Here is a general search, since you didn’t mention where you are located. You can certainly to another search with your location. http://www.blingo.com/search?q=GSD+rescue

Expect to pay $40-$60 a month for mid-grade food (check out http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com) plus budget about $200 a year for vet costs. If you do not spend the full $200 a year, put the rest into a savings account for your dog in case she or he gets sick or injured in the future, so you have it. Initial expenses for an adopted dog include necessities like toys, bowls, brushes (I recommend a Furminator brand brush for a high shedding dog like a GSD), etc. will run you about $150 on the low end. In the beginning buy small bags of dog food until you find one that suits your dog the best, that way you aren’t stuck with a bunch of food that gives your dog diarrhea and you don’t want to feed her. Also, Frontline Plus costs about $50 every 3 months and Interceptor costs about $50 for 6 months.

Best wishes.

You could always adopt a Shepherd pup from a shelter…adoption is usually around $100 plus the pup already has it’s shots and spayed/neutered.

To get a WELL BRED shepherd, look at spending around 1,000$. You definetly do not want to go BYB with this breed, because they can have so many genetic health issues such as hip dysplasia and other faults. Make sure the breeder works or shows their dogs (this is a must!) All health tests must be done on the parents as well, and preferably the health records for the grandparents and great grandparents should be available as well. The health records were available for my german shepherd up to seven generations back.

So, 1000$ to start out with. Then you are going to want a kennel, as it is the easiest way to potty train. That is another 100$ roughly. Then up to three vet visits for shots. All puppies need three rounds of shots. Good breeders will usually already have the first round done, but some vets like to start it over again anyways. So look at three vet visits in the span of 2 months, and that will probably average out to 300$ total. Good quality, large steel dog bowl, roughly 20$ or so. Same bowl for water is another 20$, but I like getting the big jug water bowls that hold a lot and dispense as the dog drinks, and those cost between 30-50$. Toys, another 30-50$. Rubber puppy safe chew bones/toys, another 30$ roughly. Good quality leash and collar with ID tag, roughly 30-40$. So in the first two months, look at spending roughly 1500$. After that, training is a MUST!!! You can not own a shepherd and skimp out on puppy class. Even if you can do all your own obedience training, like I did, you still need that socialization. If not properly socialized, you will have a very large, very shy, very aggressive german shepherd, and that will lead to trouble. So look at spending another 100$ or so for puppy training classes.

at 6 months old or older, 100$ or so for vet visit and neuter/spay. At a year old, 100$ for vet visit and shots. And then it is yearly from there, roughly 100$ to get shots. Although vet visits should be done every 6 months, and the average office visit runs around 40$ or so.

As for food, you should feed a high quality premium food. No iams, or science diet, or pedigree. All those are junk. You want to feed blue buffalo, or wellness, or evo. A food like that, with no corn, wheat, or by-products. When I was feeding blue buffalo, a 40lb bag cost me 45$. I was going through two bags a month, so spending roughly 100$ a month on food. It’s expensive, but if you feed a cheap food, you will get an unhealthy dog with lots of issues. If you do feed dog feed, only feed puppy food until your dog is 5 months old or so. Then switch to adult food. Make sure it is large breed dog food with glucosamine for the hips and joints. Puppy food is too high in protein, and if fed for a long time, will cause growth spurts and bone/joint problems. Switch to adult food no later then 6 months.

That being said, I strongly urge you to feed raw. It is easy, simple, and CHEAP! Don’t believe me? I went to the store tonight, bought over a months worth of food for my dog (chicken and pork roast and hamburger and beef cubes and organs), and I spent 24$. I was spending 100$ before, but now I am feeding a better diet and spending only 25$ a month.

So, that’s the rough totals. Of course, there’s treats, toys. Maybe your dog gets hurt. We though my boy got hit by a car because he was limping really bad after getting out over night. Rushed him to the emergency vet, spent almost 600$, and found out his legs were just sore from running all night. Nothing is exact, and you should always have a savings account set up just in case. Plus, pet nsurance is a great thing! Many companys now offer it, and even larger grocery store chains.

EDIT: Joseph’s an idiot, and has no idea what he’s talking about. On a good quality dog food, my german shepherd was only eating 3 cups of food a day. Compare that to a cheap quality. If I was feeding something like science diet or purina, I would have to feed almost 8 cups a day. On raw feed, I feed roughly a pound per day, and I can usually find meat cuts for .49cents a pound or cheaper.