I paid $800 for my Chester, in the middle of five months of being unemployed with no unemployment $, and he was worth every penny.
I would NEVER buy a dog and have it shipped. That's just me though. When I went to see Chester for the first time, it was love at first sight. He picked me! It was awesome because he was everything I wanted in a dog-right color, right personality, the spunk, everything.
A dog is an investment and you should choose your investments carefully. You will get way more enjoyment out of a dog than out of $1200.