How much does a Chiweenie cost? Are Chiweenies expensive?

Did you decide to get an adorable Chiweenie for your family? These cute crosses between Chihuahua and Dachshund are great pets and loyal companions. But – how much does a Chiweenie cost?

Generally speaking, you will be able to find a Chiweenie puppy for as a little as $50. If you want to have a special Chiweenie – such as an extra small one or a merle-colored puppy – expect to pay up to $1,900.

Today we will look at the different venues to purchase a Chiweenie puppy and how much you can expect to pay for a puppy based on his breeding.

How much is a Chiweenie?

The breeder of your Chiweenie puppy will determine his price. As a mixed breed, Chiweenies are currently not recognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club). This means the puppies available can be found either through rescues, classified ads or breeders who do not belong to the AKC.

Puppy pricing heavily depends on parentage as well as how much time, effort and veterinary care has gone into raising the puppy.

Health-tested and well-bred Dachshunds as well as Chihuahuas are not cheap – so you should expect to pay a little more for their cross as well.

Buying a puppy from classified ads

The fastest and cheapest (but not always the best!) way to get a Chiweenie puppy is by checking your local classified ads. Places like Craigslist offer plenty of choices for puppies bred by pet owners. These litters are often so-called “oops litters”, meaning they were not planned.

An unneutered Chihuahua male quickly runs over to the female Dachshund in season next door – and 2 months later Chiweenie puppies are born.

The prices of Chiweenies from such classified ads can be very low, especially if the owners are trying to get them rehomed quickly. You could find a steal and get a puppy for as little as $50. But beware: This comes with its own risks and difficulties!

Breeding healthy dogs with good character is not as easy as simply letting two dogs mate. In order to ensure that the puppies will be healthy and have an even temperament, the parents need health checks. Additionally, they should only be paired if they both are of sound temperament as well and do not display any reactive or aggressive behavior.

Unfortunately, when buying a low-price Chiweenie from classified ads it is nearly guaranteed that the owners did not put this amount of thought and effort into breeding (otherwise your puppy would cost a lot more!). Many of these puppies also have not yet had important puppy wellness checkups at the vet.

If you buy an unvaccinated Chiweenie puppy from Craigslist, get ready to pay a lot more in future vet bills than you puppy costs. In addition, these breeders often have higher prices for merle dogs or other rare colors.

The best cause of action is to stay far away from puppies in such ads!

Cost of a rescue Chiweenie

If you want to stay away from potentially sick Craiglist puppies, but are not up for paying a high price for a pup from a breeder, a rescue pup may be exactly what you are looking for!

Instead of going to your city shelter, check out a breed-specific rescue. It could be a Chihuahua rescue, a Dachshund rescue or a general lap dog rescue program.

The dogs and puppies of such rescues live in foster homes where they will get socialized and often even experience beginning training (such as crate training, walking on leash etc.). Rescues also take great care to only adopt out puppies who have had their initial round of shots and have been microchipped. While this will increase the price of your Chiweenie pup a bit, you can expect to get him for $250-350 depending on the rescue.

Most rescues either adopt out puppies who have already been spayed or neutered or they give future owners a voucher so they can have the procedure done for free.

Because rescues have large-volume contracts with veterinary clinics, you cannot get a Chiweenie puppy with health and wellness checks for cheaper than through a rescue! If you are looking for a low-cost option, this is the way to go.

Because rescues do not breed dogs of a certain pedigree, a rescue Chiweenie might be crossed with some other small breeds, such as the Havanese.

Buying a Chiweenie puppy from a breeder

If you have specific requirements for your Chiweenie puppy or you want a dog from health-tested parents you need to look for a specialized breeder.

Many owners want Chiweenies who are:

Of a certain gender – females are especially popular
Going to be a very small full-grown Chiweenie. These dogs could for example be a cross of a Teacup Chihuahua and a Mini Dachshund. Teacup Chihuahuas can cost over $4,000!
A specific rare color such as a blue merle Chiweenie

The chances of finding matching dogs through rescue are very small. You should contact a breeder and see if they have a dog who will fit your criteria. Of course this won’t be cheap: Expect to pay $600-1,200 for an average puppy, with prices going up to $1,900 for extra small or Chiweenies or pups of a rare color.

One of the reasons that these prices are so high is the typically small litter size/

Yearly costs of owning a Chiweenie

As a small dog, your Chiweenie will not require a lot of food. Small dogs’ vet are also tends to be cheaper than large dogs’.

Due to the Chiweenie’s low-maintenance coat, you also don’t have to pay for professional grooming – unless your dog fights grinding his nails, in which case you can have this done for as little as $5 at a groomer’s

The long back of these dogs can make it difficult to find fitting harnesses however. You will have to invest into a couple Dachshund harnesses as your Chiweenie is growing up.

How many puppies can a Chiweenie have?

The smaller a breed of dog is, the fewer puppies they will have in a litter. Most Chiweenie litters have just 2-4 puppies. Of course this will increase the purchase price per puppy as the breeder will have to factor their expenses for the breeding into the sales price. Health tests for the parents as well as veterinary care for mother and puppies can quickly cost several thousands of dollars.

The Bottom Line

While it is possible to get a Chiweenie for as little as $50 through your local classified ads you should stay away from that option. It will set you up for heartbreak in the long term when your puppy suffers from congenital conditions or contracts a disease such as parvo.

If you are looking for a way to acquire a healthy but affordable puppy, go through a rescue. They will have Chihuahua mix puppies for $250-350. These puppies will come already vaccinated and dewormed and set up for a healthy and happy life!