Last Updated on November 8, 2018

So you’ve made the decision to buy a dog. It’s always a fun and exciting time when you make the commitment to add a furry friend to your family. But there is so much to think about. What breed should we get? What do I need to do to prepare our home for the dog? Where will the dog sleep? Do I need to install a doggy door? What sort of food should we have on hand for the new arrival?

And how am I going to train the dog so it is a well-behaved member of the family?

Well, for the final question, you have two options:

1) Get a puppy and train it yourself, or

2) Get an older dog that has already been trained.

Personally, I have always trained my own dogs, rather than hunting for trained dogs for sale, as I have reared them from pups. This means that I have bonded with them from a younger age, and they know that I’m the leader of the pack. They behave exactly the way that I want.

But training yourself isn’t for everyone. I’ve seen many people who love their dogs but weren’t committed to a training program, and now their dogs run riot. The problem could have been avoided if they adopted an older dog that was already well trained, rather than getting a puppy and letting it rule the house.

Buying a dog that is already trained has the benefits that they will already be trained not to dig up your garden, toilet inside the house, and walk on a leash without pulling. So dog ownership will be a pleasant experience from day one.

The downside though is that you miss that bonding time during the puppy phase and that the dog will test you from time to time to see what it can get away with.

Where Can I Find Trained Dogs For Sale?

There are a number of ways that you can buy a dog that has already been trained, including:

• Adopting a trained dog from an animal shelter. This is my favorite option as you’re giving man’s best friend a second chance. Most shelters will conduct a behavioral analysis on each dog that comes in to make sure it will be suitable to be re-homed. You can find your local animal shelters in the phone book, or just google your city name + keywords like “animal shelter” or “SPCA”. Make sure to specify that you’re looking for a trained dog. The staff and volunteers will know the dogs well and will be able to help in rehoming the most suitable dog for your situation.
• Buying through classified ads. There will often be trained dogs for sale in your local newspaper or online on sites like Craigslist. Usually, the owner’s personal situation will have changed such as relocating due to work, an elderly person going into a nursing home, or financial difficulties, meaning that they need to find the perfect home for their loved family member.
• Consider a dog rescue service. This may not be the best option, but still, one to consider. These dogs will often be rescued from unsavory conditions so may not be the best around humans and will need constant care. You may get lucky, but in general, a rescued dog will require a serious level of commitment.
• Adopt a service dog. Not all seeing eye dogs make the cut. They have to be extremely well behaved to be one of the few selected for the task of serving blind people. The ones that don’t get the job are still usually very well trained by normal standards. Other options could include customs dogs, police dogs, and racing dogs.
• Finally, you can buy a dog from a trainer. This is going to be the most expensive way to find trained dogs for sale as you’re paying for the time a trainer has invested in the dog. But you know the job has been done properly. Try googling “Trained Dogs For Sale “and your city or state name to see what you can find.

How Much Do Trained Dogs For Sale Cost?

Depending on where you get a dog and what breed the dog is, the cost could be anything from free to thousands of dollars.

Someone who needs to rehome their loved one may not charge you anything, and will probably give you all the toys, bedding, kennel, etc. too, so long as they know their dog is going to a fantastic home.

Adopting from a shelter or rescue center will usually cost a few hundred dollars, which may include the cost of neutering and a donation to the shelter.

Buying from a trainer could set you back $5,000-$10,000 or even more.