How Much Does it Cost to Buy a Bordoodle?

Purchasing a Bordoodle can be a tricky thing, especially with Bordoodles being such a new breed of dog, it can be difficult to find all the information necessary to make the best decision concerning where to purchase a Bordoodle, and what a reasonable price is for a Bordoodle.

Where to Purchase a Bordoodle

There are many options you can look to when purchasing a Bordoodle, let's review the most common ones.

Adopting from a shelter or rescue

Adopting a Bordoodle from a shelter may or may not be a good option. If you can find one at a shelter, it is one of the least expensive ways to go about obtaining this wonderful hybrid dog breed. Saving a life in the process. However, some of the downsides to adopting a Bordoodle from a shelter are not knowing the dog's genetic history, unknown health problems, potential behavioral problems, and overall unknown information on the dog such as his age or what breed he truly is.

Purchasing online through puppy ads

Online puppy ads and classifieds can seem like a very inviting option as you go about your quest to obtain a Bordoodle. But they can be misleading. Many puppy mills and backyard breeders will often advertise their litters of puppies on websites that don’t require a lot of information. This gives them the opportunity to keep the details of their breeding operation out of sight from the buyer who may not think to ask certain questions. It’s much easier for these types of puppy producers to make a sale when the buyer is reeled in by a cute puppy face, low price, and nearby location. Sites such as craigslist are often flooded with these types of ads. Often giving you little to no background information on who has brought these dogs into the world. The most common occurrence with using these sites and not investigating further is purchasing a Bordoodle that is unhealthy or is predisposed to genetic conditions that are found in Bordoodle lineage.

Reputable Breeders produce quality dogs with a history and accountability.

Mountain Rose Bordoodles

Purchasing from a reputable breeder

A reputable breeder is the optimal choice to purchase a Bordoodle from for many reasons. Firstly, when you’ve found a reputable breeder to purchase a puppy from, you can have confidence in the health of the dog you’re about to make a part of your family. Knowing the necessary genetic testing and OFA’s have been done on both parenting dogs, increasing the chances of your dog living a long and healthy life by your side.

Price of Bordoodles

The initial cost of purchasing a Bordoodle has a large range of prices depending on where you look, where you’re located, and what you value in your new Bordoodle companion and in the adoption process.

Rescue & Shelter Price

If you’re lucky enough to find a Bordoodle in a rescue, you can expect to pay around $250-$375 to adopt the dog. Rescues and shelters charge the adopting family an adoption fee, this helps maintain the facilities at the rescue, covering overhead costs and helps cover the expenses of caring for the dog while it was in the care of the rescue prior to adoption.

Online Ads Price

When you look at online ads and classifieds you will notice that there’s often a big inconsistency in the price tag of a Bordoodle. The price can be relatively low because the dogs are not papered, or particularly good-looking (it may be obvious that they don't meet breed standards). Or on the opposite end; the price could be exceedingly high boasting about hypoallergenic qualities, rare colors, or sizes, etc. The aim of irresponsible breeders is usually to profit off of breeding the dog, so for that reason, the price will typically be higher. Online classifieds list Bordoodles anywhere from $800-$1,600.

Reputable Breeders Price

The price for a well bred Bordoodle from a reputable breeder is around $3,000-$4,000. As you’ll notice this is a bit pricier than the other options listed. Part of the reason for this is as simple as “you get what you pay for”. It's important to recognize that ultimately spending more upfront on a well bred dog will save you money long term. This is because you may end up spending just as much or more money later on, for a dog’s medical expenses if they aren’t well bred and health issues arise.

What to Look For When Purchasing a Bordoodle

• Find a breeder who’s comfortable showing you the dog’s parents and the living quarters of the dogs. This is especially important to tell a reputable breeder from a backyard breeder. There are too many horror stories of dogs being bred in deplorable conditions with parent dogs who are in poor health. Always ask to see the sire and dam of the litter. If you meet at a central location you risk buying a puppy that may not have been bred responsibly, and once purchased you may be left with no way of contacting the breeder for a resolution if anything does go wrong.

