How Much Does It Cost to Own a Sheepadoodle? Price, Health Care & FAQ

The Sheepadoodle is a designer dog breed created from breeding the Standard Poodle with the Old English Sheepdog. These dogs are intelligent, funny, playful, and loyal and will provide excellent companionship for you and your family. They are terrific with children and other pets, and they love to play.

The Sheepadoodle is a rarer hybrid breed but is gaining popularity rapidly. In this guide, we’ll discuss how much it costs to own one of these fascinating and loving hybrid dogs with a focus on monthly costs. Our goal is to help you understand how much it will cost you to add one to your family. You can expect to pay from $1,000 to $3,000 from a breeder and roughly $300 to $800 from a rescue, read on to learn more!

Bringing Home a New Sheepadoodle: One-Time Costs

As with any pet, you will have initial one-time costs to factor into your budget before bringing your Sheepadoodle home. Items to factor in are a bed, collar, tag, food and water bowls, microchip, and a crate for training purposes. You may need to replace the bed and collar as time goes on, but they should last a while. Nonetheless, these items are a necessity from day one of owning your Sheepadoodle.

Free

Given the Sheepadoodle is a hybrid breed, it’s unlikely you will find one for free. Some instances may exist where someone you know needs to rehome the dog, and you may get lucky; however, your chances of finding one for free are slim to none. If by chance you run across one for free, ensure you get as much information about the dog as possible, such as its health, any behavioral issues, and other pertinent information.

Adoption

You can expect to pay anywhere from $300 to $800 for a Sheepadoodle, depending on your location and the rescue you acquire your Sheepadoodle from. The fee usually includes a vet exam, all vaccinations, spay/neuter, microchip, and other relevant tests. Younger dogs tend to be more expensive than older dogs, especially seniors, which can alter the price.

Breeder

The Sheepadoodle is one of the more expensive hybrid dog breeds. These dogs are in high demand, and you may have to get on a waiting list for one. They are also rare, and breeding these dogs is no easy task.

It’s imperative to do your homework and only work with responsible breeders—never pay a breeder online without ever having met the dog or its parents. You should receive a health certificate and a clean bill of health from the breeder. If the breeder does not offer this, stay away.

Initial Setup and Supplies

As mentioned, you will have initial setup and supply fees when you bring your Sheepadoodle home. Beforehand, you’ll need to buy a bed, crate, food and water bowls, and dog food. It’s best to feed high-quality dog food. It’s also a good idea to keep your Sheepadoodle on the food he/she was eating at the adoption/rescue facility if possible to prevent an upset tummy.

If you don’t want to feed the food your Sheepadoodle was on, gradually switch to a new food. However, ensure the new food is of high quality and meets all nutritional requirements.

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List of Sheepadoodle Care Supplies and Costs

How Much Does a Sheepadoodle Cost Per Month?

Owning a dog of any breed will mean monthly recurring costs. Keeping your Sheepadoodle on a monthly flea, tick, and heartworm preventative is imperative in keeping unwanted health issues away, and the amount of dog food your Sheepadoodle eats will depend on its size, as some will go through bags of food quicker than others.

Health Care

Your Sheepadoodle’s health care is something you cannot skimp on. Unless your Sheepadoodle gets sick or injured, you should only have monthly flea, tick, and heartworm prevention expenses in terms of healthcare. Annual checkups are vital, but you’ll only have this hefty expense once a year, or in some cases, twice a year if you elect to do semi-annual checkups.

Food

You can expect to pay anywhere from $30 to $80 per month for dog food. Premium, high-quality dog food is more expensive, but in the long run, your Sheepadoodle will be happier with quality dog food. Feeding quality dog food will help keep your Sheepadoodle healthy, which means fewer unexpected vet visits.

Grooming

Many opt for hybrid doodle mixes due to less shedding and a hypoallergenic coat. While there are no dog breeds with a true hypoallergenic coat, the Sheepadoodle is considered as such, but they still require regular grooming due to their thick, wavy, or curly coats. Weekly brushings are essential in keeping tangles and mats down, and a monthly trip to a groomer is recommended for haircuts, nail trims, and ear cleanings.

