# Looking for a puppy, are you all rich?



## Kylie (Feb 16, 2013)

Where I come from $1,000-1,200 is the norm for a well bred golden. Unfortunately you can't find goldens from well bred parents with all the clearances for less than that. And no I'm not rich.


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## Brinkleythegolden (Jun 18, 2012)

Me neither. We are picking up our puppy in a week and a half-$1200. Maybe South Dakota is just more expensive?


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## Michele4 (Oct 28, 2012)

I have seen them at $1200, I live in PA close to NJ and NY. Thats the lowest I think I ever seen with all clearances and health guaranteed. My sister just paid 2000 dollars to have knee surgery on her "pet quality" Lab. It is very expensive either way. Keep looking I hope you find a Golden closer to your price range that has good health.


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## Allan's Girl (Apr 16, 2009)

I am sorry for the loss of your friend. It's a tough thing to get through. Most of us here have been through it at least once. 

They say that the beginning investment is the least of you expenses. I have found this to be true. I went for some cheap dogs and I ended up spending tons of money at the vet for their health issues. We are by no means rich. We saved for our latest girl. 

I know how it is to want to have another dog in this house. There is such a void in you life when your dog leaves. Perhaps now is not the time to strain your financial resources. Sometimes it can take up to a year and maybe more to get a puppy from a reputable breeder, that might give you some time to save.

I hope you don't rush into situation that may not have the outcome you are striving for. Sometimes its hard to do the right thing, hard not to give in to that need we have to have a new dog right now. I wish you the best of luck finding a new fur friend. This is a great place to get advice and maybe some leads on a breeder in your area. 

Thank you for reading the guides and checklist!


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

Have you contacted someone at your local Golden Retriever Club?
Golden Retriever Puppies: GRCA Puppy Referral: Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA) Find your Golden Retriever Pupppy Here

They can probably steer you in the right direction. It has been a few years since I looked at puppies, but $2000 would have been on the very high side.


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## Mayve (Aug 21, 2012)

I had to save for months and give up a few things to do it. Here well bred Goldens seem to cost between 1, 000 and 1.500. Worth every penny and sacrifice in my book!!

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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I set aside $100 a month for a year so I could get a puppy from a reputable breeder.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Dogs cost a lot to own in the first place. The purchase price ends up being a pretty small part of the total cost of ownership. If your wife is concerned about the upfront price, she should be aware that a puppy from a fully cleared pedigree at $2000 is far cheaper in the long run than a $500 dog with little or no clearance history in the ancestry. Think of it like paying for pet insurance. It's not a guarantee that your dog won't have health problems, but it shaves the odds down far enough that it more than pays for itself.

I keep about $100/month per dog set aside for medical expenses, training costs, and other capital issues. At that rate, it takes about a year to save up for a cleared dog. $2000 tends to be the high end. The $1200-$1800 range seems a little more common here on the east coast.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Get into the habit of putting money aside. That's about all it comes down to.

It's not that much different than saving up to buy a car or new gadget. Dogs are much more enjoyable though. 

Because I wasn't in a hurry this last time as far as bringing a puppy home, I just tucked money away into my savings account for 2-3 years. I actually had double the puppy price by the time I was done.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I'm not rich, btw, but I also don't have cable/satellite or a land line, and that's a lot more than $100/month in expenses saved. 

In fact, when we bought Comet, he cost about as much as a big flat screen TV did at the time. We had enough money for one or the other, and we decided to live for another year with the 27" bubble CRT TV I got when I graduated from college. It meant less TV and more Golden Retriever in our lives, so it was sort of a win/win.


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## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

not rich, I saved and went without things till I could put away enough. Then kept saving for just in case expenses. I had a really hard time justifying the expense but did it anyway its been well worth it.


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## ShadowGolden (Sep 4, 2012)

By no means rich. I knew when I wanted to get Shadow and how much he was going to cost. I just started putting some money aside each month (and other things like tax refunds). He's worth every penny.


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## Mayve (Aug 21, 2012)

Came back to add that even though I got Sage last December and am in no way ready for another puppy...I found I could live without those things I gave up to save for her and continue to put that money aside for emergencies and for another puppy maybe 2-3 years down the road....



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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

The cost of the puppy is the tip of the iceberg....what about the rest of it?
My Tiny (who is old....)
$120 a month for food (minimum)
$150 a month for prescriptions
$45 a month for injections (adequan and B12)
$120 a month for acupuncture
$100 a month for laser therapy
$22 a month for heartworm/flea & tick preventative
$100 a month for vet care/shots/routine labs/dentals etc (that's the annual cost, divided into a monthly cost). That's assuming nothing ever goes *wrong* and requires a big outlay.
so I spend roughly $657 A MONTH on her. And those are not things like toys, treats, training, etc. Those are health related.
Sure, I didn't spend anywhere near that when she was young. But as they get older, they cost us a lot more if we plan to repay their years of love and loyalty by giving them a good quality of life in their geriatric years. 
Having a dog is certainly priceless. But it's also very expensive.


