What Do Puppy Prices Make You Think Of Breeders?

[~Shepherd~]

I honestly couldn't give a toss what BYBers and petshops charge for their pups. I'm happy to pay what's considered a reasonable price for that particular breed or more for a dog from an import.

I find it bewildering that people will happily fork out more for a plasma TV or family holiday than for a dog that will spend a longer period of time in their home.

Pet puppies cost the same to raise as show prospects. Why should they be cheaper?? I think breeders deserve to recoup expenses and/or make a profit regardless of the intended use of the pup.

And I'd NEVER buy a pup of any breed desexed as a baby.

I wouldn't either :D

I'd much rather work on a bond type system.

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

Oh I am bad Due to high demand by puppy farms & cross breeders I desex mine before they leave too.

In your position Christina, so would I.

I don't like early desexing either but I understand doing it if your breed is used by BYB's or puppy farmers :D .

[Jibba]

Well i just bought a puppy for 2500 and that is almost half price, the real price is 3800 for this breed from this breeder, i didnt believe it but i picked my puppy up and there were 2 other buyers there and they mentioned the price and yes they paid nearly 4000 for their pet puppies.

But having said that this breeder has done alot of travel and learnt a lot about the breed and has imported ALL her stock from ovr seas, and paid for them to be shown to title over seas and other things like that so the price is probably not bad at all, and she doesnt have trouble selling the puppies.

[aussielover]

I'd be speaking to the breeder and asking what healthy testing, importing etc they are doing and then decide if it justifies the cost. However, breeder have a right to charge whatever they like, and I don't think they should neccesarily not make a profit or at least be able to break even. I don't have a problem on them making a small profit, if they are improving the breed, doing all the right things and people are obviously willing to pay that much.

But TBH if I had my heart set on a particular breed and found a really awesome breeder, that did all the right things, I would be happy to pay whatever they were asking, within reason (its not like i'd be paying a million dollars or anything ). To me it is more about whether the potential pup will be suitable for my lifestyle and personality and that everything possible has been done to give it the highest chances of having a happy, healthy and hopefully long life.

I actually know someone who was a puppy raiser for assistance dogs who offered them $40 000 to keep the pup (the cost of producing a fullly trained dog). The dog failed in the end, so they ended up getting him back anyway, I bet assistance dogs were thinking they should have taken the $40000 :D

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

I'd be speaking to the breeder and asking what healthy testing, importing etc they are doing and then decide if it justifies the cost. However, breeder have a right to charge whatever they like, and I don't think they should neccesarily not make a profit or at least be able to break even. I don't have a problem on them making a small profit, if they are improving the breed, doing all the right things and people are obviously willing to pay that much.

But TBH if I had my heart set on a particular breed and found a really awesome breeder, that did all the right things, I would be happy to pay whatever they were asking, within reason (its not like i'd be paying a million dollars or anything ). To me it is more about whether the potential pup will be suitable for my lifestyle and personality and that everything possible has been done to give it the highest chances of having a happy, healthy and hopefully long life.

I actually know someone who was a puppy raiser for assistance dogs who offered them $40 000 to keep the pup (the cost of producing a fullly trained dog). The dog failed in the end, so they ended up getting him back anyway, I bet assistance dogs were thinking they should have taken the $40000

me too

[Miss BeRidgierent]

If I was a breeder I would charge the average price for that breed.

From a puppy buyers perspective that doesn't know how to do proper research on lines and average prices of vets bill etc (and from my perspective) If the price sounded "to good to be true" I wouldn't go near it as most things are "to good to be true" and I'd be scared there is something wrong with the puppies..... If someone is charging above the average price I would expect the dog to do my house cleaning..... so I (as the puppy buyer) would be expecting too much from the pup (and as a "breeder" I don't want to disappoint or the buyer to have high expectations of my produce and think of my breeding as "false advertising")

EFS and so it made sense

Edited September 17, 2010 by Miss BeRidgierent

[my_sibe_owns_me]

I dont feel anyone should be charging 3000+ for a pet. If it is a guarantee working dog ect. then yes, I can agree. But come on. On a puppy? Theres a million dogs dying right now if you just want one to sit on the chair next to you IMO. IF people want to dish the money then its their money and their choice. I just happen to think it is insane.

