Question To Breeders

[ellz]

There's asking and there's asking.

If I get an email where the first question is "how much" followed by very little else, then I am certainly very guarded in my reply. You should just SEE some of the emails that I, and I have no doubt, other dog breeders receive.

On the other hand, if somebody tells me a little about themselves or the life they can offer one of my dogs and then asks what kind of price they would be looking at, I'm a lot more receptive.

I don't advertise prices on my website, or anywhere else, because price is the last thing I am concerned with. As with SBT123, a lot depends upon the individual circumstances. I've given dogs away, I've sold dogs. I have my price and it is not open to negotiation through haggling, bargaining or guilt-tripping but *I* will choose if and when to vary that price according to circumstances and the rapport that I have struck up with a person.

[Rysup]

I always give a "general" price range for my breed, and am never offended when a puppy enquirer asks the price. If you dont ask, you dont find out do you?

Most of the breeders try to keep the pet prices on par with each other. I would have no clue on show prices though, they could be anything!

For those who dismiss a person because they ask how much, Im sorry, thats just ridiculous. I too am on a limited income, and buying a dog is a BIG purchase for many. They need to know how much so they can save that money up, or to find out if your breed is totally out of the question. I think thats just plain discrimination. Turn them down on tangible reasons such as no fences or they want to breed. And yep I will get people saying, if they cant afford the dog they cant afford the vet bills, but sorry thats also a crock. My dogs never go without the care they need, they get quality food, grooming etc etc, but to ME the purchase price is still something I would have to save up for. It's not like you can buy a dog on a credit card. Well from a reputable breeder anyway!

[bullyfan]

We always mention price to people in intial phone calls, so they are aware of the "going" rate. It doesn't mean we are going to sell them a pup (as we very rarely have any available) but it does give the person an idea on how much people charge, approximately.

I don't have a problem with "How much?", being one of the first questions...... if you don't ask you will never know.

In say that, IF that's the only question I really do dislike it, The callers then tend to get a rather long "lecture" on the breed, health, home requirements, training, feeding, etc.. Thus enabling them to be prepared with information should they wish to phone anyone else.

What I really dislike is a phone call saying, "Have you got any puppies available, I'm after a white one with red patches on it's back or over it's left eye." No "Well do you know anyone that has?" Why not humour me and ask about the breed or inform me of your knowledge on the breed.

[Shmurps]

Because if the first question they ask is "How much?" they aren't getting a puppy.

Not from us either.

And another reason why people turn to petshops.

If we want to stop PF and petshops there needs to be some understanding that not everyone is educated on how to approach a breeder.

Everything you purchase has a price and it just comes naturally to ask how much.

Doesn't mean they are not worthy on that question alone.

[SparkyTansy]

In all my puppy research, price was actually the last thing on my mind... but perhaps that was because for each puppy i saved up an amount and if that amount wasn't going to be enough by the time it came to discussing price, I would have either waited for the next litter to save more (if i thought it was worth it) or i would have told the breeder that was more than i could afford and that i would have to walk away. Lines and type are much more important than price, but there is a line i would draw. I think tellling people the general going rate for a puppy is the best thing...

I only recently found out the "going rate" for pups in my breed... it was far more than i thought and has gone up since I got my bitch 3 years ago.

[RallyValley]

In the USA it is the done thing for my breed to advertise the price, I don't think it's unethical or makes you a BYB, it just means that people kow how much a pup costs, not that if they have that money they can get one. The US breeder I look up to most, also on the comitte of the American Chesapeake Club, also hunts and does obidience and pet thrapy with her dogs , advertises her own litters and litters of her progeny on her site and lmost always lists a price.

However I would be scared to do it here in Australia because of the stigma attached.

[ellz]

As I said, there is asking and there is asking.

Sometimes you can tell instinctively if a person is just collecting information or is going from breeder to breeder trying to find the "cheapest" puppy.

A phone call is a different thing entirely. There is more scope in a phone call to exchange information.

[indigirl]

I guess I am going against the flow then as I state on my website how muuch a puppy will cost. I do this in an effort to reduce the number of 'how much for a puppy?" emails. I got tired of writing polite and informative emails back to ppl who send me a one line email. I should write an email and keep a copy and send the same email out to all those "have you got puppies and how much are they?" emails.

[Gemelo]

There's asking and there's asking.

