To think the price of dogs are likely to fall anytime soon?

[Cloglover]

Just before lock down we were going to get a puppy. Where we live you can get one of the 'popular' breeds for between £5-800. Fast forward to now, the prices seem to have quadrupled, with prices between £2-3k. I absolutely can not justify spending that amount of money. Do you think it's likely that prices will fall, or whether it will become the new norm and I just need to get over the hike in price? I don't want to get a rescue one as I have 2 young children and the only rescue dogs where we live seem to be bulldogs and frenchies and I'm after a cavachon type one.

So to meet the requirements of a rescue I'm to get rid of my other pets or get another dog. Impossible as I can't get a dog in the first place.

AND I give up my VERY part time job

It really isn't the answer to tell people to rescue.

I really hope so! There’s a horrific amount of dog theft going on right now in NI and ROI and a lot of speculation that it’s being done to feed the lockdown puppy trends. Family pets stolen to breed from and make profit, many seizures have happened of dogs (many pregnant or with young pups) being taken on the boat to GB. Horrendous for all involved especially the poor animals 💔

Yes OP, I think that prices will fall again. There will be an awful lot of people right now, who are looking at their dog and thinking that if they breed from her, they could easily make ten grand without all that much effort on their part. A lot more people will decide to breed from their dog, and it won't be all that long before there is what can only be described as a glut of puppies.

There will be more puppies available than there are people wanting to buy them at inflated prices.

Supply and demand will force the price back down again.

If you buy a puppy make sure it’s from a KC registered breeder as they have been reviewed to ensure they have good standards.

We have 3 cats and 2 kids (aged 8 and 6, so not toddlers). For the cats’ sake, if we get a dog it should be a puppy, not a rescue.

The puppy situation is crazy. There are hardly any reputable breeders on the Kennel Club website (in Scotland, anyway) and obviously those that are there don’t always have puppies. So most people look online. Then you have to try and spot puppy farms (well, depending on how much of a shit you give). It’s a minefield!

If you really wanted a rescue dog you'd be happy to meet the 'requirements' of the rescue

Totally agree! You need to find someone to adopt your small children and fence the garden.

Then you can have any rescue you like! Win win!

@BluebellsGreenbells

If you really wanted a rescue dog you'd be happy to meet the 'requirements' of the rescue

Totally agree! You need to find someone to adopt your small children and fence the garden.

Then you can have any rescue you like! Win win!

You realise many places won't even rehome to families with children?

So yes, I'll magically age my youngest 6 years so I can adopt a 9yo staffie

Do people not realise that making rescue dogs hard to adopt, along with the increasing cost of dogs, just makes puppy farms an even more lucrative prospect? So many people buy from them without even realising.

Just to say not all rescue centres are the same, we got ours from here after being knocked back from several other charities because we told the truth about our jobs. I grew up with dogs that were left at times without issue and knew we needed an older dog and it’s been fine. Plus they let us foster for 2 weeks 1st to check that it was going to work with our work
alldogsmatter.co.uk/rehome/meet-our-dogs/

I’m an experienced dog owner, both pure breeds and rescues, and yet dog rescue charities are completely putting me off trying to adopt a dog. The requirements are insane - no children, must never leave the dog ever, no cats, no loud noises, must let the dog piss on the floor, whatever. Who would possibly put up with that?

We are looking for a new dog, I don’t want to encourage puppy farms, I’m open minded on breeds, but what are the alternatives?

I am not getting a dog, I just don't want pets again.

My Cats and Dog were all rescue, but if I ever did get a dog again it would not be a rescue, I loved my dog but I inherited someone else's mistakes, and they could not be rectified. We ended up only being able to walk the dog very early and very late. People always chime in about rescues, but I would much prefer my own dog and get all the proper training and behaviour stuff in at the right time. I see people who have dogs from puppies and they have a wonderful life/experince with them when its done right.

@Yellownotblue

I’m an experienced dog owner, both pure breeds and rescues, and yet dog rescue charities are completely putting me off trying to adopt a dog. The requirements are insane - no children, must never leave the dog ever, no cats, no loud noises, must let the dog piss on the floor, whatever. Who would possibly put up with that?

We are looking for a new dog, I don’t want to encourage puppy farms, I’m open minded on breeds, but what are the alternatives?

My rescue peed on the floor every time I went out for about 12 years, even if it was for a short time, sometimes poo to. It was relentless and depressing. But in the house and family wise she was a lovely dog, we just missed out on the outside fun that you see other dog owners having.

@bbq1 - what rubbish. Should I give up my kids for adoption so we meet rescue requirements? Or should I just buy a puppy who is great family pet.

Thanks for all your replies and insights. I think we will hold off for a while and hopefully prices will go back to normal.

SomeHalfHumanCreatureThing

I think you’ve missed Bluebells sarcasm here!

I guess less opportunity in lockdown for owners to meet up for a mating session for their dogs* = fewer puppies = price rise?

*not a dog owner, imagining this is what people do (dogs do?!)

How do you find a reputable breeder?

Start with the Kennel Club www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/findapuppy/?utm_source=kc-website&utm_medium=carousel&utm_campaign=findapuppy

I guess less opportunity in lockdown for owners to meet up for a mating session for their dogs = fewer puppies = price rise?

not a dog owner, imagining this is what people do (dogs do?!)
There was a man from an animal welfare charity saying a lot of reputable dog breeders are giving up because all dog breeders have been given such a bad name and they've found people are telling people not to buy from them(this is in Ireland where we're now in the horrible state of dogs being robbed everywhere). So he said weirdly there's just not enough dogs to service demand, that there's the lowest amount of dogs out there and 1) irreputable people are putting prices up and 2) people are going to pounds etc and taking on dogs they're not able for

Prices are crazy atm - someone is selling a cockapoo x chihuahua (??!!) for £3000 on Gumtree atm (I would never buy from Gumtree, I just like to nose and become incredulous).

Definitely wait until next year, and find a decent breeder with a waiting list.

Just yesterday my DS enquired about buying a pug puppy - they were £3000 each. Then there is vet insurance which is also expensive.

I am someone who has bought a puppy recently.
I changed jobs earlier this year which meant we could finally have a much-wanted job. Before that I was commuting long days M-F. My new job is done 80% from home (100% atm). Dh works from home 2-3 days per week. So there may be one day a fortnight that we are both out of the house, and we can use day care to cover.

I would have happily had a rescue dog but we have two cats and that makes it almost impossible to adopt. It would not be fair on our cats or on the dog if s/he didn't get on with them.

We eventually went to a registered and licensed breeder, saw the set up, saw pups with mum and were happy. Yes we paid what some might say is a ridiculous price - but it was less than the summer holiday we had had cancelled because of Covid. To my mind, dogs shouldnt be cheap - they are an investment of time and money but so rewarding.

much wanted dog not job!

I am hoping they fall. My husband has retired so we planned to get one but no way am I paying theses prices. We are also going to look at rescues next year as I imagine they will be inundated with impulse buy pups

We live rurally so miles of field to run in, big garden someone at home all the time. It's a good set up for a dog. Primary school aged children plus a cat meant there was nothing suitable in the rescue places.

Bought a Labrador puppy in the end from a reputable breeder. It's often really hard to find a rescue dog suitable for a family.

The list of requirements for a rescue dog is very long and I am wondering if we would be able to get one anyway, we meet most of the criteria apart from being experienced dog owners having not had a dog before because we were both working most days of the week. My only experience of dog ownership is that my family always had dogs when I was young.