The Cost of a Labrador Puppy: Australia and UK Compared

We interrupt this blog about life in Australia to bring you a cute little fluffy dog story. But don’t worry, it’s all going to be delivered as if it was a serious cost comparison between Australia and the UK  about buying a puppy.

So that’s all right then, isn’t it?

As regular readers will know, we are dog loving people here in the BobinOz family. So it was a very sad day for us indeed when, just about 10 months ago, we lost our dear old friend Baggy, the chocolate Labrador.

But we all felt the time was now right to delve back into the dog buying market, and today we drove about 15 kilometres north of the city to pick up our new puppy.

Please welcome Hippy, our little yellow Labrador, who is just 6 1/2 weeks old…

Hippy Hippy 2

Hippy 3Isn’t she cute?

The only problem we have to overcome somehow is that we already have two cats, Coco and Remy…

Remy & CocoCoco likes to climb…

CocoRemy likes to kill things…

RemyObviously I can’t show you a picture of Remy killing things, this is a family blog. But I can assure you the cat is slightly psychotic, something he officially confirmed when he attacked our friends German Shepherd dog about a month ago.

Strangely, since we introduced Hippy into our home a few hours ago, Coco has had an inquisitive look, but Remy is doing his best to avoid her. When Hippy wandered into their paths, under our watchful eyes, both cats arched up, hair standing on end, but backed off.

Maybe they are smart enough to realise that, being as we brought this dog into the house as opposed to somebody else, that it is our dog. Maybe they’re smart enough to realise that if they attack her, they might just end up looking for new lodgings.

Maybe they are smart enough to realise we really are dog lovers in the BobinOz family. So maybe, eventually, all three of them will learn to live in harmony.

I live in hope. Okay, time to get this blog back on track.

The Cost of a Labrador Puppy: Australia and UK Compared

So, back to the serious business of life in Australia and what it’s really like to buy a puppy here.

Mrs BobinOz did the research, here’s how much a Labrador puppy costs in Australia…

  • $350 was cheapest, but that was for a four-month-old puppy.
  • $500 bought you a puppy from a “puppy farm” sort of supplier. Kind of bulk breeders.
  • $650 seem to be the going rate for privately bread Labrador puppies, and that’s where we got ours from.
  • $900 – $1500 was the cost of a pedigree puppy. Ouch!

And now the cost of buying a Labrador puppy in the UK; I did this research…

  • £150 was the cheapest; no photo was supplied though, when every other seller did. Maybe a warning sign? That was out of Exchange and Mart, the U.K.’s equivalent to Gumtree or Trading Post.
  • £370 – £425, according to a couple of adverts, buys a pedigree Labrador.
  • £495 – £550 seemed to be the most common price point with no mention of pedigree.

So, who is the cheapest? Does it really matter?

What’s that whimpering sound?

Hippy? Hippy! Got to go….

Visa Assessment Service
{ 16 comments… add one }
  • Kamma October 2, 2013, 9:46 pm |

    Dear Bob,
    Could I please get you to revise your statement on puppy farms? They’re not just “kind of bulk breeders”, they’re pure evil. In the U.S. and UK they are known as puppy mills, and about five minutes after Googling that term you should be convinced of their evil.
    I could also say something general about private breeders, but that’d be out of place. And general.

    Congratulations with Hippy, I hope she’s grown into a member of the family since you wrote this. =) She looks like a lovely little Lab.
    Cheers!

    P.S. Eeeeeeeeviiiiiill…..

    • BobinOz October 3, 2013, 12:19 am |

      Sounds like you have already said it Kamma, and I’m more than happy for you to have made your point. I don’t really know too much about this stuff, I haven’t really looked into it. But my wife was quite adamant she wanted a private breeder and certainly knew the kind of place she wanted to avoid.

      I would have been happiest going and getting a rescue dog, but our daughter was really keen to get a young puppy, which I fully understand.

