How to Get Puppies Under $500? (2023)

You’ve come to the right place if you’re searching for ways to get puppies under $500.

The decision to adopt a dog is always an exciting one. However, it can be equally overwhelming when you realize that a dog purchased directly from a breeder will cost you thousands of dollars, and that’s not where the cost ends!

When you adopt a dog, it becomes a permanent member of your family, which means you will need to care for all its necessities — from food to medical expenses to its mental well-being. With all these added expenses, many dog enthusiasts often back off on their decision to purchase or adopt puppies.

However, you’d be surprised to know there are several ways to adopt puppies for as low as $500. All you have to do is know where to look and how to proceed. To help you adopt puppies for $500, we’ve compiled a list of sources to get your ideal puppy within your budget.

Before you scroll down this guide, check out: Where Can You Get Free Husky Puppies? (2023) and Where Can You Get Free Pitbull Puppies? (2023).

Is a Low-Cost Puppy Right for You? What to Consider Before Getting $500 Puppies

With a new puppy comes new responsibilities. Before you go ahead and bring a low-cost puppy, we suggest considering a few vital factors.

Responsibilities and Expenses

When you adopt a puppy, you commit to its lifetime care. This means you must provide your pet with appropriate food, water, shelter, health care, and companionship.

Unfortunately, none of this comes for free. While you may save out on spending thousands of bucks by adopting a low-cost puppy, you will still be spending a significant chunk of your income on providing your pet with a comfortable lifestyle.

According to the American Kennel Club, the lifetime cost of an average cost is $15,051 for a small dog, $15,782 for a medium dog, and $14,480 for a large dog. These expenses include health care, grooming, food, toys, and treats.

Health expenses can also be higher if your dog is prone to certain health conditions and requires treatment that includes surgery.

Health and Temperament

The health and temperament of the puppy you choose to adopt should be your utmost priority. An unhealthy or aggressive puppy can be highly detrimental to you as a dog owner. Moreover, it can also lead you to incur increased health-related costs.

So, while getting a low-cost puppy may be an exciting prospect, it’s important to know that scams aren’t uncommon. In fact, they’re widespread in the dog-rehoming market.

Dog sellers tend to scam potential buyers and sell puppies that may have genetic illnesses or behavioral issues. Therefore, be extra cautious, have a meet-and-greet with the dog before adoption, and don’t forget to ask the seller why they’re selling their dog for a lower price.

Be Extra Cautious

Avoiding scams that come with adopting cheaper puppies will require you to be extra cautious. Start by making sure the dog seller is authentic and is giving away cheaper puppies for genuine reasons that do not include health concerns.

Secondly, make sure to ask for proof of vaccinations and vet checks from the seller. Moreover, try only adopting from within your state or city. This will enable you to visit the puppy before you adopt it and see for yourself how healthy and active it seems or how well-managed the environment it was raised is.

If this seems impossible, you can ask the seller to show you the dog on a video call. If they refuse or seem reluctant, consider this as a red flag and immediately back off. The good health and temperament of your puppy are not something you should take lightly.

How to Get $500 Puppies

Some ways you can adopt puppies for lower prices include:

1. Adoption from a Local Shelter or Rescue

Dog rescues or shelters, widely available in every community around the United States, offer excellent opportunities for interested buyers to adopt various dog breeds. Rescues or shelters work tirelessly round the clock to save, rehabilitate, and rehome abandoned, neglected, and abused dogs to provide these vulnerable creatures with secure futures.

Since these organizations have many dogs in their facilities — often more than they can properly look after, dog rescues and shelters give away dogs and puppies for adoption for extremely low prices to prevent overpopulation.

In addition, keeping adoption prices low makes it possible for dog rescues to take in more animals in need. Therefore, by adopting a dog from a rescue or shelter, you provide it with an opportunity at a life filled with love and security and the same potential prospect for another vulnerable dog.

Rescues and shelters ensure all dogs under their care are up-to-date on their vaccinations, are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and have undergone a vet checkup before being sent off to their forever homes.

Some rescue organizations you can consider adopting your ideal dog from include:

Helping Hounds

Helping Hounds is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that aims to rescue homeless dogs from overcrowded dog shelters and help them go to their forever homes. To adopt, you will need to submit an adoption application. Once your application is fully processed, you can visit the shelter and meet the dogs during their business hours.

The adoption fee at the rescue is as follows:

• $400 for dogs aged older than seven months
• $600 for puppies six months and younger

Helping Hounds Details:

• Location: 7268 Caswell Street, North Syracuse, NY 13212
• Phone Number: 315-446-5970
• Email: info@helpinghoundsny.com
• Website: Helping Hounds

Angels Among Us Rescue

Founded in 2009, Angels Among Us is dedicated to rescuing abandoned, abused, and neglected dogs and cats in animal control facilities and other at-risk situations across Georgia.

The rescue is foster-based, which means all their pets live in family homes and are well-socialized. To adopt from Angels Among Us, you must submit an adoption application.

You can also view all the dogs available for adoption here. For more information regarding the adoption fee and other adoption-related queries, you can contact the rescue through the contact details mentioned below.

