A Complete Price Guide for the Border Collie
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If you consider adopting a Border Collie as your pet, you need to know several things about the breed. For example, you need to know the price of this dog breed beginning from adoption to upbringing. Once you buy a Border Collie puppy, you want to provide it with the lifestyle it deserves and be ready to spend for its needs. According to Border Collie Museum, the lineage of this dog breed is traced to Old Hemp. He was a great Border Collie who showed that the breed is hardworking and intelligent. Hemp died in 1903 after siring more than two hundred puppies and founding the modern Border Collie breed. Borders Collies are medium in size, and their average height is nineteen to twenty-two inches. The males weigh around 14 to 20 kg (30 to 45 lbs.). The females are somewhat smaller, weighing 12 to 19 kg (27 to 42 lbs.). Most of these dogs are black and white in color, but they also come in a wide range of shades, markings, and colors, including tricolors, brown, red, and blue, among other varieties. Below, we detail the budget for adopting and caring for this dog breed.
Adoption expenses
Even if you might be lucky enough to have someone give you a Border Collie, this does not mean that you will not bear any one-time expenses linked with adopting a pet. You will have to gather supplies. It is also highly unlikely that you will get a dog without paying anything. Generally, you will need to set adoption fees aside. If you search around in shelters in your area, you may easily find a Border Collie mix. It is more cost-effective to adopt this dog breed at a shelter than buying it directly from a breeder. However, remember that the dogs found in shelters are usually older than the puppies you can buy from breeders, and you get to rescue an animal. Therefore, you may skip your pet’s puppy stage entirely. The average fee for adopting a Border Collie is $50 to $150.
Breeder fees
The prices of Border Collies at breeder’s facilities vary. The main factor that determines the prices of these dogs, according to Hepper, is the quality of puppy one is looking for. If you want to buy a show-quality dog, you have to pay more for it. Such puppies can be very expensive. A purebred dog of this breed costs about $600 to $1200. This is far less than the amount you would pay for a show-quality puppy.
Registration costs
Breeders often keep their puppies for sale under limited registration. This means that you need to change that status to full registration and remove the limited status for a fee of $25. An individual membership with the Border Collie Society of America costs $50 annually. Membership with the American Border Collie Association costs $15 annually, and a lifetime membership costs $150.
Health care
Healthcare costs are another thing to add to the Border Collie price list. Once you buy a Border Collie, you need to spend more money to keep the pet healthy and happy. An unexpected veterinarian bill can be a hassle. Even though you may have applied for pet insurance, you may still spend money on shots, yearly checkups, and other kinds of routine healthcare. It is advisable to set aside some money each month so that unexpected health checkups do not strain your budget. Set aside $40 to $ 200 per month to cover such expenses. You can set aside more if your pet has reoccurring health issues.
Food
You should not skimp on dog food. If you purchase low-quality food, you may have to pay for costlier healthcare visits in the future. You can reduce the cost of dog food by buying it in bulk. If you do so, you can spend about $25 per month. For an additional amount, you may buy treats. Generally, you can expect to spend $25 to $50 dollars per month on food.
Grooming
It is unnecessary to spend money on cutting your pet’s hair pet, but you should brush its teeth several times weekly. You therefore have to spend money on toothpaste and toothbrushes. Also, it would help if you had shampoo to bathe your pet occasionally and one or two brushes to brush the dog daily. These supplies cost about $5 to $15 per month.
Microchipping
Microchipping is essential for pets. It involves placing a microchip under the skin of a domestic animal as way of identifying it. When your pet has a microchip, it is easy to find if it gets lost or runs away. This procedure costs about $50.
Training costs
Border Collies require training and this is not something that you should attempt by yourself, unless you are a dog trainer. To ensure that your pet gets trained precisely, hire a professional trainer. The average cost of training these dogs is $30 to $80 per class. If you take your Border Collier to a dog obedience school, you can expect to pay $200 to $600 per week. If you train this dog breed properly, it can comprehend about a hundred words, and respond quickly to simple signals and gestures you provide it with.
Special training lessons
Search and rescue calls and agility lessons are great way to work on your pet’s mental stimulation. Search and rescue lessons are meant to train dogs to trail and track scents to search and rescue Alzheimer’s patients, and missing people. According to Pet Price List, these training lessons cost $100 to $125 per lesson. Border Collies are agile and have a high energy drive. They are much interested in agility training lessons.
