How Much Does a Doberman Cost? Puppy Prices and Expenses

I’m often asked by people interested in owning their first Dobie how much a Doberman puppy typically costs. After working out exactly what I spent in the first year of Doberman ownership, and discussing puppy costs with many reputable Doberman breeders, I can tell you there is a specific price range you should expect to pay for an American Doberman.

How much does a Doberman cost? The average price of a Doberman puppy from a reputable breeder is between $1500 and $2500. Pet quality Dobermans will be closer to $1500, while a show quality Doberman will cost closer to $2500.

This price range is for the typical American Doberman. However, there are also European Dobermans which can cost over $3000. There are also various Doberman colors available including black, red, blue, fawn, and white. But besides the cost of the puppy, there are many other costs you should expect in the first year of Doberman ownership. That’s why I’ve worked out what I spent the first year of owning my Doberman, so you won’t be caught off guard.

The Average Cost of a Doberman Puppy

You’re ready to count out your hard earned cash for a cute Doberman pup, but how hard will it be on your wallet? Well, Doberman puppies have been known to be sold for prices ranging from $500 to $3500. In general, it’s good to be wary about the quality of dog you are getting if the price is unexpectedly low (anything under about $1000 should be a red flag). With purebred dog breeds, you typically get what you pay for.

However, the typical American Doberman, purchased in the United States from a reputable breeder averages between $1500 and $2500. European Dobermans are even pricer and if they’re purchased in the United States, they’ll typically cost upwards of $3000.

I have compiled a list of places to find a reputable Doberman breeder here. This list will also help you spot the breeders that you should avoid.

There are many other factors that can affect the price of a Doberman puppy, however. Factors like:

Bloodline – If the puppy comes from a bloodline of a Doberman that has won a show or competition, it will cost more.
Breeder Reputation – Some breeders are just better known for producing healthy, strong, and well cared for puppies. They may be also known because of the number of their dogs who hold show titles. If you get your Dobie puppy from a breeder that’s known far and wide, it’ll cost you more.
Kennel Club Papers – If the puppy itself is certified purebred by an accredited kennel club in your country (such as AKC in the United States), it will cost more. If only the parents are certified, it may cost slightly less. If there’s no certification, the puppy will cost significantly less.
Ear Cropping – A Doberman can get their ears cropped between about 7 to 12 weeks of age. Most breeders won’t separate a puppy from their mothers until at least 8 weeks of age. So many breeders will sell Doberman puppies with their ears already cropped. This will increase the price of the puppy.
Disease Testing – If there is testing done on the puppy (or the parents of the puppy) for common Doberman medical disorders such as von Willebrand’s disease (vWD), hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) it will raise the cost.
Tail Docking and Dew Claw Removal – These are very common and almost all breeders will automatically do these things to their Doberman puppies unless a customer specifically requests not to.
Vaccines – Some breeders will offer Doberman puppies for sale only after they have had their first round of vaccines. This will increase the cost of the puppies.

The typical Doberman puppy from a reputable breeder will come with their tail docked, dew claws removed, disease tests completed, and kennel club papers. Still common (but slightly less so), they’ll come with their ears already cropped and their first round of vaccines completed.

Types of Breeders

I’ve mentioned the phrase “reputable breeder” a few times already. It’s important you understand the differences between a reputable breeder and other common breeders of Doberman puppies. This is probably the biggest factor affecting the price of a puppy. These are the three most common types of breeders you’re likely to find offering Doberman’s for sale.

Puppy Mills

Puppy mills generally offer the cheapest dogs for sale. They are commercial establishments that focus on breeding dogs on an intensive schedule and typically provide inhumane conditions. Dogs from puppy mills can have health problems, inbreeding complications, and even injuries due to poor living conditions. You should never purchase a dog from a puppy mill.

Average price of a Doberman from a puppy mill: $300 – $600

Backyard Breeders (BYB)

Also offering very cheap dogs for sale, backyard breeders are dogs bred by people who don’t breed dogs for a living and often offer puppies for sale that were the result of unplanned K-9 pregnancies.

Backyard Breeders often don’t follow applicable laws or best practices for ethical dog breeding. They may be first-time breeders who decided to “give it a try” to see if they can breed their dog and sell some puppies to make some money on the side. They’re often well-intentioned, but inexperienced. This can be a questionable source for a Doberman puppy.

Average price of a Doberman from a backyard breeder: $500 – $1000

Reputable Doberman Breeders

These are breeders whose business is focused around the dog industry and on Dobermans specifically. They often participate in dog shows and competitions, keep tedious records of the dogs they breed, and will usually have long wait lists for their litters. Buying a Doberman from a reputable breeder will often involve them asking a lot of questions of you, to make sure their dogs are going to a good home.

Reputable Doberman breeders have methods for shipping the dogs nationwide already established and will have their Dobermans tested for medical issues common in Dobermans such as von Willebrand’s disease (vWD), hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). A purebred Doberman bought from a reputable breeder will come with kennel club certification papers.

