Picking a puppy in the year 2021 might not be as easy as the Canadian television series suggests. It might also cost you significantly more compared to recent years, due to a rise in dog prices.
As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, people are finding themselves stuck at home, lonely, bored and looking for companionship. Who better to fulfil all those roles than a newborn puppy. Dogs are said to be “man’s best friend,” but lately, they certainly aren’t your bank account’s best friend.
After a quick search on buy and sell websites such as kijiji and Ebay, the price of puppies has gone up significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
As of 2021, online dog breeders are generally charging $2,000-$4,000 for puppies province wide. The lowest price of a puppy in Waterloo Region was $2,000, the highest price was $3,750.
Tanya Zehr, owner of the Crosshill Doodles puppy mill in Milbank, Ont., said, “As a breeder, our goal is to make a profit, and make sure our puppies find a good home. We’ve noticed that in the last two or so years, the market has shot up drastically. In 2017, we were selling pure bred puppies for $900-$1200. In 2021, to keep up with the market, our pure bred puppies are now $2500-$3000. It almost feels wrong raising the prices, but what else can we do with the ever growing market?”
She added, “COVID-19 has certainly been a reason for the dog market climb, it has to be. We’ve noticed significant changes in the last year especially.”
There are many factors that come in to play when pricing dogs. Designer dogs, and large breeds often sell for more than toy breeds, but the prices of all breeds have increased significantly.
In addition to the varying prices of dog breeds, pure bred puppies are often more expensive than mixed breeds, yet mixed-breeds are going for just as much as pure-bred puppies. It seems the buy and demand for puppies right now has only increased, and sellers are just taking full advantage of the consumers desire for more.
Mary Streicher, a Milverton, Ont., resident who recently adopted a husky/dachshund puppy named Dash, said, “I’m happy to have little Dash running around the house. It’s been so quiet since the pandemic began, as my husband and I are very social, and can’t spend time with friends lately. Dash has really been a hand-full.”
The newly adopted Streicher family puppy Dash
Streicher’s husband, Joe Streicher added, “Thankfully he’s taking to his training well, and we didn’t have to pay a crazy amount for him since he was gifted to us. Very grateful for that. Dog prices are crazy nowadays!”
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