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## sdhgolden (Aug 13, 2012)

I had a hard time convincing my husband to buy a puppy from a reputable breeder. He is a penny pincher and is always looking for the best deal. He hadn't been doing the research that I had been doing so it was hard for him to understand why I wanted to get a puppy that "cost so much". I explained to him how important it was for me to get a puppy from parents that had all health clearances and a long line of healthy dogs as it reduces the risks of health problems. Nothing is a guarantee but I'd rather minimized the potential risk. Also the most important thing for me/us was temperament. I wanted a puppy with an amazing temperament because we plan to have kids one day. Temperament is a lot more predictable in a puppy that comes from a long line of dogs with great temperaments. That was not something I was willing to risk. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of dogs from rescues and other places that have good temperaments. But for me it was less of a risk buying from a reputable breeder. Plus I am not the most experienced dog owner so I would be lost if I had a dog with poor temperament. This is what convinced my husband it was worth it. 

Getting a dog is a long commitment. I could not bring myself to give up a dog because it had a poor temperament or because it was racking up vet bills due to health problems. So because of this I decided I needed to start off my dog journey with a dog with minimal risks. Again like I said, there are no guarantees, but the odds are better. 

Just my 2 cents. 




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## Sirfoulhook (Dec 2, 2011)

My best advice would be to get into touch with some breeders. Maybe they have some pups that they can't sell for top dollar because of some non critical difference, an non descended testicle for example. They couldn't show or breed the dog but, unless you are looking for a show dog what's the difference. $2000 seems a little high for a pup but who knows. Look in other areas of the country. Maybe they are cheaper elsewhere. If you don't have to have a puppy maybe look for a washout from a field trial. I actually prefer hunting behind one. Not so fast


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## JoshNy (Feb 9, 2009)

Thanks for the replies all. I guess I will just have to wait and start saving.


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## Allan's Girl (Apr 16, 2009)

JoshNy said:


> Thanks for the replies all. I guess I will just have to wait and start saving.


It will be worth the wait!


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## JoshNy (Feb 9, 2009)

Sirfoulhook said:


> My best advice would be to get into touch with some breeders. Maybe they have some pups that they can't sell for top dollar because of some non critical difference, an non descended testicle for example. They couldn't show or breed the dog but, unless you are looking for a show dog what's the difference. $2000 seems a little high for a pup but who knows. Look in other areas of the country. Maybe they are cheaper elsewhere. If you don't have to have a puppy maybe look for a washout from a field trial. I actually prefer hunting behind one. Not so fast


"Dear Breeder, Do you have any dogs with maybe 1 testicle or perhaps missing a toe or something? I am looking to save a buck."

Haha, that would be quite the email to send.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

JoshNy said:


> Thanks for the replies all. I guess I will just have to wait and start saving.


Or keep looking. I would never pay $2,000 either. And since you already had a dog you already know how much your daily costs would be. Good luck!


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## KloheSunshine (Aug 9, 2013)

Whoa! I'm in Texas and I paid $350 for my golden. AKC registered, she has her CGC, most run around $500 here.


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## JoshNy (Feb 9, 2009)

Finding plenty of AKC registered. But not a lot with both parents having Hips, elbows, eyes and heart clearances. The ones that do, know it, and charge accordingly I guess.


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

We are not all rich...but we are good savers!

When you look at the cost of a dog of maybe $1,000 - $1,500 and spread this cost over the life of a good dog (10-15 years)...it is not much.

If you get a lesser dog and it develops a health problem that would have been detected, you will have to pay $1,000's to maintain or save the pup or, God forbid, have a young dog put down....

So this risks associated with a lesser dog don't justify the initial cost savings...at least that is how I see it.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

goldlover68 said:


> We are not all rich...but we are good savers!
> 
> When you look at the cost of a dog of maybe $1,000 - $1,500 and spread this cost over the life of a good dog (10-15 years)...it is not much.
> 
> ...


What is a lesser dog?


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

JoshNy said:


> Finding plenty of AKC registered. But not a lot with both parents having Hips, elbows, eyes and heart clearances. The ones that do, know it, and charge accordingly I guess.


Remember that at less than $2000, those breeders are giving you a lot more than your money's worth in protection against health problems. A $500 dog with no clearances is a lot more expensive in the long run. A good breeder isn't charging you more to make money; in fact, that breeder is probably losing money on dogs overall by investing in proof of their health, temperament, and structure.


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

I second what Kyle said.


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

I paid $1200 for mine. I saved for her for several months.
I can tell you my first dog cost me $350 and at 7 months old cost me $900 for a shoulder surgery.
If you are in SD, would you be willing to travel to neighboring states? The only responsible breeder here in NM that I saw was asking $2000. I went to CO (8hrs drive and an overnight stay) and got an equally well bred dog with those same clearances for $1200.


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

KloheSunshine said:


> Whoa! I'm in Texas and I paid $350 for my golden. AKC registered, she has her CGC, most run around $500 here.


The reason you paid so little was the fact you got the brown faced Golden. They aren't as popular as they used to be.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

JoshNy said:


> Can you really not find a puppy from healthy parents for under $1000? Maybe I need to get a second job and save up for a few years.


The typical price range in your area is going to start at about $1,000 and go up from there. Most will be in the $1,200 to $1,500 range. 

Prices for everything related to keeping dogs and producing a litter have risen quite a bit in the last five years. Feeding, Vet care, Stud fees, have all gone up.


