How much does a puppy cost in the UK? Prices by breed
What UK sellers asked for puppies on Mypetzilla, breed by breed, how prices moved since 2017, and the lifetime costs that matter more than the price you pay on the day.
This guidance applies across the UK.
The short answer
On Mypetzilla, the typical asking price for a puppy in 2022 and 2023 was about £1,000, with half of adverts between £660 and £1,500. Prices peaked at about £1,500 in 2020 and 2021. Breed makes a big difference, from about £600 for mixed breeds to £2,500 for Dobermanns. The price is the smallest part of the cost: the PDSA estimates the minimum lifetime cost of a dog at £6,200 to £18,800, before the purchase price and vet fees.
Key considerations
- 01The typical asking price on Mypetzilla in 2022 and 2023 was about £1,000, down from about £1,500 in 2020 and 2021.
- 02Breed matters more than anything else. Mixed breeds were typically about £600 and Dobermanns about £2,500.
- 03A price far below the usual range for a popular breed is a common sign of a scam.
- 04The PDSA puts the minimum lifetime cost of a dog at £6,200 to £18,800, not counting the purchase price or vet fees.
Puppy prices in the UK rose sharply during the pandemic and have since come down, but they still vary a lot by breed. This guide uses the asking prices in puppy adverts placed on Mypetzilla to show what sellers typically ask, then looks at what a dog really costs over its lifetime.
How we worked out these prices
These figures come from 3,732 dog-for-sale adverts placed on Mypetzilla between 2014 and 2025. They are asking prices, not the price a buyer finally paid. We left out adverts with no price and obvious mistakes (anything under £50 or over £10,000). Almost all of the recent adverts were placed in 2022 and 2023, so treat these as a guide to the market rather than today's exact price.
We show the median price: half of adverts asked less and half asked more. Where we give a range, it is the middle half of adverts, so a quarter asked less than the lower figure and a quarter asked more than the higher one.
How puppy prices have changed
| Period | Adverts | Typical asking price | Middle half of adverts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 to 2019 | 1,433 | £700 | £495 to £1,000 |
| 2020 to 2021 | 1,109 | £1,500 | £1,000 to £2,000 |
| 2022 to 2025 | 1,190 | £1,000 | £660 to £1,500 |
The typical asking price more than doubled from £685 in 2017 to £1,500 in 2020 and 2021, when demand for dogs rose. It fell back to £1,000 in 2022 and £900 in 2023.
Puppy prices by breed
These are the breeds with at least 12 priced adverts from 2022 onwards.
| Breed | Adverts | Typical asking price | Middle half of adverts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dobermann | 17 | £2,500 | £1,600 to £3,500 |
| English Bulldog | 36 | £1,750 | £1,200 to £2,125 |
| Miniature Dachshund | 15 | £1,500 | £1,125 to £1,675 |
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | 12 | £1,500 | £1,125 to £1,750 |
| French Bulldog | 108 | £1,400 | £800 to £2,000 |
| American Bulldog | 58 | £1,250 | £612 to £2,000 |
| Miniature Poodle | 14 | £1,200 | £912 to £1,475 |
| Cane Corso | 25 | £1,200 | £800 to £1,500 |
| Cavapoo | 20 | £1,150 | £838 to £1,500 |
| Cockapoo | 30 | £1,125 | £800 to £1,350 |
| Yorkshire Terrier | 23 | £1,100 | £950 to £1,400 |
| Labrador Retriever | 43 | £1,000 | £680 to £1,200 |
| German Shepherd | 63 | £1,000 | £725 to £1,375 |
| Cocker Spaniel | 26 | £1,000 | £712 to £1,400 |
| Pomeranian | 29 | £1,000 | £800 to £1,300 |
| Rottweiler | 18 | £1,000 | £822 to £1,500 |
| Goldendoodle | 18 | £1,000 | £725 to £1,650 |
| Golden Retriever | 23 | £950 | £800 to £1,300 |
| Maltese | 20 | £950 | £588 to £1,325 |
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier | 47 | £900 | £652 to £1,175 |
| Dachshund | 15 | £900 | £750 to £1,225 |
| Shih Tzu | 20 | £850 | £688 to £1,100 |
| Jack Russell | 15 | £800 | £725 to £925 |
| Siberian Husky | 28 | £800 | £588 to £1,150 |
| Pug | 25 | £795 | £550 to £1,000 |
| Chihuahua | 32 | £750 | £600 to £912 |
| Mixed breed | 155 | £600 | £400 to £900 |
Why prices vary so much
Several things push a puppy's price up or down:
- Breed and demand. Fashionable breeds and breeds with small litters tend to cost more.