• It’s important to find a breeder who offers a health guarantee such as our 10-year health guarantee. Review your breeder’s contract carefully as this helps to protect the buyer later down the line if there ever was an issue, you can rest assured that you know exactly what to expect.

• Look for a breeder that offers training programs. While it’s not as common, and certainly isn’t a requirement, finding a breeder who offers a training program is quite a bonus. You may or may not feel the need to include your Bordoodle in a puppy obedience training program, but when you find a breeder that does offer this service you can have confidence in the breeder’s experience with the breed. It shows how truly dedicated they are to the breed, and highlights the relationship between the breeder and their dogs.

• Review all pictures on the site! Many puppy breeders (both reputable and backyard breeders) showcase lots of puppy pictures on their websites and social media pages. As unfortunate as it is, not all that produce puppies are honest. Photos can easily be stolen and claimed as their own. To help narrow it down, check photos for consistency; if they are taken in similar locations, and you can also compare their social media pages to their website to verify that the images are consistently used. Reverse image search on google is a tool that can be utilized to verify where an image came from.

• Try to find videos. Videos are a lot harder to falsify than images. Videos can also help you gain insight into what that breeder is like and how they treat their Bordoodles. Along with the added bonus of viewing the nature of the Bordoodles themselves.

• Don’t get caught up in the emotion of picking a new puppy. When viewing any potential new puppy or litter focus on the facts. The more information the better. Review the contract carefully and steer clear of any red flags; remember, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is!

How Much Does it Cost to Own a Bordoodle?

There are many things to consider when evaluating whether a Bordoodle is the right dog for your family. One thing to consider is the ongoing expense to owning a Bordoodle. We love our Bordoodles and want their forever families to be as prepared as possible. Knowing what to expect financially when you adopt a Bordoodle into your family can help you determine if it's the right choice for your family.

Recurring Costs of Owning a Bordoodle

Food

Ordering dog food online can definitely reduce your dog food expense. Depending on the quality of food you purchase for your Bordoodle it can cost anywhere from $25-$60+ per 50lb bag. If you pay $40 for a 50lbs bag of food for your Bordoodle and feed him 3 cups of food per day, you can expect the bag to last just over a month (approximately 33 days worth of food). You can expect that $40 worth of food to be a monthly expense. Keep in mind that larger Bordoodles cost more to feed than smaller Bordoodles and will require more food based on their body weight, energy, and growth requirements.

Vet Visits

Your Bordoodle should see the vet at least once annually for a regular checkup. This annual check up will give your dog the chance to get any vaccinations needed, check blood work, check for heartworms, a fecal sample is usually given to test for intestinal worms and anything else your vet offers to keep your pet at his best. These types of appointments cost about $200 a visit on average. The first year will likely be a bit higher in cost as your puppy will need two trips to the vet for DHPP boosters, rabies immunizations and any other vaccines that havent been received, multiple parasite examinations, and wormer if the vet finds any parasites. Some vets do offer special prices for puppies that bundle these services together at a lower cost. But you can still expect to pay anywhere from $150-$375 depending on your location and which services you select.

Parasite Prevention

All dogs, Bordoodles included need to have a monthly preventative for heartworm. Depending on where you live, it may also be important to get your dog on a good flea and tick preventative. There are many different kinds to choose from, including topical forms as well as edible forms of flea and tick prevention. Sourcing these products online can save you a bit of money. But you can still expect to pay about $125 per year.

Pet Insurance

Pet insurance monthly premiums have a vast array of pricing. It can range from as low as $10 and can raise well into the $100’s. On average pet owners tend to pay $30-$50 on a monthly basis. Most pet insurances cover things like injury and illness, as well as accidents, medication, and diagnostic testing. Should your Bordoodle ever need it, this can be a wise investment. However, it's important to note that while each policy is different, pet insurance generally won't reimburse you for your regular annual health checks, vaccinations and heartworm medication, spaying/neutering, and dental care so for that reason you’ll want to budget for these expenses separately.

Grooming

Since Bordoodles can have varying amounts of shedding they will require regular grooming appointments to have their coats clipped. The frequency of grooming varies slightly depending on what coat type your dog inherits, but you can expect to groom your Bordoodle every 3-6 weeks on average. Coat type could delay clipping by a week give or take, but all Bordoodles will need regular clipping. Grooming is likely to be around $50-$80 every month to every two months going forward. However, you can reduce this cost by learning to do it yourself.

