Purchasing a Bloodhound isn’t particularly cheap. These dogs can be costly, but their price often depends on the exact breeder and region you’re in. In some areas, they are cheaper than others.

On average, Bloodhound puppies from reputable breeders could range anywhere from a few $800-$2,400. Below, we’ll take a look at all the factors that go into this price so you know what to expect.

Keep in mind that purchasing a dog is just one part of the cost.  You can expect to pay around $1,500 to $4,000 a year for the first year of having a Bloodhound. Owning a dog involves ongoing expenses such as food, medical care, grooming, training, and more. To help you budget accordingly, we’ll go over these costs, too.

Bringing Home a New Bloodhound: One-Time Costs

The one-time costs of adopting a Bloodhound include both the cost of the dog and all the gear the dog needs when you bring them home. This can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, depending on where you adopt your dog from.

Luckily, there are many ways to save money on the initial costs of bringing a Bloodhound home. That said, the actual purchase of the dog is not a place we recommend cutting corners.

Free

You may occasionally find Bloodhounds available for adoption for free. Often, these free dogs are from independent owners looking to rehome their animals. We recommend being cautious about free dogs. If the owner isn’t looking to regain any of the money they’ve put into the animal, it may be that they just haven’t put that much money into the dog. In other words, the dog may not have had proper health care or food.

Sometimes, donors may sponsor dogs at shelters and adoption facilities, paying for their adoption costs. These dogs may be free, but they still receive the same care from the adoption facility.

Adoption

Adopting a Bloodhound is often cheaper than purchasing one from a breeder. These dogs are rare in many areas, though. Therefore, finding them at an adoption agency can be challenging. If you do find one, though, adoption is a great way to give a dog a home.

Of course, you are getting a dog with some baggage when you adopt. Sometimes, the dog may be well-trained and housetrained. Other times, the dog may not have any training and be unsocialized. They may be far behind where they need to be. You’re taking a bit of a risk.

Breeder

Adopting a Bloodhound from a breeder is often the most expensive option. However, you’re paying for a lot. Professional breeders often perform health testing before breeding dogs, which reduces the chance of medical conditions. Most puppies have also received vaccinations and other medical care, which may reduce the medical costs associated with owning the puppy.

Plus, these dogs often receive some early training and socialization, so they are easier to care for, in general.

Initial Setup and Supplies

When you first bring your puppy home, they will need tons of supplies. It can get a bit overwhelming, so we recommend shopping with a list. You can save some money by shopping sales, but you should still budget appropriately. You can’t always find everything you need on sale.

Bloodhounds are larger dogs, so their gear often costs more. A bigger crate simply costs more than a small crate, for example.

List of Bloodhound Care Supplies and Costs

How Much Does a Bloodhound Cost Per Month?

In total, you can expect to spend around $200 a month on your Bloodhound. This includes required veterinary care, food, grooming, and other miscellaneous supplies. These dogs are not too difficult to care for, so they tend to cost a bit less per month than other dogs.

Health Care

You can expect to spend around $50 to $100 per month on veterinary costs for the average dog. However, out of all the monthly costs, this one will vary the most. Sometimes, dogs may need regular medication, while other dogs may never need anything beyond vaccinations.

The price of veterinary care will likely take place in a few larger payments of $600 to $1,200 a year. However, budgeting money monthly and setting it aside for these impending payments is recommended.

This budget doesn’t include emergency veterinary payments that occur due to sickness and injury.

Food

You should expect to spend around $50 a month on a high-quality food for your Bloodhound. The caloric needs of your Bloodhound coupled with their age will be the biggest factors determining food costs. Puppy food often costs more, but puppies also need to eat less than adults.

You may need to adjust the type or amount of food as your pet ages. Therefore, the price you spend each month may vary.

Grooming

Grooming for a Bloodhound is relatively straightforward due to their short coat. Occasional brushing, nail trimming, and ear cleaning may cost around $10 to $20 per month. All of their grooming can easily be completed at home, which significantly lowers the cost.

Of course, you can spend tons on professional grooming if you want to. But it isn’t required.