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

goldlover68 said:


> We are not all rich...but we are good savers!
> 
> 
> If you get a lesser dog and it develops a health problem that would have been detected, you will have to pay $1,000's to maintain or save the pup or, God forbid, have a young dog put down....
> ...


As someone who adopts the "lesser" dogs I think that's a poor choice of words. None of my dogs have been lesser than any other. You may mean if you get a dog from a breeder that doesn't do all the clearances you may have health issues later, but all my dogs have been incredible dogs and beautiful Goldens.


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## Katduf (Mar 10, 2013)

I paid $1400 for Bear and $1500 for Stormy, and saved up each time. 


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> What is a lesser dog?



Lesser price... if you read what he wrote, it's obvious that's what he's talking about. He said it in the preceding sentence "When you look at the cost of a dog".....


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

JoshNy said:


> Thanks for the replies all. I guess I will just have to wait and start saving.


I love your attitude... all too often we seem to have people come to this forum looking for input or advice and then getting upset if they are told something that they didn't expect to hear or didn't want to hear. 

By all means, save for your dog and then look over all the cost accounting (such as the list given by HotelforDogs) and make sure you have a nice cushion of additional savings before your puppy comes home. My current puppy is 7 months old, I made sure all her pedigree is stacked with dogs with healthclearances which increases my chances of not having expenses for hip or elbow surgery. However, I let her chew on a puppy nylabone and when she hacked off a piece of it and swallowed it before I could get it, she ended up with it stuck in her stomach. The diagnostics, surgery and medication to get us through the past week and a half are totaled at over $1400. She is worth every penny, but these type scenarios are not unheard of even if you are very watchful and careful with your pup, Goldens tend to put everything in their mouths and will chew into adulthood sometimes. Just wanted to give you an idea that the cost of purchasing the dog isn't all that is involved.

Welcome to the forum


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

nolefan said:


> Lesser price... if you read what he wrote, it's obvious that's what he's talking about. He said it in the preceding sentence "When you look at the cost of a dog".....


Excuse me but I did read *exactly* what was posted. Infact he said it twice


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## JoshNy (Feb 9, 2009)

I have had 2 goldens already and am well aware of the costs of ownership. It is however a lot easier to justify money here and there for a dog you own and love and are attached to. 

It is just hard to swallow that initial chunk of a purchase price when you are used to dogs costing a couple hundred. Like another poster said, they were doing all the research and seeing why it cost x dollars for a well bred/health clearance pup, while their spouse had no idea why they were paying so much for a dog.

I found one breeder that is quite far away, but they had a page on their site that broke down their costs for maintaining all those health clearances on both parents sides, so I will have to show that to my wife and explain a little better before I get her to approve spending that much money. Just a sign of the economy / times changing.

Thanks again for all the opinions and explanations.


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## ShadowGolden (Sep 4, 2012)

JoshNy said:


> It is just hard to swallow that initial chunk of a purchase price when you are used to dogs costing a couple hundred.


I've seen the prices rise, too. Same breeder - three different dogs:

1993: $800
2001: $1,600
2012: $2,400

Gotta love inflation (which for them is also tied to the rising costs of caring for the pups as medical prices, food, etc go up).


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Certainly, I will be happy to. However, if you did read exactly what he wrote then your question gives the appearance that you are intentionally taking a positive conversation about the benefits of health clearances and finding something offensive in the idea.


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## LeilaM (Sep 14, 2012)

I am from South Dakota and our family just adopted a beautiful golden retriever puppy. We traveled 8 hours one way to pick him up. He comes from conformation lines has a lovely pedigree and his parents have all their health clearances.

I paid what I considered to be a reasonable price for such a nice puppy. You can find a well bred pup for under 2000 you just need to meet the right people and be willing to travel.

I would highly recommend going to the conformation show here in Sioux Falls at the end of October and seeing the beautiful goldens and meeting some of the breeders from our neck of the woods.

Good Luck!


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

nolefan said:


> Certainly, I will be happy to. However, if you did read exactly what he wrote then your question gives the appearance that you are intentionally taking a positive conversation about the benefits of health clearances and finding something offensive in the idea.


Let's clear something up right now. _*Your assumption is wrong*_. I asked the question to the person who wrote it. Obviously I wasn't the only one offended by his bad choice of words.

I apologize to the op. Good luck on your search.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

ShadowGolden said:


> I've seen the prices rise, too. Same breeder - three different dogs:
> 
> 1993: $800
> 2001: $1,600
> ...


I'm wondering who this breeder is that they were that expensive all along.... wow.

I described elsewhere, but every time I've bought a pup, it's been about $200 more each time - I gather it's the inflation. I know my own costs (as a dog owner) have gone up. Bertie is still my most expensive pup at $1200 (and worth every penny).

Should probably add - there were 2 year gaps between our first three goldens, 10 year old gap between Danny and Jacks, and 5 year gap between Jacks and Bertie. So plenty of time between, as well as changes in the breed (elbows becoming one of the recommended clearances, new recommendations on eye checks, etc) for me to understand that change in price.


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## KloheSunshine (Aug 9, 2013)

Tayla's Mom, lol, the picture of my dog is when she got muddy.


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

KloheSunshine, I love that picture. There is a dog having some fun.


