[Lenab19]

I am interested in getting a golden puppy as my first dog within the next few months before I move out to Oregon (I currently live in Virginia). I am looking to spend $1000 or less on a puppy before vaccinations etc., although I spoke with a friend who spent $800 on all three rounds of vaccinations and neutering in addition to the $1000 for the puppy.
1) does anyone know of any breeders on the east coast within this budget? Is this a realistic budget? I am looking for a classic golden, on the larger size.

2) Is it just worth paying more upfront where the breeder pays for the first round vaccinations? if so, how much should I be looking to spend?

3) I’m new to this so bare with me, but if the breeder does the first round of vaccinations, how much more should I be paying? I honestly don’t know if it’s better to be paying more upfront, or if the first round of vaccinations is less expensive to just get done at my local vet.

I am open to all answers, but more importantly I am open to ANY and ALL advice. I am completely new to this and have no contacts that have ever gone through adopting a pure bred before!

thanks in advance

i don’t have any mentors or anyone so if you are experienced and would be willing to spend some time give a eager future golden owner (me 🙂) some advice and helping me, please contact me. I’d really love to just have someone to talk to so I don’t get ripped off and I make a good investment. Cheers!

 

[Tagrenine]

I am interested in getting a golden puppy as my first dog within the next few months before I move out to Oregon (I currently live in Virginia). I am looking to spend $1000 or less on a puppy before vaccinations etc., although I spoke with a friend who spent $800 on all three rounds of vaccinations and neutering in addition to the $1000 for the puppy.
1) does anyone know of any breeders on the east coast within this budget? Is this a realistic budget? I am looking for a classic golden, on the larger size.

2) Is it just worth paying more upfront where the breeder pays for the first round vaccinations? if so, how much should I be looking to spend?

3) I’m new to this so bare with me, but if the breeder does the first round of vaccinations, how much more should I be paying? I honestly don’t know if it’s better to be paying more upfront, or if the first round of vaccinations is less expensive to just get done at my local vet.

I am open to all answers, but more importantly I am open to ANY and ALL advice. I am completely new to this and have no contacts that have ever gone through adopting a pure bred before!

thanks in advance

Hi there!! It’s a good thing you’re trying to do this responsibly and this is a good place to get advice.
Typically, Golden Retrievers are a more expensive breed, especially on the east coast. The average price in FL is around 2500-3000. This includes fully health tested parents and generations of knowledge behind the pedigrees + breeder support for life.
If you sacrifice certain aspects, such as health testing, yes, theoretically you could get a cheaper dog I also do not think the price is as expensive outside of the East, but I am not sure. This is a breed where health testing is very important.
Finally, in my state, FL, all puppies are required to be sold with the first set of vaccinations. After that set, typical protocol is vaccines every 3 weeks until 16 weeks old, then they become annual.

 

[puddles everywhere]

Just an FYI, health testing is not a trip to the vet. It is certified x-rays sent into OFA for evaluation. Golden retrievers are subject to lots of health issues and parents should have OFA hip & elbow clearances to help your chances of getting a dog without dysplasia. This can cost thousands to repair (each joint) and very painful for the dog. They are also prone to heart conditions and need to be tested by a cardiologist before breeding. Lots of eye issues in the breed so having them tested by specialist every 12 months and current before breeding. All of these test should be done before breeding and after reaching 24 months of age.
A good breeder that does all this is also breeding to give you a balanced dog with the gentle personality and style you expect from a golden. They will be easy to train, already started on potty breaking and in good health, no internal parasites or intestinal problems. It is worth the search for a good breeder.
If you don't want to use a quality breeder you might consider contacting a golden rescue. They get puppies too.

 

[Megora]

1) does anyone know of any breeders on the east coast within this budget? Is this a realistic budget? I am looking for a classic golden, on the larger size.

a. No. Unfortunately you need to budget for 2-3X that. More realistic would be $2500-3000.

b. I have no idea what a classic golden is or what you mean by larger size.

Breed standard for a golden retriever calls for male goldens to be about 23-24" at the shoulder and between 65 and 74#. They should not be bigger than that. This is not a huge breed - not is it a small breed.

