Cost of puppy

[Durdledore]

Hi there,

We have been actively thinking about getting a dog for over two years now. We would love to get one now as the time feels right. We would like a puppy rather than an adult dog but we can’t afford the huge outlay of what we are finding online - £2000 ish even for a mixed breed.

Can anyone advise? We are looking at local rescues too of course.

@twistyizzy these are working dogs, as you say rightly. And yes, often only one or 2 out of a litter are actually kept to continue the working line. Some are sold on as working stock ...
But there is a huge difference between breeding functional dogs on a working farm (for example) and producing a litter for the pet market.

@coffeesaveslives 10k would still leave the breeder with a very small profit and wage well below nmw.
Puppy farms exist for a reason. Only by having loads of dogs and giving them minimal care, one can be profiteering from dog breeding.

I would also say that your dog will spend the next 12-15 years being a member of your household. Yet you want something that is cheap but still comes with a cretin quality attached?

'My desire to have a puppy for the cheapest price possible was more important than it potentially being a puppy farm puppy and the bitch being killed or dumped at the side of the road once her breeding days were over.'

I corrected your comment for you - honesty is the best policy 😉

10k would still leave the breeder with a very small profit and wage well below nmw.

But that's the point I was trying to make - most ethical breeders don't do it to earn or replace a wage - they generally do it to continue that specific line, or because they want a new puppy to work or show, with the others being sold to basically recoup their costs. They're not trying to earn NMW from what they do (unlike puppy farmers or dodgy breeders who are out to make as much money as they possibly can).

Nobody is going to convince me that breeders need to charge £2000 per puppy.

These are the going prices in NI- most dogs less than £500. I linked to a list. Even kennel club registered.

Not at all- I have another KC dog. I wasn't particularly looking for another one when the little Poochon popped up. He came from a family in a rural area and was very well looked after, as was his mum. He is a super little dog and we wouldn't be without him. Stop over thinking things. Yes there are puppy farms but lots of other people who maybe just want to let their dog have a litter before they are neutered.

Yes there are puppy farms but lots of other people who maybe just want to let their dog have a litter before they are neutered.

That’s not what responsible people do.

The more you say, the more horrified I am.

Most people who randomly breed their dog have no idea what they are doing. They end up seriously damaging their bitches and, in some cases, having to have them PTS because they wanted money. Because, at the end of the day, that's what's it's about. Money. As PP said, completely irresponsible.

Culture is very different in Ireland.

There is a reason why so many dogs in England have come from Ireland. The place is coming down with them.

That’s pretty spot on for a pedigree that is fully health tested and mum has had good care. My dogs breed is around 1.5 - 2.5 k for a well bred pup.

A healthy well bred pup whilst no guarantees will save you ££££s in the long run!

If you can’t afford it then you need to save or look at rescue. A lot of rescues now are charging £700 plus for adoption.

Stud dog fee for my dogs dad was £1k. He’s in demand because he produces fabulous pups and himself is the epitome of his breed both in health and temperament. Good earner for the owner. Thats say, half a pup. Vets fees, scans, health tests for mum and pups if appropriate (mine has had them), worming, food (bitches eat a lot!), chipping, vaccinations (£100 a pop where I am for puppy vaccs), bedding, cleaning, any vet care for issues etc etc. it soon mounts up. Most breeders who do so for good reason don’t make a profit.

Sure, but that still doesn't add up to 10k by any stretch of the imagination.

To be clear, I don't think there's anything wrong with a breeder wanting to make a profit from their pups, but they should at least be upfront about it lol.

Surely it should be about choosing the right breed for your lifestyle rather than buying X breed simply because it's cheaper than Y breed?

And if you can't afford to (or don't want to) pay the price for the right puppy, then you won't be able to afford to give it decent quality food or provide the veterinary care that it needs.

It shouldn't be about the money, it should be about finding a dog that will spend 10/12 or more years within your family.

Thanks everyone, the conversation is helping me to see the bigger picture on this.

@PyreneanAubrie it’s not a case of x being cheaper than y, it’s just the fact that all the puppies we see advertised are around the £1.5-3K mark and on here I see people saying it’s a rip off and I want to ensure that in saving up that much money, we’re not missing something obvious about where to buy them at a cheaper rate. But it seems, we’re looking on all the correct sites - Kennel Club, Champ Dogs etc - and that’s just the going rate nowadays.

