What price should I expect to pay for a high quality English Labrador

Hi,
Brand new to this site. I have always loved Labs but when we got our first family dog our kids were small so we went with a beagle from a "back yard" breeder. We loved the dog dearly but she did have issues (growled and snapped at the kids and others) and she died of cancer last week at the age of 7 1/2. I am now researching breeders in PA/NJ/DE/MD (we live outside of Philadelphia) and found one that sounds really good but the price is $3500....is that an outrageous price? Most of the others I saw were in the $800 to $1000 range. I'm willing to pay for quality but was shocked at the price.

Thanks.

That's more than twice what we paid for pups from hobby breeders on the East Coast. There are some breeders on the board from the area you describe, hopefully they can give you a better ballpark idea because they know the prices in the area. Not sure where you found the breeder you're considering but once you get up to 10 posts, you can send and receive private messages from members. We cannot name breeders on the public part of the board. Did something more come with the puppy, such as training for a specific purpose, extended time with the breeder, a "special" color?

Hi, Welcome to the Board. With a high quality, you pay top dollar. This is for the breeder's extensive work on her lines. Sticker shock, yep had it too, but willing to pay the price for a high quality Lab. Depends on what you feel is high quality and the price you think high quality should be. What I did was decide what I want out of my Lab, researched breeders that had my same values, and will pay that price. Not just for the dog, but for what has been going into that breeder's line for years.

Just my opinion. Every one has a $$ limit for what they will pay for a dog. Or feel what a dog is worth. Hoping you find the right pup for your family.

KAZ

Just want to say Hello and Welcome to the board and sorry for your loss. We have the type commonly referred to as field type because we hunt; paid $1700 for Chula in 2008, she has the best hunting lines. The others were a lot less.

Hello and welcome, i´m new here too. That´s a little bit overpriced imho...

$3500 is waaaay too much.There is a breeder in the PA area that overcharges in my opinion. Get your post count up so you can start PMing. Do we still have a sticky on how to find a quality breeder or did that get wiped??

Woody put one up.

Sorry for being so insensitive on your loss of the family Beagle. Take your time. Know that you want the kids to have a family dog again. A lab is an excellent choice. Get your post count up so that you can receive PM's. Lots of people here to help give you advise and point you in the right direction. A feel working with a good breeder will help you find the the dog for your kids. The $3,500. way out of my range, but know that it will definitely be more than $800.00.

KAZ

If I were to buy another lab, price would be my last question and if all my previous questions were answered in a way I was smiling/happy...I probably would just say I will take it. with that being said, I am sure you can get a quality lab for 1000 dollars, but that doesnt mean every $1000 lab is quality. I believe $3500 is a price with a pristine pedigree and dozens if not hundreds of titles. Since most people (maybe not on these forums) just buy a pet to be a pet...I can understand sticker shock. I wonder how many pay top dollar and then spay/neuter their dog within 6 months?

think I paid around 2200 for chili, then add about 5k more in vet/toys/etc...His pedigree had lots of CH's in it, but obviously that didnt matter so much as he has a genetic elbow condition...**** happens.

Welcome.

That is way over priced. And price is NOT always and indicator of quality (meaning just cuz they are more expensive does not make them more reputable or "better" breeders).

Make sure to research what makes a good breeder. They should do ALL clearances on BOTH parents (hips, elbows, eyes, heart, eic, cmn) no exceptions. They should prove any dog they breed in some venue (field, conformation, hunt).

We cannot name breeders on the board but if you get your post count up to 10 people can private message you. There are some very reputable breeders on the board that can help guide you to help you find a reputable breeder (not just a "well known" one).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by voodoo

If I were to buy another lab, price would be my last question and if all my previous questions were answered in a way I was smiling/happy...I probably would just say I will take it. with that being said, I am sure you can get a quality lab for 1000 dollars, but that doesnt mean every $1000 lab is quality. I believe $3500 is a price with a pristine pedigree and dozens if not hundreds of titles. Since most people (maybe not on these forums) just buy a pet to be a pet...I can understand sticker shock. I wonder how many pay top dollar and then spay/neuter their dog within 6 months?

think I paid around 2200 for chili, then add about 5k more in vet/toys/etc...His pedigree had lots of CH's in it, but obviously that didnt matter so much as he has a genetic elbow condition...**** happens.

---

Don't bet on that. There are breeders that jack up the price to make their lines "look" more important or fancy or that jack up the price for "fancy/rare colours". Don't ever assume that more $$$ means better until you have really dug into the lines and the breeder. I would go forward with a good amount of scepticism until I see proof.

Hello and welcome!

There is a thread here that offers some links: Asking About Breeders or Where to Get a Puppy

Good luck in finding your puppy!