price of puppies - Page 2

I think if it is your buisness you try to make back what you put into it. For myself it is my full time job, and I mean full time.With the cost of food, (not the cheap market food)suppliments,treats,vet bills and all the extras, those puppy's add up.The time I put into cleaning up after them, making sure they are gaining proper weight,playing with them feeding them ect... I spend probly half of my day caring for them. As well as my other dogs I only breed with VA dogs and the stud fee is expensive. I charge anywhere from 2,500.00-3,000.00 for my pups depending on the pedigree.And have a 3 year guarentee which means I may have to replace a puppy in the future.I think you get what you pay for in most cases.I would be aware of someone asking under 500.00 for a quality healthy dog .But anything over 3,500.00 I would do my homework on It probly is not worth it.

Here's the GOD's honest truth.... the price of a puppy is the same as everything else on the this earth. its what ever the market will bare. well whats that, well it depends who the breeder is marketing their dogs too. mosr of these high priced puppies are being sold to people who are to the sport/ breed who dont know any better. i cant tell you how many times people have come to the club to visit and as soon as the dog gets out i say "thats a nice looking show dog". to which they reply "no its a working dog", and "i say no its a show dog". but to be fair when i started i didnt know the difference either. one guy paid $2500 for an 8 wwk old puppy and was convinced by the breeder that this puppy would be the next national champion because every dog i nthe pedigree had a sch3. I guess my point is that there is mass confusion among new people to the sport/breed and they are the market for the outragous prices. I personally would never pay more that $800 for a puppy, but thats because im not interested in raising a puppy as my primary dog. those who want to start w/ a puppy need to go to good breeder (or someone who as a nice litter) and pay 1000 - 2000. what ever the price is. Often good dogs are bred by people who are not breeder. But have a female they work. these folks often have more time to to train and prove there valor on the field. not to say larger breders dont have nice females, but often they have several dogs and not all the dogs get the chance to show all its skills. just my 2 cents

It's called what the market will bear. 20 years ago no one would ever have been able to charge over $1,000 for a GSD puppy and get it. It is now a money breed, so anything goes. Instead of breeding dogs as a labor of love, it's now all about getting back every cent one puts into each litter and then some. That's really not what it's supposed to be all about, is it? Too bad. Pay what you think is a fair price for a dog and let others do the same. I have my limits, set your own and, as always, buyer beware and do your homwework. Don't pay for a Mercedes and end up with a Subaru.

I think that prices for WORKING pups fall into a range of $800 to $1800 - and given a good handler/helper and club a novice to slightly experienced person can get a pup from anywhere in this price range and with the same level of committement to training will get any one of them titled .... the differences in prices???? Lets assume parents are titled and imported or at least titled and grandparents imported: A - at the lower end of price $800-1000 - pups from titled parents, club dogs who work nicely but are not [yet] big name competitors or proven producers - good bloodlines, and pups show drive - may be first litter from one or both parents B middle range - $1200-1500 - pups from titled parents, dam more than Sch1, with multiple schh3s between them, koered,with at least the sire a bit more well known, shown regionally or nationally, looking at scores a bit more, and pedigrees a bit higher profile- also sire or dam already proven to produce certified or titled dogs and dogs with certified hips C. $1500- $1800 - both parents titled, koered, proven to produce titled dogs - sire competing at National level or better D Over $1800 - well - there is always someone who thinks if it costs more it HAS to be better - and someone will be there to accomodate that buyer!

The value of a puppy/dog is subjective. It may be priceless to you; but worthless to me. It is true that most breeders charge what the market will bear, but others sell at relatively low prices for a number of reasons. Some try to get maximum value and may have ocassionally get stuck with a pup or two. To put a definite value on a puppy is ludicrous. According to your standards, a puppy may be worth x dollars, but the next person will use there value system in judging the worth of that same puppy. There are breeders that attempt to take the best bitch they can find and match it with the best dog at a very high cost. They have the right to recover their costs and make a profit. When a breeder takes a bitch to Europe breeds it to a top stud and brings it back, it's going to cost extra. When you buy a pup/dog, you need to have a clear understanding of what you want, a very clear understanding of what you're buying and an honest view of the amount of time and effort you will devote to that dog. That will help you make a real value decision. And finally, for the person that said they can tell whether or not they can tell if a dog can work by looking at it...I know a number of dogs that would make you look foolish. It doesn't have to be ugly to work.

It is a simple law of demand and supply. Yeah, I said "go and produce your own". Take it for what it is. If anyone thinks that is the reason why there are so many dogs in the pound/shelter, you might need to think again. A great percentage of dogs that end up in the pound were actually purchased (especially full breeds) and not bred. If you go to certain sites and see how much they charge for their dogs/pups and you genuinely want to find out why, then ask the seller. It is that simple. Now if you want to point fingers to someone without actually having the guts to say their names, then bring it here. I know who you are all referring to and I do not care to know why he charges such prices so i do not ask. If you care to find out, call him or email him. I am sure he would talk to you if you approach the issue sensibly. That is all I have to say about this issue. There are other more pressing issues that can be discussed about the GSD than what certain people charge for their dogs and why!!!!!!!!!!!

Rihah- haus There are other more pressing issues that can be discussed about the GSD than what certain people charge for their dogs and why!!!!!!!!!!! I thought this was a learning . How and why people charge what they do. Lets people either buying a puppy know WHY the puppy is so much vs the 150.00 dogs in the news papers and for a breeder to see and compare. Why are you so angry? all I did was ask a question.

Blitzen....20 years ago, American Show GSD pups from a show titled parent or two, with titles in the pedigree, would run $1000 to $2000 for a show quality puppy. I know, because I was in the market for such at that time. I could not afford it, thank goodness. It was pretty much a waste of my time and money to be in the American Show lines for what I really wanted to do. I do not know what the imported GSD puppies were going for, I did not get that far. Although many good puppies could be purchased for $500, 20 years ago, there were still higher end markets for puppies who were from more qualified parents.

there is no puppy worth over 1500. only if the breeder can guarantes the puppy ,when adult will either be v or va and schh.titled ,they can not to much can happen and nobody know how the dog will truely be untill at least 6-months old or older ,no matter how much hype,if a breeder is in it for the money and not the love of the breed then the quality of the breed will go down,and a lot of newbyes to the breed listen to hype ,when they should be doing there home work,but thats just me rmgsd.....and american show line are they worth 500.00...........

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 amortisize 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