Average price of a Doberman from a reputable Doberman breeder: $1500 – $2500

Initial Costs of Becoming a Doberman Owner — All dollar values are approximations.

Initial Costs of Doberman Ownership

I know, you’re excited to pick up your cute Doberman puppy. But before you do, you should know that there are some considerable initial costs when you first get a new puppy besides just the puppy itself.

I’ve compiled a list of items you’ll need for a new Doberman puppy here to help you out. Make sure to have a look at that list—it’ll save you a lot of time and money finding what works well for a Dobie puppy.

In general, though, it’s a good idea to be prepared for these expenses at a minimum.

Additional Costs to Get Started

Type of Expense	Cost
Quality Puppy Food	$85
Treats	$20
Toys	$80
Dog Crate	$75
Dog Bed	$30
Bowls, Leash, and Other Gear	$50
Carpet Cleaner, Waste Bags, and Other Supplies	$50
Initial Veterinarian Visit	$65
Initial Vaccines	$105
Deworming, Flea, and Tick Meds	$60
Dog License	$20
TOTAL	$640

All dollar values are approximations and are intended to give you a general idea of the initial costs of Doberman ownership. This is in addition to the cost of the puppy.

Many owners of new puppies elect to sign up for dog insurance to help cover medical costs. If you sign up for a puppy specific plan, then it will likely cover many of the initial medical-related costs for your new puppy. I decided to go with a plan offered by Banfield Pet Hospital (this is the nationwide veterinarian that is often located inside PetSmart stores) since it was very reasonable and covered almost all the initial costs after we brought our Dobie home.

My First Year Expenses Owning a Doberman Puppy

There were so many smaller expenses that I didn’t expect when I first brought home my Doberman, Cooper. I decided to catalog the expenses I incurred in the first year of ownership so I can let other potential Doberman owners know what to expect.

The first year of ownership is significantly more expensive than the later years when your dog is full-grown. So, unless your dog has an unexpected medical issue, you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that every year won’t be as expensive as this first year.

Before you mention it in the comments, yes, I only paid $600 for my Doberman. To be perfectly honest, this was before I knew the dangers of buying from a backyard breeder. I will give the breeders some credit however, they seemed to really care, had both parents at the home for me to meet, had kennel club papers for both parents, and proof of genetic screening for certain Doberman conditions (for the parents only, not the puppies themselves).

It was definitely still a risk, and my next Doberman will certainly come from a reputable breeder, but things worked out for me. I ended up with one great (and very loved) new family member.

These were the expenses I incurred during the first year of Doberman ownership.

My Expenses the First Year

Type of Expense	Cost
Purebred Doberman Puppy	$600
Food	$878
Treats	$163
Toys	$220
Other Equipment (see below)	$376
Banfield Puppy Wellness Plan	$660
Neutering	$0
Ear Cropping	$800
Vaccines	$0
Flea and Tick Medication	$200
Deworming	$0
Additional Veterinarian Expenses	$184
Dog License	$22
TOTAL	$4,103

These numbers are rounded up to the nearest dollar. “Other Equipment” includes things like a leash, bowls, crate, bed, doggie door, carpet cleaner, dog waste bags, puppy pee pads, etc.

Knowing what I know now about Doberman’s, there are a few things I will do differently for my next dog which will affect the expenses a bit. These include:

Buying my Doberman puppy from a reputable breeder. I didn’t, but next time I will. This will probably add about $2000 to the cost of the puppy.
Use a higher quality dog food. I choose Royal Canin Large Breed Puppy food. There are much higher quality foods out there but they will cost a little more. This would add probably around $400 a year to my food expenses.
More time spent training. It’s important to focus on training in the early years. I would still do it myself but more training means increased treats costs since treats are used heavily in training. Probably about $50 additional for the year.

As you can see in the table, a lot of the expenses in the first year are listed zero because they were covered by the puppy health plan that I purchased through Banfield Pet Hospital. This is just how I choose to help cover these expenses and there is nothing wrong with deciding to cover your expenses on your own, out of pocket. You’ll need to decide what’s best for you. Without this plan, neutering, vaccines, and deworming would have cost approximately $900.

What I really liked about the plan was that it covered 100% of the costs of an unlimited number of veterinarian visits. That way if I had any concerns about my dog I could see a veterinarian for their opinion for free. As an overly worried new Dobie Dad, this was a great feature of this plan!

Also, I choose to go with a slightly more expensive ear cropping service through a very well known veterinarian about 45 minutes away from me. They were well known for doing great work with Doberman’s.

They used techniques that are as pain-free as possible which included localized anesthesia and full sedation during the process. Also, they would do all the posting and other aftercare of the ears as they healed. I figured it was worth the additional cost. Cropping ears usually cost somewhere around $500.

Doberman Eating Cash — I’m often convinced that my dog must eat wads of cash for fun.