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## Sampson's Mom (May 13, 2013)

Definitely not rich either! When we started looking for a pup, we started a puppy fund...any extra money went in...we stopped eating out and cut back on our spending where we could...even my teenagers contributed. We saved more than we needed to purchase Sampson ($1,200) and had a puppy shopping spree for toys, leash, collar, etc. 

I agree with the previous posts though...the purchase price is the LEAST of the expenses! My boy is more than worth every single penny we've spent.


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## Jingers mom (Feb 10, 2012)

I got Riley from a local breeder in Mississippi before I knew all the certifications a golden should have. My vet checked him from head to toe and he continues to get great check ups. The woman I got him from has told me she knows Riley's grand parents and g grand parents and none of them has had an issue. I met both Riley's mother a d father and they are in perfect health. Now that I have him I understand the certifications are good to have but I wouldn't trade him for anything. I paid $600.00 for him. 

One of my very good friends have gotten two dogs from different breeders with all the necessary certifications and both ended up with problem hips. I think it may be just the luck of the draw. I wish you luck on your search for a puppy. 


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## SheetsSM (Jan 17, 2008)

Wondering if the $2K golden is from the russian/hungarian/polish/english creme lines and the clearances aren't really clearances. Does the breeder compete with their goldens in some fashion (conformation, obedience, agility, field)?


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## thorbreafortuna (Jun 9, 2013)

I got my pup similarly to Jingers mom, same price, a breeder who is a BYB but I didn't really know what that was back then. I visited and the pups were kept in her home as well as the mother and father, both were beautiful, active Goldens and the pups were lovely. I could tell she deeply cared about all the dogs so It didn't occur to me that this wasn't the best situation. I picked him out before I had all the information and loved him instantly, so there was no going back. Knowing what I know now I would gladly have paid the additional 600 for the increased likelihood of a long healthy life, but at this point he is my baby and I can have no regrets. He is healthy so far and has a great personality. 


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## GPHusker (Mar 14, 2013)

I am in Nebraska so I would imagine prices are similar. I got our pup from a reputable breeder here for $900 just this year. Seems like a lot of money but I would rather spend the cash for one that has more of a chance of a healthy life and not from a backyard breeder and have it have hip displasia at 4-5 months old like I have seen happen before.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

nolefan said:


> I love your attitude... all too often we seem to have people come to this forum looking for input or advice and then getting upset if they are told something that they didn't expect to hear or didn't want to hear.
> 
> By all means, save for your dog and then look over all the cost accounting (such as the list given by HotelforDogs) and make sure you have a nice cushion of additional savings before your puppy comes home. My current puppy is 7 months old, I made sure all her pedigree is stacked with dogs with healthclearances which increases my chances of not having expenses for hip or elbow surgery. However, I let her chew on a puppy nylabone and when she hacked off a piece of it and swallowed it before I could get it, she ended up with it stuck in her stomach. The diagnostics, surgery and medication to get us through the past week and a half are totaled at over $1400. She is worth every penny, but these type scenarios are not unheard of even if you are very watchful and careful with your pup, Goldens tend to put everything in their mouths and will chew into adulthood sometimes. Just wanted to give you an idea that the cost of purchasing the dog isn't all that is involved.
> 
> Welcome to the forum


If I may add on to this post, please consider whatever puppy you get, adding in some pet insurance...as this post illustrates. You can never anticipate what a puppy will do and sometimes emergency obstruction surgeries happen.. it's good to have coverage for something like this, especially if you are on a budget. 

I have a rescue dog adopted from a golden rescue. We adopted him at 6 months and he came with his AKC papers (from a Denton TX breeder) in his adoption packet. The breeder did elbow and hip clearances on both parents, but did not bother doing eye and heart. Guess what? This boy suffers from eye and heart issues, as well as a whole host of other health special needs. We spent thousands on him every year, without pet insurance, because we can't get it now due to too many pre-existing conditions. We love him to pieces and will continue to provide the best possible care for him, but...lesson learned. In addition, his temperament is not the classic golden retriever temperament/personality/demeanor people want when getting a puppy. In researching his pedigree, I understand why. Assume, for purposes of discussion, I didn't adopt him, but I went to this same breeder to purchase him. This breeder would not have asked about my family's lifestyle and wants for a puppy, he would just be interested in the sale. On the other hand, a more reputable breeder would have spent time asking me questions, getting to know exactly the type of dog I was looking for and most likely would not have even bred this litter in the first place. 

When it came time to adding a new puppy to our family I specifically applied to a breeder (from Pennsylvania) with a proven breeding program that I respected. Our Yogi is worth every penny we paid the breeder and then some. He's got a good chance at a very long and healthy life. In addition, the breeder is there if ever I have a question or a concern, to give me suggestions or just be a sounding board..she's invested in our boy for life. That gives me great comfort. She also produces goldens with that classic golden temperament and I am beyond thrilled. The point is a good reputable breeder is worth his or her weight in gold for puppy purchasers and if it means I pay a little more upfront, I'll gladly do it. Furthermore, to make sure we can afford the best possible medical care, we got him enrolled with Embrace as added security.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I don't mean this in a snotty way, please forgive if it does give offense... keep in mind my first golden was a backyard bred boy. Whatever he wasn't, we still thought he was the moon and the stars - still do. 

