DESIGNER DOGS NOW ‘OODLES’ CHEAPER
DOGS in the poodle family are 10 times cheaper in 2023 than they were during the peak of Covid in 2020.
Cavoodles, moodles, groodles, spoodles and labradoodles are selling for as low as $900, compared to $9000 in lockdown.
According to reports from Upstart, prices for pups ranged between $4500 to $15,000 and averaged about $6000 at the height of the pandemic due to a high demand for furry friends, support animals and company in lockdown.
The price for Australia’s most popular dog breed, the cavoodle, is now averaging $3500, similar to prepandemic prices. The average price on Gumtree for the country’s sixth-most popular dog, the groodle, is $2951.
There are currently 215 listings on Gumtree for designer dogs in Sydney, and about a quarter of those listings are up to $1400 less than their original listed price.
Sydney mother Marina Kortum, welcomed groodle Rosie into her family a week before Christmas in 2019 at a cost of $3500, which she said was standard at the time.
“I know during Covid our breeder went up to about $7000 – I know they more than doubled but I wasn’t aware they were that low now,” she said.
Ms Kortum said the breed was ideal for families and Rosie was a playful friend for her eight-year-old daughter.
“She’s really great with my daughter and follows us around all the time,” she said.
For other “oodle” owners, the purchase price of their pups was less important than the ongoing costs.
“The purchase price … is only the beginning,” said groodle owner Karen Langtry.
“The real cost is ongoing care – grooming every six weeks $145; pet insurance $82.70 per month; annual check-up and vaccinations $350; premium dog food and treats about $80.”