[lovemydoodle]

Im not even sure if this goes in the right category....Oh well!

I never realized that pups were being sold at such a price like $2500. I figured maybe $800 at the most. And that was just a thought since my mom bought a chesapeake bay retriever for $600. So I was kinda thinking along those lines.

Anyway, Leno was given to us for free...but his owner said he paid $400 for him. And WOW is he a great dog. The vet said he is perfectly healthy and very good looking.

But I have noticed that some people seem to be pushing potential doodle owners away from getting a pup for under $1000. Is there a reason behind that?

Im sorry if this sounds weird, im just one of those people that thinks all dogs need a home. I personally would never pay 2500 for a dog, when so many great dogs are homeless. At the same time, I do understand if someone is gonna pay 2500 for one they should get their moneys worth.

I guess the main question is why are they sold at different prices from $500-$2500....and why does their seem to be a red flag waving at the pups in the lower price range?

 

[angelakj]

well...

I think the cost ranges is due mostly to the type of breeder you're dealing with. If someone owns a lab and a poodle, mates them and sells their cute doggies for $100 they can make money. If a good breeder has hip testing, eye testing, regular vet checks, vaccinates, microchips, and guarantees the puppy - you're dealing with an entirely different set of numbers. Those things take lots of money and time. That's why people shy away from a very cheap doodle - because it indicates lack of proper testing and puppy maintenance. You can get a good dog for less money but it's a gamble. We got Cody for $600 and he is stunning with papers, chipped, the works. His breeder has gone up to $800 a puppy this year. If you're talking about an F1B or multigen doodle they are almost always more and I'm assuming it's because there is more of a guarantee against allergy problems and could possibly involve more testing but that's a guess on my part.

 

[seazr]

I was educated after the fact. When I lost my lab I needed another dog right away so I bought first and asked questions later. Dakota's mom and dad did not have hip certifications--the breeder said they were under two years and couldn't yet be certified. On this site I have learned that they should not have been bred until they were able to be certified. She gave a 72 hour health guarantee--not the two years that the breeders on this site give. She sent Dakota home with my husband with medication because another one of the pups had diarrhea. Well Dakota had diarrhea too--as I'm sure did his other brothers and sisters. I called the breeder and she said it was the stress of a new home; the vet said it was giardia. The pups never should have been released with health issues. She also let pups go at 6 weeks which I now know is against California law. Etc, etc. The breeders on this site can explain why they need to charge what they do; it's about their investment. But I can tell you that I am very impressed by all of the breeders here. They care greatly about their dogs. We adore Dakota, hope he stays as healthy and happy as he is and wouldn't have wished for any other dog. But there are responsibilities and practices that a good breeder will follow and they are worth paying for.
Diane (and Dakota)

 

[Chesterpal]

Along the same line all you breeders...I check out your websites and I see all those puppies. How on earth do you not get too attached to them? They are so cute and cuddly and make me laugh and that is just in pictures. In person it has to be worse.

 

[Jac]

I cry every time a puppy leaves...every time. I love them, each, so very much. You can't raise these darling babies and not get attatched to them.
I get a huge grin on my face and in my heart when I get emails from my new owners telling me how much they love their puppy and how well they do in school and how the vet raves about them...that is what we do it for...and I think of how much we love our adult dogs...and know that they came to us as puppies from another breeder's home, so I find comfort in knowing our pups are going to similarly good homes. (Which I make certain of before they leave.)
Still...I mourn for my sadness when they go...not for the puppy, because I know that the puppy is off on a new adventure, ready to make people like you happy all over!


In response to Lovemydoodle...If you do lots of homework, you will come to the understanding of why the prices vary...it is like buying two different acres of land...there are differences in the two, and in their price...even though they are both just an acre of land.

The $2500 price you are talking about is for Australian Multigen puppies...and to buy an intact female for breeding costs $18,000 to $30,000....plus shipping! You have to factor that in. When you buy a Lab and Poodle to mate, you are probably paying $2000 for both of them...if that.

One of the biggest initial expenses (besides buying breeding stock) is testing the animal for disease. It costs about $300-500 for hip testing alone...but we test for so many more things.

Then, some breeders take very good care of their dogs, including the puppies...they give them vet care, shots, deworming, toys, food, chewies, and some of us spay/neuter the puppy before it leaves...that is a big expense and requires us to keep the puppies longer, which in turn costs more. I microchip my puppies before they leave. I send food, 4 books (training and medical), tooth brushes/paste, chewies, toys, etc. to the new families...and I offer a full refund to families if they should discover that they have to pay a lot of money for medical bills from any genetic disorder.