If I get an email where the first question is "how much" followed by very little else, then I am certainly very guarded in my reply. You should just SEE some of the emails that I, and I have no doubt, other dog breeders receive.

On the other hand, if somebody tells me a little about themselves or the life they can offer one of my dogs and then asks what kind of price they would be looking at, I'm a lot more receptive.

I don't advertise prices on my website, or anywhere else, because price is the last thing I am concerned with. As with SBT123, a lot depends upon the individual circumstances. I've given dogs away, I've sold dogs. I have my price and it is not open to negotiation through haggling, bargaining or guilt-tripping but *I* will choose if and when to vary that price according to circumstances and the rapport that I have struck up with a person.

I agree with Ellz with 'how' it is asked. Eventually when we are selling puppies I have no problem if people send an email telling me about themselves and what kind of puppy they would like, home they can offer etc, and also ask price I have absolutely no problem at all, Its how I asked the breeders of my dogs.

I do have a problem with simple, one line emails along the lines of "how much is a puppy and when are they ready?"

[OSoSwift]

I am also a person with a budget for everything and a puppy is included in that.

I agree with Ellz, there are dfferent ways of asking.

If I email someone (and these days that is quite often the first contact) I tell them about my situation, that we live on a farm, and the sorts of things I would like to do with my puppy. I will quite often have a few questions for the breeder especially if it is a new breed for me. I also ask an approximate price for their puppies. I only want an idea as if it is outside my budget I will thank them for their time and leave it at that. I don't want to waste their time or mine to find out it is many thousands of dollars I cannot afford.

I don't think it is rude to ask, but I do think a "how much are they" with not much else would be a cause of concern for me. If the price question comes after others and pertinant information about the people their is nothing wrong with that, we all live to a budget (well most of us anyway). If it is a breed/dog I really want I will then set about saving up some more to afford a puppy.

Edited May 14, 2010 by Rommi n Lewis

[macka]

If breeders don't like "how much?" emails, that problem could well be solved by being upfront about their prices in the first place. That way, any inquiries that come through will be from people who already know what the financial commitment is and are still wanting to know about the puppies.

Why waste both parties' time determining if the home is suitable only to find out the price is beyond their means?

I don't see what is to be gained from hiding your prices from other breeders either.

[ellz]

The "how much" emails are yet another useful tool for an astute breeder to assist them to weed out the homes that they would not sell to.

Many breeders would just file the emails in the round filing cabinet. I personally reply, somewhat guardedly and ask questions. It is the replies to those questions and the tone which then tells me whether or not I continue correspondence with the individual or whether our dealings end then and there.

As I said, there is asking and there is asking.

And anyway, for every person that I refuse to sell a puppy to, there will no doubt be 10 others who WILL sell a puppy to that person. It's not my concern. I have to do my best for MY dogs and that includes finding them the very best of homes.

[moko81]

Because if the first question they ask is "How much?" they aren't getting a puppy.

Not from us either.

And another reason why people turn to petshops.

If we want to stop PF and petshops there needs to be some understanding that not everyone is educated on how to approach a breeder.

Everything you purchase has a price and it just comes naturally to ask how much.

Doesn't mean they are not worthy on that question alone.

I feel the exact same. Everything I purchase has a budget, but wen it comes to my breed of dog never seems to be stuck to .

As i am a breeder if enquiring about other puppies, mature dogs etc (new lines to add to our kennels) I need to know the exact prices (I neva ask though wait for breeder to iniate that part of the convo) these other breeders maybe selling there dogs for so I know whether we can afford it or keep looking.

I personally love to talk to whom ever about my breed of choice, but feel guilty wasting other peoples time wen all I want to know is whether I can afford there pup or not, then come to find I can't

I already know we can offer the "potential addition" the best home we could possibly give them. By no means are our dogs given caviar & they are not inside dogs, but they have a roof over there head with aircon for the very warm days have nice beds to sleep on, are fed twice a day with fresh water & bathed every 2nd wk (as with bulldogs 2 much bathing can cause skin irritation) & are loved by all our family :D :D :D

[SkySoaringMagpie]

I think it helps to have a range - the breeder of my dogs has a section on her website discussing price. I think she does a good job of a tricky subject:

http://www.farousi.com/farprice.htm

That way any inquirers know if they are at least in the ballpark but the message is definitely not "click to add to basket".

[shells]

And another reason why people turn to petshops.

If we want to stop PF and petshops there needs to be some understanding that not everyone is educated on how to approach a breeder.

