(My 30 lb. dog is laying on my arms right now, so please excuse any typos I make.) It does cost a good bit of money. I paid about $180 for my dog, but all of the money goes right back into helping other animals in need so it’s worth it. If you can’t afford that much, go to the pound rather than a shelter and it’ll be much cheaper. Sometimes the older dogs go for about $25 and they are just as great as younger dogs. Also, in the pet section of Craigslist there are sometimes dogs for free. Please never go to a breeder though, there are dogs out there who need your help.