But I went to obedience class last night. This was novice class with Bertie and then Open/Utility class with Jacks. There were two other trainers there with goldens - so over all there were 6 goldens between the two classes, including my two guys. 

Every single one of these goldens came from a good breeder - and one thing that they all had in common is they had the correct temperament (desire to work, flamboyance while working, and happy social mentality when not working) and they all had the correct look. And when I say "correct look", I mean they could not be mistaken for any other breed. 

As far as health problems, the breed has health problems - whether that is well bred or not. You are not going to have any guarantees of 12+ high quality years when you buy a golden. Stuff happens. A lot of stuff doesn't just hinge on the genetic package behind your dog, but it also is based on lifestyle and pertaining health of the dog. 

It's why I was raising my eyebrows about the cancer study questionnaire - there were so many pages that were focused on behavior (referring to dogs barking out the window at people passing the house as "aggression") - and yet there was nothing about the specific weight of the dog or health conditions that the dog may be dealing with. With people weight (being overweight) has a impact on a person's health. Same thing with people who drastically gain or lose weight. Stress is another thing that has an impact. 

That said, it is a huge comfort and it is not just "pure luck" that on average - if a golden has a strong clearance history behind him. He is less likely to have crippling health issues which prevent him from enjoying that quality time with his owner. 

I know people do not really mean their comments this way, but when they express the opinion that one golden is just as good as another and it comes down to luck, that's unfortunate for the breed and it is an almost slap in the face to people who do save up their money to only work with breeders who are protecting the breed by only breeding qualified dogs. 

Back when we had our first golden, we had offers to breed him. We knew he had cataracts, we knew his body type was not correct for the breed, we knew his coat type was not correct - nor his coloring. And all of that mattered to us in addition to our general "ickness" about breeding pet dogs. And it was lucky, because he had a hereditary issue that took him away too early, and that issue would have been passed on to his puppies very likely. 

In general, when people do wellness visits with their vet - the vet only sees what is on the surface or directly visible. With Charmy, the only health issue that he had, per our vet, were the cataracts. There were no other visible signs of ill-health. Even when he was exhibiting certain symptoms - they were not identified as health issues. Not at the time. They were explained later on when he died and we studied up on things while trying to understand what just happened. 

That's why I would not be trustful of any pet breeding where the parents are given the "OK" by a vet doing just a general wellness check on them. 

As a pet person talking to breeders, even last year... I was talking to a lot of them about not just the parents, but the grandparents, and going further back. I don't think all people necessarily have to go that crazy while interviewing breeders for puppies, but... yeah.


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

Tayla's Mom said:


> As someone who adopts the "lesser" dogs I think that's a poor choice of words. None of my dogs have been lesser than any other. You may mean if you get a dog from a breeder that doesn't do all the clearances you may have health issues later, but all my dogs have been incredible dogs and beautiful Goldens.


You say it your way and I will say it my way....as long as everyone gets the message!


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Jingers mom said:


> I got Riley from a local breeder in Mississippi before I knew all the certifications a golden should have. My vet checked him from head to toe and he continues to get great check ups. The woman I got him from has told me she knows Riley's grand parents and g grand parents and none of them has had an issue. I met both Riley's mother a d father and they are in perfect health. Now that I have him I understand the certifications are good to have but I wouldn't trade him for anything. I paid $600.00 for him.
> 
> One of my very good friends have gotten two dogs from different breeders with all the necessary certifications and both ended up with problem hips. *I think it may be just the luck of the draw*. I wish you luck on your search for a puppy.
> 
> ...


I don't believe in the luck of the draw for a well bred golden to have bad hips nor do I believe it is the luck of the draw for a byb dog to have excellent hips. It is genetics period.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

JoshNy said:


> I have read all the guides and visited several breeders websites. Maybe times have changed. Looks like almost $2000 to find a dog whose parents have hip, elbow, eye, and heart clearances? I will have a very hard time talking my wife into letting me get a $2000 dog...
> 
> I understand you get what you pay for, mostly, and just lost my dog due to health problems. Parents weren't certified etc. But sheesh.
> 
> Can you really not find a puppy from healthy parents for under $1000? Maybe I need to get a second job and save up for a few years.


I have done everything I can think of properly, and would be in debt to my litter even if I had twice as many pups. It is so expensive to do it right.


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## ziggy3339 (Oct 31, 2012)

*I can relate*



JoshNy said:


> I have read all the guides and visited several breeders websites. Maybe times have changed. Looks like almost $2000 to find a dog whose parents have hip, elbow, eye, and heart clearances? I will have a very hard time talking my wife into letting me get a $2000 dog...
> 
> I understand you get what you pay for, mostly, and just lost my dog due to health problems. Parents weren't certified etc. But sheesh.
> 
> Can you really not find a puppy from healthy parents for under $1000? Maybe I need to get a second job and save up for a few years.


