Mudi cost of ownership
Cost of ownership in Texas · 18–29 lb · 13.53-year median lifespan · AKC rank #125 (2025)
Photo: Vulpes at Dutch Wikipedia · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Source · 8 sources · Updated 2026-09-21estimate
Getting a Mudi
This is the one-off, and it is not in any figure above — the yearly and lifetime numbers on this page are the cost of keeping the dog, not of getting one.
No breed rescue publishes a fee schedule for the Mudi, so there is no breed-specific figure here — only what any dog costs to adopt, which 18 shelters do publish.
| Puppy from a general shelter | $269 ($30–$600) |
| Adult from a general shelter | $161 ($25–$500) |
| Senior from a general shelter | $93 ($0–$500) |
Read off the fee pages of 18 US shelters and animal-control agencies across all four census regions. Breeder prices are not collected publicly anywhere credible, so this page does not quote one — the adoption guide explains why and lists all 18 shelters.
Source · pawdget · Updated 2026-10-03
Where the money goes
| Category | per year | Share | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food & treats826 kcal/day × $1.42 per 1,000 kcal + 30% treats | $556 | 18% | PetSmart · est. |
| Vet & preventive1 exam, core vaccines, heartworm test, dental every 2 yrs, 12 months of parasite prevention | $820 | 27% | CareCredit / Synchrony · est. |
| InsuranceAccident & illness plan, US average, adjusted for state | $812 | 27% | North American Pet Health Insurance Association · est. |
| Grooming8 salon visits × $62 | $482 | 16% | Industry price guides · est. |
| Supplies & gearReplacement toys, waste bags, treats | $58 | 2% | PetSmart · est. |
| Training & boardingUS average yearly boarding spend, adjusted for state | $313 | 10% | American Pet Products Association · est. |
A Mudi — 18–29 lb, herding group, ranked No. 125 of 202 by 2025 AKC registrations — costs a typical owner in Texas about $3,041 a year, or $1,735 to $3,641 depending on food, grooming and insurance. That makes it the most expensive of the 46 small breeds we track — 18% over the group average and well ahead of the Tibetan Spaniel.
Veterinary and preventive care is the largest line at 27%: 1 exam, core vaccines, heartworm test, dental every 2 yrs, 12 months of parasite prevention. Texas service prices run at 97% of the US average, and at 23.5 lb the monthly parasite chews sit in a middle price band. Food is 18% (826 kcal a day, about 15 lb of kibble a month).
At No. 125 of 202 registrations it is an uncommon breed: expect a waiting list and some travel to reach a breeder, though that changes the purchase price, not the running costs modelled here. The AKC rates its energy at the top of the scale, so the calorie factor is 2× resting energy — a working-dog appetite in a small body. No breed-level survival study covers it, so the 13.53-year figure is the US life expectancy for small dogs; the AKC quotes 12–14 years.
A curly, non-shedding coat is the classic hidden cost: it does not drop hair, so it must be clipped about every six weeks or it mats to the skin. At Texas prices that is 8 salon visits × $62, $482 a year — 16% of everything this dog costs.
First-year total: $3,992. Beyond the running costs that includes spay or neuter ($457 at Texas prices) and the puppy vaccine series with its extra visits. The gear list for a small dog comes to $158: a small crate, bed, bowls, walking kit and a carrier.
A Mudi typically lives 13.53 years (the US life-expectancy figure for its size group), so the lifetime figure of $42,549 is driven by the long tail: 6 senior years at about $3,123 each rather than $3,041.
Food
Calories from RER = 70 × kg^0.75 scaled for a 23.5 lb very high-activity dog; price per 1,000 kcal is the median of our recorded SKUs in this tier.
Source · 2 sources · Updated 2026-09-21estimate
Dog food in bulk at Sam's Club · partner link
First-month shopping list
- Crate Top Paw · 36″L x 25″H, Med/Large $47
- Bed Top Paw · Medium $15
- Bowls ×2 Top Paw · 12 fl oz $3
- Leash PetSafe · 3/8 in $5
- Collar KONG · Large $25
- Harness PetSafe · Small $21
- Brush Top Paw $9
- Nail Clipper Top Paw · Large $8
- Carrier Top Paw $15
- Pee Pads Great Choice · 23″ x 24″ $10
- Total$158
Source · PetSmart (recorded by pawdget) · Updated 2026-09-21
partner link · As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices above are our own recorded PetSmart samples, not Amazon's.
Health conditions commonly recorded in Mudis
We have not yet found a peer-reviewed, openly licensed prevalence study for this breed, so this section stays empty rather than quoting unsourced lists.
Informational only — not veterinary advice. Talk to your veterinarian about your own dog.
Breed data
| Weight | 18–29 lb |
| Median lifespansize-group estimate | 13.53 yrs |
| Breed-club life expectancy | 12–14 yrs |
| Coat | curly nonshedding |
| Activity | very high |
| AKC group | herding |
Source · 3 sources · Updated 2026-09-21estimate
Questions about Mudi costs
How much does a Mudi cost per year?
About $3,041 a year in Texas for an adult on a standard kibble with an accident-and-illness policy, ranging from $1,735 to $3,641. Vet & preventive is the largest category at 27%.
How much does it cost to feed a Mudi?
A 23.5 lb Mudi needs roughly 826 kcal a day, about 15 lb of dry food a month. On a standard kibble that is $46 a month treats included ($41–$50 depending on brand); budget kibble costs about half, fresh food several times more — use the food tier switch to see exact figures.
What is the lifetime cost of a Mudi?
Around $42,549 over the breed's 13.53-year median lifespan, including $951 of first-year set-up costs and higher senior-care spending after age 8.
Last updated September 21, 2026. Figures are estimates built from the sources listed above; your own costs will differ. How we calculate.