Thread: Price of Dogs in NZ !!

I've been off the market for a dog for a number of years. However, decided to get a pup start of this year and was surprised at the amount of money being asked.
They start around $1000, average $2500, and go up to $5000+...and that's mostly for mixed breeds (or in marketing terms 'designer dogs').

The last time I looked you could buy a pup in the hundreds....but now for the same breed, you are in the thousands.
Does anyone know why the prices are so high?

I ended up buying a Lurcher for $500 (heading dog x whippet and then crossed over ex-racing greyhound).

It's just gone nuts, 5ish years ago I sold my border collie pups at $500 (iirc) and could have sold the golden coloured ones for around $2000.... Hope the prices go back to normal in a few years when I'm looking for another pup.

I suspect that the demand has risen considerably during lockdowns when people have more spare time to spend with a pup

The pound still has sensible pricing.

When the first lock down hit 2 years ago the price of cars, boats, motorbikes and dogs went through the roof. Gouging bastards
People thought " I have time for a new critter now" so demand went up and people thought the would hike the prices.

Originally Posted by Barefoot

The pound still has sensible pricing.

Does the pound do the full-on 'property and family check' like the SPCA do?
You know....must have a high-fenced property of outside lawn for the dog to run around...must own the property and not rent it....must have a person at home most of the day....prefer a young family etc....jezz it's like adopting a human baby.

Originally Posted by rugerman

When the first lock down hit 2 years ago the price of cars, boats, motorbikes and dogs went through the roof. Gouging bastards
People thought " I have time for a new critter now" so demand went up and people thought the would hike the prices.

@rugerman yep spot on the old l am lonely & need a pet or l finally have time to own a pup & with the "boys toys" Lock Downs had people looking at projects to fill in time & tick off bucket lists , so they have all gone through the roof .Prior to the Lock Downs starting up, me & a couple of mates who would do regular Motorcycle Expeditions in places around the world ,we had a couple of years planning in to do a full tour around the UK & do the Isle of Mann TT races & the Irish TT race circuit on old Triumphs we had restored ourselves ,by the time the first big auctions in Oz came up prices increased by 25% & have kept going up , they set records again at the big classic's auctions in Oz a couple of weeks ago .

The effect has flowed on to most things ,as we were leading up to the first Lock Downs l was in the process of building a new set of Work Shop & Man Cave sheds on the farm ,for actually dedicated space for the bike restoration & instead gambled on putting on a extension ,patio & new Kitchen for the missus, as we predicted the prices would go through the roof on the high end imported stuff ,plus availability issues . We just had one of same blokes pick up & fit the old oven/dishwasher etc l had saved for the man cave ,down in our new Bach & he reckoned we would be looking at over 35% increase in pricing if we did the same job now .


@Hermitage not just pets ,working dogs have gone through the roof & setting new records all the time ,as Chyna Flu Lock Downs & travel restrictions mean working dogs are replacing staff every where .From memory a couple of months back a Kelpie went for over $35000 & pups from good bloodlines are going for big dollars.

Pounds in Oz where the Lock Downs have stopped are now flooded with animals & were forced to give them away ,IMO the same will happen here & l reckon there is a big opportunity for dog trainers ,as the same morons who are now more interested in going shopping & clubbing than their dog once Lock Downs end ,will have done a Cluster Fuck of a job training the poor dog & there will be a lot of 1-2yr old dogs needing proper training coming on to the market .

Gone are the days when pups were free, or maybe $50, fully trained working dogs were $400-500, and unbroken horses were $150!

I look at it that with the rise of living with thinks like new min wage etc your money is just worth a whole lot less now so everything now costs more money

Spent $750 for both my dogs and the older one has helped me collect thousands worth of venison, the new pup will do that same. I cracked up at my workmate when he spent 3.5k on his staffy

It makes my heart sink when I see 1 or 2 year old dogs for sale when "circumstances have changed" I doubt they would give their kids away ( although some should be taken off some people). Short sighted bullshit and after a dog has moved on from the cute puppy stage and irresponsible owners start reaping the effects of their lack of proper training. Dogs are not a fashion statement as some people seem to think.
Rant over........ for now

Originally Posted by rugerman

It makes my heart sink when I see 1 or 2 year old dogs for sale when "circumstances have changed" I doubt they would give their kids away ( although some should be taken off some people). Short sighted bullshit and after a dog has moved on from the cute puppy stage and irresponsible owners start reaping the effects of their lack of proper training. Dogs are not a fashion statement as some people seem to think.
Rant over........ for now

Any luck finding a lab pup @rugerman ?

I see there are some lab x pups just near you in Pahiatua for $600.
Father = pure lab x Mother = Blue Healer x Staffy x Smithfield.

Dogs, boats, etc. The problem we have had here in NZ the past 24 months is a lot of idle hands coupled with cheap and easy money, the tide is turning as the reserve bank has (finally) seemed to see that interest rates and lending criteria were not sustainable, people tried to keep up with inflation and the rising cost of imports etc by borrowing cheap money but I see that all coming crashing down quite spectacularly over the next few months. I literally know people who have thought nothing of throwing 30, 40, 50k + on the mortgage and then throwing it to the wind on toys, holidays, maintaining a lifestyle beyond their means etc.

PS: don't need a flash Harry dog with 7 names and a certificate of authenticity to hunt well and keep you company, most the "pedigree" dogs I know are useless as the mindset of the owner is one of maintaining appearances rather than a dedicated attitude towards training and time spent with their dog. There are far more gsps, vizlas, springers, labs etc out there that are completely useless than not

My old dogs at home were papered springer spaniels, one cost 50 and one cost 70 albeit 25 years ago.

I wouldn't even comment how much I paid for my current springer here, he was a planned dog that came along with home ownership, couldn't justify a dog for the years I rented.

He too is a papered springer and is doing really well for a year old pup, he's big for a springer more of a thumper to be fair and he's rather horny if there's a damsel in distress out there

Yip 20 years ago Che cost me 250, try 10 times that for Finn.
Then add 3.4K to get his broken leg fixed and your looking at an expensive piece of dog flesh.

Originally Posted by jakewire

Yip 20 years ago Che cost me 250, try 10 times that for Finn.
Then add 3.4K to get his broken leg fixed and your looking at an expensive piece of dog flesh.

Cruciate ligament tear took the spring out of my old springers step, 2.5k for surgery (in GBP), also called Finn.