Supplies

There are many supplies you'll need for your new dog or puppy. Some of which will be purchased beforehand in preparation for your dog to come home, and some will be things you continue to purchase throughout the dog's life. Some examples with their expected annual expense would be;

• Toys $25-$50

• Bed $50-$200

• Dog Crate/Kennel $40-$110

• Leashes $15-$40

• Collars $15-$40

Training

Training your Bordoodle is a MUST! Having an obedient dog is every family's dream. It also can protect your dog in critical moments, such as having the dog sit when the door is opened vs bolting into a busy street. Training costs can vary greatly depending on what method is used. If you purchase books or videos online and take the training into your own hands you can generally budget as low as $50-$300. Professional training is a good alternative to training the dog yourself. While it can be more costly, it has the added benefit of saving you from facing challenges when unexpected behavioral issues arise. Professional training generally costs anywhere from $1,500-$2,500. Our professional obedience training program is specifically designed for Bordoodle puppies and has proven to be a worthwhile investment for many of our new puppy parents!

Overall Expense

Ultimately the cost will be different for every family. The overall expense heavily depends on what you value the most and what you are willing to spend. There are plenty of ways to reduce the cost of owning a Bordoodle and still have the amazing benefits of having such a loving, bright companion by your side. This guide serves as a rough outline to help you develop your own budget for the long term expenses of owning a Bordoodle. Owning a Bordoodle costs approximately $2,000-$5,000 per year.

Genetic Health Issues

The Bordoodle may be the healthiest of all “doodles” because it is mixed with the Border Collie, which has long been bred for health and temperament rather than looks. Border Collies are considered one of the healthiest purebred breeds. Bordoodles are a hyrid dog bred from a Border Collie and Standard Poodle. Because there are two parent breeds involved in the creation of the Bordoodle, this means that there are possible conditions that come from both Border Collies and Poodles. Below is a compilation of health issues that are commonly found in both breeds.

Addison's disease

Dogs and humans (among many other species) have a pair of glands called the adrenal glands. These glands are located on each kidney. Addison's disease is a more common name for Hypoadrenocorticism which is a hormonal disorder that affects the adrenal gland’s ability to produce the glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids that are critical to your dog's life. Some signs of Addison’s disease can include an increase in thirst and urination, unexplained weight loss, lethargy, diarrhea, and vomiting. Some dogs may exhibit episodes of uncontrollable shaking.

Addison’s disease is typically diagnosed using clinical testing. Blood tests and urine tests can check for electrolyte imbalances, and decreases of sodium and increases of potassium in the blood. Dogs diagnosed with Addison’s disease need long-term treatment going forward. But the good news is most dogs with this condition can be stabilized with the appropriate medications, or in some cases glucocorticoid replacement therapy can be a valuable treatment option.

Allergies

Allergies are when the dog’s immune system goes into a state of hypersensitivity or reactivity to a substance. Border Collies have inhalant allergies and food allergies more often than some of the other forms allergies can present in. Poodles are more prone to skin allergies or “contact allergies”.

Treatments for allergies can vary depending on the type of allergy. For example, food allergies may require a change in diet, aiming to avoid the allergen. Dogs with skin allergies may have to have lifestyle changes to avoid the allergen or be put on an allergy relief medication to mitigate their condition. Luckily, allergies in dogs typically are not life threatening.

Cancer

Cancer is a disease that affects the afflicted animal's body by dividing cells uncontrollably and spreading them into surrounding tissues and organs. Cancer can be caused by changes to the genes in a dog's DNA. Unfortunately there are many things that cause cancer.

Below are some of the most common forms of cancer found in dogs.

• Bone Cancer or Osteosarcoma

Bone cancer or osteosarcoma is a type of cancer that grows as a tumor that is found in the bone tissue of your dog. Bone cancer can affect any breed of dog but is more commonly found in larger breeds of dog. This can be due to both environmental causes or genetic/hereditary causes.

