To wonder why puppy prices are so high?

[popincandy]

I haven't brought a pet in a really long time. I used to have shih tzu's and they were around £450 about 15 years ago.. they had puppies and we sold them between £400-£500 which doesn't feel like it was that long ago maybe 6-7 years ago.. I would love to adopt but I have a young child and have never managed to find a dog deemed as suitable for a household with a young child.. I thought I would have a look at puppies for sale as I miss having a dog in the house and I am just completely shocked at how every dog breed is well over £1000 I looked at a lot of different breeds and most are even over £2000 the cheapest shih tzu puppies were £1500. Am I missing something? When did the prices go up so much? Maybe I'm being unreasonable to assume they wouldn't be this much but I just wasn't expecting the prices to be this high.

Covid. More demand means prices can be higher.

Some breeders have said they are putting them up to avoid people who are then likely to give up and rehome when they have to go to work, but in reality, many are trying to get as much money as they can.

It is ridiculous!

Lockdown demand has gone through the roof for puppies I think

Simple supply and demand, more demand the more they can charge.

Give it a few months and you'll have your pick of unwanted dogs at the local rehousing centre when the reality of dog ownership in the autumn and winter hits home and people realise that a rash dog purchase was a terrible idea!

It is Covid. Prices were much lower last year.

@YeahWhatevver won't make any difference if there's a million unwanted dogs in shelters - the OP won't be allowed to re-home any of them!! Therein lies the problem...

The prices definitely have gone up over lockdown but they'd gone up before that anyway. I bought a miniature schnauzer for £450 18 years ago. He lived till 14 and then after he died I looked for another and they'd gone up to £800-£1000. That was in 2016. I ended up going with a terrier breed and he was £850.

hopelessbusiness

Didn't realise having young kids was a no-no for being approved to take a dog.

Is it a policy everywhere?

Adopting is so hard. I don't meet the criteria. I have young children so that's a big no and most won't allow dogs out of their area. I have 2 chihuahuas and wanted to adopt an elderly one. I was told I was perfect if I didn't have my children

We bought a show cocker for £1000 two years ago and that was about average. My friend bought a working cocker around the same time for £500. Since lockdown started, prices have at least doubled.

My neighbour looked to buy a 13 month old dog by somebody who wanted to rehome theirs and they were charging over a £1k!!!

I guess a lot of people thought 'we've wanted a dog for a while, we'll be at home got the next few months anyway so it's a good time to train it and settle it in to our home'. Time will tell whether a lot of them will end up in shelters next year 🤷‍♀️.

Supply and demand. And most of these dogs will be from puppy farms. Article on it on the news this morning actually, how the puppy farming trade is expanding. And the fact is that people are still happy to buy these dogs, so the buyers are as much responsible for the trade as the sellers.

My personal view is that it should be illegal to profit from the sale of animals, and that way you would shut down the trade overnight.

As things currently stand I don’t think I could ever buy a puppy in all conscience, when its origins are likely to Be dubious.

Out of interest, what counts as "young children" when it comes getting a pet from a shelter? We want to get a rescue dog in a while, maybe next year, DD is 8.

Give it a few months and you'll have your pick of unwanted dogs at the local rehousing centre when the reality of dog ownership in the autumn and winter hits home and people realise that a rash dog purchase was a terrible idea

This. We have already had to start turning dogs away from the shelter I volunteer at.

Cockers have doubled in price

We've had a couple of threads on this recently -

To wonder when (if) the price of puppies will go back down ...
puppies-will-go-back-down

... Or is the price of puppies absolutely insane?? | Mumsnet
absolutely-insane

Sorry faulty links - corrected -

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3977087--Or-is-the-price-of-puppies-absolutely-insane

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3990022-To-wonder-when-if-the-price-of-puppies-will-go-back-down

I agree that it's boom time for puppy farmers. Please be very careful about who you buy from and include in your research how to spot a puppy farmer. They're getting better at hiding it.

I don't think young children are a complete no no for all the well known rescue charities, i just think they are very on the cautious side when matching dogs to homes.

Try a breed specific rescue, put the feelers out to friends that you're looking and to your vets and in Facebook groups. Maybe even put a card up in pet shops that you're looking to adopt an older dog.

Please don't buy animals unless from a good reputable source. Lots of dogs being stolen from Ireland at the moment and sold in the UK, all over social media owners are distraught. Dogs are being cut open to remove the chips, its awful.