Pet Insurance

Pet insurance varies a lot in price. It depends largely on the coverage level, deductible, and the dog’s age. Your geographical location also matters. Areas with cheaper vet care tend to have cheaper pet insurance, too. That’s why practically all pet insurance companies ask you for your zip code before providing you with a quote.

You can lower your deductible, but this will increase your premium. The inverse is true, as well. You’ll need to adjust your pet insurance options to find the best choice for your needs.

Entertainment

Unlike some dogs, Bloodhounds do not require tons of toys. They aren’t the most active dogs out there, after all. A toy or two is still good to have around, though.

You can expect to spend anywhere from $10 to $20 a month on toys for this dog. Chew toys, puzzle toys, and balls to fetch are well-loved options. However, every dog is an individual, so it really just depends on what your dog likes.

Be sure to rotate toys to keep your dog entertained. Otherwise, the same toys do get a bit boring. These dogs aren’t prone to chewing up toys, so one toy will last you a while. You’ll probably need to purchase toys to keep your canine entertained with novelty before you need to purchase more because the previous batch has been broken.

Total Monthly Cost of Owning a Bloodhound

$140–$280 per month

Owning a Bloodhound is pretty inexpensive, especially when compared to other dogs. This cost includes all the essentials that you’ll need to pay for regularly, like a high-quality food and routine vet care. Overall, these dogs are pretty low-maintenance, which means that their overall cost tends to be low, too.

Still, it’s important to budget properly for your Bloodhound to ensure that you can provide them with the care that they need to thrive.

Of course, this doesn’t include everything. There are some other costs that you need to keep in mind.

Additional Costs to Factor In

In addition to regular monthly expenses, there are some other monthly costs that you need to factor in, as well. For instance, you may need to hire a pet sitter from time to time. Often, hiring a pet sitter may cost anywhere from $20 to $50 a day.

Emergency veterinary treatments for illnesses and accidents may pop up from time to time, and these can be very costly. You may need to shell out thousands for one vet visit. Of course, having pet insurance can reduce this cost, but you should still plan to pay for your deductible and any uncovered expenses.

In some cases, you may need to replace furniture or fix damage caused by your Bloodhound. Often, these dogs aren’t very destructive. They’re generally pretty laid back, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be destructive in some cases.

Owning a Bloodhound on a Budget

You can own a Bloodhound on a budget pretty easily, especially considering that they are cheaper dogs to own, to begin with. When trying to own a dog on a budget, it’s important not to skimp on the important things, though.

For instance, you should still purchase quality food and get your dog preventative vet care. However, grooming your dog at home is absolutely doable and can help you reduce costs on that front. These dogs are extremely easy to groom and do not need special, professional grooming.

You can also purchase high-quality toys that will last longer. While this may cost you upfront, it can save you money in the long run. Shop sales whenever possible, as you can often save tons of money in this manner.

Saving Money on Bloodhound Care

There are many ways to save on Bloodhound care. Try to purchase items in bulk as much as you possibly can. You don’t need to purchase the most expensive food out there, either. Instead, you can often find nutritious food that isn’t expensive. In the dog food market, price doesn’t always equal quality.

You can invest your time into early training, which can help prevent behavioral issues from occurring later on. Training early can often help you prevent serious problems from popping up later.

Conclusion

Owning a Bloodhound isn’t prohibitively expensive. Purchasing the dog is often the most expensive part of owning a Bloodhound. Quality breeders can charge anywhere from $300 to $2,500 for a puppy.

However, once you bring your puppy home, your monthly expenses will be lower. You’re looking at around $1,500 to $4,000 a year for the first year of owning your dog, as you’ll need to pay for puppy vaccinations and care. After that, the prices lower substantially, though.

There are many ways to save money when caring for your dog. You can shop sales and purchase items in bulk, for instance. However, don’t skimp on necessary items, like a quality food.

• See Also: Is a Bloodhound a Good Guard Dog? Facts, History, & Alternative Options

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Featured Image Credit: Huckleberry14, Shutterstock