How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?

[Elenbah]

This thread is inspired by another here on the price of puppies....

I have a question for non breeder dog/puppy owners who bought their furry friend hopefully from a registered breeder....

The price you paid, do you think it was reasonable or too much for your newest family member?....

If you think you paid too much, why?

[Leelaa17]

TBH I didn't buy mine from registered breeders - I didn't know much about BYB and registered breeders before I joined this forum so I just went onto the trading post or other puppy websites to find my two babies.

Max was the first, I found the breeders on the trading post and they were lovely and lived on a big property in Castlereagh (near Penrith) and my OH and I went there and they had three GSD with a lot of puppies - beautiful dogs that were clearly well looked after and loved. We bought

ax for $290 - but he hadn't been vaccinated or wormed or flea'd - but that was okay with us.

Jenna was next and we also found her on the trading post. I went to a guys property in Horsley Park and he has literally about 35 dogs - a mixture between GSD and JRT - however all of them looked quite healthy and happy. We bought Jenna for $400 because she was the runt (the others were going for $550) and I research it on the net before I got her and all evidence suggested that German shepherd runts normally end up the same size as its litter mates anyway. So we bought her and she was wormed and flea'd and had had her first vaccination.

I was pretty impressed with those prices - especially since they were purebred - BUT i didnt get paperws - I didnt think I needed them bec ause I wasn't going to breed or show them... But they are gorgeous dogs. And I got to meet the mum and dad both times and mum and dad were all in good health.

Edited April 14, 2011 by Leelaa17

[KumaAkita]

I paid a bucket load for Kuma and didn't bat an eyelid. He's worth every cent. I didn't even go in with a pre-conceived notion of how much a puppy cost, as soon as I saw him I knew I'd pay anything. (well, nearly...)

I understand more now than I did then, and I still think I got a good deal. He comes from good lines, his littermates are excelling in the show ring, and (most importantly) he is the absolute perfect gem of a dog for us.

BUT... the most important thing that I feel I bought was surity. To the extent that you can, I know the temperament of my dog, I know how big he'll be, I know inherited traits, I know any potential health issues that may arise. I saw his mother, his granddaddy, his other siblings, where they were born, how they were raised for the first 8 weeks... I can also call my breeder if I need to - I don't maintain regular contact but have let her know milestones in Kuma's life as well as any issues we've noticed (like his teeth are pretty ordinary, something she may want to think about in planning ongoing litters).

Even with what little I knew at the time, I knew that buying a "rare breed" from a "registered breeder" would be expensive.

Edited April 14, 2011 by KumaAkita

[huga]

I paid a bucketload too (for Sid) and would do it again in a heartbeat.

He came to me with all the usual stuff (vaccinated, wormed, chipped etc) and was desexed. He was also crate trained (no whimpering since the time he arrived), well on his way to being toilet trained and desensitised to a lot of normal household noises (vacuum, doorbell and noisy kids). I've met his mother and aunties and they are amongst the calmest dogs I've ever seen. Sid is an amazingly calm and well adjusted puppy. But the biggest thing is knowing that I can call his breeder any time and know that she will help me out with whatever stupid question I have. She even sent me a parcel full of new toys for him not long after I picked him up. I couldn't be happier.

[Aussienot]

I paid much more than I wanted for my German Shepherd because his mix of working bloodlines doesn't come up that often, and it was a great breeder. I knew the price going into it, and now I think he is priceless. Is worth much more. Perfect temperament, good looking and a great dog.

I was prepared to pay a bit more for my new puppy because she's an uncommon breed, from very good show and field lines, and was pleasantly surprised the price was reasonable.

[Red Fox]

I was pretty impressed with those prices - especially since they were purebred - BUT i didnt get papers - I didnt think I needed them bec ause I wasn't going to breed or show them... But they are gorgeous dogs. And I got to meet the mum and dad both times and mum and dad were all in good health.

You also didn't get any breed specific health testing..

[W Sibs]

Price of the puppy doesn't enter my mind. It's one of the last question I ask I only ask if I remember to ask (or someone reminds me to ask).

Once I've decided that I want a puppy and I like the sound of the breeder... money doesn't matter.

Charlie - he didn't cost much to buy him.

Emmy - registered breeder an all that jazz. She wasn't cheap (she's worth it).

Edited April 14, 2011 by CW EW

[Leelaa17]

I was pretty impressed with those prices - especially since they were purebred - BUT i didnt get papers - I didnt think I needed them bec ause I wasn't going to breed or show them... But they are gorgeous dogs. And I got to meet the mum and dad both times and mum and dad were all in good health.

You also didn't get any breed specific health testing..

As I said - before I came onto this forum I didn't know any of this stuff. The reason I joined this forum was so I could learn more about my dogs and to learn more about dogs in general and it has helped me a lot. I try very hard to take care of my dogs and would do anything for them if it was good for them.

I am nbot denying I went into buying these dogs with my eyes practically closed because I did but I have turned around, changed my lifestyle for them, gotten them proper training, gotten them regularly checked by the vet etc. I think I have done good. And I will do whatever is necessary to make sure they have long, happy and healthy lives.

[Dogsrawesome]

I rescued my dog he was about $170 because it was his last week on the planet so they thought they would drop his price, we actually didnt know till we took his card up to the counter we were expecting to pay the usual price what ever that was 11yrs ago from the rspca I thought it was a reasonable price for him, vac, desexed and wormed.

[SnoPaws]

I was pretty impressed with those prices - especially since they were purebred - BUT i didnt get papers - I didnt think I needed them bec ause I wasn't going to breed or show them... But they are gorgeous dogs. And I got to meet the mum and dad both times and mum and dad were all in good health.

You also didn't get any breed specific health testing..

