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Dachshund Puppy Prices 2019-2022

An analysis of information provided by puppy buyers and sellers in an online survey

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Background

This survey was designed to inform an analysis of Dachshund puppy prices in the UK since 2019. We are aware of the "Pandemic Puppy" boom of 2020-21 which saw a large increase in demand and supply of puppies. What we didn't know, was the effect this had on prices.

We asked people who bought or sold a Dachshund puppy since January 2019 to complete an online survey (using Google Forms). If they had bought or sold puppies in several of those years, they were asked to complete a separate form for each year and/or for each variety of Dachshund.

The survey was publicised in Dachshund Groups on Facebook and ran from 26th November 2022 to 2nd December 2022.

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Response rate

We received 886 responses. Of these, 85% were puppy buyers and 16% were breeders (sellers).

The responses represent about £7.5M worth of Dachshund puppy sales (assuming an average litter size of 5 puppies).

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Registration status of the puppies

Just over two-thirds of the puppies were UK Kennel Club registered.

This might seem a surprisingly high number but it’s probably an under-representation of the unregistered population. We know from estimates of the UK dog population that there are probably as many unregistered “pedigree” dogs as registered ones.

The analysis that follows shows how prices differ between KC registered and unregistered puppies.

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Dachshund varieties

Nearly half the Dachshunds in the survey were Miniature Smooths.

Between 2019 and 2021, the KC registered 46,400 Dachshunds, of which 33,600 (72%) were Mini Smooths. So, in this survey, Mini Smooths are under-represented as a proportion of the registered population.

About 2.5% of the puppies were Dachshund crosses or cross-variety puppies.

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When were these puppies bought?

We collected data in half-year blocks. About 80% of the puppies were sold from July 2020 to December 2022.

Some of the following analyses are shown in half-year blocks and some in annual blocks.

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How old were the puppies when they were sold?

Most of the puppies went to their new homes between 8 and 10 weeks of age. A fifth were sold between 11 and 12 weeks old.

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What colours and patterns were bought?

We collected data on coat colour and patterns which enabled an analysis of the “most expensive” colours.

Black & Tan was the most common colour, followed by Wild Boar (Wirehaired variety) and Red.

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Price bands

Respondents were asked to report the price of their puppy in bands. In order to calculate average prices and to illustrate trends, the mid-point of these bands was used.

For the price band “less than £1000”, a figure of £850 was used in calculations. This was based on a sample of 79 adverts for Mini Smooths on Pets4Homes advertised at under £1000.

Only 3 dogs in the survey cost more than £5000, so these were excluded from the analysis as they were not materially significant.

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KC Registered vs. Unregistered

On average, across the 4 years, KC Registered puppies cost £300 more than unregistered ones. However, since the 2nd half of 2021, KC registered puppies have cost approx. £550 more than unregistered ones.

However, popularity and prices vary across the 6 varieties of Dachshund.

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Mini Smooth prices

KC registered Mini Smooth prices peaked in the first half of 2021 at an average of £2565 (£2170 unregistered).

Prices ranged from £1375-£4500 for registered puppies.

The average price for a KC registered puppy in the 2nd half of 2022 is £1700; a reduction of one-third from the peak.

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Standard Smooth prices

KC registered Smooth prices peaked in the first half of 2022 at an average of £2100 (£940 unregistered).

Prices ranged from £850-£3250 for registered puppies.

The average price for a KC registered puppy in the 2nd half of 2022 is £1100; a reduction of just under a half from the peak.

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Mini Long prices

KC registered Mini Long prices peaked in the first half of 2021 at an average of £2690 (£1900 unregistered).

Prices ranged from £850-£4500 for registered puppies.

The average price for a KC registered puppy in the 2nd half of 2022 is £2200; a reduction of one-fifth from the peak.

On average, Mini Longs are the most expensive variety.

