Exhorbent prices - Page 1

I just wanted to make a comment here on the prices of German Shepherd puppies... I personally think it's ridiculous when a breeder/importer prices their pet puppies sold on limited registration for more than $1000. These are pets! not future money makers for the buyer. I do see it reasonable for a breeder/importer to sell a young puppy under 5 months that appears to have correct structure and breeding quality for no more than $1200. Or up to $2000 if the puppy is imported. But only if the seller WILL refund money or replace said puppy if it does not turn out to be breeding quality, whether because of health, structure or temperament issues. I know of someone who sells their show quality german line pups with full registration for only $750, and the pedigrees are crammed with V and VA dogs. I personally think the most ideal situation is when a breeder can keep back all the breeding potential pups in a litter, and sell the rest for $800 to pet homes. and then raise those pups that they kept back, do the health checks, do the training, working titles, showing, etc. and then they can determine which dogs really are the best breeding quality at 1 to 2 yrs old and then price them accordingly for the serious show or working home. What are your thoughts on the pricing of puppies younger than 5 months?

500.00 is a fair price for most any pup, and with full registration.

All I can say , You get what you pay for. With the amount of time , money, sweat,travel , training, food, raising, showing,researching, and everthing else that goes along with dogs. sell my puppies for $800 you got to be nuts!

oh its a lot of work no question, but these dogs are not gold either.

No, I'm not nuts, I know a labrador breeder/international judge who sells ALL of her puppies for $800 on limited registration, this breeder owns an SUV, a van and a $275K motorhome to haul their dogs around in to shows. They pay for daily kennel help, they hire a dog sitter at the rate of $75 a day for approx. 60 days out of the year. they have dogs in shows every single weekend. They pay for handlers. And yet they refuse to sell any puppies on full registration unless it's too another breeder whom they know and trust. They seem to be doing just fine for selling puppies for only $800. They do not make any money from dogs, but the dogs pay for themselves.

I was recently quoted $ 3,500.00 for a young puppy. Must be dipped in gold

Okay, this is a Bob-O post about the very same thing, just a different thread. I did change the spelling of one (1) word. Let's look at it from a different perspective, not the price but the value of the puppy. Bob-O wrote: """"""I know this issue has been beaten to death, but I think the REAL question is still a valid one. How does one first determine the VALUE, not PRICE of a puppy? It is a fact that for every BSZS VA-1 dog or bitch, there are probably one-hundred (100) others who are not at the BSZS and who are some family's pet. And these dogs are at least as nice in conformation, drive, character, and temperament as the VA candidates. But, they were not shown and do not have that coveted title. Does that make their puppies have less value? No. Does that make them cost less? Absolutely. Never judge the power trip of personal ego and snob appeal that can be attached to the ownership of the progeny of a VA sire and/or dam. It's my Porsche car versus everyone's Volkswagen car mentality. Both do the job and both are excellent cars. But, only one (1) is a Porsche. Does that make it any better? No. Will it impress one's "friends"? Possibly. Some need that ego boost. For a good example, just listen to someone brag about their VA-sired show-line puppy (and guys I am not knocking show-lines) at a field meet of a working dog group such as the D.V.G.. And then listen to some of the replies from members of the true working dog group; especially polite ones. Basically; "You paid how much for what?" "What can this dog do that is so special?" You all have said it all repeatedly-it is what the market will bear. Does a wealthy person care that a "gourmet" grilled-cheese sandwich costs more than $ 10.00? No, and they'll repeatedley complain to you how much it costs in order to make them feel good about the purchase. Don't laugh-I have seen this sandwich on the menu of a pretentious "bistro" on the side of the road. I ordered a $2.00 cup of coffee, then rode the motorbike a bit further and found a sandwich shop that offered a $ 2.00 grilled-cheese sandwich. Just as good, if not better. It was after all, my $ 2.00. The price of the puppies should include the true cost of making, providing care, advertising, and selling the litter. By the time one sums all of the costs, then adds maybe 6%-7% (normal profit level for most businesses) then one can have a foundation for the proper price range. Over how many litters does one amortize the basic costs of the sire & dam? The kennel building? Does anyone "depreciate" a dog as one would a piece of capital equipment or real property? Can one operate a sucessful kennel as one would any other business? Sure they can-but they will never make a living unless they sell many, many puppies, plus stud fees, plus several titled young adults per year. In the end, the business has to be worth doing, hence the question; what is the value, NOT price of a puppy?""""" Bob-O

top dog wrote: "All I can say , You get what you pay for." Oh really? So when someone buys a puppy from you, what exactly are they getting when they pay you(aside from a living, breathing, sentient creature which, by virtue of reality, can not be guaranteed to be 100% healthy, 100% structurally and temperamentally correct, and 100% physically and mentally sound)? If you were to read through this archives of this message board, you'll find plenty of instances where someone has paid a princely sum for a puppy or dog, only to be faced with crippling hip dysplasia, malfunctioning digestive systems, poor temperament, disqualifying faults and so on. You'll also find people who paid well below what you seem to think is a fair price for a pup, and ended up with a healthy, attractive, sound animal... The fact is that there's very little of the creation process that is under the breeder's control when it comes to bringing another litter of puppies into the world. No matter how much research, traveling, showing and so forth you do, in the end Nature calls the shots, shuffles the genetic deck, and deals the hands. Consequently, I think it's foolish for a breeder to make statements such as "You get what you pay for", when they know full well that they can't be any more sure that the pups they're selling will be healthier, be sounder, be more correct, than pups being sold by someone who does nothing more than have the hips checked and uses their neighbor's "nice looking, registered male who plays well with all the kids" because he meets their criteria (he's of the same breed, they like the way he looks, and he's got a nice disposition). Oh, and FWIW, it's been lightyears since I've paid less than US$1000 for a dog--not counting rescues--and I don't expect that things will be any different when the time comes for me to purchase my next one, either. That said, I have no delusions that the price I'll be paying gives me any guarantees as to what I'll be getting...

rbud.rm...$500?? Maybe for a pup from untitled parents! Anyone can purchase a male and female and have a litter without putting any effort into their dogs (training, showing, SchH/working titles, hip/health cert, etc. etc.) Quality breeders that put that much work and effort into their dogs to produce quality puppies deserve more than $500 a pup. I think $1000-$1500 a pup from titled parents is reasonable...$600-$800 for a pup with faults (pet quality).

The thing I try to keep in mind is this... I want to give a "fair value" for a "fair price" I think our contract speaks volumes for us. I don't put anyone down because of the prices they charge for they're pups, If I go out to purchase my main thing is, to be treated fairly and feel there is Value in the purchase I have made (often contracts are the selling/passing decision maker for us) Contracts can build value in the purchase you make. We try to keep our heads up, you cant make a profit at this if your doing things right, Vaccines, xrays, blood pulls, feed, microchips, entry fees, training costs, and all else, Not unless your producing an exhorbent amount of puppies. Frankly I would rather spend a little more than see more being produced than what could find appropriate homes. Bob-O has it right, Value not Price