Angels Among Us Rescue Details:

• Location: PO Box 821, Alpharetta, GA 30009
• Phone Number: 877-404-5874
• Email: info@angelsrescue.org
• Website: Angels Among Us

2. Research Affordable Breeders

We adore all dog breeds out there, but there’s no doubt that some dogs can be more expensive than others, whether we’re talking about ownership costs or the cost of purchasing them.

So, if you cannot afford to spend a large chunk of your income on a pet, you’d be surprised to know that you can save some big bucks if you purchase the right breed.

Look at it this way — large dog breeds have big appetites. So, you will be spending a lot more feeding them appropriately. In contrast, some breeds have certain genetic or other illnesses that lead to increased vet visits and the hefty costs associated with the treatments.

Some examples of common dog health issues include hip dysplasia, heart disease, gum disease, and ear infections. In addition, breeds with shaggy coats tend to shed more frequently than others. So, you will have to incur costs associated with frequent visits to a professional dog groomer.

To that end, we’ve compiled a list of dog breeds that won’t be a burden on your pocket and will also provide you with their companionship for a lifetime. Here are the breeds to consider if you want to buy puppies for sale that won’t break your bank:

Mutt

Mutts are mixed-breed dogs that are also highly affectionate and loving, especially if adopted from rescues or shelters. Mixed breed dogs also have calmer temperaments as they were not originally bred for activities such as hunting or herding.

The price of a Mutt can range from $150 to $2,000. However, you’re likely to find this breed for a lower price if you adopt it directly from a shelter or rescue.

Beagles

With their short coat and minimal grooming needs, Beagles could also be an excellent option if you’re looking for breeds to adopt for under $500. The average cost of a Beagle is around $550.

They’re also highly intelligent, which makes them easy to train. Moreover, their loyal and outgoing personality makes them a treat to be around!

Pugs

With their short-muzzled face, curled tail, and puppy dog eyes — who can resist a Pug? Pug owners consider their dogs to be ideal family pets. And since the average cost of a Pug in the United States is $400, why not consider adopting a pet?

However, pugs come with their own set of health issues. So, keep an eye out for your Pug’s health!

Rat Terrier

Averaging $425 in the United States, the Rat Terrier can also make a decent family pet. They’re tiny, eager to please, and brilliant. However, they need plenty of exercise to stay physically and mentally fit. So, be prepared for lots of playtimes and early morning jogs with your Rat Terrier.

3. Consider Fostering a Dog

You still haven’t found the right dog? Try fostering a puppy if you’re struggling to get puppies under $500 from traditional means.

Fostering is another way to bring a puppy home and experience its companionship without spending any money. It’s the most effective way to reduce overcrowding in dog shelters and prevent euthanasia. Additionally, fostering a dog from an overcrowded shelter also allows more dogs to be rescued.

By providing a vulnerable animal with a temporary home through fostering, you give them shelter and a safe, comfortable environment they can spend their time until they go to their forever home.

Moreover, fostering allows you to experience the cost of pet ownership without costing you a single penny. The rescue you foster the dog for will provide you with pet food, bedding, leash, collar, and toys and cover all vet-related costs.

You must visit your nearby dog rescue shelter and apply to their foster program to foster a dog. The rescue may interview you or require a fenced yard in your home before approving your application.

How to Choose a Puppy Under $500

Getting puppies under $500 seems impossible, but it isn’t. However, as mentioned above, with a low-cost puppy comes extra responsibility.

While getting a cheaper puppy may sound ideal, you can also end up in an unfortunate situation where you might get scammed. It’s common for sellers to sell their puppies for lower prices, especially if they’re suffering from genetic or other health conditions.

Therefore, you must choose your puppy wisely. Some tips to help you choose a puppy under $500 are as follows:

• Ask the Right Questions: Ask the dog seller why they’re selling their puppy for a lower price, whether or not the puppies have been vaccinated, spayed/neutered, on heartworm preventative, and how regularly they receive wellness checkups.
• Look for Signs of a Healthy and Well-socialised Puppy: Make sure to meet and greet the puppy you’re interested in adopting before considering adoption. Try meeting the dog in a dog park to see how active and well-socialized the puppy is. A well-socialized puppy will be comfortable in different environments and receptive to new people and pets.
• Choose the Right Breed: Go for a dog breed that will not only match your lifestyle but will also be light on your pocket. You should only adopt a dog if you can bear its healthcare, grooming, and other necessary expenses.
• Be Patient: Being patient is key to finding an ideal puppy for yourself. A healthy puppy is a happy puppy. So, at the end of the day, if you’re bringing home a puppy that’s physically and mentally healthy, you shouldn’t rush to get it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion for “How to Get Puppies Under $500”

Adopting a puppy can get overwhelming — especially when you have to be extra cautious to avoid scams and ensure you only get a healthy and fit puppy. However, by following our tips on being extra careful and doing the proper research, you will easily bring your ideal puppy home.

We wish you the best of luck in finding your future four-legged BFF!

If you find this guide, “How to Get Puppies Under $500,” helpful, check out:

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• Where Can You Find Goldendoodle Puppies for Sale Under $500? (2023)
• Where Can You Find Corgi Puppies for Sale Under $500? (2023)

Before you bring home a puppy, learn more by watching “12 Harmful Things You Do to Your Dog Without Realizing It” down below: