How much is a Labrador puppy? Whether you’re looking for the price of buying a Lab puppy, or the cost of puppy care once your new friend moves in, we’ve got the answer for you here. We’ll look at the average Labrador puppy price range, and the factors that affect that price. Including bloodlines, coat color, and the cost of using a reputable breeder.

And we’ll look at the typical costs of bringing a new puppy home, and looking after them, so that you can plan ahead. We’ve also got some tips on how to find the healthiest possible puppy, to give you both a great start on your journey together.

Average Cost of Labrador Puppy

The cost of a Labrador puppy can vary depending on a number of factors.

Perhaps the most influential factor is who you buy your Lab puppy from.

Different breeders can have different priorities in breeding and raising Labrador puppies.

Today, the average cost of a Labrador puppy can range from $800 to $1,200 in the United States and £650 to £850 in the U.K.

However, your costs for purchasing a Lab puppy can also range upwards of $2,500+

Especially if the Lab puppy you want to purchase comes from a championship bloodline.

Puppy Mill Versus Labrador Breeder Prices

There is often a huge difference between what a puppy mill and a reputable health-conscious Labrador breeder will charge for a Lab puppy.

For example, a puppy mill that is just hoping to turn a quick profit won’t spend money on the best Lab puppy food or do health testing on the Lab parents before breeding.

In contrast, a reputable Lab breeder who who genuinely cares about the dogs being bred will do both and much more.

This can drive up the cost of breeding a litter of puppies quite a bit.

So if you compare how much is a Labrador puppy from a puppy mill and a reputable breeder, you will see right away that there is a big difference in the asking price for a puppy.

If you find a Labrador puppy for a price that seems too good to be true, it probably is.

You may want to look deeper before you commit your heart and your wallet to take care of that puppy for a decade or longer.

Lab Puppy Price and Coat Color

Variations in Labrador Retriever puppy prices can also depend on a Lab puppy’s coat color.

There are three main coat colors for Labrador Retrievers: the black Labrador, the chocolate brown Labrador, and the yellow Labrador.

There is also a fourth color that is newly popular, which is the silver Labrador.

For many years, the black Labrador was considered the best coat color and everyone wanted a black Labrador.

During these years, the black Labrador puppy price was often higher than the price for a yellow Lab or a chocolate Lab.

Today, you may still find that Labrador dog black puppy price is higher than the other three standard coat colors, which include yellow or chocolate brown.

However, as interest in silver Labs grows, at the time of writing demand is outstripping supply.

So right now, you might find that silver Lab puppy price is higher than you would pay for the standard Labrador puppy with a coat color of black, chocolate brown or yellow.

Of course, these coat color trends can quickly change.

What you want to look for more than anything else, including coat color, is a reputable and responsible breeder who will sell you a healthy Labrador puppy.

Labrador Puppy Price and Labrador Type

If you are just learning about the history and lineage of Labrador Retriever dogs, you might not know that there are actually two types of purebred Labradors.

The two types are the American (or working) Labrador and the English (or show) Labrador.

The American Labrador dog is the most common pet Lab type and also the most common choice for a working Labrador.

The English Labrador dog is the most common choice for owners who want to breed or show Labradors.

The two types of Labradors can differ quite a bit in everything from body size and overall conformation to temperament and personality.

Do you want to participate in working dog athletic events such as dock diving or you want to go hunting with your Lab?

Then you will likely want to purchase and train an American Labrador.

In contrast, if you dream of standing in the show ring with a champion Labrador, you will likely be searching for an English Lab puppy to purchase and train.

Labrador Puppy Price and Health Testing

Today the Labrador Retriever is such a popular dog breed.

But the gene pool today for purebred Labradors is somewhat limited.

So it is vital to ensure your new Labrador puppy has been bred from parent dogs who are as unrelated as possible.

They should also be health tested for known serious breed-specific health disorders.

Lab puppies can face a number of heritable (genetic) health issues.

The three most concerning health risks are

Hip Dysplasia

Elbow Dysplasia

Eye Issues.

Another newer serious concern is called exercise induced collapse (EIC).

If you purchase your new Lab puppy from a health-conscious dog breeder, you may wonder why your new puppy is so expensive.

The answer is simple: Your breeder has to calculate the costs of preventative screening and health testing into how much is a Labrador puppy from their kennel.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is an abnormality in how your Lab’s hip bones grow.

A Lab with hip dysplasia will have a hip bone that doesn’t fit properly into its pelvic socket.

This can cause a lot of pain and dysfunction, including lameness.

Lab puppies will start to show signs of hip dysplasia when they are around 6 months old.

In very mild cases, your Lab may not display any symptoms of hip dysplasia until well into adulthood.

Hip dysplasia is a condition that can be passed along from parent dog to puppy.

So it is vital to do health testing on the parent dogs before breeding to reduce the risk that a puppy will inherit hip dysplasia.

These health tests are not cheap, however.

Current posted health testing prices (as of the time frame when this article was written) are $35 per parent.

Elbow Dysplasia

Elbow dysplasia, as the name suggests, is an abnormality in how the bones and cartilage of the elbow joint grow and fit together.

Like hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia is a congenital condition, which means it can be passed along from parent dog to puppy.

As with hip dysplasia, symptoms of elbow dysplasia may not begin to appear until a puppy is 6 months or older.

In mild cases, the warning signs may not show up until your dog is well into adulthood.

Reputable, responsible Labrador breeders will spend around $35 per parent to test for elbow dysplasia.

Eye Issues

Purebred Labrador retrievers can suffer from a variety of congenital, or inherited, eye disorders.

The most serious of these is called progressive retinal atrophy (PRA).

PRA is a congenital eye issue that can eventually cause blindness.

The cost of the health test recommended for PRA can vary depending on which lab performs the test, but a breeder could expect to pay around $130 per test.

Another serious health issue Labrador retrievers can face is called exercise-induced collapse (EIC).

Researchers have only recently pinpointed the gene responsible for this genetically heritable health condition, which has allowed development of a screening test.

The cost of this test averages $75 per test.

How Much Is A Labrador Puppy? Adding It all Up

Here you can see that a breeder’s costs for health testing a single parent dog or Labrador puppy could range well into the triple digits just for four basic tests.

This is in addition to the other costs a breeder bears for stud fees, whelping, weaning, advertising and veterinary care for each a Lab puppy.

Your breeder will also bear the cost of microchipping, worming, vaccinating, and flea treating each pup.

New Lab Puppy Costs

One of the biggest surprises in terms of how much is a Labrador puppy is how much it can cost to welcome a new puppy into the family.

For instance, your new Lab puppy will need many supplies, including

a home and travel crate

a leash and collar

an I.D. tag and microchipping (if not already provided)

food

water

treats

toys

and a “well puppy” veterinarian checkup.

According to one study, the average first year cost of owning a large breed dog such as a Labrador Retriever was just over $2,000.

This is costly and requires quite a bit of time commitment too.

Here are six important things to consider before buying a Labrador. Knowing these will help you to decide if now is the right time to buy a Lab puppy, or whether you might need to wait a little longer before you bring your new dog home.

There are many things to consider before taking on the responsibility of a Labrador dog. Price is just one of them. And Labrador Retriever price is more complicated that just the purchase price of a Labrador puppy at $800 to $1200. You also need to consider the impact of a Lab on your home and life. And the cost of food and medical care for your new friend.

You are right to take this decision seriously, because there’s a price to pay for life with a Labrador – and it isn’t just the money! In this article we are going to be looking at the pros and cons of owning a Lab. And you’ll find more information to help you in links throughout this article. We’ll focus on six important factors that you will need to take into account before you take the plunge.

Are You Thinking Of Buying A Labrador Puppy?

If you are thinking of bringing a Lab puppy home, you probably feel rather bombarded with information. You may be wondering how much it costs to keep a Labrador happy and healthy, and what price you’ll need to pay to buy a puppy.

Labrador Dog Price – The Costs Involved

Buying a Labrador is not just a question of the purchase price of a Lab puppy, though of course that is important. There are other costs involved, both financial, emotional and in terms of time and effort. So we need to look at those too.

You may be wondering whether you will have the time for a dog, and if you have the space and energy for a large and lively breed? Nearly everyone has an opinion on whether or not you should ‘take the plunge’. But this page will take you back to the fundamental considerations, to help you to make the right choice for you and your family.

Things To Consider Before Bringing Home A Labrador Puppy

Here are the main points you may want to consider before making that final decision on whether or not to bring a Labrador into your life:

Do you have the right space for a large dog?

Do you have time for a dog?

1. Do You Have The Right Space For A Labrador?

Dogs need space, both indoors and outside. Even small breeds need room to stretch their legs and run about. And Labradors as fairly large and lively dogs need quite a lot of space. This means you need a decent sized backyard if you plan on buying a Labrador puppy. Somewhere that your dog can run around, play and enjoy training sessions with you.

Labradors can be quite silly during adolescence, bouncing and cavorting in the home. Their tails are long and thick, easily knocking any fragile decorations you might have from shelves. If you have lots of ornaments then you will need to move them to higher shelves to avoid them getting damaged. You will also need to move anything that could be easily damaged by chewing.

Potty breaks

Labradors also need to go outside regularly for ‘bathroom breaks’. With small puppies this will be very often indeed. Perhaps every 15 to 20 minutes during their first few days with you. If you live in a flat, or do not have a garden, this will be difficult for you.

These are helpful but do take up a lot of space. Even more space invading is another great house training solution, putting a crate inside a puppy playpen* for the first few months. Although this will take up a lot of space indoors, it can work very well for larger apartments with no easy outside access.

Ideally however you do need to have a garden, and a part of the garden which your dog can use as a bathroom, along with a good system for clearing up after him hygienically. Puppies should also not be allowed to ‘toilet’ where children play, as their faeces can pass on some horrible and dangerous parasites.

Space is key!

The right space for a Labrador includes large clear rooms in the house, with no breakable or fragile objects within his grasp. And ideally access to a garden where they can easily be let out to the bathroom and have room to play.

Keeping a single Labrador permanently outside however is not usually a good idea, even with adequate shelter and security. Labs are very sociable dogs and prone to separation anxiety if they lack company. This means your dog may be both sad and noisy.