# Is cost of a Golden Puppy a Red Flag?



## lea Noel (Jan 14, 2009)

So seeing as I can't go on my last experience, what is an average price to pay for Golden puppy? And is anything that varies greatly from that a red flag?

Is there like a standard price? It seems to be that in Canada, I am seeing some around the $1200 mark, but some as much as $2000, others as low as $500 - $700.......

Sorry for all the questions, just want to get it right........this time....


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## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

I guess it all depends on your area. We paid $650 for our pup with all health clearances and AKC paperwork, which is sort of mid-range price for a Golden puppy in our area. I have seen breeders in our area listing puppies for as high as $1200. I would contact breeders and ask if they offer health clearances on both parents (with proof of the clearances) and maybe even try to get references from people who have previously bought puppies from the breeder if at all possible.


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## AmberDawn (Dec 26, 2008)

I believe it may depend on what sort of Golden you're looking for. For example show quality goldens often cost more than pet quality Goldens. Breeder quality also often cost more. Someone please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong! I've only ever had pet quality!
On the other hand rescued Goldens which are often purebred can be found at very reasonable prices.
I also believe the cost can sometimes reflect the clearances a dog may have as some of the testing can be pricey and this may be reflected in the price. Price can also vary a lot by the provinces I am finding. 
Do keep in mind that it's ok to have a limit on the amount you are prepared to spend because heaven knows the cost of a dog is no indicator to how much love and happiness he/she will bring!
Mine is actually a relenquish (sp?)by a family and I adore him to me he's priceless, but I paid what I felt to be absolutely reasonable for a purebred pet quality Golden Retriever of seven months of age at the time.
Perhaps the key is to find a breeder you feel comfortable with that meets the criteria of being a good breeder. eg. will they let you see mom/dad? will they let you visit the pups? do they get clearances? etc. etc.
I hope this helps you even just a bit.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

There are several canadian breeders here on the forum. Hopefully they will reply.


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

Depends a lot on the area you are in. Around here a decent pup from a decent Breeder is between $800 - $1200 but I can only speak for myself for prices.


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## Kohanagold (Nov 5, 2008)

I think it certainly can be. I know, myself, I would shy away from a breeder that charges in the 500-700 range. What would make me suspicious with that is that clearances are rather expensive, and I would suspect that puppies in that price range are from parents without clearances (BYB's). For me, no clearances = no deal! 

I dont know across the board, but most good breeders I know charge in the 1000-1200 range. Some slightly less, some slightly more, and some a lot more. But generally speaking, I think bottom dollar for a good breeder is 800. But I think you'd expect to pay around 1000. 

The breeders that I know also dont have separate prices for show or pet puppies. They state in their contract that they sell all puppies as pets and if the dog turns out to be show quality, yay for you! Not exactly written like that, but basically, they cant guarantee that the dog wont become too tall, be too short, etc. Selling a puppy as a "show prospect" can be one of those fuzzy areas. That said, if you're interested in showing, they will certainly do their best to find the dog with the right conformation and attitude to do well. A truly good breeder doesn't breed with the intent of creating all "pet quality" puppies, but its extremely rare to get an entire litter of show puppies. There tends to be "pet quality" puppies in every litter, but I wouldn't expect to get one for a "bargain price". 

I know that's a pretty ambiguous answer to your question so I hope that helps. BJ


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## lea Noel (Jan 14, 2009)

Yup that totally helps.....like I said, it does seem to vary, but the average in BC that I can find is like you said Kohana $1000-1200.

Thanks guys!


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## avincent52 (Jul 23, 2008)

I think there's a fuzzy relationship between price and breeder quality. 

First off, price does vary a lot by region. Around here--metro NY/NJ/CT--$1,200 would be a pretty low price and you could easily spend $2,000 or more on a dog. 

One GRFer said she paid $1,200 for a pet store dog. We've seen some very expensive pups ($3,000+) with rather big questions marks (i.e. most of us wouldn't buy the pup at any price.)

So while I'd wonder about a $500 dog, I don't think you can infer much from price alone.

best
Allen


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

Excellent point Allen. Many puppy buyers from the NY/NJ Metro come to Maryland due to the price difference.


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## MurphyTeller (Sep 28, 2008)

jwemt81 said:


> I guess it all depends on your area. We paid $650 for our pup with all health clearances and AKC paperwork, which is sort of mid-range price for a Golden puppy in our area. I have seen breeders in our area listing puppies for as high as $1200.


That $650 is low - I don't know any reputable breeders in New England charging under $1000-1200 for a pet puppy...I'm not implying that your breeder wasn't reputable - I have no idea who it was (and it doesn't matter for the purposes of discussion)...There are a few what I would call "holiday newspaper" breeders in Vermont who are in the $400-1000 range - no clearances anywhere in the pedigree. My advice would be to contact the GRCC (You're in Canada right?) and talk to your local puppy referral coordinator.