Yes, my pups WILL be desexed at 8 weeks. I have done a TON of research on it and to be honest I haven't found a con that holds up. If someone refuses to buy my puppy because it is already desexed then to be honest it is their lost and not the right home for my puppy. I have sibes. Theres a million of them for sale and a million of them just going to whoever thinks they are "cool" when really they are not an easy, everyone kind of dog.

I dont care how much money someone can and can not give me. I just care about the home they will give my puppy. I would be THRILLED to break even with this litter but if not breaking even means all of them have great homes then I will be able to sleep at night. If breaking even means giving a puppy to a shaddy home that paid a good amount of money...well then I dont see me getting a whole lot of sleep ever again.

[my_sibe_owns_me]

If I was a breeder I would charge the average price for that breed.

From a puppy buyers perspective that doesn't know how to do proper research on lines and average prices of vets bill etc (and from my perspective) If the price sounded "to good to be true" I wouldn't go near it as most things are "to good to be true" and I'd be scared there is something wrong with the puppies..... If someone is charging above the average price I would expect the dog to do my house cleaning..... so I (as the puppy buyer) would be expecting too much from the pup (and as a "breeder" I don't want to disappoint or the buyer to have high expectations of my produce and think of my breeding as "false advertising")

EFS and so it made sense

Makes perfect sense. Thats what I was sorta thinking people would be thinking. I started the thread to see if that was the general thinking.

[my_sibe_owns_me]

I guess the thing I am learning here is the people who are mostly likely to be good homes and understand the breed are the people who are not going to ask about price till they have "proven' themselves and scooped me out in return.

[poodlefan]

I dont feel anyone should be charging 3000+ for a pet.

I don't think anyone should be charging $3000+ for a handbag. But if there are buyers happy to pay that for the very one they want, who am I to stand in their way.

That doesn't mean all the other handbag makers should lower their prices to make handbags affordable for everyone.

[my_sibe_owns_me]

I dont feel anyone should be charging 3000+ for a pet.

I don't think anyone should be charging $3000+ for a handbag. But if there are buyers happy to pay that for the very one they want, who am I to stand in their way.

That doesn't mean all the other handbag makers should lower their prices to make handbags affordable for everyone.

Edit: I dont want to fight about puppy prices.

The point of my thread was to find out how people view breeders and their prices. I am looking for the BEST homes for my pups and I know a lot of GREAT homes who just cant afford "average' pet prices.

Edited September 17, 2010 by my_sibe_owns_me

[aussielover]

If I was a breeder I would charge the average price for that breed.

From a puppy buyers perspective that doesn't know how to do proper research on lines and average prices of vets bill etc (and from my perspective) If the price sounded "to good to be true" I wouldn't go near it as most things are "to good to be true" and I'd be scared there is something wrong with the puppies..... If someone is charging above the average price I would expect the dog to do my house cleaning..... so I (as the puppy buyer) would be expecting too much from the pup (and as a "breeder" I don't want to disappoint or the buyer to have high expectations of my produce and think of my breeding as "false advertising")

EFS and so it made sense

Makes perfect sense. Thats what I was sorta thinking people would be thinking. I started the thread to see if that was the general thinking.

you will find a lot of us on here dont have "general thinking" in regards to matters like this

I know myself, I had my heart set on a particular breed (rarer breed) and cost wasn't really a factor.

Personally I prefer to have contact with a number of breeders who may or may not have pups currently, contact them and talk with them and see which ones I particularly like, rather than just looking at price.

You will notice a lot of the ads on the DOL webpage don't even have a price listed.

