How Much Does a Goldendoodle Cost Per Year? (Complete Budget)

Goldendoodles are a great dog breed. They are cute, cuddly, and adorable, which is why they are becoming one of the most popular breeds, especially for families with young children. (Goldendoodles are great with kids)

If you are thinking about adding a new Goldendoodle to your home, you probably want to know its cost.

Unfortunately, it is hard to give a one single price estimate since many factors go into getting a Goldendoodle. In this article, we breakdown the costs of owning a Goldendoodle into one-time fees and recurring costs. This breakdown provides a more accurate prediction of how much a Goldendoodle will cost you. Let’s jump right in.

How Much Does a Goldendoodle Cost per Year?

How much is a Goldendoodle from a breeder? Depending on your location, a Goldendoodle can cost anywhere from about $1,000 to nearly $6,000 (USD) (see our article on how much Goldendoodles cost). Before you panic, you probably will not pay $6,000. Most people never pay that much for their Goldendoodle.

The types of Goldendoodle that typically cost the most are

• Have special training as assistance dogs
• Are from a high end breeder with a proven record of hypoallergenic or zero shed
• Incredibly small Teacup or Toy Goldendoodles
• Genetically healthy Goldendoodles that have desirable genes for breeding

Other Goldendoodles are much cheaper in terms of initial cost

• Usually adopting a Goldendoodle is cheapest
• High energy Goldendoodles that require rehoming can be adopted for very little
• Extra large Goldendoodles are sometimes cheaper
• Imperfect coat (shedding) Goldendoodles are cheaper

Initial Costs In First Year of Goldendoodle Ownership

The first year of ownership is by far the most expensive. Since you have to purchase the dog, pay for a chip, and schedule a desexing appointment, expect to spend quite a bit the first year. Below is what you will need to pay at first. The items on this list are nonrecurring, meaning you won’t have to pay for them again.

Initial Cost: $1,500 to $3,500

Goldendoodles are an expensive breed. For this reason, expect to pay quite a lot for the dog itself. These dogs are bred to be adorable and friendly, so most people get their Goldendoodle at a breeder. This is much more expensive than going to an animal shelter.

Microchip: $50 to $100

After you buy your pup, you should microchip them. Microchipping helps you find the dog in case they escape. I can’t tell you how many times a microchip has helped me, my family, and my neighbors. Invest in a microchip early on.

Desexing: $200 to $500 

Desexing is not necessary, but most families opt for the surgery. In males, the surgery helps calm them down, decrease sexual aggression, and diminish roaming. Similarly, spaying a female prevents the dog from roaming as much and protects it from getting pregnant.

Harness/Leash: $100

It is illegal in most cities to walk your dog without a leash or collar. You need to buy them before getting the puppy. For training purposes, you might want to start with a no-pull collar and short leash. As the dog gets older, you will need to buy a new collar.

Repeat Costs of Goldendoodle Per Year

Getting a dog is an expense to you for the rest of its life. There is no denying this fact. Having a dog as part of a family is an expensive luxury and care must be taken to budget for ongoing costs.

Given that Goldendoodles live a long time (10-17 years) – expect ongoing costs for a long time.

Beyond the initial, one-time prices, there are individual costs you will need to pay every year.

Vaccinations: $100 to $250 /year

Just as you would vaccinate yourself, you need to vaccinate your dog too. You should always get vaccines for canine parvovirus (CPV), canine distemper virus (CDV), canine adenovirus (CAV), and rabies. There are other vaccines you may want to consider too. Talk to your vet to see if they are right for your dog.

Food: $600 to $900 per year

Dog food is costly. You want to make sure that you feed your Goldendoodle the best, and they are big dogs. For this reason, you will pay quite a bit of money on food a year. There is no way to avoid this cost.

Registration with Your Local Council/Town or City Authority: $0 to $100 per year

Depending on where you live, you will need to pay a fee for registering your dog every year. This price will depend solely on where you live. Check your local regulations to find out how much you need to pay.

Example: The registration I pay where I live was around $50 for the first year, and $20 every year after.

Worm, Flea, and Heartworm Prevention: $120 to $300 per year

As anyone who has been battling their dog’s bad case of fleas will say, take it from me when I say pay for the worm, flea, and heartworm prevention.

I pay with a smile on my face, and get whatever the Veterinarian suggests. Do not skimp on these vital preventive options.

Even if your dog is an indoor dog, they have a good chance of contracting these bugs. Since these bugs can be dangerous and annoy both you and the dog, pay for prevention instead of paying for treatment.

Veterinary Insurance

You will need to weight up whether taking out a pet insurance policy is the right thing for your family. Essentially you pay more now to have future risk covered.

Will you need it? Goldendoodles are healthy animals but there can be quirks or unique problems. These can require treatment or surgery costing thousands. You will need to run the numbers in your country (and state) and see if you need to factor in Vet insurance.

Toys: $100 per year (This varies)

Though toys are not necessary, they make your dog enjoy their life much more. Better yet, toys give them something to do, which means they won’t be tearing up as much of your home either.

The best toys for Goldendoodles are reviewed in this article. Get durable budget-friendly toys!

