Everyone knows Corgis! These adorable little pups have become some of the world’s most beloved pets thanks to the internet. This is mostly because of their fluffy butts and long, erect ears that make them look like huge, loveable toys.
However, these pups also come with a decent price tag. Just as with any other pet, the price doesn’t stop once you’ve made a purchase. There are some long-term expenses that you should also count on.
So, how much do Corgis cost?
In short, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi on average costs $1,050, with the average owning cost throughout the Corgi’s life being $17,330.
These numbers are considered for all essential expenses, including food, supplies, medical costs, treats, training, grooming, a microchip, and so on. There are some other services, such as dog walking or insurance, that we haven’t counted in.
This amount varies with many factors, such as the area where you’re living, the type of products you’re purchasing, and so on.
We’ll explain how we’ve gotten these numbers, and share some tips on how you can save some money while raising your Corgi.
How Much Do Corgi Puppies Cost?
Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppies usually cost anywhere between $750 and $1,800, with some costing as high as $2,200. Cardigan Welsh Corgi puppies cost around the same, and there isn’t a huge price difference, at least according to the American Kennel Club (AKC).
Of course, how much Corgis cost depends on many factors, such as your area, the breeder’s reputation, the dog’s age, lineage, and whether or not the pup has received its first vaccinations.
In most areas, purebred Cardigan Welsh Corgis tend to be a bit more expensive than their Pembroke counterparts, but the only reason for this is because they are somewhat rarer. However, this price difference can almost entirely be neglected as it’s so small.
If the puppy has high-quality parents, he’ll have a somewhat higher price, especially if the breeder has ensured that he’s less likely to suffer from genetic health issues.
Overall, while the exact cost may vary, the breeder will usually charge as much as the puppy is worth.
Don’t Bargain Shop For Puppies
We all love to get a good deal. It’s in a human’s nature to look for the cheapest price of the same product. This is why sales such as Black Friday have so many people inside the shops, and why sites such as Amazon are popular.
If we’re trying to find the best possible price for our clothes, food, cars, or even homes, then why shouldn’t we do the same for puppies?
If we’re talking about any dog breed, most dogs are sold at a price of between $300 and $4000 depending on the breed, bloodline, and area.
Once you’ve read this, you’re probably more inclined towards purchasing a $300 dog, right? The lower-priced pups sound like a better deal, especially since all dogs are the same, or so we’re told.
The truth is that most of us don’t consider the price of owning these dogs. When we look at the price plainly, the price difference of $3,700 sounds like a lot, but what you don’t pay during the purchase, you may pay during a dog’s lifetime – and probably even ten times more!
Why Should You Find a Reputable Breeder?
Sure, reputable breeders charge more. While the price is there partially because such a Corgi breeder knows he can sell expensive puppies, there are also other justified reasons for this.
Reputable breeders conduct expensive genetic testing that can determine whether or not a parent dog has any genetic conditions. Usually, specific tests are done depending on the breed and what that breed is prone to.
Both Corgi breeds are usually tested for hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy, and Von Willebrand’s Disease. Breeders usually also pay clearances for cardiac evaluations and CERF eye exams that can determine Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA).
Depending on the area, these tests combined cost between $930 and $2,030, and breeders will add that to the cost of the puppies they’re selling.
If any of their dogs fails these tests, then good breeders will remove them from the breeding pool. By doing this, they are ensuring that bad genes don’t get passed onto the future litter, and that includes your future puppy.
Reputable breeders always look for ways to make the breed better. They won’t breed dogs that have bad genes and that won’t meet the breed standards.
A failed test can mean a huge loss of investment and profit for the breeder. This is why a lot of breeders won’t even conduct these tests. It will save them a lot of money. Because of this, bad breeders are able to keep the price of their puppies low.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that every expensive dog is free of illnesses. The price tag doesn’t necessarily determine a Corgi puppy’s quality. However, if a breeder has a good reputation, chances are their puppies are healthy as well.
How Much Do Corgi Supplies Cost?
Now that you understand how much Corgis cost, together with their medical bills, they come with costs for some supplies. Even dogs of different breeds have the same needs, and this includes Corgis.
Of course, these expenses will be much higher in the first year when you get your pup. Also, the prices of the items vary depending on where you’re buying them, the manufacturer, and whether or not you’re getting them from large canines, or small dogs such as Corgis.
