Why Are Golden Retrievers So Expensive?

Reputable dog breeders invest immense effort and a ton of money into their job. The truth is that dog breeding is merely an expensive hobby than a profitable business.

Furthermore, not every puppy is the same, and the price is based on many variables, including a particular puppy’s bloodline, appearance, and training.

Buying and taking care of a dog isn’t cheap, and prospective owners must be aware of the expenses. But at the end of the day, the investment is worth the unconditional love golden retrievers give their owners.

Veterinary Expenses

Golden retriever price doesn’t seem as unreasonable when you consider the costs of raising a puppy litter. Veterinary care makes up a significant part of a breeder’s expenses.

First, a breeder must invest in veterinary care for the pregnant dog. An ultrasound, X-ray, or hormone test to confirm the pregnancy typically costs $74-$250.

If the dog gives birth naturally without any complications, the breeder may pay about $100 for medications and veterinary assistance.

However, if the dog has complications and needs surgery, the breeder may spend thousands of dollars.

Veterinary emergencies often happen when puppies are small. If the mother dog has stepped on a puppy, developed mastitis, or has trouble with lactation, the breeder must spend more money.

Typically, golden retrievers give birth to four to ten puppies, each of which must be dewormed and vaccinated. Deworming usually costs $240-$350, and vaccinations cost another $300-$500. Microchipping one puppy costs $50 on average.

Additionally, the breeder must make health clearances for the sire, dam, and all puppies. A veterinary health certificate can cost anywhere from $30 to $300, depending on the conducted tests.

Cost of Mating a Golden Retriever

A breeder’s expenses begin long before puppies are born. Many breeders don’t have own male dogs because they avoid inbreeding, so they must pay for stud services.

But before a breeder mates their dog with a stud, they must choose a worthy option. To do it, many breeders travel to different kennels, and travel doesn’t come cheap. Additionally, the breeder must conduct health checks for their female dog.

Stud services typically cost $1,000-$2,500, depending on the male dog’s quality. After mating, the breeder needs to make progesterone tests for the female dog, costing $275-$520.

Then, add the cost of gas to travel to the stud dog, hotels, and the wage lost due to taking time off work. Of course, some of these expenses can be avoided by finding a stud close to home, but it isn’t always possible.

Overall, most breeders pay over $5,000 solely for preliminaries, and if the breeding didn’t have an effect, they have to pay double to repeat it.

Bloodline

The bloodline drastically affects a purebred dog’s price. One may say that a pedigree is just a piece of paper, but it’s an important piece of paper that proves a particular dog’s quality.

The pedigree itself doesn’t cost much, and every licensed breeder can obtain one. However, what’s written in the pedigree can skyrocket a golden retriever puppy’s cost.

The more champions in a puppy’s lineage, the higher its price because attaining a champion title costs $5,500 on average. Furthermore, the puppy is likely to inherit traits that made its ancestors superior.

Some golden retriever bloodlines are more sought-after than others because of better health, temperament, and appearance.

Another point to consider is the initial price breeders pay for high-quality dogs. Simply put, the more expensive the sire and dam, the more their puppies will cost.

Typically, the price of golden retriever puppies from champion parents starts at $3,000 and can exceed $12,000 for show-quality puppies that have high odds of winning competitions.

Compliance With The Breed Standard

If you’ve visited kennels searching for a puppy, you may have noticed that many breeders price puppies from the same litter differently.

This may be confusing for inexperienced people since puppies from one litter have the same pedigrees and look similar.

The reason for such price difference is compliance with the breed standard. Every puppy has its flaws, but some better fit the description of a perfect golden retriever by the American Kennel Club.

Suppose one golden retriever puppy is nearly perfect but has a longish nose, and the other one has an extremely pale coat color and low-set ears. The first puppy will cost more than the second one because it has fewer flaws.

The better a dog complies with the breed standard, the more likely it is to win at dog shows and produce high-quality puppies.

Demand

Golden retrievers are among the most popular dog breeds in the U.S., according to American Kennel Club. The demand for golden retriever puppies is currently so high that breeders fail to meet it.

Since the demand exceeds the supply, golden retriever breeders can set higher prices on their puppies. That’s a basic law of economics in action.

Documents

A purebred puppy must have a pedigree, health certificate, and registration certificate.

A printed pedigree from the American Kennel Club costs $32, a health certificate anywhere from $30 to $300, and a registration certificate $12 per puppy, plus $25 for registering a litter.

So, the total cost of a puppy document package ranges from $99 to over $369, and the puppy’s price reflects these expenses.

Training

Most golden retriever puppies are ready to go to new homes at eight to 12 weeks old, an age too young for proper training. Still, many breeders invest in professional puppy socialization that costs $150 on average per puppy.

If you’re looking for an older, well-trained golden retriever puppy or a service dog, its price will include dog school fees. The cost of training a golden retriever puppy depends on its age, training program length, and learning objectives.

Group training costs $30 to $50 per class, while individual training sessions typically range from $45 to $120 per hour. The total cost of golden retriever puppy training can be anywhere from $200 to over $1,250.

Some breeders train their puppies themselves, which is cheaper than hiring a professional trainer. However, it’s time-consuming, and breeders must either take time off work or make breeding their primary income source, so it won’t be free.

Service dogs require special training and must be properly socialized, which takes time. Therefore, service golden retrievers cost more than regular puppies, typically $20,000-$25,000.

Other Costs Associated with Raising Puppies

The costs of raising a puppy litter aren’t limited to documents, veterinary services, and mating expenses. Breeders must also buy high-quality food for the mother dog and puppies, toys, towels, baby gates, and other miscellaneous necessities.

Unless the breeder works from home, they must take days off work, losing money. Puppies often damage furniture, chew cords, and ruin carpets while potty training, which leads to extra expenses.

Some costs associated with raising puppies aren’t that apparent, for example, increased utility bills due to constant puppy blanket washing or photographer fees to post appealing puppy pictures on the kennel’s website.

Many breeders also assemble puppy “going home” packets with food, toys, poop bags, and other essentials new dog parents need. The total cost of raising a puppy litter typically ranges from $2,200 to over $8,500.

Considering mating expenses, breeders must pay over $15,000 on average before they can sell puppies. If they have six puppies, $2,000 each, they won’t even recoup the expenses.

Marketing

Most of the time, the high price of golden retriever puppies is justified. However, some breeders are just talented salespeople. You may have come across advertisements of “rare white golden retrievers” or “exclusive platinum puppies” for $5,000 – that’s nothing more than marketing.

If the ad seems too salesy, you can suspect that the breeder is charging more than they should. Some breeders are trying to portray their dogs as exclusive and unique when they aren’t.

Why Are Some Golden Retriever Puppies Cheaper Than Average?

The average price of a golden retriever puppy exceeds $1,200. Saving a few hundred dollars on a puppy may be tempting, but if a breeder charges less than $700, you should ask them why.

The most common reason a puppy costs much cheaper than average is a lack of health checks or documents. Some breeders spare on the puppy document package, thinking that this way they can save money, set a lower price, and attract more buyers.

Sometimes, that’s just a flawed business model. However, often, a lack of documents and health checks indicates a deeper problem and has reasons different than savings.

The chances are that a breeder selling puppies without documents doesn’t have a registered kennel and can’t obtain the necessary certifications.

Some people breed golden retrievers with dogs of other breeds and sell puppies as “purebred golden retrievers.”

In other cases, breeders don’t provide prospective puppy owners with health certifications because their puppies carry genetic diseases.

However, sometimes, even reputable breeders set low prices on their puppies – usually if they have too many puppies and need to sell them quickly or if a puppy has a serious fault such as black marking.

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