How much was a puppy pre-lockdown? Will the inflated prices ever reverse?

[thelastallosaurus]

I am wondering what people paid before March 2020 for a labrador puppy?

I'm looking to buy a black labrador from strong working lines and am being quoted prices about £2500+. I was under the impression that even champion line pups didn't sell for more than £1000 or so? I bought a springer puppy 15 years ago for £350!

Do you think the prices will ever go down? Should I wait (am keen to not be dogless for too long). While breeders could drop their prices again I am wondering if they will now all stick at something above £1000 as 'everyone elses charges that now,' so even if the demand drops the average price of a puppy remains inflated due to a lack of competition from other breeders. Responsible ones arguably should drop prices back to pre pandemic as the high prices would encourage those who want to profit rather than create stable dogs surely?

Also I keep reading that the UK has had a puppy supply shortage for some time hence the years long waiting lists, is this true or nonsense? I was hoping to get a decent pick of the litter as I intend to work my dog. Again surely the popularity of certain breeds waxes and wanes and it can't possibly be the case that before covid people were snapping up pug's say because it is the only dog left on the shelf and/or buying in from Romania?

Finally if anybody knows of any working lab breeders with some champion blood in them that I could go on the waiting list for that aren't charging pandemic prices that would be also helpful as there do not seem to be any locally to me (but maybe the high price is normal and reasonable? I don't know!)

We paid £1200 2 years ago for our Golden Retriever/Poodle mix. Yes a ridiculous price but definitely not a puppy farm, as the litter still meet up from time to time and the seller only allowed her dog to have two litters.

Now they are going for £3500 . We joke that we'd get £5000 for a fully grown, well natured boy like rookiedog but of course we'd never sell him.

As others have said while people are continuing to pay high prices there's unlikely to be a fall .
Got my adorable Labrador Whippet cross 11 years ago for @£150-200 I think . Did meet the parents and siblings .I'd go for a rescue dog next if I could get one ( will need to live with cats but current hound ok ) either from a breed rescue or a centre .
Good luck .

Very sad story on FB where someone had agreed to buy a puppy the DCs had met said puppy, but then breeder pulled out on spurious reasons because she could sell him for £1000 than had been agreed.

I paid 800 for my spaniel 2.5 years ago. He was well looked after by the breeder and we saw him and mum many times in the breeders home before getting him, but I have a feeling he wasnt a completely legitimate breeder. His papers never arrived and the breeder never registered his chip. I really didnt care if he wasnt thoroughbred though. I just wanted a dog of any make or model. Coming from Ireland where you just get a mongrel pup from the farmer down the road whose dog happened to have a litter, the idea of spending 1000+ on a dog makes me feel sick, but it seems the norm now.

our KC registered black lab, with good lines, was £550 7 years ago.

£2.5k is just ridiculous. While I understand it is supply and demand that is driving the prices up I personally would wait as it would stick in my throat to pay that kind of money.

My parents black working labrador was £800 in March/April

Have you looked on Champdogs? It seems to me that a reasonable number of breeders there are still selling at roughly pre Covid prices. There's a few prices at 2k and more but I think you'll be more likely to find what you want both in terms of working lines and price there.

@CovidNightmare

our KC registered black lab, with good lines, was £550 7 years ago.

£2.5k is just ridiculous. While I understand it is supply and demand that is driving the prices up I personally would wait as it would stick in my throat to pay that kind of money.

This is the thing. I don't know why cockapoos at ££££'s are being advertised on Facebook locally because we don't live in a particularly affluent area. I doubt many people who see the advert can afford a few £££ for a dog, let alone a couple of grand.

The advert just screamed puppy mill and greed to me.

MJMG2015

I know a breeder and they haven't put their prices up at all. They aren't even a grand.

There seems to be a lot of scoffing at mongrels on here like they aren't worth much. It's personal preference. I understand there are plenty of people who prefer pedigree dogs. I like a scruffy mutt with character. I wouldn't pay for a pedigree because I don't want one. I would pay for a mongrel.

As for rescue dogs, they are incredibly difficult to get where I am as there are very few of them and many people wanting them. Here you are lucky to get a dog from a rehoming centre. You aren't saving it from anything other than the next person on the very long list of people applying for it. This may not be the case everywhere but with the current demand for dogs across the UK it is quite likely a common problem for people trying to get a dog.

I bought our Cairn terrier 4 years ago for £450, parents KC registered but pup pedigree pet registered, a quick Google suggests they've doubled but not necessarily registered. We only got a pup because dc were very young, if I was getting another dog when the dc are older I'd definitely go down the rescue route, all my previous dogs have been rescued.

My Cocker Collie cross was free in March 2018. Goodness only knows what I'd have to pay if I wanted to buy him now.
The horse market has gone bonkers too. I saw a very ordinary 14hh cob advertised for £7k last week. I'm looking for a new horse for Dd2,but won't pay crazy prices. I think once the winter sets in,and the reality of getting up in the cold wet dark to muck out before work,then going back in the dark after work,combined with high hay and straw prices hit,then things will calm down.

Just looked. People are advertising Dalmatian pups at £2.5-£3k. I paid £800 last year.

Mind you that's from a website, not somewhere I'd look. I don't know what current good breeders are advertising at.

We paid £350 for our cocker terrier cross. That was a year ago.

I paid 650 12 years ago for a registered Lhasa apso. I also paid just £500 for a Pomeranian as he'd been returned from first home

I am in the market for a new puppy but absolutely will not be paying these prices, not because I can't afford to buy because I refuse to be a part of the bandwagon
My next dog will be from a rescue as I refuse to line the pockets of greedy breeders