Here are the average costs of having a Corgi:
| Supplies |
Average Cost
|
|---|---|
| Food and water bowls | $15 |
| Dog collars (2x) | $20 |
| Leash | $10 |
| Dog bed | $35 |
| Dog crate | $40 |
| ID tag | $10 |
| Plastic poop bags (packaging) | $55 |
| Pooper scooper | $20 |
| House training pads (packaging) | $25 |
| Toys | $30 |
| Brush | $15 |
| Stain and odor removal spray | $10 |
| First-aid kit | $30 |
| Shampoo | $10 |
| Toenail clippers | $10 |
| Tooth-brushing kit | $10 |
| Total cost | $225 |
If we’re counting on some other services, the average monthly price goes as follows:
| Type of expense | Average cost |
|---|---|
| Dog food | $40 |
| Treats | $15 |
| Grooming | $150 |
| Flea treatment | $15 |
| Deworming | $15 |
| Ear and dental care | $80 |
| Other services | $45 |
| Total cost | $360 |
Of course, not all of these expenses are something you’ll need to pay every single month. The first year is always the most expensive one.
Factors That Affect The Price
There are a few factors that can affect how much Corgis cost. Even dogs of the same breed tend to come at a different price range.
Of course, if you want to get some of the numerous Corgi mixes, the price can vary. There are many crossbreeds, such as a Corgi Pomeranian mix, a Corgi Labrador mix, or a Corgi Dalmatian mix, and all will cost differently from purebred Corgis.
Here are some of the features that affect this:
Bloodline
Purebred show-quality dogs have more expensive offspring – especially if they also come from a reputable breeder.
For some dog owners, the bloodline of a puppy isn’t important. However, if you plan on having your Corgi participate in dog shows, then this is something you should consider.
Also, breeders who reproduce purebred dogs of high quality will usually invest more money in taking care of their dogs. All of this will eventually affect the price.
Pedigree
If the breeder is a member of some kennel club – usually, we’re talking about the American Kennel Club (AKC) or the United Kennel Club (UKC) – they’ll have their dogs registered, and this will make the dogs cost more.
These registration papers could affect the price a lot, so always check with your breeder as to whether your Corgi puppy is registered.
Health Testing
All serious breeders will give you a health guarantee that their dogs don’t carry genes for some of the potentially life-threatening diseases. To do this, they’ll have to have the parent dogs tested and evaluated for several medical conditions that we’ve already mentioned.
Some breeders will go a step further and take the puppies for a vet check-up as well. This will include deworming, vaccines, and sometimes even microchipping the dog before selling them.
Health testing does increase the price of the dog, but this is the best insurance that you won’t get an unhealthy pup.
Training And Socialization
If you’re looking for a bit older puppy, you should know that some breeders will take that extra step and train and socialize their dogs before selling them.
While this will increase the sale price, it can save you later costs as you likely won’t have to pay for a professional trainer yourself. Not to mention you’ll get a well-behaved dog.
Photo from @meet.the.wonderbutts
Breed Popularity
Supply and demand dictate the price. Corgis are very popular dogs in most urban areas, which is why their prices are extremely high compared to some other dog breeds.
Queen Elizabeth II also helped increase the breed’s popularity as she had several dozens of these dogs in Buckingham Palace during her reign. In fact, it is believed that she is the one responsible for the breed’s huge popularity.
Cardigan Welsh Corgis are also popular in some rural areas as well since they are used as herding dogs.
The Dog’s Age
Most aspiring dog owners would love to get their puppies as young as possible. Because of this, younger puppies tend to have a much lower price compared to older dogs.
In other words, an adult Corgi will cost you more than a Corgi puppy would.
The Coat Color
Coat color also affects the dog’s price. This is a trend that changes, so we cannot discuss what coat colors and markings are more expensive than others.
Golden and red-colored Corgis are standard and they are always popular. However, you can also find them in black and white, tan, and even brindle and merle! Depending on the type of Corgi, not all will be recognized by the AKC.
Despite the pedigree or pureblood status, rare puppy colors will always tend to be very expensive.
The coat’s length can be another contributing factor. Fluffy Corgis tend to have a different price from standard, short-haired pups.
Adoption Costs
Some people prefer adopting rather than purchasing a puppy. We won’t touch on the moral and ethical standpoints of this. Instead, we’ll only discuss the price.
Adopting a Corgi is in no way different from adopting any other breed. It simply may be tricky to find these dogs at a shelter as they are very sought after.
If you do manage to find a Corgi that is put up for adoption, you only need to pay the adoption fees, which cost anywhere between $50 and $500.