Equipment costs
You need several accessories to raise your Border Collie. Ideally, you should buy them before your pet arrives. Bear in mind that if you adopt a Border Collier puppy, the accessories will change as it grows. Look for high-quality accessories that will not harm your pet, and will last for many years. The equipment to buy includes:
- Dog crates and gates – Making your home pet friendly is essential. Like human babies, puppies like testing things with their mouths. They therefore chew on anything which fits in their mouths. Unfortunately, this includes harmful items like electric wires. Since it is impossible to monitor your pet at all times, you need to invest in some child gates, to reduce the puppy’s space. The gates cost about $20 to $40. Dog crates are useful, especially when taking your pet to the vet. They often come with a removable roof, a sliding door, and non-skid rubber feet. You can find high-quality dog crates at around $80 to $100 on Amazon.
- Harnesses, leashes and collars – You need to get a proper harness, leash and collar for Border Collie. These items will not harm your pet. A leash is ideal when training your pet or taking it for a walk. It costs around $10 to $15. It is also essential to select a leash, which is long enough. Puppies also need an adjustable and soft collar. The collars come in various styles and colors. Their prices range from $15 to $20. It is easier to use a harness rather than a collar, particularly if you just bought a Border Collier puppy. A good harness costs $10 to $15.
- Dog bed – This is another essential item because a Border Collie can sleep for up to twenty hours per day. Therefore, it is vital to get a bed that is not too large or too small. The cost of a typical elevated dog bed is $85. Choose a dog bed that can support your pet’s weight. Soft puppy beds cost about $35. Both kinds of beds are available in different sizes and shapes. It is advisable to select a bed with bumpers on the side to offer head support.
- Water and food bowls – These bowls do not have to be too deep. A conventional ceramic bowl is better than one made of metal or plastic, and it costs around $12 to $20.
- Toys – Since Border Collies are high-energy dogs, keeping them entertained is vital, otherwise they can destroy items in a home because of boredom. Chew toys are essential, especially if your puppy is teething. You can find the toys anywhere and they cost $5 to $15. Older Border Collies enjoy toys such as frisbees that cost about $7 to $15. However, if you are interested in a more high-quality toy, you can get a toy set that costs around $40 to $60.
- Dog treats – These treats are useful when training your pet. Many dog treats are available and they have different flavors. You can pay around $5 to $15 for a bag of treats.
Veterinarian visits and medications
According to My Pet, tick and flea protection is vital for all pets. If left untreated, these pets and lead to several illnesses and make your home uninhabitable. Tick and flea medications cost $20 to $50 per month, and they can save your pet a lot of pain and frustration and save you hundreds of dollars.
Pet Insurance
Health insurance is essential for protecting yourself against unexpected medical expenses. Similarly, you should apply for pet insurance for the sake of protecting your Border Collie. Buying pet insurance early is essential because you can get a better rate. Insurance for a puppy can cost around $20 per month, but if you need insurance for an elderly Border Collier, you can pay $100 or more.
Dog house
Dogs love spending time outdoors, but you should not let your pet to stay outside. Getting a dog house is not a must because Border Collies need to interact with their humans family members and other pets. However, with such a house, your pet will have somewhere to go when it needs a timeout or personal space. In the opinion of Chewy, dogs of every type enjoy having a place of their own where they can sleep, relax and hang out. They feel at home in their cozy enclosures, whether indoor or outdoor. Dog houses can cost anywhere from $40 to $300.
Environment Maintenance
Your pet needs poop bags so that you can pick up the waste after it during walks. These bags are cheap, and you can spend only about $5 to $10 on them per month.
Deworming
Intestinal worms are common in dogs. The majority of dog breeders offer deworming treatment for puppies. Dogs should remain worm free since the pests can lead to sickness. Therefore, you need to keep up the deworming schedule to avoid further reinfestation. According to Border Collie Health, veterinarians recommend deworming Border Collie puppies every two weeks until they attain the age of eleven months. The common symptoms of worms include eggs or worms in the poop and vomit, pale gums, and worms around the ears or coat. De-wormers cost about $14 to $20, and it is wise to get a veterinarian’s recommendation before buying the product.
Additional expenses to consider
Occasionally, you might need to spend money on your Border Collie, such as paying a pet sitter when you are not at home. Also, when you take your dog with you while on vacation, you will likely pay more for accommodation at pet friendly hotels or airfare. Therefore, make sure you have enough funds saved to pay for unexpected expenses that may come up occasionally.
How to save money when caring for a Border Collie
One way to reduce the expenses of caring for a Border Collie is buying essential supplies like food and poop bags in bulk. To save money on pet-sitting costs, you may join a pet sitting group. This is an arrangement where you sit pets for other pet owners, and they will watch your dog for you when you are not available. Your pet will also get additional socialization.
Final thoughts
Before adopting a Border Collie, finding out the costs associated with caring for it is essential. With the information above, you can be sure of the amount to expect. After you are financially secure and ready, you will love having a pet in your home.