Working Line GS Breeder - Page 1

Hey all,

A couple I know are looking into getting a dog. Now they were looking at labs and goldens and some other breeds, but I am trying to talk them into a GS. HOWEVER, they don't want to pay top dollar for a dog, but I don't want them to end up with some BYB American line dog. Do you guys know of any decent working line breeders that don't charge top dollar? Pedigree is totally irrelevant to them, I think they just want a solid dog. I showed them a few of my fave kennel sites and they balked at the high price, which is fair if you aren't a psycho about GSDs.

Any suggestions?

What is "top dollar"?  Good working line dog puppies are usually $800-$1800 which to me is not "top dollar" and very reasonable. 

Ailrod12

Not to be rude but if they were looking at labs, goldens and breeds like that do you really think they need a working line GSD? The wrong pup could grow up to become a nightmare dog for them. Maybe you'd be doing them a bigger favor by helping them choose a good quality pup from the breed they want instead of trying to talk them into getting a GSD.

They are also considering breeds like rhodesian ridgeback, alaskan malamute, siberian husky, which all in all are considerably harder to train and don't respond as well to obedience training as a GS. My working line in amazing and not too much to handle, and he is my first GS. The couple are very active and we live in a very dog friendly town. Yes, the wrong dog could be a nightmare, but a good breeder doesn't place a high prey drive pup with someone who wants an active family companion. As my breeder did for me, they assessed what I wanted and gave me exactly that, to the letter.

Now that I have justified my request, maybe some people can give me some responses to my question?

Liesjers: I feel like kennels these days charge $1800 and upwards, and I'd happily part company with that much for the quality. $800-$1000 is reasonable for them, do you know any kennels that charge those prices?

Given the range of breeds they are considering I would wonder what their expereimce is and what their lifestyle is like and what they want. Perhaps they need to spend more time themselves thinking this through. I agree, I would go with a GSD rather than a husky for example, but I do not agree with your statement re 'but a good breeder doesn't place a high prey drive pup with someone who wants an active family companion'. I've seen it plenty of times. I have a neighbour with a Belgian Malinois with a high prey drive and he convinced the breeder he was experienced enough (with very little effort from what I hear) and he is way out of his depth with this dog that he wants as a family pet. I have had 3 GSDs and they ranged from high drive to couch potato. I don't feel I was really matched to a dog by the breeder in any of these instances, despite the fact they were all good breeders IMO.

Agreed Muldoon. That's a huge difference in terms of temperament, drive, upkeep, etc.

Alirod, I'm really not trying to be rude or offensive but I'm not the type of person that's going to point somone to a kennel without knowing it's the right thing to do. I have very few breeders I will refer people to just because I'm damn picky myself. But what might be a good kennel for one person would be a very poor choice for another.

The price Leisjers quoted is right on the money. If your favorite sites are in line with that and your friends are balking, you might have a harder time finding them a good quality pup.

I do admire your efforts for trying to help them out and teach them a little bit.

Wow I guess you guys aren't really reading too carefully. What I said was that most of my favorite sites charge $1800 AND UP.

Mobjack, did you even read what I wrote? If the kennels you would refer me to can't match the right puppy to the right person, I'm not interested anyway. In my experience, I was PERFECTLY matched with my dog. So a good breeder DOES match you with your dog, or else they deal with the headache of getting the dog back when the buyer can't handle it.

These people are campers and hikers and are from Montana and Colorado. Super active, and have had dogs in the past. My favorite dogs are German Shepherds, but my next favorites are Australian Cattle Dogs, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, and Anatolian Shepherds. Does that mean that when I was getting my GS pup I didn't really know what I wanted?

Can some people who aren't here to condescend to me give me some help?

Mobjack, my biggest problem is assuming a level of reading comprehension that is clearly absent.

Liesjers wrote: "Good working line dog puppies are usually $800-$1800 which to me is not "top dollar" and very reasonable."

I write: "Liesjers: I feel like kennels these days charge $1800 and upwards, and I'd happily part company with that much for the quality. $800-$1000 is reasonable for them, do you know any kennels that charge those prices?"

You respond with: "The price Leisjers quoted is right on the money. If your favorite sites are in line with that and your friends are balking, you might have a harder time finding them a good quality pup."

How does your response follow from the former two quotes? Oh yeah, it doesn't.

Did I say I wanted a CHEAP working line puppy? Another example of something that really doesn't follow from my posts. My exact words were: "Do you guys know of any decent working line breeders that don't charge top dollar?"

What pisses me off is not advice. What pisses me off is advice based on things I didn't say. Honestly the level of education on this forum is generally abysmal.

I know of a breeder that has some puppies and young adults she needs to place.  She is asking $600 to $800 for nice working line puppies from titled and hip certified parents.

Check out her site:  www.TaosSpiritKennels.com

Vickie
www.PowerHausKennels.com