Help for the All American Dog Lover

[Julie & Cooper]

I am still looking for a labradoodle puppy or young adult dog for our family.  Is is just me or are the prices of labradoodles shocking to anyone else? I realize this is an incredible breed, which is why I am still looking.  However, paying $2500.00 for a pet is almost more than I can consider.  Am I crazy or did anyone else feel this way in their search for the perfect dog? I am a school teacher and my husband is a city employee.  We have secure jobs in this unstable economy, but we're not wealthy.  I've been looking for almost a year now trying to make our budget match a quality pup or dog. Someone tell me there is still hope for a regular family to have a great dog like the labradoodle.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I understand how you feel completely. 2500 is A LOT of money. I have done a lot of thinking, about this same thing, as we are hoping to add a second dog to our family.

first of, it may seem much more affordable to go with a dog from a local newspaper ad. Why not, they are priced at 400-600, so much cheaper than the breeders here. The problem is, that "doodle" breeds are really popular right now, which unfortunately means a whole lot of back yard breeders. They don't health test their dogs, and usually don't know anything about breeding. Health testing is so important, and there are many discussions on this matter. It also costs money to health test your dogs, so most people just wanting to make money will not do it. The high price tag for a well bred puppy may seem like a lot, but it is definitely going to be less than all the vet bills and heartache you could potentially be stuck with. You want to go into it with a reasonable reassurance that your dog will not have a genetically inherited disease. Not to mention, you don't want to be supporting back yard breeders or puppy mill's unethical breeding practices.

Secondly, you can get a well bred puppy for less than 2500 dollars. Australian Labradoodles are much more expensive than an f1 or f1b Goldendoodle and labradoodle. If you haven't considered a Goldendoodle, they are very much the same as Labradoodles. There are a few personality and coat differences, I'm sure. But they are both loving, intelligent dogs who are great for families. A well bred Goldendoodle starts around 1400 dollars, and can sometimes be less if they have an older or adult dog available for adoption.

Rescues are only a couple hundred dollars to adopt, but really I wouldn't recommend getting a rescue simply because they are cheaper. I really do feel that you have to be educated and prepared to adopt an adult dog. However, if you are open to an adult dog that may have a couple of issues to work through, behavioral or health wise, I know it would be a rewarding experience. I have known so many people who have adopted and their dogs could not be more wonderful.

Good luck, and I think there is still hope!

[Christina and Cooper plus Benny]

All I can say is don't just go "see" a puppy! I thought $2500 was a lot of money too....but then...I met Cooper and KNEW he was my boy! The $2500 seemed to be ok somehow?
I will say that I think he is worth every single penny, every single day.... He house broke in 3 days, he is so incredibly smart and willing to learn and an amazing dog! I taught him a new trick last night in an hour! Until you have been around a dog like this, you can't appreciate how easy they are to work with and how quickly they pick up on things.
I also have dog allergies, and wanted a smaller dog that could still run 6 miles or so with me and hike for about 20 miles, so the Australian Labradoodle was a perfect fit. You can't find a better dog! :)
My two cents....they are worth every last hard earned penny....

[Christina and Cooper plus Benny]

OH, one other thought, have you ever considered doing something extra in the summer to earn money for your doodle since you are school teacher? I grew up in a school teacher family, and my parents did some extra jobs from time to time in the summer to earn extra money for things - for example, my mom made wedding cakes - it was a perfect fit because so many weddings are in the summer. Just a thought? :-)

[Phoebe's Mom]

Though our dog, Phoebe, comes from a breeder I know that there are so many people getting marvelous dogs through the DRC--Doodle Rescue Collective-- and through www.petfinder.com. Though unable to at the moment, we are seriously considering not only adding another dog to our brood but rescuing a fabulous dog that had a rough start to his/her little life in the future! Good luck in your quest!

[Melissa, Samson & Shelby]

We decided on the goldendoodle and could not be happier. We knew many wonderful golden retrievers but didn't want the shedding. The lower cost was another factor in our search for a doodle. $1500 still seemed like an incredible amount of money, but I couldn't be happier. We now have two and they are the best dogs ever.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Just remember as well, not all rescues are troubled or adult dogs. We are fostering a male labradoodle puppy right now for the DRC. He is 5 months old. Doesn't seem to have any trauma really in his past. He is very loveable and full of puppy energy! He is less than $400.

[Julie & Cooper]

Wondering where you are located. Your puppy sounds great. I am in Idaho and there are very few doodles in our state or even within driving distance. I have been searching the DRC and most are in Texas or other southern states many miles away.

[Linda]

I'm a retired teacher - I can totally understand your reluctance to pay that much for a Labradoodle. My husband and I lucked out when we found our Webster (2 1/2) in a newspaper ad. His canine parents 'accidentally' got together at the home where they both lived. The Lab mother was a hunting dog and the apricot standard Poodle was the woman's indoor pet. We paid $150 for him and hurriedly left. He is the BEST dog we have ever had. Part of that is due to the fact that I am semi-retired and now able to spend a good part of the day with him.

We will get another Doodle when my husband retires within the next year or two. There are many Doodles on PetFinder.com at all times. One of the reasons I joined this group was the direct link to the DRC. I do agree that adopting a Doodle will require more specialized care and socializing. That is the reason I am waiting - even though I see some adorable puppies and young adults who are very hard to resist.

[Jeannine]

It is some beautiful and young Labradoodle through DRC presently. They need and deserved a second chance and... they are really not expensive!

[Shannon Querry]

I can appreciate not wanting to spend all that money on a dog. We spent $1200 on Fleury but honestly when(and if) we get another dog, I will be going through DRC for sure. I don't know that I want to go through puppy-hood again LOL!! Fleury was not the easiest to house train but once it clicked, IT CLICKED! :)

Good luck on your search, there's lots of good information here on how to find a great breeder if you decide to get a brand new puppy instead of a rescue :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

As Camilla said, adopting a homeless dog for the purpose of saving some money is not the right reason to adopt. It really isn't fair to the dog.
Julie, I also remember that back last spring, you had some very specific requirements in the type of doodle you wanted...medium sized, non-shedding, and very specific (and rare) coloring. Perhaps you have changed your mind about these requirements.
If you purchase a puppy, especially a smaller sized one, you can expect to have him for at least 12 years, and most likely, 14 or 15 years. I'm sure you have a car, probably more than one, and I'm sure that no matter what kind of car it is, it cost more than $2500. Most of us are not wealthy, and yet we also have cars that cost many thousands of dollars. Somehow we manage to fit this into our budgets. Yet, most of us don't keep our cars for 12 or 14 years. A dog will bring you 12-15 years of love, affection, companionship, and enrich your life far more than any car ever will. So to me this is a matter of priorities, not just budget. How much do you want a doodle, and how much do you want a healthy, non-shedding, medium sized well-bred doodle?
There are many "regular families" who paid $2500 for their doodles, and I am sure that every one of them will tell you that their dogs are worth far more to them.

[1xar0x2rcx0li]

There are options other than paying $2500 (which is the going rate for an Australian Labradoodle). You could get an American Labradoodle, which generally cost $1200-2000 for a health tested pup. You could get an adult retired breeder, or be a guardian home for a breeder. You could adopt a re-home/rescue. There are options for everyone and you dont need to be wealthy to get a great dooodle.