How Much Are Golden Retriever Puppies?

A high cost isn’t always a guarantee of high quality. Sometimes, there’s simply no reason to overpay for traits that aren’t important to you.

However, there’s always a reason a puppy’s price is unusually low, be it a lack of health clearances, documents, poor socialization, or appearance faults. Often, people end up paying more in the long term after saving on the puppy.

On average, you can expect to pay $1,200 for a decent pet-quality puppy, $3,000 for a show-quality puppy, and $2,000 for a field golden retriever.

What Do Golden Retriever Owners Say?

Before we dive into a breakdown of factors affecting puppy cost, you may wonder how much actual golden retriever owners have paid for their dogs. According to a survey of 600 dog owners, nearly 40% paid $1,000-$1,999.

Slightly over $1,000 seems an optimal price for a golden retriever puppy with a complete document package and health clearances. Almost 30% paid under $1,000, which is a reasonable price for a pet-quality puppy.

However, you should be concerned if a breeder sells golden retriever puppies for under $600 because they might be saving on health clearances and other documents or breeding dogs illegally.

Almost 25% of participants answered that they paid between $2,000 and $2,999, a reasonable price for a show-quality golden retriever puppy or one with champion lineage.

You can also expect to pay such a price for an average puppy of a rare color. Under 6% of participants paid $3,000-$3,9999 for their dogs, and only 2.5% have spent over $4,000.

You can expect a true champion with sought-after lineage for over $4,000. Like with most things, you get what you pay for when it comes to golden retriever puppies.

However, many people get rescue golden retrievers for under $500 and are perfectly happy with them. It’s merely about what you’re looking for in the dog.

Color

Puppy color is one of the factors affecting golden retriever puppy price. The American golden retriever standard allows all shades from cream to darkest gold but favors lustrous mid-gold tones.

The better a puppy complies with the standard, the more it costs, so you can expect to pay more for a medium gold puppy than a dark one.

Although the American standard says that pale body color is undesirable, cream golden retrievers tend to be expensive. Firstly, they are rare because most cream golden retrievers have English heritage.

Secondly, some breeders call cream goldens “rare white golden retrievers” or “exclusive platinum golden retrievers” as a marketing strategy to raise the cost.

Many cream golden retrievers cost over $2,000, whereas dark golden of similar quality might cost $1,000.

The rarest golden retriever color is red and its shades. The American breed standard doesn’t recognize red as an official color for show-quality dogs, and neither does the English or Canadian standard.

However, many people adore the rich mahogany shade of red goldens and are willing to pay extra for such a rare dog. Because of their relative scarcity and high demand, red field golden retrievers can cost over $3,000.

Breeder’s Reputation

Reputable, experienced, renowned breeders charge more than newbies because their dogs are of better quality and tend to be healthier.

For example, a newbie may not be familiar with potential genetic problems and not test the sire and dam for inherited conditions. Plus, learning which puppy best complies with the breed standard takes practice.

Some golden retriever breeders are known worldwide and have buyers waiting to get a puppy for years. Such breeders can raise the bar above $4,000 for a puppy simply because of their kennel’s name in the pedigree.

Plus, experienced breeders are usually meticulous with puppy training and socialization. They want to ensure the puppies react adequately to other dogs, people, noises, and unfamiliar environments.

Buying from an inexperienced breeder isn’t necessarily a bad idea – everyone was once a beginner. However, a reputable kennel guarantees good health and compliance with the breed standard.

Even if you don’t have the money to buy from the best of the best, you can ask them for a referral.

Appearance

You might have noticed that puppies from the same litter often differ in price. The primary reason for this is the look. The better a puppy fits the breed description, the higher its odds to win at shows, and the higher its cost.

The differences aren’t always apparent to people inexperienced with dogs. Sometimes, it’s all about slightly better-set ears, a more arched skull, or a fuzzier coat. Such points don’t make a difference for a pet dog but are critical for show dogs.

There’s no reason to overpay if you believe each dog is beautiful (which is true!) and don’t plan on participating in dog shows. You can get a decent, healthy golden retriever puppy for $1,000.

However, if you are ambitious and want to participate in sporting events, be prepared to spend at least $2,000. Even a seemingly tiny deviation from the standard can hinder a dog’s success because it will compete with the best of the best.

Some puppies cost well above average because they have appearance flaws that don’t affect their health but are highly undesirable. Some drawbacks warrant an instant disqualification from participation in shows.

For instance, white or black markings on the coat are considered severe faults. Such puppies might cost under $800. Severe deviation from the standard height is also a drawback and can affect the puppy’s price.

Although extremely light or dark colors aren’t severe faults, they are undesirable and might affect the cost. An undershot or overshot bite is a common reason for a puppy being cheaper than littermates.

Lineage

Golden retriever puppies with champion bloodlines always cost more than ones without champions in their pedigree, even if the puppies are average.

Firstly, behind every victory at a dog show stand years of hard work and a lot of money spent on grooming, training, and mating with the best dogs that are sometimes brought from overseas.

Secondly, a puppy is likely to inherit the traits that made its ancestors excel. Thirdly, some breeders search for puppies with particular lines for their breeding program because they have better health or specific appearance traits.

Location

The breeder’s location can also affect the golden retriever puppy price. Generally, prices are higher in states with a higher cost of living, which is understandable.

The puppy cost might also be higher in states with higher demand for golden retrievers because breeders in such areas don’t lack clients. In contrast, puppies in states with a lower demand tend to cost less.

Plus, some American states enforce breeding licenses that cost extra to obtain. These include Colorado, Minnesota, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas.

Golden retriever puppy prices overseas are often lower because of a lower cost of living or demand. However, transporting a puppy from abroad is often extremely expensive.

Documents

Every responsible breeder provides a complete document package to the puppy owners upon sale. The puppy document package should include registration papers, health clearances, proof of vaccination, pedigree, and contract of sale.

Some breeders sell golden retriever puppies for under $600 without any documents, insisting they are a waste of money and their puppies are otherwise no different from those costing over $1,000.

However, the documents aren’t that expensive. Registration papers and pedigree cost about $35, so they cannot make a $500 difference. Most likely, such breeders neglect veterinary care or aren’t registered as an official kennel.

Health

Veterinary care in the U.S. is expensive, so it’s no wonder puppies with a health checkup cost more. However, it’s always worth the extra money because one might end up paying more for a sick puppy without health clearances.

A physical exam costs $50-$100, two rounds of vaccinations about $350, and heartworm preventatives another $140. The overall cost of veterinary expenses often exceeds $500 per puppy.

Additionally, breeders must conduct health testing for the sire and dam. Reputable breeders also invest money in high-quality food and grooming.

Some puppies are born with inherited health conditions – this can happen at any kennel. Breeders have to set lower prices to find such puppies a loving home. Still, the initial savings usually aren’t worth it.

Type

There are several golden retriever types – American, English, Canadian, show, and field. American golden retrievers are the most widespread in the U.S. and are averagely priced.

English golden retrievers are rarer and in high demand as family dogs, so they tend to cost more if other factors are equal.

Field golden retrievers often cost over $2,000, although they have low odds of winning in a competition with a show-type golden.

Usually, field golden retrievers are bred by people who understand the traits that make a good hunting dog and invest their time in training. Some field golden retrievers also have ancestors who performed well at sporting events.

Sources