pay for vet bills.

Environment Maintenance

Unlike cats that need litter on a regular basis, dogs are content to be wherever you are, requiring little in the way of special modifications to your home. A nice dog bed would be a great addition if you really want to make your Weimaraner feel at home. However, a bed won’t need to be replaced that often.

Entertainment

Weimaraners are athletic, highly active dogs that benefit greatly from access to an outdoor area, so a secure yard or nearby dog park should go a long way toward keeping them entertained. Their hunting heritage gives them tons of energy and an inquisitive nature, so it’s important you make sure any yard they have access to is 100% secure.

Of course, though, every dog loves toys! If you really want to spoil them with toys, we recommend puzzle toys like Kongs, as well as outdoor toys like tug-of-war ropes to tire out both their body and mind.

Total Monthly Cost of Owning a Weimaraner

Ultimately, your monthly costs will break down to how often your dog visits the vet, whether you spring for pet insurance, regular treatment for heartworm/flea & tick medicine, and how much you want to spoil your dog with toys or treats. We don’t recommend cheapening out on quality dog food, but you can find some really good deals if you’re willing to buy in bulk.

Additional Costs to Factor In

Just when you think you’ve got it all covered, there are unexpected expenses that pop up out of seemingly nowhere. Your Weimaraner will cost you more in stuff like pet sitters if you go on vacation, deposits when renting hotels, transportation fees on airplanes, and stuff like that.

Other than that, you may end up replacing your shoes or some items around the house that go mysteriously missing during your Weimaraner’s rambunctious puppy phase. They’re notorious chewers, so you have to stay on top of any high-priced footwear or other items you don’t want to be chewed up.

Owning a Weimaraner on a Budget

Other than the upfront cost of finding one from a reputable breeder, Weimaraners don’t have any special price tags attached that make them unaffordable for pet parents on a budget. Pet insurance is highly recommended if you don’t have savings, if only for some peace of mind in the event of an emergency. Another major pro tip is to buy kibble in bulk, which will save you a lot of money in the long run.

Saving Money on Weimaraner Care

You don’t need a lot to keep your Weimaraner happy and healthy. They’ll be more than happy to spend a lot of time outside with you, whether that’s in the yard or jogging at the local dog park. A bag of treats is all you really need to get started on obedience training, too.

Conclusion

Weimaraners cost a pretty penny upfront, but that’s mainly just the cost of doing business with reputable breeders. Expect to pay between $700 to $1,000 upfront for everything you need, with recurring expenses costing you roughly $50 per month.

• See Also:  Weimaraner Pros and Cons: Traits & Characteristics

Featured Image Credit: VKarlov, Shutterstock