How Much Does a Toy Poodle Cost? 2024 Update

Toy poodles are charismatic family dogs that love to be at the center of everything. They’re very active, despite their small size, and quite intelligent, too. Though they have relatively high grooming needs, they don’t shed, so they’re an excellent pick for families with allergies.

If you’ve been considering adopting a toy poodle, you’re probably wondering how much money you should budget before welcoming your new pet home. There are a lot of costs to consider, so we’ve put together this handy pricing guide to give you an idea of how much to save before adoption. While the initial adoption costs can be quite high, it’s still possible for you to raise a toy poodle on a budget. Keep reading to learn more.

Bringing Home a New Toy Poodle: One-Time Costs

When you welcome any new pet into your home, there are some one-time costs you should prepare to spend. You will likely need to buy your toy poodle from a breeder unless you luck out and find someone giving one away for free or see one for adoption at your local pet shelter. You’ll need to set up an initial vet visit within the first few days of adopting your new pet. Be prepared to spend a little extra on vet visits if you’re adopting a puppy, as they have a lot of needs during the first year of life.

Other expenses you’ll need to budget for include toys, beds, food and water bowls.

Free

Sometimes animal owners need to surrender or give away their pets due to unforeseen circumstances. For example, maybe the owner has fallen ill or even passed away, and their family members are looking to rehome their beloved toy poodle.

Before acquiring any pet for free, ask questions about its history and health. The last thing you want to do is get your heart set on a free pet only to find out that it has behavioral issues or is extremely ill. You might even ask for the health records from the vet to make sure the pet you’re welcoming home is healthy and up-to-date on all its shots.

Adoption

Another great way to welcome a toy poodle into your home is through adoption.

Rates will vary widely depending on several factors. Every animal organization will set its own rates, which can vary depending on what is included in the adoption price. The cost of living in the area you live in can also determine the price of the adoption, simply because veterinary care will likely be more expensive there. The age of your prospective pet will also affect the adoption price; puppies are generally more costly than older dogs.

Be sure to ask the organization you’re adopting from what is included in the cost of the adoption. Many will include basic veterinary care costs such as a wellness exam, vaccinations, and microchipping. The more that comes with the adoption, the more you should expect to pay.

Breeder

Adopting through a breeder is, by far, the most expensive way to acquire any pet. When adopting from a highly respected breeder, you can expect to pay upwards of $3,000, though some breeders will charge even more.

Several factors will determine the price a breeder will ask for its puppies. For example, the puppy’s lineage can play a role, as puppies with award-winning parents or grandparents will be more valuable. In addition, the health and genetic tests that the breeder has done will also reflect in the adoption price.

Initial Setup and Supplies

After adopting your new toy poodle, there are several supplies you’ll need to purchase to ensure your new pet stays as happy and healthy as possible. In addition to the obvious supplies, such as food and water bowls, you’ll also need to consider basic veterinary care for a new puppy.

List of Toy Poodle Care Supplies and Costs

How Much Does a Toy Poodle Cost Per Month?

Pet ownership comes with many costs you must consider when building your budget. Not only will you need to buy the items mentioned above when you first bring your new toy poodle into your home, but you’ll also need to budget for monthly “maintenance” costs to keep your pup happy and healthy.

Below you’ll find a few of the everyday things you’ll need to start budgeting for.

Health Care

If your puppy is healthy, you won’t need to take it to the vet every month. But it’s not a bad idea to do yearly check-ups for your pup to ensure it’s as healthy as possible. Some typical costs you’ll be looking at for your annual check-up include wellness tests, blood tests, heartworm/Lyme tests, and flea/tick prevention. You can be looking at around $200 to $300 just for the wellness check-ups. Annual lab work can run you up to $300. In addition, your vet may recommend dental cleanings once per year, which can range from anywhere between $300 and $800.

Of course, those costs are all assuming that your dog is healthy. You could be looking at costly vet bills if your pup needs treatment or emergency care.

Food

The dog food industry has come a long way in the last few years. Instead of manufacturing the bare minimum in nutrition, dog food companies are shifting towards premium and natural foods. Pet parents have also started humanizing their pets more than in previous generations, so they want to feed their dogs the highest quality food, regardless of the price.

Dogs need a high-quality diet to ensure they get the nutrients and vitamins they need to live a long and healthy life. Unfortunately for dog owners, this means spending a fair bit of money on their pet’s food.

The above quote assumes that your toy poodle doesn’t need a special prescription diet.

