How Much Does a Russell Terrier Cost? 2024 Price Guide

Russell Terriers may seem small, but they are absolutely mighty. They act like they’re far bigger than they are and have all the energy to back it up. They’re like real-life Energizer bunnies. They don’t stop. Owning a Russell Terrier costs very little compared to other dogs. They are smaller, so they eat less and require cheaper equipment. However, their energetic nature requires putting aside some money for furniture and home repairs.

Overall, you can expect to pay about $600 to $1,500 for a puppy – assuming you purchase it from a quality breeder. This canine’s monthly cost is quite low at around only $80. But you also need to account for all the one-time expenses of owning a puppy, like a dog bed and food bowls.

Emergency vet care and furniture repair can be more challenging to budget for. You never know when they’re going to happen or how much they’re going to be, but we have a more detailed explanation of the costs below.

Russell Terrier Price: One-Time Costs

Adopting a puppy can cost a lot of money. If you’re purchasing puppies from qualified breeders, you can expect to pay around $1,000 for a Russell Terrier. While this is expensive, you get a lot for your buck. Breeders often provide their puppies with more care, which can lower your costs in the long run. It’s a matter of whether you want to pay a bit extra now or potentially much more later.

On top of purchasing the puppy, you also need to buy supplies for your puppy. Luckily, these tiny dogs need tiny supplies, and you can expect to pay less than you might for other breeds.

Free Russell Terriers

Russell Terriers aren’t common in the United States. Therefore, it can prove difficult to find a free puppy. Most of the time, free puppies are from the more common breeds, like Labrador Retrievers. Furthermore, you don’t always want a free puppy. While they will save you money upfront, puppies are usually free when they have had little money put into them.

Most free puppies haven’t had their vaccinations or been heavily socialized. These factors can cost you extra money down the road. If you get a free puppy, you should plan on spending more over their first few years.

Russell Terrier Adoption

You can find Russell Terriers occasionally at shelters and rescues across the country. However, you can’t expect to walk into your local animal shelter and find a Russell Terrier sitting there. Instead, you may have to wait for one to show up. Breed-specific rescues may be your best bet.

While dogs at animal shelters have an unknown past, they receive care once at the shelter. Most are current on their vaccinations and have been seen by the vet.

Russell Terrier Breeders

Russell Terriers are not expensive. Their small size and low demand play the most significant roles in their lower price. It costs less to breed the small dogs, and many people aren’t willing to pay thousands for them, like some other breeds.

Professional breeders are more expensive than finding a puppy at an adoption agency or subpar breeder, such as puppy mills or backyard breeders. However, you get a lot for your money.

Experienced breeders spend more time socializing your puppy, health testing the parents, and getting the puppies health care. Therefore, you may end up paying less later.

Russell Terrier Price: Initial Setup and Supplies

On top of purchasing a puppy, you’ll need to buy several supplies. A puppy needs quite a lot when they first come into your home. ID tags, collars, and dog bowls are necessary when you adopt your puppy.

We recommend purchasing many of these supplies before bringing your puppy home. Hauling a new puppy through a pet store and trying to pick out supplies can be stressful and lead to mistakes. Aim to have your home ready before you pick up your new puppy.

List of Russell Terrier Care Supplies and Costs

How Much Does a Russell Terrier Cost Per Month?

You can expect to pay thousands of dollars when you bring your puppy home. However, you must also consider the cost of owning your Russell Terrier each month. Just like every dog, they will need food, toys, vet care, and grooming each month.

One by one, these costs are pretty forgettable. They can add quite quickly, however. We recommend budgeting for the costs carefully. You don’t want to discover that you can’t afford preventative health care or purchase the toys your pet needs.

Russell Terrier Health Care Costs

Health care will make up most of your Russell Terrier’s expenses. On top of paying for vet bills, you’ll also have to consider food, grooming, and pet insurance. Although pet insurance isn’t mandatory for your pup, it’s affordable for Russel Terriers since they’re smaller canines.

Russell Terrier Food Costs

As tiny dogs, the Russel Terrier doesn’t eat very much. You can expect to pay very little for their food each month. Most owners will pay around $11, assuming they’re purchasing high-quality food.

While you can save a few dollars a month by purchasing cheaper food, we do not recommend it. Low-quality food can lead to health problems, such as food allergies. These conditions can cost you more in the long run.

If you’re going to splurge on anything, make it dog food.

Russell Terrier Grooming Costs

Russell Terriers don’t need much grooming. Their wiry coat does an excellent job of taking care of itself. While they shed, it typically isn’t as bad as other breeds. They are also relatively small, which means that grooming doesn’t take very long. They don’t have that much hair.

You can easily take care of all your dog’s needs at home. A quick weekly brushing and occasional bath is plenty for a Russell Terrier. Some owners take their dogs to the groomer a few times a year. This is entirely optional. One session will cost around $40.

Russell Terrier Medications and Vet Visits

Russell Terrier puppies don’t have very high healthcare costs. Their smaller size allows them to get by with smaller doses of medication, which reduces your overall costs. However, their vet bills will account for most of your monthly budget.

For the first year, your puppy will need at least three appointments. Puppy vaccinations, exams, and checkups will take up most of these appointments, but some puppies may need to be dewormed. Your overall costs will range from $60 to $150 per appointment.

