Puppies are a hot commodity in Nova Scotia.

The price of even mixed-breed puppies starts at upwards of $600 and they're often sold within hours of going on the market.

Janelle Allen of Point Edward, near Sydney, looked for two years before finding "the right dog at the right price."

Eleven-week-old Caper is a goldador, a cross between a golden retriever and a Labrador retriever.

Allen said goldadors are loving and loyal and she plans to train Caper as a therapy dog.

The price? A bargain at $800.

"That was reasonable for me and my budget," she said. "Some puppies that I found were more expensive, even up in the $2,000 mark. Some of them, yes, are way overpriced."

Allen said it's a far cry from the price she paid for her other dog, a 16-year-old lab. "He cost me $100 and he's still going strong."

Fewer unplanned puppies

Prices for puppies have jumped in recent years, according to the Nova Scotia SPCA. One reason is the success of spay and neuter programs.

"It's reduced the number of accidental litters, born to people who weren't planning on having puppies and then find themselves having to find homes for them," said Heather Woodin, a coordinator for the SPCA in Nova Scotia.

"You don't hear as much any more of puppies being given away, or people being unable to find homes for puppies. That's just not a common complaint now like it may have been even as soon as five years ago."

Heather Woodin of the Nova Scotia SPCA says spay and neuter programs have reduced the number of unintended litters of puppies. (Wendy Martin/CBC)

The provincial shelters don't get many puppies surrendered. When they do, they're adopted "very quickly," Woodin said.

There are many dogs available for adoption at the provincial shelters, she said. But they are almost all adult dogs, some with behavioural or health issues.

A check of the listings on a popular buy-and-sell website in Nova Scotia shows puppies ranging in price from $500 to $2,000.

All prices up

Some are purebreds, such as border collies or Australian shepherds, registered with the Canadian Kennel Club.

Others are so-called "designer dogs" such as Malshis (a cross between a Maltese and a shih tzu) and shepskis (shepherd-huskie mix).

The increasing popularity of designer dogs, breeds that have been deliberately crossed to produce certain characteristics, has helped push up the price for mixed breeds in general.

The owner of a rescue shelter in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley that caters specifically to puppies said the trend has made it difficult for many families to find affordable puppies.

"I get emails every day from families that have been looking for months and years," said Christina Spencer of Oops Puppies.

Spencer said she typically takes in about a dozen unwanted litters a year, but she said for every puppy she puts up for adoption she gets at least 30 applications.

"So that ends up with 29 people without a puppy."

Buyer beware

Spencer advises people to check first with rescue shelters to see if puppies are available.

She said, though, that when that's not successful, many people are purchasing puppies, often from backyard breeders, at inflated prices.

"People are getting taken in," she said. "They're buying sick dogs and they're paying big prices for them."

Darren McKinnon, the president of the Cape Breton Kennel Club, said breeders of purebred dogs registered with the Canadian Kennel Club must abide by strict standards and do extensive health testing. But he said many unregulated breeders do not.

That means people buying those puppies have no guarantees of the dog's eventual physical appearance, personality traits or health, he said.

Cape Breton Kennel Club president Darren MacKinnon cautions against unregulated breeders. (Wendy Martin/CBC)

Ask a vet

"You never know where size is going to end up, you never know what the coat type is going to be, or the head type, or just anything," he explained.

Spencer advises people who plan to purchase puppies to scrutinize the vendors.

"Don't put a down payment down until you're 100 per cent comfortable with the breeder," she said. "Ask about their upcoming litters. If they have 15 litters planned and six different breeds of dogs, you're probably dealing with a puppy mill and it's best to walk away from that.

"Ask to talk to their vet. If their dog is not being seen by a vet, then odds are they're not really looking after their dogs. Ask the vet a simple question: Would they adopt from that family? If your vet wouldn't adopt from them, odds are you probably shouldn't either."

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