However, keep in mind that when adopting, you have no way of knowing the bloodline of the puppy you’re interested in. You may end up paying plenty for veterinary care and high-quality dog food in case your new puppy has some underlying health problem.
How Much Do Corgis Cost At Backyard Breeders (BYB)
To understand the cost of buying a Corgi from a Backyard Breeder, first, you have to understand who these breeders are.
Backyard Breeders don’t breed dogs in their back yard. This term is only used to describe their breeding practices. They often advertise as professional breeders, but there are a few things that make them different.
First off, they don’t interview potential buyers. When you go to purchase a dog, the breeder should ask you as many questions as you ask them. Sure, they don’t need to know your entire backstory, but they need to know who they’re giving their pups to.
Then, they don’t offer any health guarantees on their dogs. In fact, they don’t even do any health testing. A reputable breeder will always give you paperwork about their dog’s health condition.
If the breeder tells you that they don’t conduct any health testing on their dogs, then there is no way of knowing if the dogs are healthy or not. Not all show dogs are adequate for breeding, so even a pedigree isn’t enough to know the health of your dog.
Finally, Backyard breeders sell dogs with either full AKC registration or without any registration whatsoever. Reputable breeders usually sell dogs with Limited Registration. Full AKC-Registered dogs are only sold to exclusive buyers.
Backyard buyers might seem to have good intentions, but they usually don’t mean well for the breed they’re selling because they’re not producing dogs that are up to standard. This can lead to an increase in genetic illnesses in the breed – and that includes the Corgi breed.
How Much Does A Corgi Cost At Puppy Mills And Pet Stores
When searching for your Corgi puppy, puppy mills and pet shops are something you should avoid if you want to get a healthy dog.
Pups raised in puppy mills don’t get tested for health conditions and don’t receive proper care and socialization. Because of this, they usually suffer from plenty of health conditions.
Sure, puppy mills are a much more affordable option compared to breeders as you can find Corgi puppies being sold for as low as $500! However, as we’ve mentioned several times before, cheap is never good when it comes to living beings.
When it comes to pet stores, they usually sell puppies from puppy mills, so the same arguments can be used there. There is no guarantee that a dog from a puppy mill will be healthy and without any issues, unlike a puppy from a reputable breeder.
Medical Cost
As we’ve mentioned, with puppies, what you pay is what you get. If you pay $750 for a Corgi, don’t expect to get a dog cleared from all health problems. When you purchase a Corgi at a lower price range, expect him to come with a certain level of risk.
When you purchase from a reputable breeder, you aren’t simply paying more money for the same dog. You’re paying for the health testing they’ve conducted to ensure that their dogs are healthy.
Even if the parents appear entirely healthy, they still might be carrying recessive genes for some severe health conditions that they can pass onto their offspring. The only way that breeders can confirm that puppies are healthy is to conduct genetic testing, and this costs a lot of money.
If you purchase a puppy that is prone to some genetic condition, then you are looking at thousands in medical bills.
For example, if your Corgi develops hip dysplasia or degenerative myelopathy, you can expect to pay the price difference of getting an expensive Corgi dog in one medical bill alone! That is without counting medications and other ways of disease management.
It’s important to note that most genetic conditions aren’t treatable, and your dog will have them forever without getting better. Sure, you can manage these illnesses, but your pup will have them for the rest of its life.
In case this isn’t important to you, this one thing might be: You’ll have to pay for its medications and treatment every month, maybe even every week. In the long run, you’ll likely end up paying much more than you would have if you had just purchased the dog from a reputable breeder.
Related Article: Best Corgi breeders in Texas
Because of this, when you wonder how much Corgis cost, you need to have an entire picture in mind, and not just the initial cost.
Here is the average price of treatment for the most common diseases per year – without counting the initial screening:
Hip dysplasia: $1500 – $2200
Progressive Retinal Atrophy: $1700 – $2300
Cardio myelopathy: $1500 – $3500
Degenerative myelopathy: $2000 – $4000
Of course, in case your beloved dog gets sick, there is also an emotional toll that goes with this. It isn’t easy to watch your beloved family member go through an illness that affects his everyday life.
These diseases happen more often than we think. No matter how painful it might be to even consider our family pet getting sick, this is something we need to prepare ourselves for.
As sad as it is, dogs don’t always die from old age. If you can prevent this from happening by supporting a breeder who conducts a few tests – why not do so?