Medications and Vet Visits

Sheepadoodles are a relatively healthy breed with an average lifespan of 12 to 15 years, but owning a dog means planning for the unexpected. You shouldn’t have monthly vet visits unless your Sheepadoodle takes ill or becomes injured—that’s good news. However, we’ve mentioned flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives, and keeping your Sheepadoodle on these medications is important. You can buy a 3-month or 6-month supply.

Pet Insurance

Pet insurance costs vary depending on the age of your Sheepadoodle and your location. A general rule of thumb is the younger the dog, the less expensive it is for coverage.

Pet insurance is unique because you can choose the deductible, reimbursement rates, and annual payouts, which significantly alter the monthly premiums. Another rule of thumb is the higher the deductible, the lesser the monthly premium.

Other factors are the type of plan you choose, such as accident-only, accident and illness, or accident and illness with a preventative add-on. The best part is you can play around with these options to fit your budget. Pet insurance is an excellent way to prevent expensive, unexpected vet bills that can run into the thousands, depending on the medical issue.

Environment Maintenance

Having a dog means being a responsible dog owner and cleaning up your dog’s waste. You should keep doggie poop bags on hand for walks and other things you do with your Sheepadoodle

Eventually, your Sheepadoodle’s bed should be replaced due to wear and tear, but you can make the bed last by washing it at least monthly.

Entertainment

The Sheepadoodle comes from two extremely intelligent breeds, and they require lots of physical and mental stimulation to keep behavioral issues at bay. These dogs can learn to play hide and seek, and they’ll always be up for a game of fetch. Throwing a Frisbee or ball around in a secured and fenced yard is a great way to exercise your Sheepadoodle and will keep your doggie happy and exercised.

You can subscribe to a monthly dog toy box conveniently delivered right to your door. The price will depend on what goodies, toys, and treats you want in the box. A typical subscription typically runs from $15 to $50.

Total Monthly Cost of Owning a Sheepadoodle

Keep in mind that your initial costs of getting a Sheepadoodle and the initial setup and supplies will be the highest expense. Afterward, your monthly costs will go down significantly. Your main expenses will be flea, tick, and heartworm prevention, toys, treats, and dog food. You’ll also have a pet insurance premium in case you decide to purchase a policy for your doggie, which we highly recommend if it fits into your budget.

Additional Costs to Factor In

We all need time away, and you may need to board your Sheepadoodle when you go on vacation if you can’t take your pooch with you. If boarding is out of the question, you can pay a pet sitter who will come to your home and take care of your beloved Sheepadoodle.

Sheepadoodles can be destructive if not mentally stimulated, which means you may need to replace items in your home that your Sheepadoodle decided to destroy. We’re not saying all Sheepadoodles will be destructive, but it can happen. Look at it this way: always expect the unexpected when owning a dog of any breed or mix.

Owning a Sheepadoodle on a Budget

We’ve mentioned these dogs need regular grooming, which is one expense you can cut back on if you learn to groom your Sheepadoodle yourself. Ensure you research the best way to groom a Sheepadoodle for the best outcome.

We don’t recommend cutting back on quality dog food due to expense; look for coupons or buy your dog food from the same place each time if you can, as doing so can earn you a free bag of food or coupons after a certain amount of purchases.

Saving Money on Sheepadoodle Care

Owning a Sheepadoodle doesn’t have to break the bank. Always look for coupons on food, toys, and treats, which can greatly help. Most companies offer discounts on your first box if you opt for a dog toy box subscription, and most pet insurance companies offer discounts for multiple dogs enrolled, military discounts, and other forms of discounts.

Conclusion

Sheepadoodles are a fun hybrid breed to own. Before committing to owning one, you must first determine if all necessities fit into your budget, like vet visits, initial setup and supplies, and recurring monthly medications. Due to their active nature, a dog toy box is an excellent option to keep your Sheepadoodle physically and mentally stimulated, and acquiring pet insurance is also an excellent idea to keep expensive vet bills down.

You can expect to pay from $1,000 to $3,000 from a breeder and roughly $300 to $800 from a rescue. Initial startup supplies will average $50 to $100, and monthly expenses should average $100 to $200. Always expect the unexpected while owning a pet. It’s a good idea to put money away per month for dog expenses if you can—that way, surprise medical issues or other situations will not hurt as much, especially if you have no pet insurance.

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Featured Image Credit: Logan Swenson, Shutterstock