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Standard Long prices

KC registered Standard Long prices peaked in the first half of 2021 at an average of £2690. There were no unregistered Longs reported in the survey.

Prices ranged from £990-£2150 for registered puppies and averaged £1400 across the 4 years.

The average price for a KC registered puppy in the 2nd half of 2022 is £1100; a reduction of 50% from the peak.

On average, Standard Longs are the least expensive variety.

[The “Grand Total” figure is the overall average price across the 4 years]

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Mini Wire prices

KC registered Mini Wire prices peaked in the first half of 2021 at an average of £2210 (£2300 unregistered).

Prices ranged from £850-£3250 for registered puppies.

The average price for a KC registered puppy in the 2nd half of 2022 is £2000; a reduction of 10% from the peak.

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Standard Wire prices

KC registered Wire prices peaked in the first half of 2021 at an average of £1810 (£1380 unregistered).

Prices ranged from £850-£3250 for registered puppies.

The average price for a KC registered puppy in the 2nd half of 2022 is £1500; a reduction of 16% from the peak.

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Average prices by variety 2019-2022

This chart shows the average price trends for each variety, plus the cross-varieties. It includes KC registered and unregistered puppies.

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Average prices for KC registered puppies 2019-2022

This chart shows the average price trends for KC registered puppies over the 4 years. Prices peaked in the first half of 2021 and are now about 17% higher than in 2019.

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Average price by colour/pattern 2019-2022

Cream was the most expensive colour (average £2450) and the cheapest was Wild Boar Dapple (Wire-haired) at an average of £1360. These are for KC registered puppies.

The highest price paid was over £5000 for a dilute coloured puppy in 2021.

The average price of a cream puppy peaked in 2021 at £2800.

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Mini Smooth prices by colour/pattern

This chart shows average prices for KC registered Mini Smooths between 2019 and 2022.

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Standard Smooth prices by colour/pattern

This chart shows average prices for KC registered Standard Smooths between 2019 and 2022.

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Mini Long prices by colour/pattern

This chart shows average prices for KC registered Mini Longs between 2019 and 2022.

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Standard Long prices by colour/pattern

This chart shows average prices for KC registered Standard Longs between 2019 and 2022.

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Mini Wire prices by colour/pattern

This chart shows average prices for KC registered Mini Wires between 2019 and 2022.

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Standard Wire prices by colour/pattern

This chart shows average prices for KC registered Standard Wires between 2019 and 2022.

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Prices of dilute coloured Dachshunds

Although the average price of a dilute coloured Dachshund peaked in 2021, the overall trend in prices is downwards.

These colours are at an elevated risk of skin conditions such as Colour Dilution Alopecia. Hopefully, our messages to buyers not to buy these colours is getting through and breeders will be discouraged from breeding them if they are no longer “high price rarities”.

N.B. There were only 18 dilutes reported in the survey, so these results should be treated with some caution.

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Average prices of crosses 2019-2022

The average price of a cross-variety Dachshund was £1475 and the average price of a Dachshund crossed with something else was £1070.

N.B. There were 20 of these puppies reported in the survey.

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Summary

Dachshund puppy prices peaked in the first half of 2021 and have dropped by around 35% (today) but this is still above the average price in early 2019.
There is quite a lot of variation in prices across the 6 varieties, since 2019. The average price of a Longhaired Dachshund has dropped by 50% to around £1100 since its peak in 2021, whereas the price of Mini Longs has remained relatively high and, on average, they are now the most expensive variety (£2200).
KC-registered puppies have always been more expensive than unregistered ones and, in the past 18 months, the price gap has increased to about £600.
Across all 4 years, the average price of an unregistered Dachshund puppy was £1550 and a registered one cost £1850.
The average price of a cross-variety Dachshund was £1475 and the average price of a Dachshund crossed with something else was £1070.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all the puppy buyers and sellers who responded to this survey. Thanks also to the various Facebook Group Admins who promoted the survey among their Dachshund group members.