Monthly Cost of Owning an Adult Doberman

As I mentioned earlier, owning an adult Doberman (over 1-year-old) is considerably cheaper than your first year with a new puppy. Trust me, after that first year, it’s usually smooth sailing! That’s because there are a lot of one-off expenses that you’ll have to get done early on in your Dobie’s life.

Now that my Dobie is five years old, I have a pretty good handle on what an adult Doberman usually costs. These are the typical expenses for owning an adult Dobie.

Average Monthly Expenses for an Adult Doberman

Type of Expense	Cost
Food	$84
Treats	$20
Toys	$15
Health Insurance	$40
Miscellaneous Supplies	$10
Heartworm, Flea, and Tick Medications	$27
TOTAL	$196

Many of these numbers are approximations and all numbers are rounded up to the nearest dollar.

I would consider this to be the typical cost of owning an adult Doberman. However, you should always be prepared for unexpected expenses with an emergency fund. If your pup unexpectedly needs prescription medications or swallows a sock that gets stuck in his intestines (it happens) and needs surgery, you may have to dip into your emergency fund.

Other Potential Expenses

There are other expenses that come with owning these dogs that you may or may not need to pay for depending on your situation. These are a few examples.

DNA Testing – I no longer really consider this an optional expense, not with Dobermans anyway. You really should test your Doberman’s DNA so you understand what genetic disorders you might be battling down the road. This can cost a few hundred dollars, but honestly, it’s well worth it. See my Doberman DNA Health Testing guide here with help on how to do this at home yourself.
Training – Training for your dog is especially important in the first year. I choose to train my dog at home myself, but using a puppy class or certified trainer are great options. This can cost from $65 for eight weeks of group puppy classes to $150 per hour for private in-home training
Day Care or Pet Walking Services – If you work for eight hours a day like most of us, you may find yourself needing daycare for your pup or pet walking services during the day while you’re gone. This can cost between $15 and $40 per day for daycare. Pet walking can be cheaper if you find a trusted neighbor kid to do the job!
Ear Cropping – This should always be done through a reputable veterinarian who has experience cropping Doberman’s ears. This will cost between $300 and $800. Learn more about ear cropping here.
Pet Insurance – Pet insurance can help cover medical costs should your Dobie need to see a veterinarian and typically costs between $30 and $100 a month depending on what it covers.
Shipping – If you buy your puppy from a breeder out of the area, you may need to pay for shipping to get your new puppy home. Work with your breeder and agree on a reputable service. This will typically cost between $200 to $800 depending on how far the dog needs to be shipped.
Kennel Club Registration – If your dog didn’t come with papers and you decide you’d like to get your dog registered with a kennel club (such as AKC), this will usually cost around $35.
Tail Docking – Tail docking should ideally be done when the puppy is a few days old. Docking a puppy’s tail usually costs between $10 and $50 per puppy. It can be as much as $1000 to dock an adult dog’s tail. Learn more about tail docking here.
Dew Claw Removal – Removing the dewclaws on a puppy is done when the dog is a few days old. This typically costs around $20 per puppy but it can be as much as $500 to remove an adult dog’s dewclaw.

As I mentioned earlier, it’s always important to be financially prepared for the unexpected. Dobermans are very intelligent and strong dogs, but they are far from immune to sudden health problems or accidents.

Finding a Cheaper Doberman

There are other ways someone might be able to own a Doberman for a cheaper price than by going through a breeder. The first three places listed below often involve getting a slightly older Doberman.

Doberman rescue centers
Humane society
Other adoption centers
Overseas

Doberman rescue center and humane society Doberman’s can work well for a family without kids. But if you are adopting an adult dog with an unknown history, it’s important that you know what you are doing and certainly, don’t bring them into a home with children. To find Dobermans up for adoption, you can check online resources such as AdoptAPet.com. Adopting a Doberman will cost between $100 to $300 in adoption fees.

Some people will buy a Doberman overseas and bring them back to the United States. This makes sense, especially when dealing with purebred European Dobermans. They can cost over $3000 when they are bought within the U.S.

In Russia, Ukraine, or Poland, the European breed of Doberman can be bought for significantly less, usually between about $500 and $1500. However, you will have to either bring the dog back yourself or have it shipped internationally. It’ll cost around $250 to fly back with your new Dobie should you decide to go pick him up yourself, or around $800 to have the dog shipped back to the U.S.

How to Find Products That Work for Dobermans

Dobermans are a fairly unique breed, and it’s very easy to waste thousands of dollars on products that seem like they will work great but leave you disappointed once you try them with your Doberman. You just can’t walk into your typical pet store and buy anything you see, like owners of other breeds can.

Since I found myself often helping people who were at their wits end after wasting time and money on products that weren’t right for a Doberman, I decided to make a directory of products that either I’ve personally tested or my clients have, and they are confirmed to work great for Dobermans.

These items are listed in the menu at the top of this page under “Recommended Products”. As I find new products that work better, I will continually update this list.

You can find my list of recommended products for Dobermans here.