How Much Does A Pug Cost?
Pugs are a popular breed due to their unique face and small size. They are also considered trendy within certain social groups due to their appearance in the media, which has affected their average price range. Let’s take a look into how much a Pug costs.
Puppy Price (Buying From A Breeder)
A Pug puppy is more expensive than an adult dog like every other breed. Puppies from ethical and reputable breeders cost between $800 and $3,000. A Pug purchased to be a friendly pet specifically will have an average cost of $1,000.
However, a Pug purchased for breeding, competition, or dog show purposes will cost significantly more, even exceeding $3,000. Especially regarding a dog meant to compete, these Pugs tend to be of much higher value as they are usually bred from highly regarded lineages.
Of course, such dogs also come with certain kinds of certification and medical records. Moreover, breeders that specialize in show dogs usually make a smaller number of litters as they carefully plan to breed only the top-performing dogs and are very selective. If you purchase a dog from an award-winning bloodline, your puppy will have a higher value because of its rarity.
Price Factors
Breeders can charge different prices based on the color of each dog. For Pugs, the primary colors are black, fawn, and silver. Because fawn is a much more popular color on a Pug, dogs with that coat cost more. In contrast, black Pugs are the least expensive.
There is also the very rare white Pug that costs much more than a regular Pug. Usually, rare physical traits are due to recessive genes, and difficulty appears in a population, so when breeders succeed in getting one, they sell them for a much higher price.
Note that when looking for a dog with a rare physical trait, in this case, a white Pug, prospective pet owners need to be very careful with the Pug breeder they select. They need to choose a reputable breeder who will take care of their animals and be responsible for their breeding plans. Some breeders resort to inbreeding to get these specific traits, creating animals with serious genetic conditions.
Regarding purebred Pugs, if an owner plans to register them to a kennel club for competition and dog show purposes, these clubs only tend to accept black or fawn Pugs.
Another rare Pug dog that tends to be more expensive is a teacup Pug. These are the types of dogs that stay very small throughout their life. Due to their already small demeanor, teacup Pugs are highly sought-after despite their hefty prices.
People should also be skeptical about the breeding of a teacup Pug. There is the belief that teacup dogs come from the breeding of runts. Another issue is the possibility of inbreeding, which may result in subsequent health problems.
It is common for breeders to adjust their prices based on location. Breeders in bigger cities charge more than breeders in rural areas. A small dog breed, like Pugs, tends to be more popular in bigger cities because they can easily live in less spacious environments, like apartments. Therefore, they cost more due to high demand.
Additional Expenses
Pugs will need all the regular items that a new puppy would need, such as bowls, toys, beds, etc. You should expect typical monthly expenses to be $150. Instead of a leash, a harness might be a more suitable option for your Pug pup. As dogs, they tend to push a lot, which could damage their trachea. Thankfully, a regular but good-quality harness is not too expensive.
While their small stature might fool you, Pugs need some extra care than other dogs. Due to their short coat, they shed a lot and may require frequent grooming. Their facial skin folds also need to be cleaned periodically because if left uncleaned for a while, they can get infected. As a pet owner, this is something that you can do yourself at home. Otherwise, account for grooming costs in your monthly budget.
If the Pug breeder has not already completed training, Pugs are generally easy to train and will not require too many lessons. Moreover, they can learn fast and do not require private lessons due to their easy-going nature.
Adult Price (Buying From A Shelter)
An adult Pug will cost much less than a puppy, which is very standard for most, if not all, dog breeds. To rescue an adult Pug in good health from a shelter, you will have to spend between $200 to $500. Like with other breeds, rescues save you money on training, spaying, neutering, vaccinations, etc. These are usually taken care of by the shelter.
Of course, a critical issue that a new Pug owner needs to know about is their health issues. Adult dogs have more chances to deal with health issues than puppies, but Pugs are much more prone to them due to their nature.
Pugs are considered a brachycephalic breed, which relates to the bone structure of their head, which is wide but short. This condition causes them a lot of breathing issues. While there is corrective surgery available, much like other types of healthcare, it can cost a significant amount of money.
In most cases, pet insurance is not always necessary. Insurance is highly recommended, though, and a wise thing to do for a Pug. The insurance would cover any medical bills that might arise for your short friend. Some pet insurances might charge more because of the type of the dog and their predisposition to certain conditions.
However, there are genetic health testing services available that can prove if your dog is predisposed to that condition or not. Moreover, inbreeding can worsen breathing problems, so rare types of Pugs that are made through this frowned upon process are more prone to it.
How Much Does A Pug Cost?
Pugs are a great breed for anyone looking for an affectionate home pet. However, due to their popularity, they are highly priced. Age, sex, pedigree, physical traits, and more all play a factor in formulating their price range. Moreover, some rare Pugs are valued even higher, but the possibility of health concerns ultimately makes their purchase riskier.
Ethical breeders can provide healthy and well-taken care of dogs and offer guarantees to their condition. This is extremely important, especially for those looking for potential show dogs from renowned bloodlines.
The Pug breeder’s location also contributes to the price as breeders in metropolitan areas tend to charge more due to the higher demand for Pugs. Generally, Pugs’ additional expenses are not too different from other breeds, but because of their status as a brachycephalic breed, there are more health concerns about them. This fact makes the option of pet insurance a much-needed opportunity.
Ultimately, Pugs are still an excellent choice for a pet that will keep you company and become your best friend. Moreover, they are perfect for city living, and they are easy to transport because of their small size.
