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Buying a Dobermann Puppy


Haas
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I’m planning to buy a puppy next year and I feel your pain about price. But there are good reasons why prices have increased dramatically. 

Responsible breeders need to screen their breeding dogs for an ever-increasing array of medical conditions - hip and elbow dysplasia, heart disease, eye disease (often screened annually for life) and various breed specific conditions screened by DNA testing. I wouldn’t want to go to a breeder who didn’t do this screening. Dobermans are susceptible to a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy. Medication to treat this could cost $100 plus a month for life. Heart surgery could cost $10000 to $20000. Hip and elbow dysplasia may also require expensive surgery; one vet in Australia is quoting $8200 per hip for a “uncomplicated” hip replacement. 

From a breeder’s perspective, not only is the screening and potential treatment expensive, it also means that they may buy a puppy, spend considerable money raising it and getting its Championship and/or other titles, then find it’s unsuitable for breeding.

The veterinary costs associated with a litter have also increased hugely. I was shocked to discover that some breeders now routinely schedule caesareans for their bitches to avoid the greater cost of unscheduled Caesarians. The vastly improved diagnostic and treatment options for sick puppies are wonderful, but they come at a cost. I know of a breeder in the US who was quoted US$50,000, as an upfront fee before the vet would even start treating the pups for parvovirus.

 

In many areas, state or council regulations require breeders to install expensive kennelling, with items like temperature controlled kennelling and isolation rooms for sick dogs.

 

Social expectations are changing. There’s an increasing expectation that breeders will be responsible for their puppies for life, and willing to take them back, pay for veterinary treatment and rehome them (or keep them if they’re not rehomeable). Anyone who breeds a litter now faces an unknown future... what will their legal responsibilities for those puppies be in 10 or 15 years.

 

The need for two incomes to pay the mortgage means that many breeders need to take (often unpaid) time off work to supervise the bitch and puppies.

 

I could go on but, in reality, that’s all irrelevant from my perspective as a puppy purchaser. The truth is that it’s a seller’s market; I can pay the breeder’s price, or I can go without a puppy. Those are my choices.

Edited by DogsAndTheMob
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Agree with the above.

 

Over seas is not relevant.

 

I've been there and it is frustrating, either missing out because pups sell so fast, or being out priced. 

 

Covid has increased demand for pups of almost all breeds, but I think it was inevitable any way, just sped up incredibly. Maybe thats a good thing, if it makes people look at supply and how we can improve that.

 

A big 1st step would be to force authorities to examine the impact of legislation that treats hobby breeders the same as commercial breeders.

This is a mess thats only going to get worse unless we go right back to find the causes, instead of continually imposing band aid solutions.

 

I think most people here already know my views on that. 

 

Edited by moosmum
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17 minutes ago, moosmum said:

Agree with the above.

 

Over seas is not relevant.

 

I've been there and it is frustrating, either missing out because pups sell so fast, or being out priced. 

 

Covid has increased demand for pups of almost all breeds, but I think it was inevitable any way, just sped up incredibly. Maybe thats a good thing, if it makes people look at supply and how we can improve that.

 

A big 1st step would be to force authorities to examine the impact of legislation that treats hobby breeders the same as commercial breeders.

This is a mess thats only going to get worse unless we go right back to find the causes, instead of continually imposing band aid solutions.

 

I think most people here already know my views on that. 

 

It’s not just a problem in Australia. I was reading a blog by a US vet on the puppy shortage over there. I wish I could find the link; I think you’d find it fascinating @moosmum  - it mirrors many of the things you’ve written.

 

One fact that astounded me... over 1,000,000 dogs are imported into the USA every year to meet demand.

 

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If you have a link to that I would appreciate having a read myself! And maybe some here would understand better for reading it.

 

No, its not just a problem here. The end result will be the same.

 

How that happens will vary depending on the culture, but it will happen if we don't act. The process gains momentum. as we alter our expectations and continue to discredit breeders and owners alike, impose unrealistic conditions and demands on them and equate that to responsibility.

 

Its the opposite.  An attempt to create a statehood, to erase the possibilities of mistakes or poor judgement. The idea seems to be mistakes can't be made because responses are inflexible. 

 

 

From a biophysics perspective, Value is always subjective.

We are applying objective values.  That application is a negative value and has the opposite effect. Opposing.

 

We  try to achieve a better 'state' of dog owners or breeders when we should be more worried about their purposes and direction. A state has no direction but self maintenance.  

 

Edited by moosmum
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all the rules, all the guilt, all the 'adopt not shop'  all the attacks on anyone who breeds a litter comes from one objective.

 

the extinction of domestic dogs and cats

 

 

its taken from 1980's to get to this point...............

 

is it too late to wake up you have been manipulated by peta?

 

 

 

PETA was chortling last Melbourne cup meeting radio interview they expect their extinction "within this generation"

 

demonising any breeder for imperfection is ignoring the fact NO parent can guarantee their child's health for life, yet are expected to guarentee the liftime health of a pup?

 

stupidity or arrogance?

 

take your pick.

 

life is a lottery

 

always has been

 

always will.

 

we are not printing books, all the same.

 

every conception is a lottery of millions of possibilities

 

 

 

you, your spouse, your child, YOUR PET

 

 

face reality,  before its too late

 

 

 

 

 

 

DNA profiling has millions as yet unmapped 

 

 

 

 

Edited by asal
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On 07/09/2021 at 2:31 PM, DogsAndTheMob said:

Found it! It was the transcript of a podcast. I’ve just read to the end and I don’t agree with the author’s solution, but I’m glad that people are seeing the problem and looking for solutions.

https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/blog/e225-jessica-hekman-phd-where-will-the-good-dogs-come-from

 

Wow! Yes, mirrors what I've been saying.

 

I doubt her solution is going to change things though. It already happens 'local' to specific canine interest and hasn't the clout to bring the paradigm shift needed to alter the out come of whats looking unstopable in its momentum.

 

An entirely new start based on Purpose/function and Response ability is urgently needed and may already be too late. 

The public has been well trained to  accept and expect those things are beyond a public domain and restriction of ownership/breeding must be the ongoing 'solution'.

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