So, you’ve found that a Labrador Retriever has the right temperament and personality to fit comfortably in your home environment. You’ve made a great choice! Labradors are ideal family pets that form strong bonds with their owners, but also make brilliant therapy dogs and guide dogs due to their gentle and affectionate nature. But what does it cost to add one of these dogs to the pack?
The price for a Labrador Retriever depends primarily on whether you buy a Labrador puppy from a registered breeder or a rescue dog in Australia. To pick out a dog from a litter of Labrador puppies, you can expect to pay somewhere between $2,000 and $4,000 for a dog with purebred status. Of course, this is only an estimate, and these parameters can fluctuate depending on several factors.
Buying a Labrador from a registered breeder in Australia can cost anywhere from around $2,000 to $4,000. These costs could vary slightly over or under our estimates depending on the reputation of the breeder and the bloodline or colour of the Labrador. Registered breeders adhere to strict breeding requirements for a reason—they employ ethical breeding practices and that their dogs are of a particular quality.
While buying from an unregistered breeder may be tempting because of the lower price, we urge you to avoid doing so because you’re never guaranteed that your dog will be of good health and that they have been bred ethically. A registered Labrador breeder will have a waiting list for their puppies, whereas puppy mills generally don’t.
Purchasing a Labrador from an adoption shelter in Australia is another approach that you can take. Adoption agencies also vary in price based on their location and the quality of the breed, fortunately these prices are still more affordable than purchasing from a breeder. At an adoption shelter, you can expect to pay anywhere from $300 to $1,100.
Several factors influence the cost of Labrador Retriever puppies in Australia. You should familiarise yourself with the different aspects that contribute to the price of a Labrador before visiting local breeders to ensure that you’re not getting ripped off. These factors include:
When a Labrador puppy litter comes from purebred, champion bloodlines, you can definitely expect to pay more for your new lab. Labrador puppies with a mixed lineage, then the price will likely be considerably less. Your puppy’s bloodline will be reflected in their pedigree papers.
Should the parents and pups be cleared of suffering from all common health concerns in Labradors, then the price of the puppy will likely be higher. For this health guarantee, breeders will have the parents DNA tested to rule out any predispositions to the common health issues. The health of past puppy pack may also be taken into consideration.
For a long time, Black Labrador puppies were all that were sold, and any other colour of Labrador was considered to be of inferior quality. Although this is no longer the case, you may find Chocolate Labrador puppies to be priced cheaper than Black Labradors.
On the other hand, there are several ‘rare’ Labrador colours, including silver, red, and white, that a breeder may charge more for due to their rare status.
Labradors are considered medium to large dog breeds. These clumsy yet adorable canines make for perfect family dogs. However, before you bring your Labby home, there are a few essentials you’ll need, like a dog bed, crate, lead, collar, etc. Here is what you can expect to pay for the essentials:
Dog crate: $50 to $250 for a strong and high-quality dog crate that is suitable for a medium to large-sized dog like a labrador
Dog bed: $30 to $300 for a good-quality dog bed that will provide your Labrador with the comfort and support they need for a good night’s sleep. The price of the dog bed will be more expensive for premium, orthopaedic and durable dog beds
Dog collar/lead: $15 to $50 for a good-quality dog collar and lead combination, depending on the material and brand you buy
Feeding bowl: $10 to $60 for a standard plastic, ceramic, or stainless steel bowl that shouldn’t break or topple over during feedings
Dog toothbrush: $10 to $40 for a figure brush, toothbrush, and toothpaste
Dog car harness: $20 to $120 for a crash-tested, suitable harness
Puppy treats: $10 to $60 per month depending on the treats you buy
Puppy training pads: $20 to $40 dollars or more per pack
Dog shampoo & conditioner: $10 to $70 with premium products costing more
Dog nail clippers, brushes & combs: $30 to over $100 depending on the grooming tools you buy
When buying a Labrador puppy, you’ll also need to consider how much it’ll cost you to maintain the dog. Consider the following:
As a large dog breed, labradors can weigh up to 36 kg or more depending on their diet. An adult labrador needs to eat roughly 2 to 3% of its body weight every day, which converts into roughly 430g of dry kibble, 1070g of wet food, or 290g on a raw food diet. Here’s what it will cost you on average to feed your Labby daily per diet:
These estimates vary depending on the brand and quality of food you use for your labrador.
A standard vet visit would cost you no more than $100, but an operation would, of course, cost you much more. That’s why we’d recommend taking out pet insurance, which will cost you, on average, around $300 per year. Here’s what you can expect to pay for routine preventative care for your pup:
You don’t need to worry about getting Labrador Retrievers professionally groomed. You will have to invest in a good quality dog brush and periodically pay for dog shampoo and conditioner, which won’t cost you a lot overall!
Labradors are fairly intelligent dogs that are eager to please, and this makes training them relatively easy. Here is what training your Lab will cost you in Australia:
Labradors make great additions to any family home, but, like a lot of dogs, they come with a considerable price tag – both for the upfront cost as well as the maintenance. However, what you pay in cash, you get back in heaps of love from your Labrador. Before you invest in this loving family dog, make sure that you weigh up the total costs properly. This will help ensure that you’re prepared for everything you need to spend as well as for any unforeseen expenses that may come your way.
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