Other Expenses
With the expenses we’ve listed, there are a few more that you should count on. The following expenses aren’t mandatory, but they should still be taken into consideration when you’re calculating how much Corgis cost.
Here are some of them:
Professional Training
Even though Corgis are not large dogs that could cause much harm, you still might want to hire a professional dog trainer. Corgis are stubborn dogs that might not want to listen to your commands as they love to do things their own way.
If you don’t have the time to train your Corgi at home, then a professional trainer can be of great help. There are plenty of local community centers, pet stores, and dog daycare operators that offer training classes. These classes cost anywhere between $50 and $125 for four- to eight-week long group classes.
You can also pay for private lessons if you want that extra attention to be given to your pup, but expect to pay up to $20 per hour.
Puppy Insurance
Puppy insurance isn’t cheap – quite the opposite. However, if something bad happens to your dog, whether it is a disease or an injury, it can save you thousands on medical bills.
The cost of medical insurance varies with several factors, including the insurance company and the type of insurance you want. If you opt for some premium options, these prices could skyrocket up to $1000.
If anything else, you’d want to consider puppy insurance if you’ve adopted your pooch or bought it from a pet mill as chances are higher that you’ll need it with those puppies.
Dog Care
Corgis are dogs that can be prone to separation anxiety. They hate being left alone, and this can be an issue if you and all other family members work eight-hour shifts. Fortunately, there are many companies that offer services for taking care of your dog while you’re not there.
The prices for daycare are usually between $30 and $45 a day, and boarding prices are usually around the same.
If you want to hire a dog walker, then the prices for this service usually go between $10 and $15 for a half-an-hour walk.
Kennel Club Registration
In case your pup isn’t registered with any kennel club, or if its limited registration has expired, you might want to register it yourself. This is especially important if you want to feature your Corgi pup in dog shows as dogs that aren’t registered won’t be able to participate.
If you want to register your Corgi into the AKC, this procedure and paperwork costs around $50-$60.
Tail Docking
Cardigan Welsh Corgis are born with long, fluffy tails that are there to stay. However, Pembroke Welsh Corgis are born with short bobtails or even without a tail altogether.
Even though tail docking is slowly becoming a practice that is frowned upon, some dog owners still prefer having their dog’s bobtail docked. This is the same practice that is done on some other, mostly larger dog breeds, such as Doberman or Rottweiler.
The cost of Corgi tail docking is between $10 and $20 for young puppies – usually, it’s done on dogs as young as three to five days. However, if you’re the one paying for it, then chances are that the puppy is older than that – and this can lead to an increase in the price.
Spaying/Neutering
Corgis adopted from shelters or rescue centers are usually already neutered or spayed. Otherwise, if you want to spay your female Corgi puppy, you can expect a price of between $200 and $350.
Castration is somewhat more affordable as it costs between $100 and $300.
Shipping Services
If you’re purchasing your Corgi from overseas, you have to count on some hefty shipping costs. They can go as high as $1000!
The average shipping price for a distance of up to 300 miles is between $120 and $300. For longer distances, the price is around $500. Also, American Airlines charges between $125 and $200 per pet carrier depending on the pet’s weight and the location you’re shipping from.
Why Are Corgi Puppies Expensive?
After reading all this, you are probably confused by the high price of a Corgi puppy. Both Corgis cost a fine sum of money, and although keeping them isn’t as expensive as some other breeds, they are still expensive to buy.
Since Corgis are far from rare dog breeds, why are they so expensive?
Believe it or not, a Corgis’ popularity is the main reason behind their high price. Popular dogs have a high price tag since it’s challenging for the supply to meet the demand.
Also, it can be a bit tricky to breed Corgis to meet the breed standard – but still, this is nowhere near as challenging as some other breeds.
Unfortunately, dog breeding is an industry, and it operates like one. If something is in demand, suppliers will raise the cost. In this case, dogs are the product and breeders are the suppliers. This is how economics works, and it’s important to explain to everyone who wonders how much Corgis cost.
Still, we stick behind what we’ve said before. It’s worth paying a higher price for a high-quality puppy that you won’t have to pay too much in medical costs later on. Not to mention that it will save you the emotional stress of having to watch your pet suffer from terrible genetic illnesses.
Of course, a dog shouldn’t be a financial burden for you and your family, so make sure to fully understand how much Corgis cost in the long run before you make such a financial decision.
Also, keep in mind that the numbers in this article are for informational purposes only. You should always find the exact costs applicable for your own area before you make such a huge commitment.
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