As I said - before I came onto this forum I didn't know any of this stuff. The reason I joined this forum was so I could learn more about my dogs and to learn more about dogs in general and it has helped me a lot. I try very hard to take care of my dogs and would do anything for them if it was good for them.

I am nbot denying I went into buying these dogs with my eyes practically closed because I did but I have turned around, changed my lifestyle for them, gotten them proper training, gotten them regularly checked by the vet etc. I think I have done good. And I will do whatever is necessary to make sure they have long, happy and healthy lives.

[whiskedaway]

Akira was cheaper than most Sibes, but she's not registered. She was also cheaper than her littermates because she was the last one left and her breeder wanted to keep her but his wife said no, so they dropped the price for a quick sale. At that stage, we thought it was a reasonable price - I didn't really know much about dogs from registered breeders and what you get with them.

Halo was obviously more expensive, but she cost the going rate for a Finnish Lapphund and for what we got I would have paid any price.

[spanky]

I was pretty impressed with those prices - especially since they were purebred - BUT i didnt get papers - I didnt think I needed them bec ause I wasn't going to breed or show them... But they are gorgeous dogs. And I got to meet the mum and dad both times and mum and dad were all in good health.

You also didn't get any breed specific health testing..

As I said - before I came onto this forum I didn't know any of this stuff. The reason I joined this forum was so I could learn more about my dogs and to learn more about dogs in general and it has helped me a lot. I try very hard to take care of my dogs and would do anything for them if it was good for them.

I am nbot denying I went into buying these dogs with my eyes practically closed because I did but I have turned around, changed my lifestyle for them, gotten them proper training, gotten them regularly checked by the vet etc. I think I have done good. And I will do whatever is necessary to make sure they have long, happy and healthy lives.

I don't think SecretKei was having a go, just pointing out that there are reasons other than no papers that your dogs were cheaper than a registered purebred.

[spanky]

We paid $350 for our first frenchie, he was from a rescue.

Our second frenchie cost a bit more... about $500, but she has health issues (fully disclosed before we bought her).

Both have cost a bit in terms of health care, our boy has developed CRF, but they are wonderful dogs.

[Sheridan]

My current two were ostensibly free but their kennel cost $320,000 ...

Last time I bought a puppy, he was $800, which I didn't blink at. I believe most wheatens/kerries go for around $1700, which I also wouldn't blink at. It's reasonable for a well bred, pedigree dog.

[Odin-Genie]

Both my dogs came from registered breeders and I didn't even think about the cost. I think it was quite fair.

[Leelaa17]

I was pretty impressed with those prices - especially since they were purebred - BUT i didnt get papers - I didnt think I needed them bec ause I wasn't going to breed or show them... But they are gorgeous dogs. And I got to meet the mum and dad both times and mum and dad were all in good health.

You also didn't get any breed specific health testing..

As I said - before I came onto this forum I didn't know any of this stuff. The reason I joined this forum was so I could learn more about my dogs and to learn more about dogs in general and it has helped me a lot. I try very hard to take care of my dogs and would do anything for them if it was good for them.

I am nbot denying I went into buying these dogs with my eyes practically closed because I did but I have turned around, changed my lifestyle for them, gotten them proper training, gotten them regularly checked by the vet etc. I think I have done good. And I will do whatever is necessary to make sure they have long, happy and healthy lives.

I don't think SecretKei was having a go, just pointing out that there are reasons other than no papers that your dogs were cheaper than a registered purebred.

oh of course! Sorry I didn't mean to make it out like I was having a go back!!! hahaha I was just stating the fact that I have tried my best to shape my lifestyle with my dogs needs and I have tried to give them the best care I can.

[nightgrace6]

Everyone gasps at how much I paid for my pup.. would happily pay that price again and am planning to with my next dobe..

I saw a mini poodle in a "pet shop" today for $1,000.00, it looked ill and I almost cried, ran out and didnt buy anything from them (all I needed was hay for my rabbit).

My first dobe 10 years ago was $200 she was so lovely and is still alive (breeder was a byb but both her parents had pedigrees).

[Remarkabull]

I paid $1500 for Acheron (Dobermann, obviously ) and that price seemed to be fairly common for the breed, although there was a number of breeders that I had been looking into that charged a fair bit more than that (I had mainly been researching working lines and some were wanting $2500 for a pup but one wanted $4000 for a pup on main rego ) and to be honest I thought some of them were a rip off. I found Acheron's breeders by accident (we met them at a dog show) and they had exactly what I wanted. I was more than happy to pay what I did and think it is a reasonable price for a Dobe.

[emery]

my first rotti out of paper $400 he has mega hip issues and eye problems but wouldn't change him for the world.

my next two are pedigreed and cost in the K's for the first one and the second an air fare (she is a pup from my bitch)

the next i'll pay whatever that is an airfare or several k if its lines i want

[Fatsofatsoman]

Our boy cost us $800 - and I was more than happy to pay it. I was expecting to pay over $1,000.

We took the drive out to Toowoomba from Brissie to check him and the parents with all intentions of driving back home without him if we weren't happy. We clapped eyes on him and there was no way we were leaving without him.

I had done a bit of research on what to ask when buying a lab and the breeder was very helpful and ticked all the boxes - we still keep contact by email and send pics.

Embarrassing thing was I'd got the $800 out in the morning and gave it to the wife to hold on to - we arrive and go to pay and we are short by $40 odd - oh bugger says wife I forgot I bought lunch and coffee with the money you gave me. So embarrassing, breeder was top notch we promised to netbank it straight away as soon as we got home and they were great about it. I think I might have given the wife an evil look or two.

Boonie was the last of his litter to sell - it was a worry for us before we saw him - "what's wrong with him to be sold last?" sort of stuff. Again once we laid eyes on him we were just thinking "those other buyers were nuts -they left the best one behind"