• Melanoma

Melanoma is a type of cancer in dogs that typically affects the mouth. Most commonly developing into a malignant tumor inside of the oral cavity. However, malignant melanoma can also develop as skin cancer in dogs, affecting pigmented cells on the head, forelimbs, or anywhere that has hair.

• Hemangiosarcoma

Hemangiosarcoma is a rapidly spreading cancer that is highly malignant. This type of cancer can cause tumors almost anywhere in the body, including common places such as the heart and spleen of the dog. This form of cancer is often found in the advanced stages when it is diagnosed because many of the symptoms can be easily missed.

• Mast Cell Tumors

Mast cell tumors are also a form of skin cancer. Mast cells are found in the connective tissues and many of the vessels and nerves that are near the external surface of your dog. This would be the skin, nose, mouth and lungs. Veterinarians grade mast cell tumors from in levels of I-III, level I being considered less aggressive than a level III tumor. The more aggressive a tumor is, determines how quickly it is estimated to spread to other parts of the body.

• Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer that affects the blood cells (also known as lymphocytes) of a dog, as well as the lymphoid tissues. This cancer can affect anywhere lymphoid tissues are located such as the spleen, liver, lymph nodes, gastrointestinal tract, and bone marrow.

• Ovarian & Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer in a dog is most commonly found as mammary tumors underneath the skin of the abdomen, near or within the nipple along the mammary glands. Ovarian cancer similarly, is when tumors are formed in the ovaries of the dog. Luckily ovarian cancer can be completely eliminated by spaying your female dog. Spaying also reduces the risk of breast cancer as well. To learn more about the benefits of spaying your female dogs, click here.

• Prostate & Testicular Cancer

The prostate is located near the neck of the bladder in male dogs. Prostate cancer occurs when the cells of the prostate grow out of control and begin to affect other areas of the prostate or nearby organs such as the testicles. Testicular cancer occurs inside the scrotum affecting the testes, but more commonly only affects one testicle. These types of cancer are both highly treatable and can be prevented or reduced by having your male dogs neutered at an appropriate age.

Seizures

A seizure is a burst of uncontrolled electrical activity between nerve cells in the brain. These cause a disturbance of the normal brain activity resulting in uncontrollable muscle activity such as stiffness, twitching, or limpness.

A single seizure is often not a danger to the dog. However, multiple seizures within a short period of time, or a seizure that is too long in duration can cause the body temperature of the dog to rise to an unsafe level. If hyperthermia develops due to a seizure it’s likely to require immediate medical attention.

Canine epilepsy

Canine epilepsy is a neurological condition. It is characterized by two or more seizures that occur unprovoked. Canine epilepsy is diagnosed by ruling out other diseases that manifest as seizures. This is because of the unprovoked nature of seizures caused by epilepsy. If a cause of the seizures is determined then this would not be considered canine epilepsy.

Drug treatment is one option to mitigate the seizure disorder, but this is determined based on the risk of recurrence, seizure type and the side effects of the medication in question. In dogs with frequent seizures therapy is most successful if therapy is initiated after early onset seizures.

Canine hip dysplasia

Canine hip dysplasia typically occurs during the growth of your dog’s ball and socket joints (head of the femur and socket in the pelvis). When the two bones don't grow at equal rates the result is looseness of the joint. The body then tries to stabilize the joint naturally causing degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis.

Although any dog can develop hip dysplasia, it is seen much more frequently in the larger breeds of dog such as Great Danes, Saint Bernards and German Shepherds.

Some common signs of hip dysplasia are:

• Decreased activity

• Decreased range of motion

• Difficulty or reluctance jumping, climbing, or running

• Loss of muscle mass in the thigh

• You may notice the shoulder muscles enlarge as they compensate for the hind end

• Lameness in the hind end

• Pain or stiffness

• Swaying, “bunny hopping” gait

• Grating in the joint while moving

Collie eye anomaly (CEA)

Collie eye anomaly is when a mutated gene that determines the development of their eye is inherited from either parent dog. The blood vessels that support the retina don't fully develop in dogs with CEA and this results in the dog ultimately becoming blind. It can also have more obvious effects on the eye, such as shrunken eyes, or eyes that have sunk into the sockets, cloudiness of the eyes and even retinal detachment.

