In order to avoid looking like an idiot if I start calling breeders, how much?

Question

Ran out of space there... How much would a great dane, lab, or golden retreiver cost from a reputable breeder. The cost isn't necessarily an issue, it's just a matter of I'd liketo know how much I need saved up for that.

In the Florida/Georgia/Alabama area, if it makes a difference.

Answer 1

Well labs and goldens are going to be a little cheaper but not by much probably between $500.00-$850.00 or more depending on pedigree, health guarantee, show quality etc. Great Danes with a good pedigree, health guarantee, hip guarantee, etc will run you anywhere from $1,000.00-$3,500.00 or more. There should be no price difference between males and females. Remember with Danes beware of breeders asking for more because they say that they are rare colors such as blues or merles. These are not rare colors. Which ever breed you choose do not base it upon how cheap the dog is or how expensive he/she is. Do your homework on the breeds you are interested in and find one that suits your lifestyle the best. Always buy from a reputable breeder if possible ask for info on their previous litter and talk to one of the parents of the pups to see if any health problems have been detected. If one pup has hip problems the rest of the litter and all the litters coming from the same sire and dame will likely have problems as well.

Answer 2

I am glad you did say reputable breeder, Jessica did provide good info on questions to ask, the dogs Brooke referred to would be backyard bred ones at that low a price no way would you get a pup for that low a price if parents were OFA and CERF tested.

Even though it may cost more money to go thru a reputatable breeder that healths screens their dogs and chooses only the best specimens to breed, it is worth it even if it means you have to wait longer to save up the money

My parents are learning that lesson the hard way, my dad can be pig headed and stubborn and avoided my advice figured he could get a better deal. Their better deal pup is only 9 months old now and has costed them $2500 just in health problem this is aside from regular vetting, was having seizures which had actually stopped it's heart and breathing but vets were able to revive, this week went for surgery to correct eyelids,
they could have bought 2 or 3 registered show quality pups for what they spent on their "good deal" pup.
One thing I will comment on , is your 3 choices, the golden retriever and the Dane is somewhat alike being pretty calm and laidback, the Dane being generally more so, but the lab is quite a bit different most being pretty wild"hyper" upto about 3 years old and very energetic I have see the rare laidback one but most are not and likely the main reason some 16,000 are listed on petfinder more than double of any other breed listed http://www.petfinder.com/pet.cgi?action=3&type=Dog They are not the easiest of breeds to raise for the first 3 years, I had to spend about 6 hours a day exercising mine and had to crate when he became a destructive whirlwind when ever I left the house during his younger years, I have had quite a few breeds but none came close to the amount of work and time he required or destructiveness, I just thought I would point out just in case you were not aware just how different they were in terms of energy compared to your other 2 choices

Answer 3

On cost of breeds, why don't you check some web sites\newspaper ads of these breeds and see whats the average cost breeders are charging, and just get a good range in yourt mind developed, and save up a little over that range. And get on the phone and schedule time to go see the dogs at the breeders homes. Spending time with the breeder and the breed realy helps and its fun! :) Thats what I had to do to get my first dog, a Rhodesian Ridgeback)

Questions to ask a breeder when your at their home or on the phone with them:

1. How long has the breeder been involved with their particular breed?
(if the breeder has more than 3 breeds - exercise caution)
2. Why did they choose this particular breed?
3. For what purpose did they choose to breed these dogs?
4. Are the Sire and/or the Dam on the Breeder's premises?
5. Could you meet one, or both, of the parents? ( by now they might sense thtat you are drilling them, but a good breeder will want to get more detailed with you on these kind of questions)
6. Are the dogs and puppies raised in the house, or in the kennels ? ( Judge environment they live in... i.e. is it messy and feces everywhere, or is it generally clean and kept up nicely)
7. What does the breeder do to insure proper socialization of the dogs and puppies?
8. At what age do you place puppies? (see quote below)
9. Do you require that pet puppies be spayed or neutered?
10. What dog clubs (Obedience club, breed clubs, Agility clubs, Schutzhund clubs, etc.) do they belong to?
11. Are BOTH the sire and dam OFA certified? Ask to see their OFA papers, if hip dysplasia is common in that paticular breed.
12. What other test or health scans have they had their dogs checked for?
13. What health guarantees will the breeder provide?
14. Will the breeder allow you time (to be determined) to have the puppy examined by your own vet?
If there are health problems, will the breeder allow you to return the puppy and exchange it for another one?

