puppricing

What's behind the price of a puppy?

You may have asked yourself, "Why is there such a wide variation in Golden and Labrador puppy prices in one area when they are all papered purebreds? What makes one pup worth more or less than another?" To best answer this question, it helps to understand the different types of breeders out there, and what they are each about.

Some dogs are bred for profit, and some aren't. The best way to make a profit selling puppies is to buy one or more dogs at low cost, breed them when old enough, and sell all the pups for a good profit. This is what many back yard breeders and puppy mills do--puppy mills just do it larger quantity and with less compassion and love. Another way is to buy a litter of pups at low cost from one of these places, then resell them at a greater cost--like pet stores and dealers do. To really make a profit on a litter of pups, you can't have a lot of expenses like health clearances, dog shows or events, handlers, trainers, etc. All these things cost a lot of money, and after all that money is spent, if a dog doesn't pass a health test, you then have to pay to spay or neuter it and start all over again with another pup, and hope this one does better. This is why responsible hobby breeders don't make much, if any, money on their pups. They breed because they enjoy competing with their dogs and producing litters of their own to keep a pup from their line. Even without tons of competitions, health clearances alone are expensive, and when a dog doesn't pass, you do have start again with a new pup. It's money down the drain, but we're not doing for money, so we go into it understanding that it's just a hobby.

So, if hobby breeders aren't breeding for profit and other breeders with no expenses are, why are hobby breeder's pups so much more money??? It's simple. If you have no expenses like health clearances or dog shows, you can charge just a few hundred bucks per pup and come out ahead, whereas if you do have expenses like clearances & handlers, and then you have to start over a pup that didn't pass a test, and you even offer a money back guarantee on all your pups, you have to have a lot of money to support such an endeavor. Most hobby breeders will charge just enough to cover the cost of all their expenses, so their hobby doesn't bankrupt them. They seek to at least break even. So, hobby breeder's pups cost a lot more because our expenses are a lot more.

The benefit to spending more upfront from a hobby breeder as opposed to a back yard breeder or a puppy mill is you get more for your money. Your not just getting a pup, you're getting one with a long line of good health and guarantee to back it up. If you get your pup elsewhere you might spend less on the purchase price, but could be stuck with a health issue and a huge vet bill later on with no help or support from the breeder. Not only are your odds of getting a healthy pup much better when you buy from a hobby breeder, due to the generations of genetic health screening, but you also get a guarantee just in case a health issue does pop up. Examples of each type of breeder are broken down in more detail below:

Back Yard Breeders:

There are different types of back yard breeders that can be broken down in three basic categories:

* The family who fails to spay/neuter their pets and end up with an accidental or unplanned litter.

* The family who wants to breed their pet once or twice because they either want to share the miracle of birth with their kids, keep a pup from their favorite pet, or because they think it does their dog good to have at least one litter.

* The family who thinks that breeding their family pet every-so-often is a good way to make some extra cash.

Back yard breeders may charge anywhere from $100 to $800. You see, some of them charge a small amount ($100-$500) just because that is what they've seen advertised in their local paper by other back yard breeders, and perhaps even what they have paid for their own dogs in the past. They may also be in a hurry to get rid of their pups and want them to sell fast. These are the back yard breeders who generally breed for the 1st or 2nd reasons mentioned above.

Then, you have back yard breeders who think that because they have seen reputable breeders and/or pet stores selling their pups for higher prices, that they can get that much for theirs too. So they charge anywhere from $600 to 800, or sometimes even as much as $1,000 for their pups. They get away with charging large amounts for poor quality pups by taking advantage of uninformed buyers who are uneducated in responsible breeding, selling, and ownership. When you buy from one of these breeders you aren't buying for quality because back yard breeders are people who, even though they generally mean no harm, are uneducated themselves about their breed and about breeding in general. These people usually do not know about the breed standard, hip dysplasia, or genetics, and do not obtain any health clearances on their breeding stock before breeding, which often leads to health problems in future generations, leaving the owners of those pups with heartache along with a pile of vet bills. Many times their pups very poorly resemble their breed even though they may come with papers claiming they are purebred.

Back Yard Breeder Prices:

$100 - $1,000

What you get for your money:

* A puppy

? Maybe 1st shots, worming, & vet check--although you'd be surprised how many pups are sold without them.

? Maybe the chance to meet one or both of the parents

Pet Stores:

Pet stores are in the business of selling animals to make a profit, so they buy their pups for minimal amounts from people in a hurry to get rid of their pups and then jack up the price to make a significant and worthwhile profit. Pet stores generally sell their pups between $500 and $2,000 dollars based on location, the demand for a particular breed, the age of the pup, and how long they've had it. The puppies that come from pet stores are often no better than those sold by back yard breeders, and many of them actually come from puppy mills, yet many times you end up paying the same price as if you were buying a quality dog from a reputable breeder.

