How much does an Irish Wolfhound cost?

Irish Wolfhounds are giant dogs. They are one of the largest dogs on the planet, depending on what measurements you’re taking into account. Unfortunately, because they’re so large, they tend to be extremely expensive.

It takes more money to breed them. They eat more, take up more room, and have higher vet bills. This often gets wrapped in the cost of the puppy. The average puppy costs $1,400 to $2,500. This assumes the dog is purchased from a quality breeder. Other sources may charge less for their puppies, but these puppies are often cheaper for a reason.

You also have to consider the annual cost of the dog. In the first year, you can expect to spend around $5,500. This is due to all the upfront costs. Larger dog beds are expensive. You’ll simply be paying more for all the usual dog supplies since you’ll need the XL versions.

After the first year, you’ll likely be spending about $2,000. This assumes one-time purchases like your dog bed survive the first year.

How much is an Irish Wolfhound?

Where you purchase an Irish Wolfhound from matters. Breeders are often the most expensive option. However, this is primarily because they put more money into their puppies. You’re paying for the expertise, health testing, and extra vet bills. In the end, this often leaves you with a higher-quality puppy.

Adoption agencies are not-for-profit, so they generally charge less for dogs. They also didn’t have to pay money to breed the dog, which means that their cost of operation is lower. With that said, it is rare to find an Irish Wolfhound at an adoption agency.

There are other, less preferable options for purchasing a puppy, such as buying a puppy from Craigslist. However, you don’t know what you’re getting when you purchase from an unqualified person advertising on local marketplaces. Therefore, we generally don’t recommend purchasing from these outlets.

Getting a puppy from Craigslist

When you purchase a dog from Craigslist, you typically get your puppy from one of two sources: puppy mills or backyard breeders.

Puppy mills are focused on breeding as many puppies as possible as cheaply as possible. Their puppies tend to be less expensive for this reason. Usually, you can expect to pay less than $1,000 for one of these puppies.

However, these companies usually overbred their dogs, which leads to unhealthy puppies and is very cruel to the mothers. Puppies may be separated from their mother too early to push her into breeding faster. There is usually no health testing involved, and the puppies may not receive any veterinary care. This may lead to more health problems later on and will cost you more in vaccinations.

Most of these puppies are not properly socialized or trained at all, which may cause behavioral problems.

Backyard breeders are better than puppy mills, but you never really know what you’re getting. Most backyard breeders are either stuck with accidental breeders or pet owners who decided to breed their dogs for whatever reason. Either way, they don’t always have the knowledge necessary to breed the dogs properly.

Many do not do the proper health testing, which means that they may be producing puppies with genetic problems. They may also not receive the proper health care for their puppies, which means that you may be spending more money on vet bills upfront. Most puppies do not have health guarantees or anything of that sort.

Backyard breeders may charge anything from $500 to $1,500 for a puppy. Some may charge just as much as a professional breeder, especially if they don’t understand all the extra work a breeder puts into their dogs.

If you decide to explore adopting a backyard breeder, be sure that you ask questions about the puppy and their parents. Ask to see the mother and the conditions she’s living in. Check for vet records and health testing. If the breeder can’t provide this information, they may be a puppy mill or simply someone who hasn’t done the proper research before breeding.

Getting a puppy from a rescue

Occasionally, rescues may find themselves with Irish Wolfhound puppies. This is quite rare, though, as this is not a substantially popular breed. Your best guess is to check breed-specific dog rescues, as your local animal shelter will likely never receive these dogs.

Rescues are often cheaper than other sources, as they are not-for-profits and partially funded by donations. Usually, puppies will cost between $100 to $500. Some rescues charge more depending on the level of vet care the puppy required. Most require the puppy to be spayed or neuter before they are adopted, and the price often gets roped into the final price of the dog.

While these dogs often have unknown beginnings, they receive proper health care after they are turned over to the rescue. Most rescues provide the vaccinations and vet checks that the puppy needs. You’ll have to pay less in vet bills the first year, therefore. They are also very upfront about the puppy’s health problems usually. So you know what you’re adopting, which isn’t necessarily true when you purchase a puppy from Craigslist.

Getting a puppy from a breeder

Puppies from breeders are the most expensive. Usually, they cost somewhere between $1,400 to $2,500. There are many reasons why they are so much more expensive, though.

You’re paying extra for the expertise of the breeder. These breeders have bred many litters before and know what they’re doing. They know what health problems to pay attention to while breeding and have mastered matching the perfect dogs together. In addition, they know how to socialize puppies best so that they are less likely to develop behavioral problems later on.

You’re also paying for health testing, which can be pretty expensive. All dogs should be health tested before they are bred. This testing prevents dogs from passing on genetic diseases to their puppies, which leads to healthier litters. If your dog’s parents were not health tested, your puppy is at higher risk of genetic problems.