We support our puppies and their families for life...we don't just let our pups go to any home that can pay for them...we screen for the right families and match the puppies to the family.

There is so much more to this than just making puppies and selling them. I have spent nearly $45,000 on my breeding program so far, and I only have had 2 litters of puppies.

You also pay more for F1B puppies...because they are more favorable for shedding and allergies...but if I have a puppy and I know that it sheds, I will not charge more than a Lab or Poodle would cost.

The price listed is based on many factors...but many of us also donate puppies for service dogs and to guide dog associations...and they will not take them unless they meet a certain criteria.

Not all good breeders charge the rates you mention. No one forces a buyer to buy or a seller to sell puppies at a given price...that is a business decision and only the breeder can decide what they can sell for...if there is no market for the higher priced dogs, the price will fall...just like in any other business.

And...for the record, I never speak badly of rehomes...I ask buyers to use caution, to investigate, and to make a wise decision because, unfortunately, not everyone gets a healthy puppy when they pay less...and because some breeders test and warranty their puppies, you have a better chance at getting a healthy puppy.

 

[Maureen]

Hi, Jacque always does such a thorough job answering questions like these, but Diane, I think I wanna hire you when people ask for info and explanations on pricing!

One simple factor on pricing is real estate. That is, buying almost ANYTHING in California costs more than Colorado, and Kansas, MO or MI follow along. So no breeders who post here thinks anything of the other posting breeders' pricing. And we're all fairly comparable, I think.

Jacque really spelled it out on breeding costs of the Australian Labradoodle bloodlines and their pricing. And that dog costing $$$$ can get sick or hit by a car just like a Pound Puppy! So there's a huge gamble up front that has to be recovered.

Similarly, f1b (2nd generation) Doodles can only come by someone raising and caring to maturity for a 1st generation doodle. Again, time and care, and risk.

One of the plain truths that most of us Lab-lovers (or Chessie-lovers) may or may not realize is that ANY AND ALL of the non-shedding breeds are more expensive that a finely pedigreed Retriever! I for one didn't know that until I started researching and learning about St. Poodles and the larger Terrier breeds. It took me a while to adjust to the sticker shock, so to speak, of the price of a Standard Poodle, compared to an average-priced Labrador.

There's a part of me that agrees that every dog who's born deserves a committed happy home. I grew up with strays, mutts and rescue dogs. And that's a big part of why we require a spay/neuter agreement when we sell a puppy, to try to NOT contribute dogs to the shelters! And I for one am really glad that there are people who will take a puppy or dog into their home with no knowledge about them...shoot, the 'dog pound' people aren't even very accurate about predicting size or breed! But the more I learn of dogs and breeds the more I know that I would rather have a dog that comes with love not a sad story, and care, genetic testing and a history that I can learn from the breeder, so that's the kind of breeder I hope that I am for our puppies.

 

[Jac]

Good response, Maureen...and I want to thank Diane and Angela too...it is so nice to have non-breeders supporting the things we do to try and make a difference. Thank you all!

 

[Maureen]

OH, I meant to thank Angela too!

Yes, I see f1 doodles for the $800 range for the breeders who do the genetic screening... and again, that is at or under the price of Standard Poodles, or Bishon Frise's, for that matter.

 

[lovemydoodle]

Thank you all for the responses. Everyone here is so nice, and you have tons of great information.

Sorry if my question offended anyone, that was definately not my intentions. But hey, now I have an answer to it!

Thank you again!

 

[Maureen]

oh Brooke, ask away! I know that you didn't offend me, and I know the other breeders well enough that you didn't offend them. An honest respectful question is never offensive and believe me, we get asked in less-respectful ways often enough. :roll:

Not only that, we all have to earn a living, buy dogs and groceries, pay mortgages so we understand that we all make choices on the dogs we pay for and the ones we don't choose to own.

 

[Jac]

Hi Brooke, no offense taken at all. We get that question a lot and your question was a perfect opportunity to put it out there for others to read...

As Maureen says, no question is offensive if asked in a respectful manner...thank you for your interest and your questions!

 

[Chesterpal]

I think those responses were very educational and interesting. Thanks for taking the time!