Selling Dogs.

[SpikesPuppy]

I didn't think of the advertising side. When we rehomed it was done via word of mouth to a friend of a friend.

I would rather see ad's as 'price to be negotiated' or something along those lines.

But it happens here too - in the older dog sections some older dogs, often over 1, which have been kept for the ring and not worked out are sold pretty much for puppy prices.

Ah well, each to their own.

As a pet owner I can see where slk is coming from in a way. My last SBT was an 18mo failed show dog, and while he may have been socialised perfectly well for the environment he was living in, that wasn't the case for my household.

That's one of the benefits of getting a puppy isn't it? That they can become a perfect fit for your home and routinues?

If you want a puppy, get a puppy Not everybody wants to go through the housebreaking, teething, destructo-dog stage etc. Especially busy or elderly people (and some people just don't enjoy puppies)

I would expect that they wouldn't cost as much as they would have sold as a puppy. IMO any money the breeder/shower would have spent on the dog would be because they were raising a show dog, not a pet, and comes with keeping a dog in the home. Not saying the dog doesn't have value, and would have many attributes a puppy may not have, in fact I intend my next dog to be a mature dog.

My dogs, as Ellz' are are PETS FIRST and showdogs second. My mongrels/pet shop dogs were raised on the same super premium foods, given training etc.

It takes ALOT of effort to have a dog that is happy to travel, be handled by various people in various outfits (some clothing judges wear is ridiculous!!), happy to sit quietly in the crate or trolley etc. Many show dogs also attend events the regular dog cannot- such as The Pet Expo, Royal Show etc.

I'm not saying the purchaser should be grateful as such, but they are, in many cases, paying for a dog that has had the 'hard work' done.

At the end of the day, if you don't think an older dog is worth what the owner is asking for it- don't pay it. I say the same thing to puppy buyers who baulk at the price. If you don't want to pay it, then sorry but please go elsewhere.

I have not rehomed a retired show dog, and I don't intend to do so anytime soon, but if I did, it would break my heart and it would not be a decision taken lightly. Someone I know recently homed one of their retired show dogs- the person enquired about puppies, there were none on the ground but they wanted to meet the dogs anyway. The adults dogs loved these people and they the dogs, one of the young adults was offered to the people and they jumped at the chance. A few weeks later, they returned and now own 2 beautiful, healthy retired show dogs (who were not going to be homed but the home found them, if that makes sense). Some breeders rehome too willy-nilly IMHO, and these people don't appear to see their show dogs as pets, but like I said, mine are. They are my babies at the end of the day.

[Gayle.]

Sorry - I'm just so annoyed. I've just come back from the shops and someone is advertising a 7 year old pug for $700 ??!! Blatant greed to me.

I agree. Why would you pay the same for a dog that's halfway through it's lifespan when you can get a new puppy for a similar price and have it for a lot longer?

[dog geek]

Sorry - I'm just so annoyed. I've just come back from the shops and someone is advertising a 7 year old pug for $700 ??!! Blatant greed to me.

I agree. Why would you pay the same for a dog that's halfway through it's lifespan when you can get a new puppy for a similar price and have it for a lot longer?

Now, see - to me, if it was a pet owner rehoming their no longer wanted pet, then I say "BAH!"

If it was a registered breeder rehoming one of their oldies, then I would pay the price as asked; in honour of - and in recognition of - the blood, sweat and tears poured into creating the dog as it is about to come to me.

Edited January 28, 2010 by dog geek

[~Anne~]

Personally, I think $700 for a dog of that age is a little over the top. Yes, the dog has value and in today's market and being a Pug, it has a reasonably high value... but not that high. Still, if someone is prepared to pay that much then so be it. I would hope though that it is desexed. If it isn't, then the person trying to sell it for the inflated price of $700 needs a good hit across the head.

My rescues were all desexed, vaccinated and treated for their individual health issues and they were only priced at $300 on average. This was regardless of age though.

Edited January 28, 2010 by ~Anne~

[poodlemum]

It is human nature, generally, not to value something you get for nothing. For this reason, when I had to rehome my 3-year-old bitch, Sally, a few years ago, I advertised her for $500.00. This cut out the people who wanted a Standard Poodle, but didn't want to pay for it. A lovely young couple came to look at her - she took to them straight away, the woman was a groomer and could have Sally at work with her - perfect situation. When they offered me the money I refused to take it - finding the right home for Sally was the main criteria, putting a price on her just weeded out the idiots!

Too bad the OP has not come back to the thread to see what breeders have to say!

[tdierikx]

I'd love to know the OP's thoughts on the "value" of rescue dogs... they can be all ages...

T.

[slk]

I am here - it's school holidays atm and my hands are full - sorry - not ignoring thread.

I suppose I haven't looked at this from a breeders perpective - sorry. The dog I saw advertised wasn't from a breeder (it was a family pet) and not a show dog (well, it wasn't advertised as one, it was advertised as "family pet - great with kids".

But I still stand by my original claim. I can't see how people can sell a family pet for top dollar. To me it's all about the money.

Yes, I'm a pet owner - he is a new addition but certainly not our first pet. And I couldn't never sell a pet for profit. I wouldn't care how much time, money, training, quality feeding, etc I had put into my pet - who is part of family - I couldn't never try to recoup that.

My pets are part of my family. I couldn't sell a pet any quicker than I could sell one of my children. I could rehome a pet if the need arose (and i have in the past) but I could make money on it.

[Red Fox]

It is human nature, generally, not to value something you get for nothing.

I have to agree with this.

I have a SIL who loves my dog. BUT she really has no understanding of dog and their needs (not an issue really as she doesn't have or want one).

Now recently I was telling her about Kei's last trip to the vet, what he had done, what it cost etc. Her comment to me was 'Well he was an expensive dog, you wouldn't want anything to happen to him' (which translates to - If he was a mutt from the pound it wouldn't matter so much).

To me the initial purchase price of a dog is nothing compared to what it will cost you to care for the dog over it's lifetime so really quite irrelevant. I'm not protecting an 'investment' I'm doing what I have to to care for a family member.

But not all people think like this. Kind of like those who have kids for the baby bonus without considering the fact that a child will cost a LOT more over it's lifetime to raise and care for than the lump of cash that the government is handing out

I'd have no problems with paying for an older puppy/young dog from a breeder who has been well cared for and socialised but not working out in that particular situation. Or paying a reduced price for an older retired dog.

However - I disagree with pet owners who buy a dog, decide they dont want it anymore and then try and sell it off to regain some of the money they spent. In that case it's just wrong.