We can afford it in the sense that we can save up, but we can’t afford to just splash that sort of money without saving and without careful consideration, so this thread is part of our consideration of what we’re doing.

Thanks to everyone who’s responded.

(1). £2,000 is insane for a mixed breed but a pretty standard going rate for a pedigree dog. (2) do not look on Gumtree, Jesus. These are often puppy farmed or backyard breeder dogs. (3).Decide on your breed or breeder first. Either will work, if it gets you a happy, confident puppy from known parents in good health and with good character.

Puppies are really expensive, though the outlay gets less as time goes on (until the dog gets older again I'm guessing). Do think about vet bills, insurance, food, beds and bedding, leads and collars and harnesses, toys, treatos, puppy sitters, day care, etc. etc. That's not to say don't go ahead - it's just that the initial outlay is not the end of it by any means and if it's squeaky bum time and you'll need some of the bigger spends like daycare you could be in the shit.

@Durdledore
I'm fully aware of what the cost is currently; we bought our puppy in May and she was three times what we had paid for our previous pup of the same breed, 11 years ago. So I realise it is a considered purchase. We're a low income household but we make other sacrifices in order to have a dog and care for it well.

Everything puppy related has gone through the roof in recent years - good quality kibbles have almost doubled in price since we had our last pup, insurance and vets bills are all much higher. And yes, it is crazy. But with regard to puppies, buying cheap will end up costing you more in the long run because you'll end up with a puppy farmed dog that could set you back thousands in both vets bills and behaviourists.

If you decide on a certain breed that you feel is right for you, I would suggest contacting the breed club and asking them for recommended breeders. Word of mouth is always the best way to find a good puppy from health tested parents, even if it means waiting months for the right litter, as we did.

It depends on the breed and the bloodlines. Merely having a pedigree and being KC registered means absolutely nothing. We bought a dog from Northern Ireland 25 years ago and she cost us more than that then.

There are many factors which go into how a litter is priced, it is far from a breeder wanting to "make a profit". As some have already said, good breeders breed to improve their lines not to make money. However, some breeders will price a litter at a price which will stop the buyers who want this breed at the cheapest price possible, the higher price of the litter will hopefully find the prospective owners who are interested in pups from health tested parents of good lines, with good dispositions etc.

If someone questions the price of a pup, they will not get one as if the price is an issue then so will be good insurance, good quality food and so on.

There are some breeders who will overprice pups but during covid there were plenty of people who were prepared to pay any price for dogs pedigrees and stupid designer cross breeds.

@Durdledore My advice get a shortlist of breeds you may be interested in, find out as much as you can via the RKC and breed clubs. Find a number of breeders, speak to them, visit them, if you find one you are happy with then go on their waiting list and be prepared to wait, it could be years until there is a litter available. Certain breeds will be higher priced than others you have to be prepared for that.

BTW @Durdledore The people on here who tell you the cost of a purebred dog is a rip-off are not, by and large, people that choose to buy a dog from a recommended breeder or a show kennel. They think that pet breeders are best and will tell you that as a matter of principle. There is a lot of reverse snobbery on MN with regard to pedigree dogs so you need to take some of it with a pinch of salt.

I'd have thought 1.5-2k is the going rate nowadays for a healthy well bred pup. We paid £1850 for a FTCH-FTCH working cocker spaniel in August this year and I expected to be charged more to be honest. I know prices went mad during covid and think they have come down a bit now.

Yes I am sure there are some that are more but if you are looking a nice family pet you can definitely get for £500 ish.

Not fully health tested pedigrees from a reputable breeder you cannot.

Anyone who wants a dog and the first thought is finding one at the cheapest price should have one imo.

Interestingly my £700 KC dog from a highly respected breeder has had far more vet trips and gives me more worry than my little gumtree crossbread at less than half the price.
I really think with dogs a lot of the time it is hit or Miss and you need to use a bit of common sense.

My fully health tested lab from a top breeder was £700 a couple of years ago. That’s the price here. Not thousands.

Nobody should be buying a pet of any kind from gumtree or similar sites.