Cost of a cocker puppy

[Jeanette]

I've just seen a cocker spaniel advertised for £2000  

Is it made of gold!?

Shocking isn't it - very rare colour 

[Chocolatecoco]

My god how extortion is that

I brought my beautiful workers cocker spaniel girls last summer for 500 pounds each, They were tail docked, chipped and both parents were health tested. I have to say the breeders were a lovely family who just breed the occasional litter. My cavalier cost 500 but the cavalier before her (Who we sadly lost) was 800 pounds but her mother qualifed and won crufts in 2007 her breeder did breed for stock and sold the other pups, she kept 2 out of that litter for showing.

I wouldnt ever go to a puppy farm or someone whom breeding is a main living.

[mooching]

I've just seen a cocker spaniel advertised for £2000  

Was it a fully trained working cocker? I know that gundogs can fetch that kind of price.

[Jeanette]

I've just seen a cocker spaniel advertised for £2000  

Was it a fully trained working cocker? I know that gundogs can fetch that kind of price.

No it is a show type

[bajoleth]

Wow I was going to ask if it was a trained working Cocker as I saw one advertised a while back for about that much I wonder what the breeders think it has that makes it worth 2000

[Jeanette]

Wow I was going to ask if it was a trained working Cocker as I saw one advertised a while back for about that much I wonder what the breeders think it has that makes it worth 2000

Apparently its the first ever lemon roan show type in this country -  can't see how that justifies the extortionate price though

[Jane S]

Wow I was going to ask if it was a trained working Cocker as I saw one advertised a while back for about that much I wonder what the breeders think it has that makes it worth 2000

Apparently its the first ever lemon roan show type in this country -  can't see how that justifies the extortionate price though

Even if it was true, that price couldn't be justified Having seen the pics, the pup doesn't even look like a lemon - just a paler orange than some of the others in the litter

[Karma]

We should have been charged extra for Honey then, as an Orange Roan Working type.... 

Have found the ad, and don't see how they can claim them as Lemon Roan... as Jane says they are a little paler, but I'm sure I've seen pics of similar coloured pups here.... and many have darkened as they got older.

Personally I don't see a problem with prices approaching £800 for a well bred show type pup (with all the health testing etc) - given the monthly costs of keeping a dog, it's only a couple of months more saving than the £500-£600 price tag which people seem to find more acceptable. 

[lindseyp]

I've just seen a cocker spaniel advertised for £2000  

Is it made of gold!?

Shocking isn't it - very rare colour 

IMO anything, is only worth the amount, someone is willing to pay for it ..... not me I'm afraid   

[mooching]

Personally I don't see a problem with prices approaching £800 for a well bred show type pup (with all the health testing etc) - given the monthly costs of keeping a dog, it's only a couple of months more saving than the £500-£600 price tag which people seem to find more acceptable. 

To those of us on a low income, who couldn't just rustle up an extra £200-£300 at the drop of a hat, it could make all the difference between being able to get a puppy and not being able to get a puppy. Those couple of months could be crucial.

[Karma]

But it really is minimal when compared to the cost of a dog over it's lifetime... 
While I fully understand that it can be hard to wait those extra couple of months, surely it's worth it to ensure that you have a well bred pup... I'm not saying for a minute that a higher price necessarily equates to a better bred pup, and there may well be well-bred pups out there at a lower price, I don't see the problem with responsible breeders ensuring they actually cover their costs... and if that means the prices have gone up recently, then so be it.

I know I am speaking from a do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do perspective here, as we didn't source the perfect pup... and ended up with a 3/4 worker who we were not prepared for.  While I don't regret Honey for a second, I would definately do things differently the next time around... 

[mooching]

While I fully understand that it can be hard to wait those extra couple of months, surely it's worth it to ensure that you have a well bred pup...

My point is that the well-bred pup you had in mind could have gone by the time you've saved up the money.

I'm not saying for a minute that a higher price necessarily equates to a better bred pup, and there may well be well-bred pups out there at a lower price, I don't see the problem with responsible breeders ensuring they actually cover their costs... and if that means the prices have gone up recently, then so be it.

I don't think it's about covering costs, I think it's about profit margins.

We've been looking for a pup, and one excellent breeder we've met whose stock has wonderful lines, and is tested for everything under the sun; the puppies are well socialised and looked after in the home, and she charges £650. There isn't anything else that could be done for a puppy than she does, so if another one is charging £800 or more, then I am afraid it just has to be about profit.

[Cayley]

Some breeders charge what they think they can get. It's clear that they don't work out the price by the quality of the pups as a lot of the expensive pups have commercial lines in their pedigree, they also seem to have only one tested parent and there is no excuse for that now  .

[Ninasmum]

While I fully understand that it can be hard to wait those extra couple of months, surely it's worth it to ensure that you have a well bred pup...

My point is that the well-bred pup you had in mind could have gone by the time you've saved up the money.

I'm not saying for a minute that a higher price necessarily equates to a better bred pup, and there may well be well-bred pups out there at a lower price, I don't see the problem with responsible breeders ensuring they actually cover their costs... and if that means the prices have gone up recently, then so be it.

I don't think it's about covering costs, I think it's about profit margins.

We've been looking for a pup, and one excellent breeder we've met whose stock has wonderful lines, and is tested for everything under the sun; the puppies are well socialised and looked after in the home, and she charges £650. There isn't anything else that could be done for a puppy than she does, so if another one is charging £800 or more, then I am afraid it just has to be about profit.

I honestly don't think that a responsible, honest, reputable breeder looks into 'profit margins'    The welfare, health, whole of the puppies life is uppermost in their mind.  I was completely naive before we had a litter, as to how expensive it is to raise the puppies & all the equipment, food, vet bills, health tests, wormers etc.  It is 24/7 for a minimum of 9 weeks, not to mention the emotional rollercoaster this entails.    It is also sometimes which area of the country the puppies are, that can have a price difference.  Ime the cost of the puppy is often 'guided' by the breed club.  If i had never bred a litter i would think £800 is extortiante, but knowing what i know now, it really isn't.

[doughy]

Our first cocker (years and years ago ) from a good breeder was £40 - that's inflation for you.

Our 1st Cocker was £10 many many years ago !