Expect a good breeder to be very selective about you. They will be asking questions of you, too. These puppies are the breeder's "babies." If the breeder doesn't care, doesn't answer your questions or even asks any questions, FIND A DIFFERENT BREEDER & PLEASE CAREFULLY INVESTIGATE BEFORE YOU BUY!!!!!!
A good breeder will tell you all the pros and cons (negatives) about the breed , not just the good stuff. For example: Someone would say, "How soon can I take the dog home?" A good breeder would NEVER let puppy go before 7 weeks of age. If the breeder says 4 or 5 weeks, or heaven forbid less than even 5 weeks, hang up. Even a puppy at 6 weeks of age has not learned proper dog-dog socialization skills from its mother and littermates, nor has it learned bite inhibition. This type of learning is vital for a well-adjusted adult dog. At 6 weeks the immune system has also not fully developed, and the simple stress of going to a new home can cause problems such as demodectic mange. A good breeder would never do this to a puppy and neither would any other breeder who knew anything about the breed. By buying such a pup you are supporting and rewarding exactly the kind of people who should not breeding the breed. Knowing the right questions to ask the breeder makes you look more knowledgeable on what you are looking for, and also insures you are getting what you paid for. Good Luck! :)

Answer 4

You not an idiot at all. You are doing your home work and can't fault you for that..I have people calling me all the time talking to me about different prices of Shih Tzu's what to look for what not to look for. Any good breeder will be happy to help you out on the cost or anything you want to know. I have people call me about a Shih Tzu they seen to ask me what I thought. I rather people ask me than for them to get hurt over a puppy they had fallen in love with and ended up dieing on them because they bought an unhealthy dog. Some breeders don't care what they sale as long as they get money.
Always do your homework..and don't let anyone call you an idiot.

To all these people who copy and paste.. Remember this ....Some people can be book smart and experience stupid.

Answer 5

Well, I got my Labrador from a broker in Connecticut. He was $500. Rare breeds tend to cost more, yet, do not be concerned very much with price. However, if you are looking for champion blood lines the price can go anywhere up to $1500. Before you buy any dog, make sure that its shots have been updated, it is healthy, active, playful, friendly, and fit. Make long conversations with breeders, and feel free to be nosy. Ask anything and everything. Be ready for sudden price changes or sudden price decreases. This could mean anything from the dog being sickly, or the dog being trained with the breeder.
Keep your eyes peeled!

Answer 6

well in florida a lab or golden would be any where from 100-250, depending on it's registry, health cert., age, and background info, if your leaning more toward a great dane i'd save up atleast, $500. but if your looking at pet store's, you can look at around $1000, for a golden or lab, and any where from $1500-$2500, for a great dane! depending on pedigree, registry, gender, and a number of other things!

Answer 7

From a reputable breeder (one that does health testing mainly), you're looking at anywhere between $800 - $1200

The link below might help. You can enter your area code and search 50-100-250 and nation wide from your area code.

Hope it helps.

Answer 8

i'm a great dane breeder and my pups run 1200. to 1500. akc harliquins , blacks, mantles, and merls.... of course i have a few questions buyers have to answer . labs and goldens are way less b/c they are more common and easier to breed.they run around 350. you can get a cheeper dane but watch out for poor breeding. mine are color pure 5 generations, sound conformation, and guaranteed against genitic hip problems for 2 years !...stuff like that :)

Answer 9

a healthty golden pup from proven bloodlines, and a lifetime genetic health guarantee ( one which will give you another pup and let you still keep the one you have) will cost you at least $1000. well worth the money,,, actually ,, paid that for my aussies too.

Answer 10

umm well my golden was $645

but, it depends on where you get the dog, breeders experience, etc.