After that, your puppy will only need one visit each year. You can expect the visit to cost more since your dog will need more tests and examinations. Usually, the visit can cost from $100 to $250, depending on what needs to be done.

Russell Terrier Pet Insurance Costs

We highly recommend pet insurance for your Russell Terrier. It is tough to budget for emergency visits, but pet insurance can help with the high costs of veterinary care. Budgeting for pet insurance is easy. It’ll cost the same each month, unlike emergency vet costs that suddenly leave you with a thousand-dollar bill.

Although most providers require you to purchase add-on policies to cover yearly visits and tests, they often reimburse you up to 90% for accidents and illnesses, as long as they’re not pre-existing conditions. Your geographical location plays a massive role in your pet insurance costs, but it’s not difficult to find an affordable plan for your Russel Terrier.

Russell Terrier Environment Maintenance Costs

Don’t let the upper end of this range scare you off; most people pay very little to take care of their dog’s environment. Unlike some species, dogs don’t have a terrarium or cage that needs to be taken care of. Instead, you only have to worry about repairing damages to your home.

The cost of this comes in two forms: furniture repair and preventative maintenance. As energetic dogs, Russell Terriers require lots of exercise. If you can’t handle these needs yourself, you may need to hire a dog walker. Otherwise, your dog can decide to destroy your home in the process.

These costs will likely be highest during their puppy years. Puppies are very prone to chewing on things, which leads to higher costs.

Russell Terrier Entertainment Costs

You should expect to pay plenty for your dog’s entertainment costs. Russell Terriers are extremely energetic. They will play with toys constantly, especially when they are puppies. We recommend purchasing a large set of toys when you first adopt your dog.

However, you will need to change the toys out regularly. This cost will run about $15 to $30 per month. Luckily, Russel Terriers don’t have strong jaws. Therefore, you can’t expect them to destroy toys as regularly as some dogs. Instead, their most-loved toys will probably get dirty before they get broken.

Still, your puppy is bound to break at least one toy a month, which will need to be replaced. Small toys don’t cost much, but the costs will add up over time.

Total Monthly Cost of Owning a Russell Terrier

Russell Terriers are not expensive due to their smaller size. They eat less food, require smaller toys, and need smaller medication dosages. They also don’t require professional grooming. Overall, the Russel Terrier is one of the cheapest canines you can own.

Most expenses will relate to providing exercise and games to keep them fit. Some people have to hire a regular dog walker, which can cost up to $400 each month. Their fondness for chewing, especially when young, will result in damaged furniture and personal items you’ll need to replace.

Additional Costs to Factor In

We tried to cover most costs in our budget. However, some aspects of dog care are nearly impossible to budget for. For instance, there is no way to know how much you’ll need to pay in emergency vet bills.

Furniture repair can be budgeted for somewhat. If you assume it will happen, it’s a happy surprise when it doesn’t! However, some Russell Terriers can destroy furniture in a way that far exceeds your original budget. There is no way to know your exact costs.

Special behavioral training may be required for some dogs. This can potentially cost thousands. Luckily, most dogs won’t need more than a few group lessons, which we’ve already budgeted for.

Owning a Russell Terrier on a Budget

Russell Terriers are pretty cheap when compared to other breeds. Still, there is a lot you can do to lower your care costs. The easiest way to bring down bills is to eliminate professional expenses. You can’t avoid the vet, but you can avoid hiring dog walkers and unnecessary grooming expenses.

Dog walkers can be expensive. If you take care of your dog’s exercise needs, you can save hundreds a month. Short, frequent walks are often the best way to go. Russel Terriers have lots of energy, but their stamina is slightly lower due to their shorter legs. A short walk for us is a lot for them.

Professional grooming is unnecessary as long as you keep up with their weekly brushing routine. Schedule a time to brush your dog each week and stick to it.

Saving Money on Russell Terrier Care

We recommend shopping sales as much as possible. Your dog doesn’t care if they play with last season’s toy or eat the flavor of food that happened to be on sale. Anytime you purchase something for your dog, be sure to check for on-sale items.

Of course, you shouldn’t choose lower-quality items. Most of the time, lower-quality items will cost you more in the long run. A cheap toy may cost you less now, but it’ll probably break faster than higher-quality options.

If you know you’re bringing home a puppy, plan to shop for their supplies for a few months. You may be able to hit a dog bed sale or buy a bunch of puppy food in bulk.

Conclusion

Russell Terriers are not very expensive dogs. You can purchase a puppy from a breeder for around $600 to $1,500, which is much cheaper than most other purebreds. Their monthly costs are very low as well. Due to their small size, they don’t eat much. They also require smaller supplies, including toys, beds, and crates.

They don’t need professional grooming, and you can take care of their needs at home. They also need lower dosages of medication, further lowering their monthly cost. Of course, their activity needs can punch a hole in your budget if you aren’t careful. Hiring a dog walker and repairing damaged furniture can cost a lot.

Luckily, there are preventative steps you can take to avoid these substantial costs. You can walk your puppy and crate-train them to avoid damaged furniture. Puppy classes can also help and have been budgeted for above. Overall, the Russell Terrier is an excellent dog for those on a budget.

See also: 

• 11 Best Dog Bowls – Reviews & Top Picks
• 10 Best Dog Crates For Separation Anxiety – Reviews & Guide

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Featured Image Credit: Pixabay