Known for their tolerant and friendly personalities, Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular dog breeds for families. They’re gentle, even-tempered, and make great child-friendly companions. Originally bred to retrieve waterfowl during hunting trips, these dogs are now common household pets due to their family-friendly temperament.
Golden Retrievers socialize well with adults, kids, and other dogs, but do need more exercise and training than your average dog breed. Their lush, luxurious double coat comes in shades of cream to red gold and is easy to maintain when brushed daily.
Being such a popular dog breed, Golden puppies sell out pretty quickly. If you want to purchase one, it’s best to book a puppy from an expected litter. When buying from reputable sellers, the price of Golden Retrievers ranges from $500 and $2500, with an average cost of $1000.
Golden Retrievers Prices from Different Places
1. Breeders
- Average Cost: $700 – $2000
If you want to buy a pedigree Golden Retrievers puppy, your best option is to contact a breeder. When you buy from a responsible breeder, you’ll get a healthy puppy who’s well-adjusted and sociable. You’ll also be able to obtain information about the litters’ parents, see in which conditions the litter has been bred and raised, and have an expert on call since breeders are usually more than willing to assist you with any questions you might have.
If you decide to buy from a breeder, the cost of Golden Retrievers will be around $700 – $2,000 depending on the breeder. Patience is key when deciding to go this route though, since good breeders often have a long waiting list and do thorough checks to ensure that puppies are sent to good homes.
Although this can seem irritating, if a breeder is not this thorough, there’s usually a snake in the grass. The upside of buying from a reputable breeder is that they’ll try to select a puppy from their litter that matches your personality and give expert advice on how to care for it.
2. Adoption
- Average Cost: $200 – $800
Countless Golden Retrievers find themselves in shelters or rescue centers each year. Many never get re-homed and some are euthanized when funds run low or premises reach their capacity. Adopting a Golden Retriever can be a good choice if you ensure to choose one that will be the right fit for you. Not only will this possibly save a dog’s life, but there are also some benefits of adopting rather than purchasing a puppy.
Benefits of adopting an older dog is that it will likely already be house-trained, have outgrown its chewing phase, and most have a known medical record. In addition, the cost for Golden Retrievers obtained from adoption is low, ranging from $200 – $800. However, there are risks. Some dogs might have endured physical or psychological abuse or ended up in the shelter because of behavioral issues or undisclosed health problems.
When adopting a dog, make sure to visit a shelter where dogs are kept in a friendly environment, properly taken care of by the staff, and given lots of love and attention.
3. Internet Sites
- Average Costs – $500
Buying a Golden Retriever through online sites can be good or bad. Although it might be a cheaper option, you run the risk of buying a cross-bred puppy or one with undisclosed health conditions. Buying from online sellers also means that you never really know in what conditions the puppy has been bred. However, there are numerous online sellers out there who sell quality bred Golden Retrievers puppies at a lower purchase price out of choice.
When choosing to buy a Golden Retrievers puppy online, make sure to ask for any documentation that might provide more details about the litter such as health records of the parents, proof that the parents are registered or even veterinary cards to show that the puppies have been checked by a vet.
If you’re able to do a house check beforehand or collect the puppy yourself rather than having it sent to you, you also minimize the risk of buying a dog with a less than favorable background and buy Golden Retrievers at a cheaper price.
Ongoing Costs of Having a Golden Retriever
1. Feeding
- Average Costs: $115 – $300 per month
Golden Retrievers are a large bred and can grow to be an average of 65 lbs. which mean that owners can expect to spend quite a bit on food. Depending on what food you plan to buy and where the average cost of feeding your Golden Retriever is variable. Puppies consume roughly 200 lbs. of dry dog food a year while adults can consume up to 290 lbs. If you decide to give your dog treats, this will make the average cost of feeding even higher.
To keep your dog in a healthy condition, it’s best to consult a vet or breeding expert on what food to buy. This cost of feeding Golden Retrievers is probably the most expensive. Paying a bit more for quality dog food can save you money in the future since a healthy diet reduces the risk of medical conditions arising.
2. Grooming
- Average Cost: $100 – $1000 per year
You can choose to groom your Golden Retriever yourself or even make it a fun family project! Grooming kits are widely available at pet stores and online if you choose to do it yourself, and a simple online search can give you some great tips.
Professional grooming does have its benefits though. If you decide to groom your dog professionally, it needs to be done up to 8 times a year and can include a bath which involved ear, teeth, and eye cleaning, hair grooming which involves removal, brushing, and styling, as well as nail trimming.
Costs of grooming a Golden Retriever will depend on the condition of your dog, its size, and the services requested.
3. Training
- Average Cost: $50 – $100 per session
Golden Retrievers are known for being a sociable breed, so having your dog join a training group could be really fun for it. These groups usually teach basic obedience and sessions last an average of 1 hour per session and take place five times per week. The cost to train a Golden Retriever is usually $50 – $100 per session.
You can however choose to train your dog yourself since this breed is easy to train. Investing in a good training guide before welcoming your newest family member is a great idea whether you choose to do the training yourself or not. Early training is necessary to tame this strong breed as they can quickly dominate their owners when left to run free. If not raised right, they can become aggressive dogs even though they have a natural gentle temper.
The first year of any dog’s life is usually the most expensive and can cost an average of around $3,270 for a Golden Retriever. Thereafter you can expect to spend about $1,945 per year on average which puts the cost of owning and raising a Golden Retriever at an expected $22,720.
Golden Retrievers are one of the best dog breeds to choose if you’re looking for an intelligent dog breed that’s easy to train. Just keep in mind that daily exercise is needed to keep these dogs stimulated.
They don’t adjust well to lazy families and when not receiving enough attention and stimulation, it can lead to depression or aggressiveness. Golden Retrievers generally tend to be very protective of their tribe, but still do well with strangers which makes them a great fit for almost anyone.
I hope that this article on the Golden Retriever price was helpful. If you are interested, visit the Dog Category!
