Is it possible to find a miniature poodle from a breeder of merit for less than 3000$? We are on the west coast of canada, but there are very few breeders here, so we are looking at the USA. We want a super responsible breeder, but the cost seems to be $3000 from those breeders I have reached out to. For us in Canada, that's 4,000$. Plus we would have to pay hundreds of dollars to have puppy transported across border by a commercial pet carrier because the border is closed to non essential workers, as well as import fees. (So now suddenly we are close to 5,000$ for a non breeding companion pup 😲). How important is it to purchase from a breeder of merit? I want to support responsible breeders only and I am willing to pay a decent amount, but this cost seems excessive to me. Thoughts? Thank you.
Are pups really this expensive?
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We almost purchased a gorgeous little minipoo puppy last summer, from an excellent breeder, and I believe the price was $2,000 (USD, Washington State).
Some breeders seem to be responding to the covid puppy rush with inflated prices, but I would consider that a bit of a red flag.
Some breeders seem to be responding to the covid puppy rush with inflated prices, but I would consider that a bit of a red flag.
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$3000 and above would be reasonable for a full registration for a show/breeding prospect. $1800-$2800, depending on the region and the breeder, is the range I would expect for a pet. I'm in an expensive part of the country; I certainly didn't pay $3k for my boy earlier this year.
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There is a difference between $3000 CAD and $3000 USD though isn't there? Are you converting? When I convert 3k CAD it it's only $2200 USD which is entirely reasonable for pups in the U.S., but $3k USD is definitely on the high end of the range. In the U.S., well bred, fully health tested minis with titled parents are typically $2k-3k. It will differ a bit based on the particular breeder's program and where they are in the U.S.
We just want a healthy companion pup.
Yes, it's, 3000 USD which covers to 4,000 Canadian dollars. She's an amazing breeder, and a breeder of merit. I'm sure sure her pups are awesome. But I just don't think we can pay 5,000$ for a companion pup. I guess she's just at the highest end of normal.
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Yes that is high but not high enough to be abnormal. The average is $2.5k but with the current puppy shortage all the breeders have significant waitlists.
I would personally rather wait than compromise and buy from a lower quality breeder.
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Don't ask people on a Poodle web site who are obsessed with Poodles!
We'd sell our own children down the river for just the right puppy!
Ask your friends who don't have purebred dogs what they believe is a reasonable price to pay for a purebred that you only want for a pet.
If they roll on the floor laughing when you say, $3000 American - listen to them.
We'd sell our own children down the river for just the right puppy!
Ask your friends who don't have purebred dogs what they believe is a reasonable price to pay for a purebred that you only want for a pet.
If they roll on the floor laughing when you say, $3000 American - listen to them.
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There is a saying that goes "Pay the breeder or pay the vet."Don't ask people on a Poodle web site who are obsessed with Poodles!
We'd sell our own children down the river for just the right puppy!
Ask your friends who don't have purebred dogs what they believe is a reasonable price to pay for a purebred that you only want for a pet.
If they roll on the floor laughing when you say, $3000 American - listen to them.
Low priced dogs are priced low because the people who breed them often...
- Aren't health testing the parents
- Breed their female with whatever male happens to be nearest/cheapest
- Don't guarantee their puppies health
- Don't commit to taking back any puppy for any reason if it doesn't work out
- Aren't there to provide support after they sell you the dog
- Don't breed with respect to temperament and structure
- Don't care for the parents well
If I were to ask the various people around me who have mix breeds... I would find
- the person who found an ad on craigslist for puppies and paid $300 for a puppy in a McDonalds parking lot and the dog now has such severe isolation anxiety that they can't leave it alone
- the person who paid $4000 for a goldendoodle puppy that now is facing a $5k surgery for hip dysplasia/cancer/etc (there are many of these around me!)
- the person who has a really sweet mix breed dog they took in from the streets who has spent lots of money on training, feeding, and pet sitters and totally understands why I spent $2500 on my dog to get a well bred puppy that fits my unique situation
These dogs are the reason I am so passionate about advising people in selecting breeders. I will spend hours giving advice and doing research to help people because I cannot stand how many dogs are compromised because of the attitude you're talking about. Dogs are amazing animals and they deserve to have happy healthy lives. They don't deserve owners who are out looking for a bargain from a backyard breeder.
If somebody is able to take a gamble on health and disposition, I would suggest checking local rescues/shelters. They are where a lot of dogs from bybs end up. These dogs need loving homes too. But not through supporting the practice of their breeding.
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I don’t have a poodle, so I can't chime in on the price, but I will say doing your research v. asking others about whether or not the price is right is definitely not the answer LOL. If I asked someone like my father, who loves dogs but to the extent of looking at them only and not taking care of them, he would tell me what he always tells me—why pay for a dog when he can get me a dog like this one for free (he knows American bully breeders and the not-so-ethical-kind). And if I really want a poodle, he would tell me to just ask them to crossbreed it for the hell of it. That's not a joke either, they’ll breed a French bulldog with these sort of dogs for a bigger head or sometimes for no reason at all. I've talked to others that don't even want to take their dogs to the vet regularly...so you see research is important and so is what you believe to be correct.
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I am one of the folks on here that did not pay over a thousand for my puppy. I did not know about health testing when I did it, but now that I do, I still believe there are decent pups out there for less money. I have a standard and they have larger litters so a mini may be more due to fewer available, but not every nice dog has to come from best breeder and show lines, unless that is what you specifically looking for. There is a breeder in this group from whom I dream of having a pup and will gladly pay her price if possible some day. However, my $700 puppy has been a good companion for me so far. I also have a rehomed boy. Both of mine are AKC registered and while they are not conformation show respects they have decent Conformation and do compete in obedience and hopefully agility soon.
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Most well-bred poodles cost, at the very least, $1500. If you add up all the costs of breeding a litter, that is less than a break-even price for toy and miniature poodles since the litters are so small. Breeding costs include health testing, veterinary visits, equipment (such as exercise pen, whelping box, puppy bowls, etc.), stud fee, and more.
It's interesting that most really good breeders don't charge more for a show puppy than for a pet puppy. That's because it's very hard to determine whether or not a puppy will do well in conformation. An exception is that there may be a price reduction for a well-bred puppy that clearly is not a candidate for the show ring. Some things that can identify a puppy as a pet early on are mis-marks, incorrect pigment on the nose and eye rims, under/over shot mouth, poor tail set or ear placement, lack of an assertive attitude, and very soft coat.
Raindrops' post is a really good guideline. I agree with the "pay the breeder or pay the vet" - there are a number of folks on this forum who have spent huge amounts of money in vet bills because they did not know about health testing. Thing is, you are going to love that puppy whether it is healthy or not, so if you are buying, it's better to spend your money on a quality, health tested puppy.
It's interesting that most really good breeders don't charge more for a show puppy than for a pet puppy. That's because it's very hard to determine whether or not a puppy will do well in conformation. An exception is that there may be a price reduction for a well-bred puppy that clearly is not a candidate for the show ring. Some things that can identify a puppy as a pet early on are mis-marks, incorrect pigment on the nose and eye rims, under/over shot mouth, poor tail set or ear placement, lack of an assertive attitude, and very soft coat.
Raindrops' post is a really good guideline. I agree with the "pay the breeder or pay the vet" - there are a number of folks on this forum who have spent huge amounts of money in vet bills because they did not know about health testing. Thing is, you are going to love that puppy whether it is healthy or not, so if you are buying, it's better to spend your money on a quality, health tested puppy.
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