      Hippy is still a work in progress really, she’s still youngish, but she’s learning 🙂

      Cheers, Bob

  • Linda September 5, 2012, 7:34 pm |

    Cute dog Bob, we have two cats too, and the ragdoll makes the Cocker Spaniel run away….

    • BobinOz September 6, 2012, 1:09 am |

      The cats still rule the roost here, but not sure how much longer for. Puppy is getting bigger and bigger, the tables will turn one day I think, although she’s a soppy thing, wouldn’t hurt a fly.

  • tom May 16, 2012, 3:05 am |

    Hi again Bob. I have always had an easy feeling about a man that gives his pets a good part of his time. When a person feels that a pet is a part of the family,they are on the right track to being a decent individual. I do believe that a pet somehow knows it too. You are doing the right thing Bob. Good day. Tom.

    • BobinOz May 17, 2012, 12:33 am |

      I’d love to be nodding in agreement with you on this one, but at the moment our little puppy is a bit of a handful. Feisty is the word.

      She still has a lot to learn, we are teaching her with words like “Stop! No! Get off! Put it down! Ouch! Not there! Get off my leg! Aaargh!”

      But one day we will feel she is part of the family 🙂

  • Todd May 16, 2012, 1:11 am |

    Hi Bob:
    We lived in Canberra for three years whilst my wife was posted to the U.S. embassy. Loved it.
    Re. getting a pet. Why didn’t you check out the RSPCA? We got Cathea and Fluffy at the ACT RSPCA. Two tabby sisters from Yass. They were wonderful pets.
    My recollection is that there were many healthy, handsome, and adoptable dogs and puppies available. Comment?
    Todd

    • BobinOz May 16, 2012, 10:11 pm |

      That would have been my choice too, the RSPCA, but both my wife and daughter had their hearts set on a female, yellow lab puppy, bred privately by a home breeder.

      I was outvoted! Not the first time that’s happened…

  • maree April 19, 2012, 10:46 pm |

    Im so glad you put this about your puppy as i want a chocolate lab and was worried that i couldnt get one if we ever get to move out there. You put my mind at rest!, thanks

    • BobinOz April 20, 2012, 12:45 am |

      Yes, Australia has chocolate labs, no worries there 🙂

  • Ruth April 19, 2012, 8:40 pm |

    Brilliant. Very cute. How long do you give it before she tries out your pool?
    Our burmese was (and still is) very much in charge, but kindly kept out of the labrador puppy’s way until he had grown up and calmed down a bit. I’m sure yours will find a way to share their home peacefully.

    • BobinOz April 20, 2012, 12:43 am |

      Funny you should say that, that’s exactly what our Burmese cats are currently doing. Staying out of puppy’s way.

      I am relieved, I expected Remy to attack, but he hasn’t. He does look very uncomfortable with the puppy in the house, but he is keeping his distance and I’m pretty confident they will soon be friends.

      Yes, wont be long before Hippy dives in the pool, I’m sure.

  • Rupert April 19, 2012, 6:13 pm |

    Hippy looks adorable.

    Our two Ragdoll cats, Cosmo and Lulu, leave for Sydney in just under 3 weeks – and we’ve already booked Karen’s team to go and visit them in quarantine, to groom them, play with them and ‘cuddle’ them. We will miss them so much and just hope that the flight and the whole experience aren’t too traumatic for them.

    Oh dear, Cosmo’s climbed onto my laptop – gotta go…

    • BobinOz April 20, 2012, 12:41 am |

      Karen will take wonderful care of your cats in quarantine, her team down in Eastern Creek are fantastic. Your cats will be fine.

      Sounds like you will be on your way as well soon too. Congratulations!

  • Nicky April 19, 2012, 12:13 am |

    Congratulations Bob and family. x

    • BobinOz April 19, 2012, 12:50 am |

      Thanks Nikki, puppy is asleep now and psycho cat has not yet launched an assault. My hope is strengthened 🙂

Cancel reply

Leave a Comment

If your comment doesn’t get answered, find out why…..
FAQs and Comment Policy.