Many puppies from breeders also see a vet before they are adopted – sometimes multiple times. As a result, many will have started their puppy vaccinations before coming home with you, which substantially lowers your vet cost.

Costs of health tests

It is recommended that all dogs be health tested before they are bred. Irish Wolfhounds have a few different genetic predispositions. If the parents have these problems, their puppies may inherit them. This can lead to a less healthy litter and a less healthy breed in the long run. Any professional breeder will get their dog health tested.

Luckily, you don’t have to take your breeder’s word that they health-tested their dogs. They should be able to provide medical records that give their dog a clean bill of health and provide clear records that they’ve been tested for genetic problems common to the breed.

The Irish Wolfhound Club of America recommends screening all dogs for developmental heart disease, congenital eye disease, hip dysplasia, and elbow dysplasia.

Developmental Heart Diseases

Developmental heart diseases are those that develop as the puppy grows. They are genetic – not caused by an outside factor. Usually, they occur very early in puppyhood. Sometimes, puppies are even born with them. That doesn’t mean that the dog will show symptoms until later, however. For this reason, the dogs should be tested before they are bred.

Usually, this test can cost anywhere from $600 to $1000, depending on how many tests are recommended. A specialist is usually required to do this examination. It can not simply be done at a regular appointment. Therefore, the appointment costs must be added to the overall cost of testing.

Some breeders may decide to do this every year, though others will not. There are arguments for both sides. Some say that this disease begins very early, so dogs should be showing signs by the time they are of breeding age. Others argue that the condition worsens as the dog ages in most cases, so it may not be evident until much later.

Congenital Eye Disease

There are quite a few eye conditions out there in the dog world. Dogs need to be tested by a specialist before they are bred, as severe symptoms may not appear until much later. It isn’t rare for a dog to act completely fine until they are suddenly entirely blind. Because eye conditions often worsen as the dog ages, most breeders perform these tests every year.

Usually, a standard examination costs somewhere around $225. This includes an examination in both eyes, a biomicroscopy, and measuring the pressure in the dog’s eyes. Any eye conditions should be noticed through these tests.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is a severe problem for larger dogs. This condition has a genetic component, but the puppy’s environment plays a significant role. It is caused by the hip and ball of the socket not lining up correctly. This causes the bones to wear as they rub together, eventually leading to arthritis at a very young age.

This condition occurs as the puppy grows, so it will typically be evident on x-ray when the dog is fully grown. However, symptoms may not occur until the bones have worn together for some time.

Usually, an x-ray to diagnose hip dysplasia will cost around $300. It usually costs extra to have the images looked at by a qualified radiologist, giving the dog a hip dysplasia grade. This usually adds another $35 to the price.

Elbow Dysplasia

Elbow dysplasia is the same as hip dysplasia, except in the dog’s elbow. This typically isn’t as much of a problem for Irish Wolfhounds as other health conditions we’ve already discussed. However, this breed is still prone to this condition, so dogs need to be tested for it. Also, they are pretty significant, so any joint problems are typically made worse by their sheer weight.

It is much cheaper to test for elbow dysplasia if it is done simultaneously as the hip dysplasia testing. It may only cost another $50 to $100 to add in the elbows, as well as another $35 to have the x-rays looked at by someone experienced.

They will typically cost $300 for the x-rays plus $35 for the specialist if they are done alone.

Annual costs of owning an Irish Wolfhound

These dogs are larger, which often means that they are more expensive to own. In addition, they eat more food than smaller dogs, and their equipment is usually more expensive. This leads to a higher annual cost.

For the first year, you can expect the Irish Wolfhound’s care to cost about $5,000. This is primarily because you have to purchase things like beds and dog bowls. You’ll have to spend more on vet bills as well since puppies need more vaccinations and vet visits.

After the first year, you can expect to pay about $2,000 every year after that. This will primarily go towards things like food and grooming, as well as annual vet visits.

None of these costs include serious health problems. We’ve included preventative care, as all dogs will need the same vaccinations for the most part. However, any extra health conditions will add more to your yearly costs.

Vet Expenses

For the first year, you should expect to spend about $600 to $650 for your dog’s medical bills. The dog will likely need three vet visits, starting at eight weeks. At each visit, vaccinations and a fecal exam are often recommended. Puppies are prone to parasites, so a fecal exam ensures that they are healthy. Each exam will cost $75 to $180.

If you adopt puppies from a breeder, then they may take the puppies to their first appointment. This will cut down on your costs substantially but may cause the puppy to be more expensive. Breeders often get a bulk discount on vaccinations, though, so you often spend less in the long run.

