Updated 03/25/2024 – Are you looking to add a Mini Labradoodle puppy to your life? If so, you might be wondering what’s the average price of a Mini Labradoodle or what does a Mini Labradoodle cost in your area.
After all, that is an important first step in buying a dog. But finding the answer is not that easy. If you look on the internet you will find a very wide range of responses. Each one claiming to be the average cost of a Mini Labradoodle.
Rather than guess, we looked at over 150 Labradoodle breeders throughout the USA to find out what the cost of a Labradoodle is, in 2024.
But, since the price of a Labradoodle can vary based on external factors we also took into consideration items like
- State they were located in
- If health testing was performed (this should be standard practice, but it’s not)
- How the dogs were sold – Online puppy for sale site verses direct from the breeder
We expected to see a large variation in costs based on the above items. But surprisingly there were fewer variations in the price of a Mini Labradoodle then we thought there would be.
Keep reading to learn what our analysis exposed, and just how much you can expect to pay for a Mini Labradoodle in your area.
Plus, we will look at:
- Why the mini Labradoodle is so expensive?
- What affects the price of a Mini Labradoodle?
- The cost of a Mini Labradoodle by state
- Where you can get a discount on a Mini Labradoodle
- How you can get a free Mini Labradoodle
- The cost to care for a Mini Labradoodle.
- Is the mini Labradoodle worth the price?
What does a Mini Labradoodle puppy cost in 2024?
Through our survey we found that the cost to buy a Mini Labradoodle puppy in 2024 could be as low as $450 or as high as $6,000. The wide range of the Mini’s cost were attributed to location, age, type of breeder and if they are trained. However, 75% of the breeders in our survey priced their mini Labradoodle between $2,900 and $3,500.
Don’t forget to factor in the sales tax
Most states require breeders to collect state sales tax on the sale of a puppy. This is in addition to the set price you see on a breeder’s websites.
Why are Labradoodles so expensive?
Most people think that Mini Labradoodles are expensive to buy simply because they are popular dogs that can command a higher price tag. But in reality, doodles cost more to care for and breed. Especially if you are looking for a healthy dog that does not shed.
Here are just a few of the costs associated with breeding a mini Labradoodle:
- Dog with breeding rights – $10,000 to $15,000+
- Stud fees – $3,000
- Health testing breeding dogs – $1,000 to $1,500 per dog
- Genetic testing for shedding, color, size etc.- $500 to $1,000
- Caring for the dog over their lifetime of breeding- $18,000
The list above is just some of the larger costs associated with breeding a Labradoodle. There are many other costs, like vet checks and vaccines for the puppies, costs associate with the actual breeding process, and the cost associated with the administration of the business. Remember for most breeders of doodles, this is a business.
What affects the price of a Mini Labradoodle Puppy?
In the survey we looked at how health testing, size, colors, location and the quality of the breeder might affect the cost of a puppy. Keep reading to find out what we learned.
1. Size
Mini Labradoodles can be found as a Mini or Micro-Mini. Take a look at the chart below to see the difference in size.
Miniature Labradoodle Size Chart
| Size | Height Range | Weight Range |
|---|---|---|
| Miniature | 14 – 16″ at shoulder | 18 – 28 lbs. |
| Micro-mini | 10″ – 14″ at shoulder | Under 18 lbs. |
The micro-mini tends to cost more to buy then the mini Labradoodle. This can be attributed to the fact that it is harder to breed down a large dog to a very small one and it also takes more time to properly breed down the size of a dog.
There were only a few breeders in our survey that bred the micro-mini which will also increase the cost of these dogs.
2. Colors and patterns
In the past, breeders would charge a premium for popular colors or patterns. But in our survey, we only found a small handful of breeders that chose to charge extra for unique colors.
3. Health Testing
As I mentioned above, health testing breeding dogs is expensive. Because of this, we expected to see a higher price tag for mini Labradoodle puppies with parents that are health tested. But instead, we found very little correlation between the price of a mini Labradoodle and whether the parents were tested.
We found puppies for as low as $1,500 that are claimed to have proper parental health testing in North Dakota. We also found plenty of puppies for sale in the $3,000 price range that did not indicate that genetic health tested was done. In both cases you will want to ask if health testing is done and request proof.
4. Location
Where the puppy was located did have an effect on the cost of a puppy. Puppies that were located in the North Midwest and southern states had some of the lowest price tags. While puppies on either coast had the highest price tag.
5. Quality of the Breeder
The quality of the breeder had the greatest effect on the cost of a puppy. Breeders who use online “puppy for sale” sites charged the least amount for a Mini Labradoodle puppy. These breeders are often large commercial breeders that try to hide their identity by selling through a third-party broker.
Since they breed in large quantities, with little thought to the health or care for the dogs, they are able to sell the puppies at a low rate. If you buy from them you are contributing to the harsh life of a puppy mill dog.
Before you buy from any website, please research to make sure they are a legitimate seller. You can check them out by looking on the Better Business Bureau website and look for complaints.
Also, you can learn more about which sites are believed to sell puppy mill puppies on Stop the Online Puppy Mills.
7. Training
If you plan on getting a puppy that is already trained, it will cost you extra. Trained puppies are usually older, from 3 to 6 months old and come with a hefty premium. In the case of the mini Labradoodle, a 3-month-old trained puppy costs $6,000.
Labradoodle Cost by State
As we mentioned above the state you plan to buy your puppy in will affect the cost of the puppy. Please reference the chart below to see the highest and lowest cost that we found for a Mini Labradoodle puppy in each state.