Gastric dilatation volvulus

Gastric dilation volvulus, also known as “bloat”, gastric dilation, twisted stomach, or gastric torsion. This condition can result in loss of blood flow to the lining of the stomach, and can cause the stomach to become overstretched or rotated. The pressure of this can prevent the diaphragm from expanding properly affecting the dog’s ability to maintain regular breathing or even rupture the stomach wall.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is not a life threatening condition. It is a condition where the thyroid gland is “underactive” or does not produce enough of the hormone “thyroxine”. Signs of hypothyroidism include hair loss, dull or thin coat, flakey skin (but not itchy or red, which is usually allergy related) black patches of skin, weight gain in combination with decreased appetite, muscle loss, lethargy, slowed heart rate, ear infections, toenail infections, and intolerance to cold.

Juvenile renal disease

Juvenile Renal Disease, or sometimes called renal dysplasia, congenital hypoplasia, or familial renal disease, is a hereditary disease that is caused by a simple autosomal recessive gene. Juvenile Renal Disease can affect young dogs of many breeds. Symptoms can include drinking copious amounts of water, frequent urination, dilute urine without odor or color, bladder incontinence, vomiting, weight loss, anorexia, lethargy, muscle weakness, chemical odor on the breath, discolored teeth. Some young dogs may appear as failures to thrive, others may appear perfectly normal.

This disease is often fatal once diagnosed. The treating veterinarian should conduct bloodwork to check for an elevated blood urea nitrogen or BUN, and test the urine for protein to creatinine ratio. Once this disease has progressed it eventually leads to kidney failure, and death. Most commonly occurring between 10-24 months of age.

Lens luxation

Lens luxation is a condition in dogs that is the result of weak threads holding the lens of the eye  in place. Lens luxation can also be a secondary issue caused by other eye diseases such as cataracts, inflammation of the eye, or chronic intraocular pressure (pressure from inside the eye) also known as glaucoma. Lens luxation is not life threatening but it is a very painful condition that requires surgical removal of the lens to have the best chance at preserving the dog’s vision.

Osteochondritis dissecans

Osteochondritis dissecans is a condition that occurs inside of a dog's joint. The bone underneath the joint cartilage doesn't get enough blood flow, causing it to die. This dead bone can then break loose and cause pain for the dog and disrupt the joint’s natural motion. While the cause is not entirely known, it is believed to have potential to be hereditary, involve stress to the bone over a period of time, or repetitive trauma.

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)

Patent ductus arteriosus is a medical condition where the blood vessel that connects two major arteries before birth (which normally closes itself after the dog is born) fails to close allowing some of the oxygenated blood from the left heart to back flow towards the lungs from the aorta. This creates a higher pressure to the pulmonary artery. If the PDA is small the dog may not show any symptoms at all. However once the PDA becomes larger, symptoms may include breathing difficulty, abnormal pulse, loud heart murmur, as well as exercise intolerance. In puppies you may notice them sleeping more than usual, growth may be stunted, or they may be underweight as a result of a PDA.

Progressive retinal atrophy

Progressive retinal atrophy or PRA is an inherited genetic disease. A common symptom of progressive retinal atrophy is night blindness that over time progresses into day blindness as well. Night blindness may go unnoticed or be manifested in different ways such as the dog being fearful when entering a dark room, getting lost in their own house when the lights are out,  or hesitant to leave the house after dark. The pupils in a PRA affected dog may be dilated or have a slow response to light. Blood tests can reveal dogs that are affected by this defective gene, in addition to carrier dogs who aren't affected, but could still pass the defective gene to offspring.

Tracheal collapse

Tracheal collapse occurs when the cartilage rings lining the windpipe or trachea (the tube that transports air to and from the lungs) lose strength and that cartilage can no longer support the trachea. As a result the trachea becomes flattened, or sagged, restricting the airflow into the lungs affecting the dog’s ability to breathe. Tracheal collapse is most commonly recognized clinically by a persistent cough, typically described as a “goose honk” type of sound.

