There are many reasons why someone would want to own a Siberian Husky but there are more reasons why the average person should not.
The Husky is a dog that is best left for the professional owner. This is an owner that has had dogs before and knows what they are doing.
This is an owner that is prepared to cater for the many, many requirements that this rather special breed of dog has. If you are that person then you are indeed a unique breed yourself!
However, the right owner will also perform the right research and part of that research means understanding the costs. How much the Husky will initially cost as well as ongoing costs, so – well done for doing your research!
The Siberian Husky can be quite an expensive breed of dog and the initial cost of purchase is generally around $1000 to $1500. This is if bought through a breeder that’s associated to a respected kennel club.
You can purchase one cheaper than this though if you’re willing to take further risks relating to the Husky’s past and whether it has inherited any genetic health disorders from its parents.
How Much Do Siberian Huskies Cost?
There is more than one way you can buy a Siberian Husky and
There are no guarantees though. Spending a lot of money doesn’t obviously guarantee you’ll end up with a well-behaved and healthy dog. In fact, ‘well-behaved’ and ‘Husky’ are not words that are usually put together but that’s another story!
There are a few different ways to buy a Siberian Husky, let’s take a look:
Buying a Husky Through an Official Breeder
Buying a Siberian Husky through an official breeder is the safest way to buy your dog, however, it is also the most expensive. Examples of respected breeders can be found on the American Kennel Club (AKC) website (opens in a new window).
There are many reasons why you might buy your Husky through an official breeder in the same way as there are many reasons why a lot of people would prefer to buy their car through an official dealer. Primarily, it is about the reassurance you get when doing this.
When you buy a Husky through a breeder you should be able to ascertain more accurately the health of your new Husky puppy and also whether it has inherited any genetic diseases from its parents (so potentially its future health also).
You may be provided with a DNA test result also and if you haven’t, you can request one.
The results from this DNA test can provide you with about as much reassurance as you’re likely to get that your Husky has a clean bill of health, although it is possible for you to do this yourself these days. Take a look here to find out more (opens in a new window).
One of the best ways to determine how your Husky will turn out though is to take a look at its parents! The rule of thumb is, generally speaking, if its parents are fit and healthy then your Husky puppy will be too.
You will also have all the vaccinations that your Husky will need at that point complete. Basically, when the Husky is handed over to you, they should be in a good state of health. By the way, if you want to know what you need for your new Husky Puppy, take a look at this article (opens in a new window).
So, there are many upsides to buying your Siberian Husky through an accredited breeder. Are there any downsides? Well, yes – but only one really – the cost.
For all of these reassurances that you get, you will be expected to pay for and this is why the cost of your Husky will be a fair bit more through a breeder than any other method.
Buying a Husky Through a non-official Breeder
The next method we’re going to talk about is via an independent breeder.
With these, you should be able to get more reassurances about the health of your puppy than if you were (for example) to buy via social media but without as much confidence as through an approved breeder.
What you might be able to get is a DNA test result supplied to you and also information about its parents.
There are more risks associated with buying your Siberian Husky through a non-accredited breeder though. You really have no guarantees that what you’re getting is what you think you’re getting and as they may not be regulated in any way, you will have no assurance of this and only really the breeder’s word.
Although it is nice to think that everyone is trustworthy, we know in the real world this isn’t always the case.
So, if you are considering this method then do some research of your own. Investigate the breeder yourself if possible and try to speak to owners that have dealt with them previously.
The advantage of buying a Husky through a breeder (albeit a non-official one) is that you may still be able to get more assurances than if you bought through social media but you would not pay as much as you would if you bought through an official breeder.
Buying Through Social Media
There are many groups on social media platforms, such as Facebook, that are dedicated to buying and selling all kinds of animals, including Siberian Huskies.
These Husky groups aren’t as popular as others of course, due to the complexity, rarity, and requirements of the dog. This is actually the source of many problems with the Siberian Husky market.
Many people are attracted to this dog purely because of the ‘status’ associated with owning a wolf-like breed. However, it doesn’t take them long to realize that this is a dog that needs a special type of owner.
Unfortunately, the results are that the Husky is often returned a few months after the initial purchase.
When you buy a Husky (or any animal) through social media you are taking a risk. The only positive aspect to buying through this method is that you won’t spend as much money.
However, remember that buying a Husky isn’t just about the initial purchase price, there are many additional costs.
This isn’t the time to try and save a few dollars. You will have no real guarantee of the pedigree or history of the puppy. You will not know whether they have inherited any genetic diseases and it will be unlikely that you will be able to see the Husky’s parents.
So, there is one positive and many negatives to buying through social media and I would strongly recommend against this method.
Buying A Husky From a Rescue Center
Buying an animal through a rescue center is undoubtedly a nice thing to do. You are giving an animal that may well have not had the best start to life and may have even experienced abuse at the hands of its previous owner.
I can not say for a second that you should not consider this as an option. However, there are risks to the process of course and it may not be as easy to find a Husky in a rescue center as it is other dogs as they are far
The Husky you get from a rescue center may be older than the puppy you would have bought through a breeder and because of this the exact history of its early life may be unknown. This includes the all-important socialization phase.
This is where you introduce the Husky to as many different people and as many different animals (especially cats) as you can. There is, however, quite a small window to do this and unless it is performed at this point (typically between 8 and 16 weeks) you may find it more difficult to train them.
