Why are puppies so expensive? What gives breeders the gull to charge so much?

Question

I think it's crazy that breeders are charging more than a house/car payment for a prue bred puppy.

Answer 1

if it bothers you so much, why don't you go to the nearest animal shelter, and save a life instead... the money doesn't just go into someone's pocket, for an over priced dog, it helps the center itself/

Answer 2

GALL??? How about all the cost that the breeder endures ? Health testing, Raising the dogs that they breed, raising the puppies properly, vaccinations, worming, microchips, stud dog fee.. All the time spent helping puppy buyers, taking back dogs if it doesn't work out... The list is too big to even post here with out boring everyone to death.. The money spent before the litter is even born... Then raising the litter properly, Trying to find decent homes w/ people who actually deserve to have a dog.. People that will take it to the vet if the need arises.... The money adds up.. There is no gall involved... The expenses outweigh the money you get for the puppies... Where's the gall in that?

You should do more research before you ask such a question, you obviously don't know what goes into breeding a well bred litter.. Puppies are expensive because everything is expensive, testing, the vet, dog food, everything is expensive..

Why do you want to make good money when you go to work?? You would do ok making less than minimum wage, but you want more why... The gull that you would be so greedy and think that your time and effort was actually worth something.. That the job you do was actually valuable enough to ask for decent money.. If you want to get paid for what you do.. Then why can't breeders get repaid IN PART for what they do.. Providing a good quality, well bred puppy for people who want one???

How about the gall of the people who want pick of the litter, with ears cropped, tail docked, dewclaws removed and don't want to pay more than $100...

When I go to the vet before the puppies are ready to go to homes, earcropping, health certificates, spaying/neutering.. a litter of 10, for that ONE vet visit is going to cost me approx $3200.. That is NO vaccinations, worming or anything else.. I have already got 2 vaccinations and worming done.. Vaccinations at $45 per puppy x 10 x 2 + $900..

What gives the breeders the gall???

Answer 3

There is more that goes into breeding then just throwing two animals together and breeders charge money for their animals to try to re-coup some of the money spent on breeding.

To 3cats, a petstore or byb does usually charge more then a reputable breeder. Reputable breeders do not breed their females more than once a year so it is not a business for them and the majority have full time jobs to support their hobby. Because responsible, reputable breeders screen any potential puppy owners it is not usually their dogs that end up in shelters and pounds besides these breeders will take back their pups and keep them or re-home them, it is the irresponsible byb and puppy mill puppies that end up being dumped because all those breeders care about is making a buck and no planning went into breeding and all that was wanted from the breeding is cash.
Finally not everyone wants a dog that may or may not have problems, so finding a good breeder is the route to go. If everyone quit breeding as you want where do you suppose we will get dogs 15 years from now?

Answer 4

You know it always makes me chuckle when I read questions like this.
You have no idea how much time and work goes into breeding high quality healthy dogs or cats. All the health testing that needs to be done, all the certifications needed to breed high quality animals so no on can ever accuse you of breeding inferior quality pets. Keeping your lines pure and safe. All the work involved in getting them their championships, or therapy certificates or even their Good canine citizens certifications.
All this and more is reflected in what the breeder charges for their dogs or cats. I haven't even touched on food or vet bills or the electricity or gas it takes to have high quality dogs.
You want a pure bred dog of lesser quality then pick up a newpaper and check out the dogs advertized there. You will never find a quality breeder advertising in one of those.

Yes I had gall and I'm damn proud of it.
With dogs as with anything else you get what you pay for.
Note: I loved all my dogs and I still do. My Goldens were and are still very special to me. To keep this breed true and healthy was and still is my first concern. I bred my goldens because of the love I have for the breed and the better ment of this beautiful breed. Profit never came into the picture.

Answer 5

Supply and demand. Most breeders don't deal with the average buyer. In fact so many have in their contracts these days that the dog has to be taken so far in shows, or in other arenas to further the blood line.

Also you are paying for a bloodline. A good breeder will have paperwork on the lineage of his/her dogs back as far as the line starts.

Some breeders * Not the good ones* are just in it to cash in on the breeds popularity. These breeders will talk a good game, but the pups are usually as bad as the ones you get in pet shops.

Basically if you are dealing with a good breeder, you are paying for quality. You wouldn't buy a lemon when looking for a car if you wanted a Caddilac.

Answer 6

Breeders charge a lot of money for their animals because they honestly care about who is buying them. If you honestly wanted a puppy and were willing to give it care for the rest of your life you would not be concerned with the price of the animal. Along with applications to even be considered for purchasing an animal breeders use this as a way to ensure the animal will be going to a good home.

Answer 7

I can't do better than most of the answers already posted here, but I wanted to add that no reputable breeder relies on the sale of puppies as a primary source of income or even a source of income at all for that matter.

Answer 8

actually I found out that reputable breeders such as AKC or breed club registered breeders sell for less than byb breeders. Most of these AKC dogs that you find on the breeder referral page are only around $300.

Why do they charge so much?

BYBs charge so much because they are making their dogs have puppies for cash. They couldn't care less about how their dogs are doing.

Reputable breeders use this to help cover the cost of raising the puppy. Pups are usually around $500 to raise EACH if raised properly. This includes formulas and hospital fees.

Answer 9

3cats -

I can't really improve upon the other answers, especially those of abbyful, GoldenGal, Shepherdgirl and DP.

I do, however, want to tell you that I have a "real job", and a damn good one, in the aerospace industry...and do you know where all of my disposable income goes? The stuff that isn't groceries, utilities, or gasoline for my 100 mile/day commute (to/from the small town with the large piece of property that I own so that I can have a proper kennel)??

MY DOGS.

I'm glad you encourage rescue. Hell, I've taken in and placed over 75 rescue dogs in the past 10 years alone. But the world is not that black and white.

Answer 10

When you add it up, most breedings, even the ones that sell pups for $1000, are not making money. Raising a litter of quality pups isn't easy or cheap. There's the price of the parent dogs (show quality dogs may run $750-$2000), health screenings for the parents, going to dog shows to get the parents their championships (and most breeders like well-rounded dogs, so they also may be doing obedience and agility, not just confirmation), stud fee (or pick of litter), vet bills for the mother and puppies, etc.

Most reputable breeders actually lose money on a litter of puppies. They breed for love of the breed, and to meet and improve upon the breed standards, not to make a profit.

So while that price tag may seem high to you, once you add in everything it cost the breeder, the breeder actually ends up "in the hole".

Answer 11

The word is gall.

Breeding is expensive if you are doing it right. You are breeding quality dogs that were expensive to begin with and likely you spent some time showing them, which is also expensive. If the breeder is doing it right, then both parent dogs were health screened for potential genetic disorders before breeding them. Then vet care for the mother and the pups isn't cheap. Shots, AKC registration, food, advertising and on and on. Breeding right is not cheap.

If you want a purebred for less, check into the rescue for the breed you want.