Everything you purchase has a price and it just comes naturally to ask how much.

Doesn't mean they are not worthy on that question alone.

Well said. There are alot of people out there who dont know the "in's and outs" of the registered breeder/pedigree dog world but would provide a fantastic home for a dog.

I didnt even know the ballpark figure that a pup sells for - well apart from what I saw onsale at my local Pets Paradise which isnt a good guide - when started to look for a dog and then I was too scared to ask the price incase that got me "rejected".

[perth_girl]

Im happy to see answers from 'both sides'. It is a little frustrating not to have even a general idea how much the breed your looking up is going to cost you. I have sent an email to a specific breeder and asked about price and a couple of other things. The email I received back basically said 'look at our website'. That annoyed me because I had read EVERYTHING on their website and obviously my questions weren't answered. Saddens me to think that they might have given me the cold shoulder response just because I had the 'nerve' to ask how much

[joelle]

I dont actually fully recall my initial contact with my breeder I rang her about a year prior to the mating and asked about the breed and in particular the two dogs she was putting together. I think I did ask a rough price on this occasion and the breeder said she would be mating the dogs later but advised me to go along to shows etc and ring back in a few months.

When I rang her a few months later, I re introduced myself and reminded her that I had spoken to her approx 8 months earlier.

I later found out that that was the key...I had done what she asked, gone away , researched, then come back. I hadnt just gone to the next breeder or pet shop or BYB. We spoke and she asked me to send an email telling her a little about our family, home and lives in general. She emailed me back almost immediately saying if there was a pup available I would get one. Lucky for me, the mum had about 10 So I got one

I dont think price was mentioned in any of the follow up correspondence, just the initial phone call. I needed to know a rough idea so I could save, prepare etc and obviously it didnt put my breeder off, however, she did make sure i was genuine by asking me to do what she did.

[prplhydra]

Because if the first question they ask is "How much?" they aren't getting a puppy.

Hmmm. Or maybe they really don't know the ball-park figure and are sounding it out to see if they can afford their first preference of puppy?

[ncarter]

Im happy to see answers from 'both sides'. It is a little frustrating not to have even a general idea how much the breed your looking up is going to cost you. I have sent an email to a specific breeder and asked about price and a couple of other things. The email I received back basically said 'look at our website'. That annoyed me because I had read EVERYTHING on their website and obviously my questions weren't answered. Saddens me to think that they might have given me the cold shoulder response just because I had the 'nerve' to ask how much

You know the ballpark figure for a BB on limited register is $2K to $3K. My major concern would be whether you could establish a good rappport with the breeder and getting a healthy puppy from Health tested parents with some kind of health guarantee, not the price.

[perth_girl]

Im happy to see answers from 'both sides'. It is a little frustrating not to have even a general idea how much the breed your looking up is going to cost you. I have sent an email to a specific breeder and asked about price and a couple of other things. The email I received back basically said 'look at our website'. That annoyed me because I had read EVERYTHING on their website and obviously my questions weren't answered. Saddens me to think that they might have given me the cold shoulder response just because I had the 'nerve' to ask how much

You know the ballpark figure for a BB on limited register is $2K to $3K. My major concern would be whether you could establish a good rappport with the breeder and getting a healthy puppy from Health tested parents with some kind of health guarantee, not the price.

All of that information WAS on their site. To send and email to them I needed to fill out a form with all of my details and reasons why I would want one of their pups, whats my home like, do I have children, other pets etc. etc. I think breeders need to remember not assume that the person on the other end of the email just rolled out of bed and decided to rush out and buy their dog. I have spent time researching and deciding. I understand it is completely the decision of the breeder as to whether my home would be good enough for one of their dogs, and that is why I give them all of the details that they ask of me. But at the same time, I dont think I should be instantly rejected because I would like to know the price. I would be more wary of someone who has cash to simply throw around and isnt interested in a price at all. Am I less deserving than somebody who has cash to blow?

When I email the breeder, I dont want to waste their time. I figure its a bit of give and take. I give them all the information they ask of me, and expect to be given information back. If they sent another email clearly stating that before they release a price they want me to write out my life story and include photos and go to shows, then thats fine, I'll do those things. Or, if they have decided already that they dont want me to have one of their dogs, then just tell me. I would rather that, than a dismissive reply or no reply at all.

Im not at all having a go at breeders and their methods, just honestly finding out information. Its good to know how things work from breeders perspectives.