Puppy prices - Page 2

I agree with justde and Blitzen says. I think to improve the breed that breeders should stop using their dogs as money machines and start breeding for a good use, besides paying off their bills and buying expensive cars to satisfied their own needs. When you become a Breeder you take on the responsibility of improving the next generation and the fallowing generation and as many generations that you are willing to breed for. Improving doesn't mean money but the quality of the breed. The breed with better Pigmentation and better working ability , conformation ( from both Show lines and Working lines) and temperament. Anybody who's deeply serious about the sport of schutzhund and conformation should be allowed to have a decent quality dog that can be shown and can do the work at the same time, or if you just want a working dog. Schutzhund is suppose to be a fun sport... lets keep it that way by helping each other to have good quality dogs. It will make everybody's experience a bit better, in the future. As far as money being made by training.... No offense to most breeders but half of 'em never step forward in the field! They hire trainers to train their dogs for them so they can continue breeding and asking expensive prices because the parents are "titled". As far as Saoa being a moderator... I don't think she is anymore.... well that's what I been told of.

From what I experience, "reasonable" prices will vary from 400-600 EUR in Belgium and Germany with a (more than) "decent" quality of titled ancestors. Topbreeders (VA-titled dogs) will have lifted their prices from approx. 700 EUR last year, to 750-800 EUR this year (own experience). Taking into account that it's always a crap shoot, a 7-8 weeks old puppy IMHO holds no guarantee whatsoever to become a VA-dog and therefore doesn't justify higher prices.

Ok here is my opionon on the Prices of Puppies.... When I first started breeding..that is my first couple of litters....I only charged $500 for my puppies. I have to say tht the class of people that called and came out to see th pups wasn't very high. They wanted to nickle and dime me all the way...wanted to feed cheep food and wanted to know how often a dog HAD to go to the vet...it was hard for me to feel good about most of those sales. I had very good blood lines had spent the time with making sure my dogs had good hips/elbows ect. And spent alot of time training and raising my two dogs. I was very dissapointed in this price group of people. Kind of made me feel that if anything really happend to the dog they would just put him to sleep and not spend the money to fix him. About a year later I bought a finished dog, and bred her. I raised my price to $1000 all pups. I did find that the quality of people were much better. They were more educated as buyers they had either owned a gsd befor and knew alot of the breed and breed issues. They were more prepaired to go the extra mile if the dog needed extra vet care. They were prepaird to feed better food. Spend the money and time with training. Were very excited with how I raise my pups, just all around better quality of people and i felt much better about being a breeder and putting these dogs out there. My knowledge had also increased so I didn't feel bad about the price. about a year later..... I had decided after much research and comments from buyers and friends that my prices were lower than other breeders with the same quality of my dogs and I did more with my pups and offered a better contract, I raised my prices to $1200 male and $1500 female. I did hope that this would get more people to buy males instead of the oh well I will get a female and maybe breed her...and it has. I have the same type of people that were buying befor. So when you start talking about breeders and thier prices think about what we are trying to do....get a better class of client. The higher class of buyers expect to pay more and wont even look at a breeder that doesn't charge more. They don't want to have to do all the work that a breeder should do they just want all the information up front and in writing. I am support for the life of that puppy....I am on call day and night...and yes I answer the phone at night if it is one of my clients. I provid boarding when they go out of town...I provide training here at my place either board and trains or privte to group classes. This is not just an 8 week venture for me it is a hopefully 12+ year long relationship between me and the client. So no I dont' think that I charge to much for a puppy. Again this is my JMO. Heather

I personally like the point of view expressed by Heather and Vom Felsenhof. I recently placed a young male with mild ED with a wonderful family, but fielded many calls (after an ill-advised ad in the paper) from folks who wanted to make sure they could still breed him (!). There are many wonderful rescued dogs available for folks who want a great pet. Those who want to enjoy dogsport, or dog fancy as a passion/hobby should be prepared to pay the price. JMHO

Het...that's a good point..no offense to anyone, but the people who charge lets say $500 for a puppy, don't really care who they are selling to...they don't ask questions of the "could be buyer". In my experience anyway...the ones who charge more are more concerned about where the puppy will live, what it will eat, and any future breeding issues..

Thanks.. I also have to add that I have less of the "I want to breed to make the quick buck with no work" buyers. I have alot of puppy owners that are now my good friends. We train together and hang out and just have fun with the dogs. It is very rewarding to me that my dogs have great homes and owners that care enough to make provisions in thier wills even. I have never heard a thing from the owners of the first few litters. And as a breeder this is important...we need to know what our lines are doing later in life.

I don't think a high price assures a good home for any dog. I've seen people of modest incomes who would and did mortgage their homes to get their dogs a life saving medical treatment and I've seen professionals who won't spend one cent for a rabies vac although they own an expensive dog from a well known breeder. It's not about how much they pay, some just want a trophy dog from famous parents or imports just so they can brag to their peers how much they paid for their dogs. I'm not advocating underpricing your dogs, just don't think for one minute that all you need to do is ask a high price and every pup will get a super home. It's not the way it works in the real world.

Blitzen, you are so right.

Blitzen you are right...I also have an interview with my puppy buyers and if I don't feel like they are the type of owners that I want for my pups I don't sell to them. I have and will turn people away...I know the type you are talking about I have a boarding dog in right now that is 4 years old has had no training and never been to the vet....and her owner is very wealthy...and he was trying to nickle and dime me about all the shots and vet checkup she would need befor she came here to stay..It is crazy. I also have friends that have rescued dogs and do everything they can for them...training,vet care ect.. In this business you have to have some commone sense about things...I am only saying that I have had better luck sense I raised my prices on the quality of people that CONTACT me for puppies. You will always have the idoit that wants you to give them the world in a puppy and thinks that because they paid this much for a pup that it will never have any problems or need any training. Heather

You have the best interests of the breed in mind, Het. I would not hesitate to buy a dog from you. I've only owned 2 GSD's in the last 11 years. Both purchased from 2 fairly well known breeders and not one of them ever asked me about my facilities or my intentions for that dog. neither ever followed up on the sale and when the first developed cancer and had chemo, his breeder never even returned any of my phone calls. Most of the others I contacted through ads and the internet didn't ask any questions either, one even insisted on a deposit prior to my even seeing the litter or the dam or the pedigree and one actually said I was nuts if I thought he would guarantee anything on a dog that only cost $1,000. BTW, these were not Amline breeders and if I mentioned their names many on this board would know who they are, but I won't LOL.