Only states with breeders that provided price data is included on the Charts. Therefore, not all states will be listed. The charts are grouped by region to make it easier to find a state near you.
Mini Labradoodle Cost in the Midwest States
If you look at the chart below you will see that Montana had the highest cost for a Mini Labradoodle in the Midwest and North Dakota had the lowest. It’s important to note we only have price information from one Labradoodle breeder in North Dakota.
Our next chart is of the Northeast States. In the Northeast prices were fairly consistent, with the exception of Pennsylvania that had extremely low-cost dogs. Pennsylvania is also known for having puppy mills.
The chart below for the Southern states includes the few Southwest states that we could get price data on. In this region the state with the lower cost puppies was Texas and North Carolina has the highest priced puppies.
In the West, Utah had the highest priced breeder. The lowest price could be found in Utah.
Where can you get a discount on a Mini Labradoodle?
If you find the average price tag for a Mini Labradoodle a little too high, here are some ways you can find a less expensive one without buying from a puppy mill.
- Some breeders will offer a discount to people in the military or first responders. Discount are most commonly provided to:
- Veterans
- Active members of the U.S. Armed Forces
- Police officers
- EMT’s,
- Fire fighters
- Look for a breeder with older puppies. You may be able to find one from a breeder that overestimated the demand. I saw this with a few of the breeders we looked at.
- As popular as these dogs are they still sometimes end up needing a new home. Here is a list of Labradoodle rescue groups that specialize in doodles. The cost to adopt is almost always less than buying.
- You can also choose to be a guardian home. Some breeders will offer a discount on a puppy to maintain the breeding rights of the dog. Keep reading to learn more about guardian homes.
How can you get a free Mini Labradoodle?
Free Labradoodles are rare but you can find them. The two common ways to get a free labradoodle are:
- There are some breeders that will donate a puppy to a person in need of a service dog that can’t afford one.
- Becoming a guardian home is another way to get a free Labradoodle. While some breeders offer discounts to guardian homes, others will place a puppy in a guardian home with no initial cost. But there are strict requirements to be a guardian home. Plus, you don’t completely own the dog until the contract is over.
Guardian Homes – a brief overview
A Guardian Home is when a person agrees to raise and take care of the dog as a pet, but allows the breeder to maintain full breeding rights for the dog.
This process is beneficial to breeders because they don’t need to have all of their breeding dogs at their home. It also allows the dogs to live a normal, happy life with a family that loves and cares for them.
The actual terms of a Guardian Home Program will vary by breeder. But, here is a basic idea of how the program works.
General Guardian Home Program Overview:
- You must live within a predetermined distance from the breeder.
- The breeder retains the breeding rights of the dog for the length of the contract.
- Your puppy is picked from the litter by the breeder. You generally get the best pick of the litter.
- You are responsible for routine care and veterinary services for the dog as determined by the breeder. This will include grooming.
- You may be required to feed a certain type of food or keep their hair short.
- You may be responsible for taking them to health testing appointments.
- Based on the contract, your dog will be required to stay at the breeder’s home at different times of the year. This could be when your dog is in heat and when they give birth, but there may be other times too.
- Dogs are bred for a specified number of times and years before they are released from the program.
- You cannot spay or neuter your dog until after the contract ends.
Are Mini Labradoodles expensive to have?
As with any dog, the Labradoodle will require basic supplies to keep them happy and healthy. Initial costs will include: food and water bowls, crate, leash and collar (or a harness that won’t cause matting), a comb and brush, plus a place to rest. Your initial costs can be between $100 to $500
While these items should last a long time, you may need to up-size some of these items as your puppy grows.
Ongoing costs include: quality food, routine medical expenses, some toys to keep them busy when you can’t and treats for training. Annual costs for these items can range between $600 and $1,000.
But that’s not all.
In addition to these basic costs, Labradoodles also require expensive routine grooming. Professional grooming should be done every 4 to 6 weeks. At an average cost of $60 to $80 per grooming session, this can add up to $650 to $1,000 a year.
You can choose to groom them yourself, but the initial cost to buy everything you need can cost $200 to over $1,000. Plus, it takes about 1.5 to 3 hours to groom your dog and months of practice for it to look professional.
If you add up all these annual costs, the cost to maintain a Labradoodle is on average between $1,250 and $ 2,000. However, this is all dependent on your personal choices and can be higher or lower.
Is the Mini Labradoodle worth their price?
If you are looking for an active, family-oriented dog that can be hypoallergenic, then a mini Labradoodle is a great choice. In addition to being a fun-loving dog that is ready for adventure, they are also easy to train making them a good choice for first-time dog parents.
Just keep in mind that no dog is perfect. First generation Labradoodles are more likely to shed, thus less likely to be hypoallergenic. Plus, all Labradoodles require a fair amount of exercise, especially when they are young. You will also need to factor in their expensive grooming requirements.
To hear more reasons why the Labradoodle may not be the right dog for you read our post on 12 Reasons You Shouldn’t Get a Labradoodle.
Not sure if you want a Labradoodle or Goldendoodle? Check out our post on Goldendoodle vs Labradoodle: Which is Better?
Bringing Home, a Mini Labradoodle Puppy
Once you decide you want a Labradoodle, you should start thinking about what you need for when you bring your puppy home. Puppies require many things, like a leash and collar, food bowls and toys.
One of the things you might not think about is where your puppy will go to the bathroom. Having an established place to train your puppy to go outside will make potty training easier. To learn more, check out our posts on Potty Training a Puppy: Made Easy and Outdoor Dog Potty Area Guide.