my wife wants a mini yorkie why the hell does this 3 lbs dog cost $1500.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?

Answer 1

Hopefully the pup is from a good show breeder?

Yorkies often have only 2 puppies and a good breeder will have alot of money tied up in a litter. Breeding dogs well is not cheap! You have stud fees, maybe an AI fee, health testing, Vet costs, not to mention puppy care.

I would say if it was a litter of two and from a good breeder, the breeder probably isn't making much.

If it is a commercially bred puppy, than that is different, they tend to cut corners.

A cheap, badly bred puppy can get very expensive over its lifespan. Better to get a well bred one from as good breeder.

Answer 2

The first consideration is - does she know how hard it is to housebreak a Yorkie? And how much they bark? Does she want one because she likes the way they look, or does she really know any?

Quality dogs are expensive to buy and raise. The breeder has to pay for a stud fee, health exams and tests for canine VD. Because of their big heads, Yorkie pups often have to be delivered by an expensive c-section. The pups then need food and shots and worming and lots of care for eight weeks. One of my breeder friends once calculated that she made less than $1.85 per hour after expenses!

All dogs cost money to take care of. A good pup can easily cost $1200 or more. Even “free” dogs aren’t free. Puppy shots are another $200, then $100 a year. Annual Heartworm test and preventative medication $100. Professional trainer $600 and up. Going on vacation? Boarding kennel $40/day. Spaying? $250. If you can't afford to pay for a good dog, maybe you can't afford to maintain one either?

Dogs are terrific companions but they require training and discipline and exercise. A dog the size of a Yorkie to go out every four to six hours - the smaller the dog, the more often they have to go out. Yorkies live 12 - 14 years. Paying $1200 for a pup means that the dog cost you less than $100 a year - is that really too much???

Find a good breeder by going to www.akc.org or talking to people at dog shows. You can also find info about the breed clubs on the akc site - they probably have a rescue group where you can get an older dog for less money. The best breeders will be members of their breed club, promoting healthy dogs with great temperaments. They should ask you a bunch of questions to make sure their puppy will be getting a good home. If all a "breeder" seems to care about is whether your check will clear, you can be sure he won't care a week later when the pup is dying from distemper or parvo and you want your money back.

Whatever you do, DON'T go to a pet shop, a flea market or buy one sight-unseen off the Internet!!!! You'll pay top dollar for what is usually a poor quality puppy mill dog. And you'll be supporting one of the cruelest industries in the country. The breeding animals are often kept in deplorable conditions - spending their entire lives in small wire-bottomed cages. They probably haven't been vaccinated against contagious diseases or tested for any health or temperament problems or genetic diseases - that costs money and cuts into their profits. A female is often bred every time she comes into heat. When her poor little body can't take it any more, she is often clubbed in the head and tossed into a dumpster or an open ditch. Most puppy mills ship their pups to pet stores at wholesale prices and many pups die before they even get there.

If you can't afford a good dog, get a rabbit or a guinea pig - they're friendly, easy to keep, live in a cage, and don't have to be walked or trained.

BEFORE you get any dog you should read some great books on training. (Try not to pick books randomly - there are a lot of bad books out there also!) These are some of my favorites and you can get them on Amazon.com
What All Good Dogs Should Know – Volhard http://www.volhard.com/
Good Owners, Great Dogs - Brian Kilcommins
Dog Tricks : Eighty-Eight Challenging Activities for Your Dog from World-Class Trainers by Haggerty and Benjamin
Don't Shoot the Dog - Pryor
Training Your Dog: The Step by Step Method - Volhard
Dog Problems - Benjamin
Cesar's Way - Cesar Millan
Also, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Millan is the best trainer I've ever seen on TV.
http://www.dogpsychologycenter.com/

Answer 3

Wow! Many, many answers. Some of them actually useful!
The REAL reason is because of supply and demand. We live in a capitalistic society, and if an item becomes popular, the price goes up until supply meets or exceeds the demand. As long as they are sought after and sell at that price, the price will stay, and possibly even go up. I would say shop around a little more. I have 3 Yorkies, and one is a chocolate Yorkie, and we paid under $800 for each of them. They have 2 litters per year with and average of 3 puppies per litter, and therefor have payed for themselves over and over. Our puppy males sell easily for $1000, and the puppy females sell for $1500. Get her a male and a female and have some money... I mean puppies!
www.LauberLand.com

Answer 4

The dog is that much for a few reasons. First of all, with that price, the dog must be a purebred, and maybe even from a champion line of its breed. High prices like that are mainly for dogs that are show quality or have a exceptional blood line. That matters to some owners that their dog comes from superior lines, but it only matters if they plan to show the dog. If you are interested in showing the dog, expect prices like that and even higher for a champion-line bred breed. As for being a regular house dog, that price is too expensive. You are perhaps being ripped off, if the dog is just for pet usage and not showing. Try looking for breeders with more reasonable price ranges. Look in the newspaper, ask people you know, and call pet grooming stores...they often have lists of breeders they know for whatever type of breed you are looking for. No dog that is simply a pet should be more than $800 to $900, and sometimes you can find dogs that are even cheaper. You ARE being ripped off if you purchase a dog that's a pet for more than 950 dollars. My dog is a pure-bred that isn't used for showing, and he cost 600 dollars. ONLY show dogs are more than about 1000 dollars, unless you are being ripped off by the breeder. If the dog you are interested in buying is from a pet store, it is very likely they are ripping you off. Stick to breeders only, and be careful of not being ripped off!!! If you really don't want to pay any money AT ALL for a dog, try shelters, dog pounds, and rescues. They may have the breed you are looking for, although you may have to wait a bit until the breed you want is found. Hope this helps!!!! Much luck!!

Answer 5

why are laptops more expensive then desk tops?
It cost more to put the same components in a smaller package.
By the way what the hell is a mini yorkie any way

Answer 6

Believe me, $1500 is not a lot for a dog of that type. These dogs can easily go for over $3500 so your saving a whole lot of money.

It only costs so much because it is a pure breed and is a show dog. Show dogs are brought up differently then "normal" dogs. Have different needs to sustain their look.

Answer 7

DO NOT BUY THAT DOG PLEASE

GO TO

1800saveapet.com

They have ALL kinds for yorkies.......good ones really cute......some are puppys some are older.....its good to get a older one...because they already know tricks and are fixed and potty trained

www.unitedyorkierescue.org/
www.yorkierescue.com
www.petfinder.org/shelters/PA165.html
adopt-a-yorkie.1-800-save-a-pet.com
www.nextdaypets.com/directory/dogs/rescue
www.saveayorkierescue.org
www.barkbytes.com/rescue/yorkie
www.yorkierescueme.org

never buy a dog....there are so many that need a home... : )

plus...you'll be saving a life : )

Answer 8

Take your wife to a few shelters and have a look around. (25% of their dogs are purebred) All those dogs are dying for a home. This may be a good chance to save a life.

Answer 9

Do you love your wife? Do you have the money? Will she take good care of the dog? If your answer is yes to all 3, whats stopping you from letting her get one?

Answer 10

no offense but your wife is dumb witch. Pick up a good doggy at the humane society for $50 and help put dog and cat pet stores out of biz.