Pet Store Prices:

$500 - $2,000

What you get for your money:

* A puppy

* 1st shots, worming, & vet check

* A 30 day guarantee which may cover serious illness or death

Puppy Mills:

A puppy mill is a place where there are a number of issues incongruent to ethical breeding practices. They are typically places where puppies are sold in mass numbers (they may always have puppies available), they often breed more than two or three breeds or variety of dogs, the conditions in which the dogs/pups are housed are unsanitary and cramped, they many times even lie about the age of their pups in order to sell them at a younger age--not only to save money on food and vet bills, but also to make room for new litters. Their dogs/pups may have numerous health problems and receive little to no basic training or socialization. The breeders are not very concerned with breeding for quality, but rather for breeding for a profit. They do not care to who they sell their pups, and don't bother screening potential customers. They handle everything much like a business and less like a hobby in which they are passionately involved. They may offer a very minimal, if any, health guarantee. Unfortunately, these breeders know how to hide their red flags by perhaps putting on a good front, knowing how to answer your questions, etc. These breeders sell both to the public and pet stores alike. They do not care where their puppies go, just that they go as soon as possible and at a profitable price.

Puppy Mill Prices:

$100 - $2,000

What you get for your money:

* A puppy

? Maybe 1st shots, worming, & vet check--although you'd be surprised how many pups are sold without them.

? Maybe the chance to meet one or both of the parents

Good Breeder's:

True breed fanciers and hobby breeders generally sell their pups between $800 to $2,000. These breeders have higher prices because we believe you should get what you pay for. We breed for quality, and in doing so build up a lot of expenses. Not only do we have the usual costs of things like dog food and routine vet appointments, but we also go the extra mile to produce healthy and temperamentally sound pups which means we have additional costs such as hip and elbow clearances, annual eye and heart clearances, dog shows, puppy care packets to send home with all our pups, and much more. All this takes not only a lot of time, but also a whole lot of money. We don't breed to make a profit, but rather for a love of the breed. Sometimes the cost of our puppies only allows us to break even on all the expenses that went into producing the litter, and if we're lucky we make a little extra for all the time we put into planning and caring for the litter as well.

If you've made the decision to add a puppy to your household as a new member of your family, you've also made an 8 to 15 year commitment to that pup. Why not spend a little extra time and money getting the right pup, instead of rushing out and buying the first one you find because you just had to have a pup right away or spending a minimal amount on a puppy from a back yard breeder because you don't think it makes sense to spend more than $500 on a pet that is not intended as a show dog? A good pedigree with multiple champion titles within the first three generations of a pedigree says a lot about that dog. Even as a pet, you want a pup who will be healthy and beautiful, and who comes from a long line of reputable breeders, right? Besides if your reason for wanting a pup as cheap as possible is because you can't afford to pay $1,000 for a pet, than why should we believe that you are in a situation to pay for its vet bills, emergencies, year round flea and tick prevention, year round heartworm prevention, training classes, toys, food, etc? And, there is absolutely no sense in buying a dog from a pet store for the same amount you could spend buying one from a reputable breeder. Pet store pups come from two places: puppy mills and ignorant back yard breeders. You will not find a quality bred puppy with genetic health screening at a pet store, because people who care enough to pay for those screenings before breeding their dogs would never sell a pup to a pet store. Besides, do you really want to support puppy mills? The only way puppy mills will ever be stopped is if people stop buying from them, and when you buy from a pet store you are supporting the puppy mills.

Hobby Breeder Prices:

$800 - $2,000

What you should get for your money:

* A puppy

* A chance to meet the dam and possibly the sire, as well as any other relatives that live on the property such as brothers, sisters, grandparents, etc.

* A minimum of the pup's 1st set of shots, vet checks, multiple wormings, and a copy of your pup's health history to take home and have on record as well as to show your vet for your pup's next appointment.

* A 2 week trail period which gives the new owners a chance to return the pup for a full refund anytime within the first two weeks for any reason at all--no questions asked.

* A 2 year money back or puppy replacement guarantee covering most hereditary health concerns: (Our guarantee covers hereditary hip, elbow, eye, & heart conditions for up to 26 months)

* Lifetime breeder support to help the new owners if they have any questions or concerns at any time during their pup's life. (We are available to answer questions & take a pup or dog back at anytime so in the event that the new owners can't keep it, we will take whatever time needed to find it another suitable, loving home.)

* A puppy pack that generally includes copies of the parents' health certifications (Our breeding dog's have OFA elbow, & heart certifications, OFA/PennHip hip certifications, & CERF eye certification), the pup's pedigree, pictures of the parents, sample bag of food, helpful pamphlets & literature about raising, training, & socializing a new pup, valuable coupons, and other extras.

The bottom line is you get what you pay for, with only two exceptions:

* The first exception being that you really luck out and by chance get a good looking, healthy, and temperamentally sound pup real cheap from a back yard breeder, which is a huge gamble to risk in the first place.

* The second is that you shell out a lot of money at a pet store for a pup that isn't even worth the extra cash because it doesn't have genetic clearances, is sold to you without a good health guarantee, and comes from the same kind of places (back yard breeders and puppy mills) that you'd only pay a minimal amount from in the first place.

Why take such big risks on the next member of your family??? When you buy from a reputable breeder, you get a guaranteed healthy pup that should have a pedigree full of generations of healthy and temperamentally sound ancestors, you get to meet the parents and know that your pup will also have a sound temperament and will be good around children and other animals, you get a two-year health guarantee to back it all up, and the peace of mind of knowing that the breeder stands behind their pups and is willing to take them back at any time you are unable to keep it. When you look at it that way, why would anyone ever buy from anyone other than a reputable breeder? Why gamble with your dog's future when you don't have to???

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