Buy your Goldendoodle toys to make them enjoy life and distract them from your throw pillows.

Grooming: $50, six times a year, $300

Since Goldendoodles have a beautiful coat, they need to be groomed. Most Goldendoodles need to be groomed every other month. This is a big hassle, but it is necessary for your Goldendoodle.

Non-shedding (e.g. F1b Goldendoodles) require MORE grooming than shedding dogs. The hair needs to be carefully maintained in order to prevent matting or knots.

You can save money on grooming by DIY grooming your Goldendoodle. It is both perfectly doable and relatively easy if you have the right tools (more on that next).

Ways to Save Money on Goldendoodles

As we have seen, paying for a Goldendoodle is expensive. Though some costs you simply can’t get out of, there are some ways to save money. Here are our recommendations:

1.      DIY Grooming

One of the beauties of the internet is that you can find countless DIY tutorials online for free. Instead of taking your Goldendoodle to the groomer, learn how to groom them yourself. Goldendoodle fur is much easier to cut than some other breeds, so you should be able to do it with a bit of practice. Trimming a Goldendoodle’s nails instead of relying on the groomer or Vet also can add up savings over time. And it is easy!

You will have to buy the needed supplies for grooming, but they will be substantially cheaper than paying the groomer. You will only need to pay for the tools once if you buy quality.

Articles to read in order to DIY groom a Goldendoodle

• 5 Best Dog Hair Clippers for Goldendoodle
• The 6 Best Shampoos for Goldendoodle coats reviewed
• When do Goldendoodles shed their puppy coat?
• What size grooming table for a Goldendoodle?
• What age should you FIRST groom a Goldendoodle?

2.      DIY Toys

You can make your dog toys without breaking the bank. My friend has a Pitbull named Cletus, who is FULL of energy. His favorite toy is a piece of fabric attached to a stick via rope. The toy looks like a DIY cat toy. Though it isn’t pretty, it gets the job done.

Consider looking for ways to make your dog’s toys. They don’t care what the toys look like as long as they have something to play with. This is also a great way to reuse materials, which is better for the environment too!

You can use household items like tennis balls and a muffin tin (plus some treats) and make a fun game that will entertain a Goldendoodle puppy for hours. (It is called the muffin tin game, lean how to do it here)

Another idea (under supervision) is to see how placing some noisy pebbles or rice into a plastic bottle before you recycle it. This will require supervision but can entertain some dogs for ages without them even destroying the plastic.

3.      Don’t Buy Everything You See at the Store

If you’re anything like me, it may be tempting to buy new toys, treats, or training gear every time you go to the pet store. Just as you wouldn’t impulse buy for yourself, don’t impulse buy for your dog either. Chances are, they won’t need it.

Similarly, don’t get new items for your dog just because it is “in” at the moment.

I made the mistake of buying a clicker before I met my puppy. This was a mistake for me because I didn’t know that he is afraid of clicking noises. So, the clicker scares him and makes him run away, even if I have a treat. If I would’ve waited to buy the clicker after I met my dog, I wouldn’t have wasted my money. 

Speaking of the clicker and saving money – I would recommend skipping the clicker even if your dog isn’t afraid of noises. Snapping your fingers works just as well as a clicker, but it is free. If you can’t snap, then obviously get the clicker. Still, buying a clicker isn’t necessary if you use your fingers instead.

4.      Don’t Overfeed

Food is expensive. Save money by sticking to a feeding schedule and not overfeeding. If you overfeed, you will pay more money on food, and your dog will get fat. Being overweight is just as unhealthy for dogs as it is for people. Save money and protect your dog by only feeding them once or twice a day.

(Over 50% of dogs in the USA are obese or overweight… don’t let your dog join that scary statistic!)

This goes for treats too. Don’t give your dog a treat every time you go to the kitchen. Though they love getting them, frequent treats are not good for the dog or your wallet.

That is not to say skip treats. We love treats! Instead, get the goodies, but only give them occasionally or when the dog does something deserving of a reward.

I find the small training treats to be very helpful in this case. They are a little more expensive up front, but they last so much longer than other treats since they are small. At the same time, the treats don’t make my dog fat either since there isn’t a whole lot of calories in one little bite.

The other favourite we have is liver treats that are dried. Dogs LOVE them and they come in big bags.

Conclusion

Goldendoodles are sweet, fun, and beautiful dogs. They certainly are a great addition to any home. They get along with kids, other dogs – and even cats (with training).

They are thoroughly trainable and you can typically just train a Goldendoodle at home and get a great result.

The biggest downside is the cost to get and maintain them. Just like any dog, they are expensive, especially during the first year. Be prepared by knowing in advance how much it will cost.

There are ways to cut back and save where you can. This will make owning a Goldendoodle a bit more affordable. I personally follow all of the money-saving tips with my own dog (except DIY grooming since Pitbulls don’t need frequent grooming), and they have helped me a lot. 

I want to end by saying this: dogs are worth the money. Yes, Goldendoodles are expensive, but they will bring endless joy and happiness to your home. You can live on an extremely tight budget and never regret your choice to get a Goldendoodle.

They are loving, kind, and funny! A wonderful edition worth every hard earned dollar you spend.