2) Is it just worth paying more upfront where the breeder pays for the first round vaccinations? if so, how much should I be looking to spend?

a. Uh... what? I'm not sure what people have told you about how things work when you buy a pup from a breeder. There's no breakdown in pricing at all. You should be looking at paying one price for the pup - whatever the breeder is asking.

Breeders should vaccinate and worm pups before sending them home. It is up to YOU to do the next 3-4 rounds of vaccinations.


Buying a pup is a pretty huge responsibility. Obviously things to consider is the first initial cost of buying a pup, but dog food and vet care is expensive. Most breeders I know want the pups to be fed a premium dog food - not anything from the grocery store. Then traveling across the country with a dog is going to be expensive and stressful - you are really better off waiting. Wait until after you move and settle in and have a good plan ahead for raising a pup, doing the puppy classes (recommend classes for the first 2 years of the pup's life or 6 sessions of dog training).... and making sure that there you and that dog are together for the next 12-15 years.

If you aren't sure what happens in the next 10 years - buying a pup from a good breeder who will take the pup back (and who you can trust to lovingly place the pup in a new ideal home) if anything happens - is best. That's why we don't just buy pups from petstores, off craigslist, etc.

 

[pawsnpaca]

Welcome to the forum! I'm glad you are asking these questions before you get your puppy! As others have mentioned, well-bred Golden puppies from reputable breeders (which is what you want!) are generally in the $2000-$3000 range pretty much everywhere in the United States. If a breeder is asking less than that it is pretty much a guarantee that they are a back-yard breeder (or worse) who will not have done all the essential health-related checks on the parents and who are just breeding puppies for money or "for the fun of it." You may think to yourself... "But I don't want a show dog, I just want a healthy pet," but the point is that healthy pets come from what many regard as "show" breeders. They are the ones that really know the breed, who are responsible enough to follow the Golden Retriever Club of America's Code of Ethics (which you can read here), who raise their pups with knowledge and concern for their long-term health and mental, emotional, and physical development, and who will be there to support you throughout your dog's life. Although reputable breeders breed to "show standard," the vast majority of their puppies will not make the cut as future show or breeding dogs and will be carefully placed into the best "pet" homes the breeder can find. (And, BTW, most reputable breeders have a wait list for their puppies!)

When planning your budget, keep in mind that the money you save by compromising on the quality of your breeder may end up being spent (sometimes in MUCH higher amounts) if your puppy ends up having bad hips or elbows, or seizures, or heart or eye problems. Any one of these issues can cost you many thousands of dollars to correct (if you are lucky); and several can result in your dog's early death or a severely compromised quality of life. Cancer is also a big problem in Goldens; I believe current statistics are that 60% of even the well-bred ones will have some sort of cancer in their lifetimes. That's not to say that buying from a reputable breeder will guarantee that your pup will never experience any of these things, but reputable breeders screen their breeding stock for many of these disorders and in general do all they can to ensure your pup has a long and healthy life with you!

Well-bred pups are in high demand, and are rarely available on short notice. Most of us have spent months, if not years, researching breeders, establishing relationships, and getting on a wait list for puppies that haven't even been conceived yet. I agree with the advice you received above that now is the time to be researching, learning, and asking a lot of questions! This forum has TONS of good information (make use of the search function for particular topics) as well as many helpful, experienced breeders and Golden owners who are happy to answer your questions. I would use the next year or so to become as knowledgeable as you can, save your $$ so you can afford a good-quality pup, and wait until you are settled into your new home before you begin a serious search for your new best friend!

 

[gdgli]

You won't find one here on Long Island. Not for $1000.

 

[DblTrblGolden2]

You won't find one on the East Coast for less then $2000. I'm in Delaware and I haven't seen any. I was paying $800 in 1986. I've also never heard of the breeder not doing the first round of shots. In all honesty I would wait until I moved to Oregon to buy a Golden. It's a big commitment and a puppy requires so much time. I can't imagine trying to move while going through the beginning phases. (and I mean the first 8 months) There are plenty of breeders in Oregon and the surrounding states. Some years ago I was on a wait list for one from Northern California and I'm in Delaware.

 

[Prism Goldens]

Plus puppies are half the price in Oregon compared to FL.