Spaying/Neutering My Bordoodle

Did you know that approximately 80% of dogs in the U.S. are spayed/neutered? This is because having your pets spayed/neutered has been heavily branded as what a responsible owner does for their pets. Spaying/Neutering helps the health of the dog as well as preventing unwanted litters that ultimately contribute to crowded shelters and the overpopulation problem we see with dogs today.

Spaying vs Neutering

Neutering is when the testicles of a male dog are surgically removed. Neutering can serve many benefits but is primarily a form of sterilization to prevent unwanted reproduction. Neutering is considered minimally invasive since the performing veterinarian doesn’t have to enter the abdomen or any other body cavities.

Spaying is the female version of neutering. The veterinarian will surgically remove the dog’s uterus and ovaries. This is done to sterilize the female, but it also offers many health benefits. Spaying is more invasive than a neuter because the veterinarian will remove the organs through an incision made on the stomach.

Should I Spay/Neuter My Bordoodle?

Spaying and neutering your Bordoodle has many health benefits. 

For females, spaying can eliminate the chance of pyometra which is a serious life threatening condition. Having your female pet spayed also prevents malignant and cancerous breast tumors from forming in about 50% of dogs. Females won’t go into heat after being spayed, so this can be both a behavioral perk as well as a perk for the owner. You won't have to deal with the vaginal discharge and bleeding that results from each heat cycle once your female is spayed.

When it comes to males, having your pet neutered prevents cancer of the testicles, and some prostate problems giving your furry family member the best chance at a long and happy life by your side. While most behaviors are a part of your dog's personality (learn about how we test each puppy’s aptitude here) some behaviors are instinctually and hormonally driven such as mounting other dogs or objects, leg lifting, and marking territory. These are all likely to decrease in neutered males. This is a result of the reduced testosterone in males after having the surgery. Neutered males tend to roam (searching for females in heat) much less than that of an intact male. Knowing your Bordoodle’s attention won't be divided between you and searching for a mate can be a big training perk as you continue to craft his obedience skills into what a perfect family dog should be.

In addition to all the benefits mentioned above, spaying and neutering also offers you an additional perk; by having your pet spayed or neutered within the first 12 months of their life you preserve the 10-YEAR Hereditary Health Guarantee that we offer for each of our pups.

Caring For Your Bordoodle After Surgery 

Spaying and Neutering is one of the most common surgeries veterinarians perform on animals. But what do you do after the surgery?

Helping Your Bordoodle Recover

Most dogs are fully healed from a spay surgery or neuter within 10-14 days. In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to help your pet recover comfortably and safely once you’ve brought them home. Providing your Bordoodle with a comfortable place to lie down post surgery is a good way to start the healing process as your dog is likely to be sleepy for the first 24 hours post surgery (however, if your pet becomes unresponsive or the lethargy persists this is cause for concern). Keeping your pet calm, discourage running and jumping for around two weeks, (or whatever your vet recommends) especially for females. Females are more at risk for re-opening the incision. If your dog gets too rambunctious, crating your dog is a safe way to prevent too much activity. Absolutely no swimming, or bathing your dog until the incision is fully healed, your vet can confirm when it is safe to resume water activities. Utilizing a cone or other preventative method will keep your pet from licking the surgery site. This is important because it will reduce the chance of infection. You should check the wound daily to ensure that it is healing properly, notifying your veterinarian right away if any concerns arise. If pain medication has been prescribed, always follow the instructions of your vet.

Do:

• Provide a comfortable place for rest

• Watch for any signs of extreme lethargy or unresponsiveness

• Decrease activity level

• Use a cone or E collar to prevent licking

• Check wound daily for infection

• Give medication as prescribed

Do NOT:

• Bathe your dog or take them swimming until cleared by your veterinarian

• If you've been instructed to clean the incision, do not allow the surgery site to get wet

• Don’t let your dog play rough with other dogs

• Never bring your dog around other intact males or females in heat after a spay/neuter

• Do not give your dog any human medication (such as aspirin, benadryl, or ibuprofen)

Mountain Rose Bordoodles is proud to provide quality information to anyone who is curious about the breed. If you are interested in adopting a puppy from us, check out our Available Puppies page and research our adoption process.