It is no doubt that the Golden Retriever breed is one of the most popular in the world. Everyone wants to own one. Mind you, it does not come cheap. You should be ready to dig deep in your pocket if you want to own a golden retriever.
From getting a puppy to the cost of feeding, breeding, health costs etc, you really dig know, don’t you? Yes, it costs quite a lot of money to own these cute, loving creatures. So, let’s look at roughly how much you can spend on getting and owning a golden retriever.
How Much Can You Get Golden Retriever Puppy For?
Unless your breeder is not a quality one, you should expect to purchase a golden puppy for around $900 to $1300. Whooping, isn’t it? Indeed, quality puppies do cost around this much. You would spend more if you want to buy from a quality, popular breed.
Like any product, there are some poor-quality breeders and puppy mills where you can expect to spend less, but you may be in for a puppy bred from unhealthy parents as these puppy mill breeders rarely provide any health background on the puppies.
We recommend that you purchase your puppy from quality breeders who can give you a full background run on your puppy, from whom the parents are to their health statuses.
Why You Should Not Buy From A Puppy Mill
So many dog associations have expressed their discontent with puppy mills, primarily due to the unpleasant conditions in which they raise their puppies. Puppies just don’t get any love from these breeders.
They have only one goal; to make money, and as such engage in very unscrupulous breeding practices. The outcome of this is very unhealthy puppies with so many underlying health risks.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) listed some reasons you should not buy your puppy from a puppy mill;
There is constant, reckless breeding of female retrievers ongoing in these awful places. It is highly unhealthy to breed female dogs often and yet that is exactly what goes on in puppy mills, just for profit.
This exposes the female dogs to various health risks that are eventually passed down to the puppies. Thus, buying a puppy from puppy mills means extra health costs for you. Your puppy is even likely to die at a young age.
Also, there is no proper healthcare for dogs at puppy mills. Some do not have any vets at all, and dogs that suffer injuries and other health issues are mostly left for dead.
Now, because of the unpleasant living conditions in these places, infections and other diseases spread really fast among puppies, most of whom have a weak immune system, causing death. You might just buy a puppy that has been recently infected. A few months and you’re paying huge sums for healthcare. Your puppy might even die.
Then there is the issue of tiny, filthy cages in which dogs are kept in puppy mills. Most often, these cages are made of wire mesh and are of small spaces, yet harbour more dogs than usual.
These dogs usually suffer from lesions and sores but who cares right? They urinate, ease, sleep and produce litter in the same cage. How awful that is! Do not buy from puppy mills, pal. You’ll save yourself a lot of dog health issues.
What Factors Inform Puppy Prices?
- The quality of the breeder is one of the most important factors that affect puppy prices. Whereas low-quality breeders like puppy mills will breed just about any dog without recourse to their health status, quality breeders spend a few more dollars on health checks to make sure they breed quality puppies.
This will ultimately raise the price of the puppies, but it is absolutely worth it. While you will spend a few extra dollars to purchase from a quality breeder, you’ll save yourself from spending huge amounts on regular visits to the vet because your puppy keeps getting sick, which is what will happen if you buy from puppy mills or other low-quality breeders.
- Age is another factor that can influence a puppy’s price. Averagely, most breeders sell off their puppies when they’re eight weeks old. Everyone scrambles for these little angels around this time, and breeders tend to increase their prices.
Yet, if a breeder fails to sell many of his puppies until a later date, they decrease the prices to attract buyers. You can be strategic and wait to get your puppy when prices are down but mind you, you might not be so lucky to get any.
- Some breeders solely breed specific bloodlines and sell them for very high prices. For instance, a breeder can choose to breed only Show Golden Retrievers, who many people assume are the perfect type of golden retrievers.
Because of this, there is high demand for them as everyone wants to show them off at events, specifically dog shows. Mind you, even if you buy from a quality breeder, it doesn’t you the gold medal, but you’ve got a good chance at least. This increases the price of such breeds.
- Buying golden retrievers in the US during summer can be a bit more expensive, and that is why the location and time of the year also affects the price of puppies. Golden retrievers are generally limited in the US and during summer, everyone wants to be out there kicking it with their beautiful, lovely retriever friend.
Breeders tend to increase the price a bit more during this time, especially in rich neighbourhoods. The case may be different in some other low to middle-income places, even in summer. Try to get your retriever puppy in winter, and you might just be lucky.
What Are Some Other Costs I Should Be Ready For?
After you have purchased your new friend, it is time to get ready for the real deal; taking care of it, and requires a lot from you. It’s a whole new responsibility but with love, dedication and some dollars of course (*laughs*), you and your new friend will get along just fine. So, what would you be spending on?
First, you would need a crate for your new retriever friend. This should be big enough to contain him even when he grows. Crates with training dividers are recommended.
You will also need collars. You can choose to buy one that fits their current size and buy a bigger size when they grow, or you can buy a bigger size now, as they’ll eventually grow. The choice is all yours.
If you are a first-time puppy owner, you might want to consider some professional training for your dog. These come at an average rate of $100, usually for a 5-week course. Personal one-on-one training may cost extra.
If you’re sure you can train your dog by yourself, you wouldn’t need this, but know that your puppy will require training as soon as possible once you get them home.
One of the most important things you’ll spend on is food. Quality, balanced ingredients are important to facilitate the proper growth of your puppy. Averagely, a golden retriever eats just under 30 pounds a month, and the average amount you are looking at if you want high-quality food for your dog is between $65-$75 a month.
You should bear in mind that treats are an essential part of your dog’s life, especially after training sessions, and so you’re looking at around $30 a month on treats. These figures are not absolute but rather estimates.
The kind of life you want for your retriever will ultimately determine how much you’ll spend on food.
You should also be ready to spend on your dog’s health, as this aspect is quite crucial. Golden retrievers are considerably very healthy, yet, as with all dog breeds, have their own underlying health crisis.
Regular visits to the vet will save you a lot of money, as diagnoses are less expensive than operations. Thus, if health conditions are discovered early and treated, you can avoid operations.
Sign up your dog for insurance while they are still puppies because you will more coverage. Pet insurance companies do not cover pre-existing conditions. You can get insurance coverage for about $55 per month.
If you’re also considering sending your dog to a professional for grooming, you’re looking at spending around $70 on average and this includes bathing, brushing, trimming, nail clipping etc.
You can equally purchase the grooming items, so you do that yourself at home. Either way, you should be ready to spend a couple of bucks.
Lastly, you should consider travelling expenses when you require boarding for your dog. Averagely, boarding facilities cost between $30 to $90 per night depending on several factors including the size of your dog, the kennels’ amenities and the current demand.
Last Words
As you are now aware, buying and owning a golden retriever can be very costly but these lovely little ones are worth it. If you are up for it, we encourage you to go for it. But be ready to be dedicated to it in cash and kind.
According to Forbes, you can spend as much as $83,000 taking care of your golden retriever, particularly given how much some of their health treatments can cost.
Just know that once you commit to owning a golden retriever, you must budget for all these expenses, but you’re going to have a lot of fun with your new pal. They are just really amazing companions.
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