Oh, can I RELATE! I couldn't believe the costs of getting wonderful family dog, in great health and a bright future. It took a lot to save up. That said, it's worth it. She's 6+ months old and has everything working in her favor for a happy healthy life. We wanted a dog that would love us back (almost like a therapy dog) since we lost several loved ones over the last few years and were healing/mourning, etc. That's where we started. When our last pet passed at 14 years old I was devastated. I knew it would take something BIG to fill the hole in my heart. Something gentle. I began searching at the shelters twice a week. I'm in Florida and there wasn't any goldens (ever) in my time searching. There is, however, a golden rescue place and they had a litter from a hoarder once but they were snatched up the same day (all of them). Hence, my search for a breeder began. I know, I know, it's costly. It's worth it, I'm telling you. It's worth it. What pushed me over the line was comparing the costs of a sick dog, the costs of one with cancer, hip problems, etc. I decided to go preventive and be proactive from the start. (I ended up paying $1800 for mine). Hope this helps.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

goldlover68 said:


> You say it your way and I will say it my way....*as long as everyone gets the message*!


Loud and clear!


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## gmammad (May 31, 2013)

14 years ago my sister in law each bought goldens, mine was $500.00 her's was $2000.00, her dog had to have hip and shoulder surgery, numberous skin problems, allergies etc, his parents both had all of the proper clearences, mine I knew nothing of clearences when I purchased him, he was cute! He passed from leukemia, something that clearences don't really help with. In my opinion it's the luck of the draw.......do we love them any less if we pay $1.00 or a million, nope! I paid $500.00 for Cooper, but he is priceless to me.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

> It's why I was raising my eyebrows about the cancer study questionnaire - there were so many pages that were focused on behavior (referring to dogs barking out the window at people passing the house as "aggression") - and yet there was nothing about the specific weight of the dog or health conditions that the dog may be dealing with. With people weight (being overweight) has a impact on a person's health. Same thing with people who drastically gain or lose weight. Stress is another thing that has an impact.


If you are referring to the Morris Animal Foundation, I believe you are mistaken as the actual physical exam does take into account the dog's weight and in addition the vet provides a medical history of the dog with each exam. In fact there was a whole section on the current health history of the dog's sire and dam. I don't want to see false information put out there. Please PM Nancy Kay Clark, here on the forum, if you don't believe me. She is involved heavily in this study and will verify everything I just posted.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

gmammad said:


> 14 years ago my sister in law each bought goldens, mine was $500.00 her's was $2000.00, her dog had to have hip and shoulder surgery, numberous skin problems, allergies etc, his parents both had all of the proper clearences, mine I knew nothing of clearences when I purchased him, he was cute! He passed from leukemia, something that clearences don't really help with. In my opinion it's the luck of the draw.......do we love them any less if we pay $1.00 or a million, nope! I paid $500.00 for Cooper, but he is priceless to me.


$2,000 14 years ago? Wow! That wasn't the going price when I purchased Cody back in 1999.


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## gmammad (May 31, 2013)

We thought she was crazy...!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Anne, I'll PM you - as opposed to going into a side topic here?


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## GPHusker (Mar 14, 2013)

Megora said:


> I don't mean this in a snotty way, please forgive if it does give offense... keep in mind my first golden was a backyard bred boy. Whatever he wasn't, we still thought he was the moon and the stars - still do.
> 
> But I went to obedience class last night. This was novice class with Bertie and then Open/Utility class with Jacks. There were two other trainers there with goldens - so over all there were 6 goldens between the two classes, including my two guys.
> 
> ...


I can relate. My first golden boy was from a BYB. The father happened to have parents who were obidience champions but no clearances that I ever saw on anything. The mother had nothing, just a nice pet. He was part of a litter of 15. At around age 8 I happened to be at my nephews football came and ran into the BYB. He asked me if my Jake was still alive. I thought this was odd he was asking this. I told him yes he was. He preceded to tell me all the other siblings were all gone. All had hip displaysia badly. Jake was wonderful. So energetic and such an athletic dog. Great temperment and was very healthy up until 12. He was one of the prettiest goldens I'd ever seen. Why he didn't end up with joint issues I have no clue. Sometimes its luck of the draw.


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## SunnyPuppy (Jul 26, 2013)

*Wealth Would Help, But Tax Returns Work Too*

Hi,

I just got my first Golden puppy (at least my first as an independent adult). When I was in high school, my mom got one that I considered mine, but I never had to worry about the associated expenses, so it was a very different experience from now. Fifteen years later, I am married and already have a 6-year-old German Shepherd and two 9-year-old cats, and money is tighter now than ever before in my adult life. 

However, I have wanted to get back the "light" that only a Golden can give for three or four years now, ever since about a year after my mom's Golden passed away. Financially, it was very challenging, but my husband and I both love dogs, and he knew how much a Golden would mean to me. My husband actually gave me my new puppy as a birthday gift for two years in a row, both last year and this year. Last year, he made the promise, but we just couldn't make the math work once we found out how much a puppy from my desired breeder would cost ($1,800), especially with our wedding on the horizon.

As a compromise, I offered to wait another year for the puppy, and the rather monumental gift could count for both the original birthday and the next, when I would actually be able to get her. He agreed, and immediately put 100% of his tax return from last year aside to use for the purchase. We came up with difference by really cutting back on spending for anything nonessential for several months before the purchase date, which ended up being a few months after my birthday because of the timing of the litter.

It was lean times, and it still is, really, because puppies aren't cheap to care for properly, but she is so worth it! I am so glad that I waited and was able to get the well-bred little lady that I wanted so badly. I recommend a similar method if you think it might work for your particular financial (and partnership) situation.