- Colour and coat. Some sellers charge more for rare colours. A rare colour is not a sign of a better or healthier dog, and in some breeds certain colours are linked to health problems.
- Health testing. Breeders who health test the parents for conditions common in the breed have higher costs. Ask to see the results.
- Registration and paperwork. A pedigree with Kennel Club registration usually costs more than an unregistered puppy of the same breed. Read our guide to pedigree puppy paperwork.
- What is included. Check whether the price covers microchipping, a first vaccination, worming and flea treatment. By law, puppies must be microchipped by the time they are 8 weeks old.
Price warning signs
A low price for a popular breed is one of the most common signs of a scam. Be careful if:
- the price is far below the range in the table above
- the seller wants a deposit before you have seen the puppy in person
- the seller offers to deliver the puppy or meet you somewhere other than their home
- you can't see the puppy with its mother
In England, Lucy's Law means puppies under 6 months must be bought directly from the breeder, or adopted from a rescue centre. Anyone who breeds 3 or more litters in a year and sells puppies, or runs a business breeding and advertising dogs, needs a licence from their council and must show the licence number in their adverts. Read how to spot a puppy or kitten scam before you pay anything.
The real cost: owning a dog
The price of the puppy is the smallest part of what a dog costs. The PDSA calculated in 2024 that the minimum cost of caring for a dog over its lifetime is:
- small dogs: £6,200 to £12,000
- medium dogs: £9,000 to £14,000
- large dogs: £8,200 to £18,800
Those figures cover the basics, such as food, insurance, routine vet care, flea and worming treatments and equipment. They do not include the price of the puppy, vet fees if your dog becomes ill or injured, or extras such as dog walkers, kennels and training classes. Large breeds often cost more for food, insurance and medicines, and short-faced breeds such as bulldogs may need more vet care.
Before you buy
Work out a monthly budget before you start looking, and use our puppy buying checklist and the questions to ask a dog breeder. If the price is a stretch, a dog from a rescue centre is often a good option: most are vaccinated, microchipped and neutered before rehoming. You can browse dogs for adoption or puppies for sale on Mypetzilla.
Before you decide
- Can you afford the monthly costs and an unexpected vet bill, as well as the price of the puppy?
- Have you seen the puppy with its mother, at the place it was born?
- Is the puppy microchipped, and does the seller's name match the microchip record?
- If the seller breeds regularly, can they show you their council licence number?
Questions readers ask
How much is a puppy in the UK?
On Mypetzilla, the typical asking price for a puppy in 2022 and 2023 was about £1,000. Half of adverts asked between £660 and £1,500. Mixed breeds were typically about £600, and the most expensive breeds, such as Dobermanns and English Bulldogs, typically £1,750 to £2,500.
Are puppy prices going down?
Asking prices on Mypetzilla peaked at about £1,500 in 2020 and 2021. They fell to about £1,000 in 2022 and £900 in 2023, which is still higher than before the pandemic, when the typical price was about £700.
What is the cheapest way to get a dog?
Adopting from a rescue centre usually costs less than buying a puppy, and most rescues vaccinate, microchip and neuter dogs before they go to a new home. Adoption fees vary between rescues, so ask what the fee covers.
Sources: Top 10 benefits of adopting from us
How much does a dog cost over its lifetime?
The PDSA estimates a minimum lifetime cost of £6,200 to £18,800 depending on the size of the dog, calculated in 2024. That does not include the puppy's price or vet fees if your dog is ill or injured, so budget for those too.
Sources: The cost of owning a dog
Sources and further reading
- The cost of owning a dog, PDSA. Accessed
- Get your dog or cat microchipped, GOV.UK. Accessed
- Ban of third-party sales of puppies and kittens known as Lucy's Law confirmed, GOV.UK (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) (). Accessed
- Dog breeding licence (England), GOV.UK. Accessed
- Top 10 benefits of adopting from us, Dogs Trust. Accessed
About this article
- Written by Mypetzilla Editorial Team
- Published
This article is general pet advice, not veterinary or legal advice. If your pet is unwell, speak to a vet.
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