Grooming

Toy poodles need to visit the groomers every five to eight weeks. You can go a little longer between cuts depending on the look you want for your pet. An ungroomed toy poodle coat can get long, matted, and uncomfortable for your pup, though, and regular grooms will prevent this.

You can cut back on these costs by learning to do the basic grooming techniques yourself and going longer between grooms.

Medication & Vet Visits

Unless your poodle has complex medical needs, you won’t need to take it to the vet every month. We recommend setting aside money monthly to account for emergency vet visits or other unexpected veterinary costs, though. Budgeting for future needs is essential, especially if you don’t have pet insurance for your poodle.

Pet Insurance

Since toy poodles are such a small breed, they may be more susceptible to certain injuries than more robust breeds. They’re also a purebred breed which can present a handful of health concerns that may make investing in pet insurance worthwhile. While pet insurance is another pricy thing to budget for, it may be invaluable if you’re ever faced with a large vet bill for your toy poodle.

Environment Maintenance

You’ll want to save money every month to keep your dog’s environment clean and tidy. Things like cleaning supplies and potty pads are great for puppies who don’t yet have the whole going-outside-to-pee thing down to a science. You’ll likely need to keep budgeting for cleaning supplies throughout your dog’s life to keep its kennel and water bowls clean. Poop bags are another expense you’ll need to keep up with, so you can keep your dog’s poop under control in your yard and when you’re on your walks together.

Entertainment

Toy poodles have surprisingly high energy levels for their size and, as such, need plenty of opportunities for play daily. So while you shouldn’t expect to play long, grueling games of fetch in the dog park with your pup, you’ll need to invest in fun and engaging toys to keep it entertained.

Subscription boxes are a great investment as you’ll receive new toys and treats every month. They usually run in the $15 to $50 range.

Agility classes are another fantastic entertainment opportunity for your toy poodle. This breed is a miniature athlete, excelling in agility courses. The cost for this type of training can vary depending if you’re opting for group or private lessons. You can be looking at $50 to $75 per private session or $200 to $300 for six-week courses.

Total Monthly Cost of Owning a Toy Poodle

As you can see, the monthly costs of owning a toy poodle can be quite exorbitant. However, the costs of caring for your pup may be more or less based on the area you live in and the things your dog needs in any given month. For example, you might not need to buy cleaning supplies or get your dog groomed every month, but the above estimates should give you a good idea of what you could be spending.

Additional Costs to Factor In

When preparing a budget for your toy poodles’ arrival home, you should also consider additional costs that may occur occasionally. Costs such as dog walking, obedience classes, pet sitters, and boarding facilities can add up fast. Dog walkers charge an average of $20 for a 30-minute walk. Obedience classes will cost around $30 to $50 per session, with private lessons running as high as $120 per session. Pet sitters charge about $25 per 30-minute visit. Dog boarding facilities charge by the day, so you can expect to pay around $40 daily. Luxury hotel-style boarders can cost as much as $75 per night.

If you choose not to invest in pet insurance, you should create an emergency fund for unforeseeable incidences.

Owning a Toy Poodle on a Budget

Dog ownership is expensive, but owning a toy poodle won’t be totally out of reach, even if you’re on a tight budget. You can cut down on some of the high costs by shopping for the best store to buy your food and supplies. Of course, food is generally something you won’t want to cheap out on, but there are plenty of toys you can make at home with supplies you probably already have to help save some money.

Saving Money on Toy Poodle Care

Use Google to find a groomer that’s within your price range. You can even take grooming lessons or watch YouTube videos for tips on how to groom your toy poodle yourself to save on high grooming costs. If you don’t have the time or energy to do the grooming yourself, take time every day to brush your poodle to keep mats at bay and monitor its skin health.

Use couponing apps for your phone or internet browser to find the best deals on pet supplies. Honey is a great Chrome extension that finds all the best coupon codes for nearly any website. Rakuten is another extension you can use to earn cash back on your purchases.

Conclusion

Plan to budget for around $2,000 to acquire your new toy poodle if you’re going through a breeder and approximately $1,000 for the initial expenses you’ll need for care and supplies. Your monthly expenditures will be around $100, but you can save on these expenses by getting creative and shopping around for the best deals. Also, don’t forget to set aside money every month in an emergency fund to help cover any unexpected costs, especially if you’re not going to invest in pet insurance.

Though the costs of pet ownership can be high, you’ll get immeasurable joy and beautiful memories in return when you welcome your new toy poodle home.

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Featured Image Credit: NDAB Creativity, Shutterstock