On the other hand, if your situation makes it so that you simply can't justify the high cost of a Golden puppy from a reputable breeder with all the right clearances, I would suggest you look into Golden Retriever rescues. They get some pretty incredible and young dogs over time, and the adoption cost is much less than a puppy purchase cost. Another benefit of a Golden rescue dog is that you will be able to learn so much more about the actual personality, habits, and tendencies of the dog you will be bringing into your home than you can by going to a breeder's house (kennel) and meeting a tiny puppy and its dam.

Good luck, whatever you decide to do!

Sincerely,
Amy


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

SunnyPuppy, that was a truly lovely post. It really sums up how you can save up for a dog when it's a high priority to do it right, and how you might explore alternatives to buying a full priced pup without funding BYBs and other unethical places to get a puppy.

For us, it was a new TV or a dog, and we lived with a crappy TV for an extra 18 months, but we had Comet instead. I never had a TV convince me to go for a hike or make me look good as a trainer, but Comet has done both and a thousand things more in our lives that a TV never did. I've never held my TV in both hands, kissed it on the forehead, and said "thanks for healing my heart." But Comet, a hobby-bred puppy with an impeccable clearance history, cost less than a flat screen and cable and does that on every bad day I have.

Jax does it too, of course, but we had more money when we got him, so we didn't have to budget every penny the way we did when we got Comet.


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## OnMyWay2MyDreams (Feb 13, 2011)

SunnyPuppy

Sounds like we did..tax return went mostly towards the dog! My hubby was on board with it and it worked out perfectly! If we hadnt had that option I would have certainly put away money every week/month for the purchase price. Sometimes to get what you really want you have to work for it. I am glad you did and now have a new pup to love. Its much better than eating out, going on vacations.. Of course some of that, for us, is also due to having kids..we are kid broke most of the time! Haha.


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

My dog was $550. But then he was sick all the time so I spent several hundred on vet visits the first 4 months of his life.

There's no guarantee a $1000+ dog won't get sick, either... so I say just buy the best you can afford and try not to support pet store puppies or bad back yard breeders.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I wonder if the OP is still on the forum. An update would be nice.


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## JoshNy (Feb 9, 2009)

Still here, waiting. Waiting and saving.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Great! Maybe a couple of lucky lotto tickets... lol


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## Joanne & Asia (Jul 23, 2007)

JoshNy said:


> Still here, waiting. Waiting and saving.


It will be worth the wait I promise


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## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

gmammad said:


> 14 years ago my sister in law each bought goldens, mine was $500.00 her's was $2000.00, her dog had to have hip and shoulder surgery, numberous skin problems, allergies etc, his parents both had all of the proper clearences, mine I knew nothing of clearences when I purchased him, he was cute! He passed from leukemia, something that clearences don't really help with. In my opinion it's the luck of the draw.......do we love them any less if we pay $1.00 or a million, nope! I paid $500.00 for Cooper, but he is priceless to me.


Well, I guess you just proved that we should avoid puppies with all the clearances!


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## Sirfoulhook (Dec 2, 2011)

JoshNy said:


> "Dear Breeder, Do you have any dogs with maybe 1 testicle or perhaps missing a toe or something? I am looking to save a buck."
> 
> Haha, that would be quite the email to send.


Well, you might want to rephrase it a little


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## ziggy3339 (Oct 31, 2012)

okay, you made me laugh out loud.


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## mike409 (Dec 23, 2007)

gmammad said:


> 14 years ago my sister in law each bought goldens, mine was $500.00 her's was $2000.00, her dog had to have hip and shoulder surgery, numberous skin problems, allergies etc, his parents both had all of the proper clearences, mine I knew nothing of clearences when I purchased him, he was cute! He passed from leukemia, something that clearences don't really help with. In my opinion it's the luck of the draw.......do we love them any less if we pay $1.00 or a million, nope! I paid $500.00 for Cooper, but he is priceless to me.




On that note, I paid $1200.00 for my Golden who had all clearances, etc.. He passed away from Lymphoma when he just turned eight years old.

My brother and his family were looking for a Border Collie. They saw an ad in a local newspaper selling Border Collie puppies. No documents whatsoever. He paid $250.00 and his collie is now 12 years old and never had one single health issue.

I don't care if you spent $250.00 or $3000.00, in the end it's a crap shoot.

My Golden passed over a year ago and I'm still looking for another


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## mike409 (Dec 23, 2007)

nolefan said:


> Lesser price... if you read what he wrote, it's obvious that's what he's talking about. He said it in the preceding sentence "When you look at the cost of a dog".....



Can I ask what breeder you got your puppy from? I've been looking for a while now in NC/SC/TN.

Thanks!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

My neighbor's got a male golden two years ago from a Breeder in SC. 

They got Breeder Referrals through the Golden Retriever Club of America. 

Have you used this?

GRCA-

http://grca.org/

Puppy Referral-

http://www.grca.org/allabout/puppyreferrals.html


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## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

mike409 said:


> On that note, I paid $1200.00 for my Golden who had all clearances, etc.. He passed away from Lymphoma when he just turned eight years old.
> 
> My brother and his family were looking for a Border Collie. They saw an ad in a local newspaper selling Border Collie puppies. No documents whatsoever. He paid $250.00 and his collie is now 12 years old and never had one single health issue.
> 
> ...


On the other hand...