This doesn’t include a spay or neuter cost, which can be as high as $50 to $500. Clinics usually cost much less than for-profit vet offices, but they can be hard to find in some locations (and often have long waiting lists). Also, this dog’s large size often makes the surgery more expensive, as they’ll need more medication than a smaller dog.

It may be recommended for your dog to have gastropexy when they are spayed or neutered. This prevents bloat, which is a severe and deadly disease that often kills within a matter of hours. During this surgery, the dog’s stomach will be secured to the inside of the abdomen, which prevents it from flipping and “bloating.”

This procedure will usually cost between $200 to $400 if it is done simultaneously as the spay and neuter. Otherwise, it will be more expensive. This is because the dog is already on the table and under anesthesia. Therefore, it doesn’t take as much time to add on this surgery as it would do it separately.

After the first year, the vet expenses will decrease to about $125 to $265. This will mostly be spent at the dog’s annual exam. Vaccinations and heartworm testing are included in this pricing.

This assumes that your canine doesn’t develop any health problems. If they do, it will raise the cost considerably. For instance, dilated cardiomyopathy is a common heart condition for this breed, especially if their parents did not undergo health testing. As a result, the price for treatment and diagnostics may cost anywhere from $600 to $2,000.

Arthritis is also common, as these dogs are large and wear down their hips quickly. Unfortunately, there is no cure for arthritis so that you will be relying on pain medications, joint supplements, and supportive therapies. This can cost up to $200 to $500 a month.

Gastric Dilation and Volvulus, also known as bloat, can be expensive as well. This is a fast-progressing illness and can cause death within 24 hours, so surgery is often an emergency. You can expect to pay around $1,500 to $3,000, though the price can be even higher if there are complications. The amount of shock a dog experiences will often affect the price.

Food and toy costs

As these dogs are exceedingly large and grow rapidly, they can eat quite a lot. Therefore, you can expect to pay hundreds a year to feed these dogs. Puppies will cost between $620 to $890 a year. Adults will be a bit more expensive than this, at $675 to $900.

While adults do generally eat more, puppies need food specifically formulated for a large breed. For this reason, it can be pretty expensive. However, there isn’t much of a difference between feeding a puppy and an adult for this reason.

This pricing assumes that you’re choosing high-quality food. Lower-quality options will be less expensive, but they may also not be as good for your dogs. Often, these canines benefit from food that contains joint-supporting ingredients, which are often more expensive.

Toys will also be rather expensive. These dogs aren’t that rough on toys, so you won’t have to buy new ones that often. However, the toys that you do purchase will often be expensive due to their larger size. Big toys are more expensive than smaller toys. They require more material and often must be made to withstand rougher play.

You can expect to pay around $50 to $155 in toys alone. This will likely be higher for puppies and become less expensive as the dog ages and calms down.

Training costs

Because these dogs are large, professional classes are recommended. However, they are generally pretty laid back and well-behaved, so they don’t require extensive private lessons like some dogs do. They often do just fine in group classes, which is what we recommend.

Typically, group classes cost anywhere from $100 to $300 for a series of classes. However, you may get a discount if you purchase more classes at one time. These are recommended because they are cheaper, and the other people and dogs in the class provide some much-needed socialization.

Factors influencing the price

There is a reason some puppies are decently inexpensive, while others can cost thousands of dollars. The breeder matters substantially. Breeders that have been doing it longer often charge more for their puppies. They’re more experienced.

It often costs extra money to register a puppy. Therefore, puppies that come with registration papers often cost more. However, the price of the papers is often included in the cost of the puppy.

Supply and demand may play a role. If there is only one breeder for a few states, they will likely charge more. This is common with Irish Wolfhounds and is one reason they are so expensive.

Price considerations

Irish Wolfhounds are expensive dogs. They can cost lots of money to purchase and take care of over the years. Be sure you have this money available before you purchase your canine. The last thing you want to do is purchase an expensive puppy to find that you can’t pay the vet bills.

Because the dogs are prone to a few expensive illnesses, we recommend having an emergency fund of at least $7,000. This should cover any emergency care your dog may need.

The bottom line

To purchase an Irish Wolfhound for a qualified breeder, you can expect to pay at least $1,400 to $2,500. Dogs with extensive pedigrees and champion bloodlines often cost more. You can find dogs for cheaper, but these are typically not high-quality and may be prone to health problems.

Costs for the first year can be as high as $5,500 – not counting the puppy’s price. After this, the price of annual care will lower to about $2,200. Health conditions can cause the price to rise substantially, though. For example, one surgery can cost over $3,000.

These dogs can make excellent pets as long as their needs are met. This includes things like veterinary care and high-quality food. We recommend budgeting carefully for this breed of dog.