This is particularly true with the Husky. They can be a stubborn breed and they are known to have a high prey drive. You really need them to interact with as many animals as you can during this early period.
This doesn’t mean that it can’t work out okay for you. You may just need to be more patient or more accepting that things are going to be a bit more challenging.
You need to ensure you are clear and happy with this before you look into buying a Husky from a rescue center. It has already been returned once (at least) – it would be tragic if it needed to be returned again by you.
So, there are many upsides to buying a Husky through a rescue center, including the price which is substantially cheaper than through a breeder. However, be aware of the
Purchase Price of a Siberian Husky
Although there is quite a bit of variability, I have listed below some averages to give you an idea of how much it will cost to initially purchase your new Siberian Husky. The price will vary depending on who you buy with, the age of the Husky and whether they display any particular uniqueness, like individually colored eyes of a rare coat.
Official Breeder
If you buy your Siberian Husky puppy through a breeder that is accredited by a Kennel Club, such as the AKC, then you can expect to pay somewhere between $1000 and $1500.
However, this is on the upper end of the scale, even
Non-official Breeder
Buying a Siberian Husky through a dealer that is not linked to an official club won’t actually save you a lot of money on average. Prices seem to vary from $600-$1000, so still quite high and the average not being far from purchasing through an ‘official’ breeder.
This is surprising but it goes to show that there’s a market as if no-one was buying through these the prices would be a lot lower.
Social Media
If you purchase a Siberian Husky through a group on social media then you really don’t know what you might be getting. You may not have visibility over any of its background and it’s the equivalent of buying a second-hand car from someone you don’t know.
You may get lucky of course, of you may not. This is reflected in the price, usually. I have seen Huskies for sale from anything around $300 to an astonishing $1000 or more!
I really don’t know why anyone would pay these inflated prices with all the risks that are associated with it but I can only assume that they just haven’t performed any research.
Rescue Center
One of the cheapest ways to buy a Siberian Husky is through a rescue center. From here you should pay (at least) what their recommended donation is. This doesn’t vary that much and is usually around $300 to $500.
Other Costs
Probably the best advice would be to look at my article, ‘What do I need for my Husky puppy?‘ – which will open in a new window if you want to take a look and will remind you of all the things that you need to do in preparation for your new arrival. In summary though:
- Harness / Leash
- Dog Tag
- Dog Locator (optional)
- Food (including food and water bowls)
- Pet Camera (optional)
- Bedding
- Crate (if required)
- Outside kennel (if required)
- Books (educating the family)
- Grooming Tools
- Husky Toys
- Insurance (definitely recommended)
So, not all of these will cost that much but they should be factored in as some of them should be purchased before the Husky arrives at your house. There will also be recurring costs like insurance, vaccinations and veterinary costs that need to be factored in.
Why Does The Siberian Husky Cost So Much?
There are a few reasons why the Siberian Husky costs more than your average dog. Some of them are obvious and some perhaps not but if you’re interested, here they are.
Rarity
The Siberian Husky is not a common breed and nor should it be. Its roots are firmly in environments that are far colder than most of us are used to.
Its requirements are far greater than most of us can cater for. It is a dog that is only suitable to a select group of individuals that have very special talents and a lifestyle that enable them to look after and enjoy this breed.
The Siberian Husky should be a rare breed – too often, owners do not perform the research they should before taking the leap and just purchase the Husky based on its looks alone, unaware of its unusual needs. The dog then ends up being returned to a breeder, dispatched to a rescue home or simply discarded.
Because of the Husky’s rarity, it is not always easy to find a reputable supplier of the dog – hence the price when you do find one, can be inflated.
Risks to the breeder
As I mentioned above, there are risks associated with selling the Husky if you are a breeder. For the reasons mentioned above, there is a higher chance that the Husky will be returned to them once the owner realized they can not look after it. For this reason, a premium is added to the cost.
Can I Get a Siberian Husky for Free?
People often wonder if they can get a Siberian Husky for free. Well, technically you can and I’ve seen it happen although it is rare and not without risks.
There are owners who are unable to cope with the high demands of the breed or perhaps they are moving abroad. For whatever reason, they may need to,
If they are in a rush then they often choose to give the Husky away for free. This is rare though and you just have to be in the right place at the right time.
Many people think that rescue centers allow you to take a dog off their hands for free and yes, this is also possible but it is not morally the right thing to do.
You are expected to pay a donation when you take the Husky off their hands. Remember, they have many costs of their own and are providing a very important service, are they not worth it?
So, although yes, you can get a Siberian Husky for free, it is rare that opportunities arise.
Conclusion – are Siberian Huskies expensive?
The Siberian Husky certainly isn’t the most expensive dog in the world. Take the French Bulldog for instance, they are tiny things and can cost the owner up to $10k! Huskies are also certainly not the cheapest. Personally, I wish their prices were higher. Why?
Doing this might dissuade many owners from buying one just as a fashion accessory which seems to happen more often these days – the Instagram generation. Or failing that, perhaps there should be an owners exam that potential Husky owners need to sit before they are allowed to take one away!
Neither will happen of course but we can only live in hope. The Siberian Husky is a lovely breed of dog that makes a great addition to the family. But this family has to be right for the dog.
If you’d like to know more about this fantastic breed of dog, please check out my Complete Guide to the Siberian Husky, which should hopefully answer any questions you might have about this breed.