Many followers have asked me why some Goldendoodles cost several thousand and yet you can also find a goldendoodle on the internet or locally for maybe $800. I sell my F1 goldendoodles for $2000.
Here’s how I would illustrate the difference. If you go to your local grocery store, there is the generic store brand for the lowest price. There is the medium range item for a medium range price. Then you look for the farm raised, organic, non-toxic version and the price goes up.
So it is with Goldendoodles. A breeder can buy a Standard Poodle from a newspaper ad for maybe $500. They can breed it to the golden retriever running loose in the neighborhood for free. Then they can keep the puppies in a plastic swimming pool in their garage and advertise them for $800 a puppy. They have done quite well. Perhaps they wormed them a time or two, perhaps not. Neither mom nor dad has had any health testing done. The pups are fed generic puppy food and maybe are vaccinated and maybe not. They may come to you with a worthless guarantee, a belly full of parasites and no early socialization.
Then you have the breeder who carefully researches before buying their breeding stock, looking for healthy backgrounds, good conformation and excellent temperaments. This breeder raises the puppies in an environment where they are watched closely from the day they are born. The parents receive necessary veterinary care and health screening is done for genetic diseases. This breeder has paid much more for their breeding stock to assure they are breeding the type of puppies that will be the best dogs possible.
Ask yourself, would a breeder pay $2000 each for their parent dogs and then sell the puppies for $800? It’s the old adage that you get what you pay for. If you want a quality dog, you will need to expect a higher price.
My breeding dogs are from champion lines. The breeder I got my breeding poodles from breeds show dogs and has had an International Champion (pictured above) and many other levels of champions. Breeders of show dogs breed not just for conformation but for temperament because a show dog has to perform perfectly in the show ring. Intelligence is part of this also. So I have purchased to date, six of my most successful breeding dogs from this show dog breeder. I have had health testing done on them and there have never been any problems. I have culled dogs from other breeders from my program that did not meet my requirements for health, conformation, temperament and intelligence. I also watch for coat type, color and therapy dog potential. These excellent breeding dogs ranged in price from $1200 to $2000, depending how long ago they were purchased.
Duffy, the Golden Retriever father of many of my litters in the past, also had hundreds of champions in his background.
I recently had a friend send me a goldendoodle calendar and I actually hung a picture over the part where the doodles were because they are not what I consider beautiful goldendoodles. I may make my own calendar because my dogs are beautiful! Many of you who have dogs from me would agree.
Now, remember that when you buy an organic product, the cost is always higher. What about organic puppies? Now, I don’t advertise them as organic puppies but I call them “green” puppies. I do not use any toxic chemicals in my home or yard. I do not use any toxic chemicals on any of my dogs, adult or puppies. Flea control is done with a yard spray comprised of spices. Pen cleaning is done with all non-toxic cleaners like vinegar, essential oils and Dawn clear dish soap. Perfectly healthy puppies! No toxic stresses!
I do vaccinate and use a high titer, low passage vaccine, and I do worm the puppies with pyrantel pamoate at ages 2, 3, and 4 weeks and with fenbendazole (Panacur or Safeguard) at age 6 weeks. These are absolutely necessary for the well being of your puppy. My veterinarians never find parasites when they do the health checks. They always give me a high five!
The bottom line is that puppies do need wormed and vaccinated, but they do not need all the other chemicals, disinfectants and toxic yard chemicals that some other breeders use. You get a healthy puppy with no exposure to chemicals and toxins other than their wormer and vaccine.
Then consider the added benefits of the puppies being indoors and handled from birth. The puppies are allowed to start playing outside, weather permitting, once they are old enough to master climbing through the dog door, usually at about five weeks of age. Then from age of five weeks, they get puppy kindergarten, becoming accustomed to a leash and learning a few basics. There is more information about the puppy kindergarten on the Training page on my website.
All considered, $2000 a puppy is an amazingly low price for what you are getting. Trust me! No one has ever expressed disappointment! If you prefer to get a lower priced Goldendoodle, think about this: Would a breeder pay $2000 for good breeding stock and sell the puppies for $800? The person selling $800 puppies probably spent less than that for inferior quality breeding stock. Breeders don’t sell their puppies for less than the value of the parents. It’s as simple as that! If you find a puppy for less, you found less of a puppy.