I had a $2000 dog who died last year at age 12, but was a healthy, happy dog up until just a few hours before he died. He was playing ball with me just 12 hours before his death. Aside from annual checkups, he never needed a vet visit a day in his life until 3 weeks before his death.

I have a $500 dog I'm taking to the vet today...again. She has two bad hips and one bad elbow. Her ability to exercise without pain is vey limited. She has allergies. And now, at four years old, she has a lump on her hip area that is very suspicious, and she's going in for surgery to have it biopsied. At the least it is expensive, at worst it could be fatal.

There is always some element of uncertainty, but it is not a "crap shoot." While you can't predict with any particular given dog, it's a fact that well bred dogs are generally far healthier than poorly bred dogs.

That said, cancer is such a huge problem in the breed right now, and it seems to be very prevalent in some otherwise well-bred lines. Breeders are only now starting to really focus on it. So there are some amazing lines that produce perfect hips, elbows, eyes, hearts, thyroids, etc., that are rampant with cancer. I talked to one famous breeder who told me flat out, "If you get a puppy from me, understand that it will die of hemangiosarcoma." Yikes.


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## mike409 (Dec 23, 2007)

DanaRuns said:


> On the other hand...
> 
> I had a $2000 dog who died last year at age 12, but was a healthy, happy dog up until just a few hours before he died. He was playing ball with me just 12 hours before his death. Aside from annual checkups, he never needed a vet visit a day in his life until 3 weeks before his death.
> 
> ...



I'll stick my analogy of "crap shoot", with the only exception that if one has experience with a particular breeder from a past litter.

As a child, my family had a mixed breed shepherd/husky mix(Sheba). She lived for fourteen years. The only medical issue she had was a lump found on her belly, which turned out to be just fluid and was drained. My father had found her as a puppy, under a parked car.

That was my first dog in my life. My second dog was a pit bull/choc lab mix(Wilson). I found him starved, beaten and left for dead behind a construction site wall. Besides swallowing a rock:doh: and needing surgery for removal, he had no medical issues and passed away in his sleep at 12.5 years old.

Third dog in my life was my very first Golden(Jake). The first dog I ever purchased, in 2004, from Golden Creek Kennels. I think most of us know them on here by now:doh:. He was diagnosed early on with HD, eventually needing two surgeries. Then, at just over eight years old, we found two lumps on his throat, that turned out to be Lymphoma. The vet estimated he had four weeks to live, but barely made it two weeks. 

Fourth dog in my life was another pit bull/lab mix(Mason). Found him walking down the road one day. I stopped my car, opened the door and he jumped right in. Had some road rash, but the vet cleaned him up and he was fine. He and my Golden were like thick and thin, literally until the end.

So, even though you've had a $2000.00 dog with no issues and lived for 12 years. Now you have a $500.00 dog that has medical issues. I've had free rescued dogs that never had medical issues, other than the rock swallowing genius.

My point, again is, you could rescue a dog that has zero history or pay thousands for a dog with certs up the you know what and it's still a crap shoot, when it comes to health and longevity.

Disagree all you want. It is, what it is.

On that note, I'm still looking for another Golden:crossfing. Jake had changed my life in a way I couldn't really explain. Golden Retrievers are special dogs.


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## mike409 (Dec 23, 2007)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> My neighbor's got a male golden two years ago from a Breeder in SC.
> 
> They got Breeder Referrals through the Golden Retriever Club of America.
> 
> ...




Yes, thank you. I will be in contact with the breeder you messaged me about:crossfing


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

mike409 said:


> I'll stick my analogy of "crap shoot", with the only exception that if one has experience with a particular breeder from a past litter.


But even craps has odds! You place your bets according to where the money is most likely to pay off. So if the analogy is a crap shoot, you would pick a dog whose parents had clearances!



mike409 said:


> So, even though you've had a $2000.00 dog with no issues and lived for 12 years. Now you have a $500.00 dog that has medical issues. I've had free rescued dogs that never had medical issues, other than the rock swallowing genius.


I agree that anecdote is not evidence, but statistics certainly are, and the statistics are very clear on the way that clearances pay for themselves by making many common health issues less likely.



mike409 said:


> My point, again is, you could rescue a dog that has zero history or pay thousands for a dog with certs up the you know what and it's still a crap shoot, when it comes to health and longevity.
> 
> Disagree all you want. It is, what it is.


But you can shave the odds when it comes to health. Wouldn't you play craps with loaded dice if you could?


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## Baggio (Oct 18, 2013)

*Nope...pretty ordinary salary!*

We got Lucky on the lower end of the pricing range at ~$1000? 

But that was in 2005, I'm guessing prices have to adjust for inflation. Not to mention the emergence of things like pet insurance and increased costs of chew toys, new treats, and stuff like that. 

Should be affordable if you set aside $200 a month for a year-ish? Better yet if you're living on shared income?


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## ziggy3339 (Oct 31, 2012)

It took me 1 1/2 years to save. For what it's worth.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

The purchase price isnt the end. Think of all the money you spend each month for any person in uour household and expect to set aside a similar amount for a dog household member.
Vet bills, monthly heartworm and flea meds, boarding fees, toys, food, dog bed, grooming aids.....well at least you dont have to send them to college (but you will need to attend obedience classes)


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