Dog prices have stayed high after a pandemic boom, breeders and buyers in Great Yarmouth have revealed.

In March, Ebony Smith, from Yarmouth, bought two cockapoos from separate litters and noticed an immediate difference in price.

"My first dog was £2,500 and the other was £1,800," Miss Smith said.

"I would say dogs are more expensive because of the pandemic, definitely."

Despite the prices, Miss Smith said her new pets have "massively" changed her life.

"They've given me a reason to get out and walk everyday," she said.

"Training two puppies at once was stressful.

"But it wasn't too different once restrictions were lifted though."

Canine Aid Rescue and Ethology (CARE) Dog Rescue, a Norfolk family-run, non-profit organisation dedicated to the rescue and rehoming of dogs, said it hadn't noticed a rise of homeless dogs in the area during the pandemic.

"Our suspicion is that dogs are so high in price at the moment, that people are selling rather than putting their old pets up for adoption," Al Matherne, from CARE, said.

Mr Matherne added that the Gorleston branch of CARE have rescued approximately 100 dogs in the past year. Previously, they had rescued three or four dogs a week.

Mr Matherne agreed that prices for dogs have increased over the pandemic with some desirable breeds being well over £2,000.

A new dog owner, who did not wish to be named, shared the difference in price between a French Bulldog she had bought in 2017 and another one she bought during the last lockdown.

"I paid £1,200 back in 2017 and prices seemed consistent up until the pandemic.

"I bought my second dog earlier this year for £3,500.

"It was a bit of a crazy increase.

"But you pay for the quality of the breed."

The woman decided to buy another dog to help calm her older dog's anxiety.

The woman said that the lockdown didn't affect her decision. She was always planning on getting a companion for her older Frenchie.

"I'm a sucker for a puppy," the woman said.

"As soon as I saw her, I fell in love with her.

"Even if the price was ridiculous."

Puppy buying tips

Battersea Dog's Home advise people looking to become new dog owners to do their research before buying a pet.

New owners are to consider the following:

Is a puppy is the right pet for me?

Battersea Dog's Home suggests: "Before committing to buying a puppy, it’s important to make sure that you have the time and resources to dedicate to both training and looking after them.

"This is rewarding but is also hard work and shouldn’t be underestimated."

Do I have enough space?

Some dogs grow to be very big and they need space to live comfortably and require access to areas where they can burn off excess energy.

How old is the puppy?

Most puppies should not leave their mother until they are at least eight-weeks old.

Battersea recommends seeing the puppy interact with its mother and new owners should check the puppy's age as best as they can.

Battersea suggest that "a good way to check how old they are is by comparing them to photographs of others that are the same age".

For more advice on buying a new puppy, please visit the Battersea Dog's Home website and the Puppy Contract.