Edited September 17, 2010 by aussielover

[poodlefan]

lol I dont think puppies should be supply and demand. The more people want them the more money they will cost just sounds silly to me when we are talking about puppies.

What led you to conclude that the more expensive puppies are the ones in the greatest demand??

Some breeds will always be more expensive - reasons include:

* high stud fees

* delivery by caesarian

* small gene pool leading to higher use of imports and imported semen.

[Shaar]

$800 sounds reasonable for a pet quality dog to me, it's pretty good for some breeds.

Like poodlefan said, you have to look into WHY some breeders are charging more, they might have used an import and payed a high stud fee themselves, or imported semen, or their dog just might be *that* good and the price is justified.

[megan_]

I guess the thing I am learning here is the people who are mostly likely to be good homes and understand the breed are the people who are not going to ask about price till they have "proven' themselves and scooped me out in return.

I don't agree with this. I ask about price because I can't afford to spend $3000. There is no point wasting a breeder or my time when I can't afford what they're selling.

I love my dogs very much, and while I'm not a perfect owner they are fed a good balance of raw and premium, they are walked twice a day, they are obedience trained and do agility for fun. I am, compared to many owners I see, a good dog owner. My dogs are well behaved and content.

I think that when there are set "rules" and people get rejected for asking the "wrong" question to early on then good homes get passed up. I think you need to spend time talking to potential homes and getting to know them, rather than dismissing people early on.

[poodlefan]

MSOM:

I am looking for the BEST homes for my pups and I know a lot of GREAT homes who just cant afford "average' pet prices.

Then I strongly recommend you send those puppies out with pet insurance in place and suggest that the owners keep paying it. A good vet bill makes the purchase price of a puppy look like chicken feed.

[Red Fox]

Price is always going to play a part, particularly for pet puppies - if the buyer can't afford the puppy then they can't buy it and if it is overpriced then why should they?

Personally I'd pay whatever I thought was reasonable for the right dog. If the right dog happened to be $10,000 and I could afford it then why not? If I've chosen wisely, the breeder has done all the right things and the dog is all I've ever wanted then surely it would be worth every cent.

However, if one breeder was charging double (or half) the price of others for their puppies, and the pups were all of similar quality, then I'd have to question why.

[Dju]

I thought that rareness of a breed would have SOMETHING to do with the price but I found that wasn't the case with the breed I chose to purchase (swedish vallhund).. I mean their price wasn't 'cheap as chips', but there are much more common dogs selling for a whole lot more, e.g. french bulldogs, pugs, even some labradors! So I quickly had to get it out of my head that the rareness (like supply and demand) didn't have a lot to do with the price..

[my_sibe_owns_me]

I guess the thing I am learning here is the people who are mostly likely to be good homes and understand the breed are the people who are not going to ask about price till they have "proven' themselves and scooped me out in return.

I don't agree with this. I ask about price because I can't afford to spend $3000. There is no point wasting a breeder or my time when I can't afford what they're selling.

I love my dogs very much, and while I'm not a perfect owner they are fed a good balance of raw and premium, they are walked twice a day, they are obedience trained and do agility for fun. I am, compared to many owners I see, a good dog owner. My dogs are well behaved and content.

I think that when there are set "rules" and people get rejected for asking the "wrong" question to early on then good homes get passed up. I think you need to spend time talking to potential homes and getting to know them, rather than dismissing people early on.

Fair enough. I understand.

But I have gotten emails that JUST say "how much" and leave it at. That just strikes me as odd.

[my_sibe_owns_me]

Dju- I have found that to be the case too. I know a lot of "rare" breeds that are going for less then my breed just because they are not what most people think about when they think about getting a dog. I have seen a lot of "rare colored" sibes going for 2000+ because they have blue eyes and some spots. lol mind you those "rare colored" pups have NO coat, NO bone, NO structure, not bred to standard and none of the parents have had the proper health testing.