Erica


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## avincent52 (Jul 23, 2008)

vrocco1 said:


> Excellent point Allen. Many puppy buyers from the NY/NJ Metro come to Maryland due to the price difference.


We got our dog from a breeder in upstate NY and paid somewhat less than the going rate here in NJ, but the real reason was that we were very comfortable with the breeder and Tessie's five-generation pedigree was impeccable in terms of conformation, longevity, and clearances. 

The other thing to remember is that the initial purchase price is a drop in the proverbial bucket compared to the ongoing costs of dog ownership. A $700 dog costs you 13 cents a day, while a $2,000 dog cost 36 cents a day. The difference is less than a quarter a day over the life of the dog. That won't even buy you a handful of grocery store kibble. 

And of course the four figure cost of a hip surgery or thyroid medication or a doggie behaviorist can turn a "bargain" dog into anything but.

Here's the most graphic example of this. When Tessie arrived, we got a couple of gates intstalled on our already fenced-in yard, and had all the work done by a friend. The fence supplies and two days work on his part still cost more than we paid for Tessie. 

In short, you'll forget what you paid for a happy, healthy dog in 30 seconds after you see her. And if your dog is unhealthy or ill-tempered, it won't matter how big a bargain you got. 

Allen


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## lea Noel (Jan 14, 2009)

_In short, you'll forget what you paid for a happy, healthy dog in 30 seconds after you see her. And if your dog is unhealthy or ill-tempered, it won't matter how big a bargain you got

_Yes, thanks, I wasn't for a minute thinking of looking for a bargain though, just that there seems to be so many variables, that I don't want to pay to little and get an unhealthy puppy, or pay to much and get ripped off either. 

It is all so much to navigate! Thanks for everyones input!


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## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

The $650 is actually pretty average here in Maine, at least in our area. We were given the paperwork with proof of both parent's health clearances as well as the contact info for the vets of both the sire and dam in case we had any questions or wanted to verify anything, so we were happy with that. Both parents are also listed on K9 data. I have seen a few breeders list for a lot more, but we weren't looking for a show quality Golden or anything of that sort, just a family pet.


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## Heidi36oh (Feb 27, 2007)

The average cost here in our area is $ 700, at the pet stores you will pay up to $1200.


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## lea Noel (Jan 14, 2009)

Gosh! Goldens seem to be so much cheaper in the U.S Here in Canada, it seems pretty standard to be around the $1200 mark. Amazing how much it varies!


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## buckeyegoldenmom (Oct 5, 2008)

I also think it all depends on the breeders you check in your area. I live in the same area as Claudia (central Ohio)....but the 4 breeders I checked ranged between $950 and $1200. That was over the last 6 months.


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## Zoeys mom (Apr 26, 2008)

The average price here is $1000 to $1200.


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## NuttinButGoldens (Jan 10, 2009)

During my research in VA/MD in January, I came up with anywhere from $850 to $1900.

I think you have to compare the price to not only the quality of the dog, but the quality of the breeder. I'll give two examples...

High Price + Breeder with MANY litters at once + Full AKC Registration = Run like hell.

Moderate Price + Quality, renowned breeder with limited litters during a year + Limited AKC Registration = Buy that Puppy!

In the first case, you would probably be dealing with a high-volume breeder that cares more about the money than the dog.

In the second case you are dealing with a breeder that has the quality of the dog as their primary concern, and that they go to a good home.

I hate generalizing, but this is how things shaped up during my research.

There ARE quality breeders with higher prices. That is to be expected.

I have to say in honesty I am a little bit on the fence about this whole limited AKC registration thing. I never heard of this until this time around, and there are things I like about it, and things I don't. I'll just leave it at that


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## bert (Aug 11, 2008)

Go see the pups, parents, and facilities, low cost doesn't necessarily mean low quality. My pup was $300 and he is perfect.


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## arcane (Sep 18, 2007)

I have tried to keep my pricing "pet puppy" friendly  charging what I feel is a fair $ amount to cover my expenses. In reality everything has risen ( vets,gas,stud services, household expenses...everything but our salaries!!!) I raised my price by $100 for the first time in many yrs...my pet puppies are $1000...show puppies $1200.00 - with either a puppy back (bitch) or service back (dog) I am in Eastern Ont Canada


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## bb'smom (Jan 3, 2009)

*Prices for Goldens*

We paid $1600 for our Bailey almost 7 years ago-from a breeder in NJ.

Worth every nickle too!

Gerrianne


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