What' s the average price for a mini & where do you find them?

[Michele Glass]

I just wandered how much the average mini doodle costs?  I think we paid an extremely low price for Cody considered what I've seen on the internet,   I wander if we didn't get a puppy mill puppy.  I don't know how else you would find a puppy if it wasn't for the internet.  Can you share your story of how you searched, and found your dood and how much?
Thanks!

[shelly]

Hmm.. I wondered that too, as I always "window shop" and I have seen minis on the lower side to be $1,800 and up to $2,500.... and everyone thought I was crazy spending $1,500 on Tori (plus shipping and handling! - lol)

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

We were looking for a mini Australian Labradoodle and we did search the Internet. I did quite a bit of research on the breed in advance so I would clearly understand the general characteristics of the dog. We actually settled on the Australian Doodle because there was a greater likelihood that the dog would be non shedding. For years my husband struggled with allergies with our other dogs, and we also have one grandchild with allergies, so this was important to us. I actually talked by phone with two breeders in New England. I asked about their breeding program, the background of the parents, and health testing. We also asked about how the puppies had been raised and socialized. One breeder had a puppy the size and color we were looking for, and the breeder felt very confident at 9 weeks this dog would not shed. She sent pictures and a video. She also shared a lot of information about Guinness's "personality". He was a perfect fit, and we fell in love. We drove to pick him up...I really wanted to see her home and how she was socializing the puppies. He lived in their house, and she had crate trained him and started to housebreak him. He played with her young children all the time, which I also liked. I believe this whole thing was just meant to be because Guinness had been promised to another family who had to back out because of a seriously ill child. I knew the minute I met the breeder and saw the puppy that he was the one. We paid the going price for an ALD of $2500.

[Leigh & Allie]

I have a mini multi- generational golden doodle. The price was $1800. The breeder is in Tennessee. I will give you her name if you are interested. I don't think I am supposed to disclose it in a forum so if you would like to know just befriend me and send me a message. I love Allie and would consider getting another one frome the same breeder when Allie is a little bit older. Right now she is 6 months and weighs I'm guessing 20 pounds. I had her spayed when she was 5 and half months old and the vet said she weighed 18.6 pounds. I am guessing she has added a pound or two. I do not expect her to get much bigger.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

My Peri is from the same breeder as Leigh's Allie. Peri is a mini F1; however, so she was only $1,500. I found her by searching the Doodle Premium Breeder List and other sites like that (website basically). But I was lucky enough to live near the breeder so I met with her before Peri was even born...liked what I saw, so I decided to get on her waiting list. There were other breeders in my area, but after visiting a few/hearing about reputation, I quickly settled on Peri's breeder.
Peri is 11 months old this Saturday, is 15 1/2" at withers and weighs 24ish pounds.

[Adina P]

$1800 to $2500 is the going rate from most reputable breeders...depending on generation. But whether mini, medium, or standard a lot of us found our doodle online. These days most people with anything to sell have websites. So finding a pup online is not a bad way to find one...you just have to know what to look for. In other words there are certain things to look for and we have a great article on this on our 'Extra' page on DK. Look at the tabs at the top of any page and find the one labeled 'Extra'. Click that tab and on the page you get to click on the article titled 'What To Look For In a Breeder.' It lists important factors whether or not you find a breeder online.

[Karlyn]

I also did a lot of research on the breed, and knew that a full sized doodle would be too large for our family. I found the cost for mini's ranged between $1200 and $2500---and ironically the breeder who was charging 1200 was only 2 hours from my home. I've never seen mini goldendoodle puppies, so I was able to drive to her home, and see a 4 week old litter
of pups. I wasn't sure what to expect-a barn, a shed, a basement-to my surprise (and delight) they were in her family room. They were the sweetest, most beautiful little bundles of fur I ever saw! I was so impressed I put a deposit down for the next litter to be born ( she only bred one litter at a time, so as to give it her full attention) Max is 3 years old now, and needless to say is an absolute joy in our lives.
I am not saying all this to promote one breeder, just that it was really nice in this day and age to see someone doing something because they loved doing it, and not to charge as much as possible. Perhaps Cody had a similar breeder?

[Carla, Lucca and Izzy]

I also asked around locally. If I saw a dog I liked I asked about the breeder. i researched LD, AustralianLD and GD online and found some local breeders (within 2 hours from home) and went to visit them. It says alot when they open their home up to you. I also looked for any comments (positive or negative) written online about a breeder. That is actually how I happened upon Doodlekisses and have been in love ever since...lol. DK has our Breeder Group and we've gotten to know many of Lucca's sibs from the same litter and older and younger sibs. $1800-2500 seems to be the going rate.
Bottom line though is....if you love love love your dog and he is healthy...if he was a puppy mill pup - look at it that you saved one and gave him a wonderful home :-)

[Laura & Chewie]

We also researched the breed quite a bit in advance...definitely needed to be non-allergic as my granddaughter has allergies/ashma...also didn't want a hugh dog. We found a couple breeders within a reasonable driving distance. When we called the first, she didn't have puppies at that time and referred us to another who did have a litter a few weeks old. We were pleased with her info, recommendations, and health testing, so we put down a deposit as there was only one pick remaining. We gave it a lot of thought over the next few days and decided to leave our deposit with her until the next litter, so we would get first pick. Also, it relieved us from winter/snow potty training. Until that litter was born, we were able to touch base with three owners from the first litter and even were able to meet two of the dogs. We were happy with their comments and the two dogs we met were wonderful. Our litter was born last May and Chewie came home in July. We paid $1,400 for him...he is a F1b. He is now 9-1/2 months and weighs about 23 lbs. He has been within a pound or so or this weight for a couple months, so I don't expect him to get much bigger. I recently exchanged emails with the breeder and out of the six puppies in Chewie's litter, they are all around the same size except one who is 49 lbs. Wow...big difference...recessive genes, I guess...LOL.

[Marianne *OZZY & ZOEY]

I paid $2500 for Zoey a mini Austrailian Labradoodle and $1800 for Ozzy an F1 Goldendoodle. Seems to be the going rate..I love them both and they were worth what I spent....Good luck finding your new puppy.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned was advertised as a mini but he is 1" over that so he grew to be a medium - just FYI. We paid much less for Ned. His breeder was in turmoil - death of her husband, move to live near family, problems keeping her male from getting to her females -resulting in multiple litters. Ned was 3 1/2 months old and she had 10 or more puppies needing homes - soon. This was our luck. We got Ned and we are so pleased with him. We found his breeder on the internet but visited the premises. Perhaps Cody's breeder had a situation that made it imperative to lower his price. Then again - maybe not! You might have gotten a puppy mill dog. I think the internet is so tricky now-a-days that it is very difficult to know who is honest and who is not, unless you see the place with your own eyes.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Yes, you need to see it with your own eyes to really know whether you are buying from a puppy mill (or know someone who has been there if you cannot go to visit). I agree 100%.

[Claudia Buxton]

We found our Kona through the internet after many weeks of searching for a breeder close to Delaware. I finally found Kona 3hours away for 1400.00. It was hard getting the cash out of the account but once I saw his face he was gorgeous. I have even been tempted to get another despite my husband's pleas.