Why are field bred Golden Retriever puppies so much more expensive than field bred Labradors?

It is definitely a supply problem and I don't see it improving any time soon. The pedigrees of the best field Golden litters are comparable to below average Labrador litters.
If the quality of field Golden litters improves, and I hope it does, the demand and price will increase even more. There are a lot of closet Golden lovers that run Labs because they want to finish a trial now and then.

Golden Gibby said:

Golden. Since then what I’ve learned at hunt tests is that Labs outnumber Goldens by around roughly 7 to 1 particularly at MH tests. (Just an educated guess at the ratio) So there are many more MH labs than Goldens. I don’t run FT’s but in looking at some entries it looks like the ratio is probably even higher towards Labs.

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Between 15 and 20 to 1, even more if you just look at all age stakes.

Steve Shaver said:

I dont see it as a supply problem. I have seen MANY Goldens come through my place simply because the kid that leases my kennels has a Golden so Gloden owners flock to him.

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The supply shortage is only in good field Goldens.

There are straw hat wearing no pocket having "breeders" that literally have barns full of Goldens being raised like hogs.
I have seen some signs recently of the bottom dropping out of the Golden puppy market, time will tell.

Selling pups for less than market price will attract the wrong buyers.

dr_dog_guy said:

Discount prices are for great homes based on prior knowledge.

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I agree completely if you know your buyers. I'm sure that's what every good breeder hoped for but not always the case.

Steve Shaver said:

Golden people are nuts.

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That hurts, mostly because it's true.

Kenneth Niles Bora said:

I don't think we need to have a who is the craziest contest.

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We spend large sums of money, devote countless hours of our time, debate, discuss and endlessly ponder over the most minute details of retriever training. Then on weekends we travel, spend money on entry fees, motels and restaurant just to see who's dog can retrieve 8 to 12 birds in the most impressive fashion.
It's great fun and as a bonus we get to make fun of the Golden people, because they're crazy.

Golden Gibby said:

I just looked on RTF puppy listings and found 3 Golden litters listed since the start of the year, there are 19 Lab litters listed in the same time frame.

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I haven't looked but there are probably more FC and AFC dogs in any one of those Lab litters than there are in all the gold litters combined.

labsforme said:

The worst of them all are those that have Labs and Goldens.

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Already got the motel, might as well have a dog that has a chance of finishing a trial.

dr_dog_guy said:

Jeff, you have a yellow dog, too.

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Yellow is the rich man's trash breed.

Dempseyofhuntersrun said:

You don't see many labs in field (other than trials) and that is just a fact.

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I did not know that.