is this paying too much for a morkie?

[Brianna]

We paid $550 for our Morkie pup, Louie. The breeder is a vet, and she gave us a one year health guarantee. He was 12 weeks, and up to date on all of his shots. We had a blood test done and it came out perfect. Now, at 6 months old, he's still a perfectly healthy boy.

I have to disagree that "reputable breeders will not breed mixes". I wanted a Morkie because I wanted a dog with the traits of both the Yorkie and the Maltese. Many other people also like the mix, hence why they are bred.

I would say $350 is a great price, as long as you get some sort of health guarantee, and the breeder seems to know what they're doing. Make sure the place is clean, and make sure you meet the parents!

[gemy]

\purebreed dog breeders don't breed mixes most especially if they are members of reputable clubs. The CKC in fact disallows purebreed breeders from breeding mixes.


I sincerely don't know how anyone would know what you get when you cross X dog with Y dog. You have no idea what that kind of mix will throw in terms of coat, health, and temperament.


Many dogs will be fine and do well - who knows? We don't have health registries for the mixes.


I think that if you want a mix go to a shelter or a rescue, and roll the dice. Get Pet Insurance that covers everything. Well these days I recommend Pet Insurance for everyone.


Meeting the parents I hear all the time here - and really what does that tell you? Many times with show breeders the sire will not be there as the sire was not owned by the breeder of the female. You can tell somewhat the temperament and look of the female but usually folks are so focussed on the pups they pay little attention to the parents. You can't tell if the breeder has screened for health problems by looking at the parent(s). You tell this by doing your homework up front and seeing if the breeder has posted their results on the various health databases.

[gemy]

Originally Posted by Brianna

We paid $550 for our Morkie pup, Louie. The breeder is a vet, and she gave us a one year health guarantee. He was 12 weeks, and up to date on all of his shots. We had a blood test done and it came out perfect. Now, at 6 months old, he's still a perfectly healthy boy.

I have to disagree that "reputable breeders will not breed mixes". I wanted a Morkie because I wanted a dog with the traits of both the Yorkie and the Maltese. Many other people also like the mix, hence why they are bred.

I would say $350 is a great price, as long as you get some sort of health guarantee, and the breeder seems to know what they're doing. Make sure the place is clean, and make sure you meet the parents!

You are kidding right ??you expect a health guarantee with a price of $350 that would not even cover the cost of championing and Health testing the two parents! Not to mention the vetting and feeding and caring for a small litter of puppies.


Your breeder happens to be a vet so maybe she would donate free her vet care for any of her puppies should they come up with an issue. Most breeders are not vets and do not have that option.

[Brianna]

Originally Posted by gemy

purebreed dog breeders don't breed mixes most especially if they are members of reputable clubs. The CKC in fact disallows purebreed breeders from breeding mixes.


I sincerely don't know how anyone would know what you get when you cross X dog with Y dog. You have no idea what that kind of mix will throw in terms of coat, health, and temperament.


Many dogs will be fine and do well - who knows? We don't have health registries for the mixes.


I think that if you want a mix go to a shelter or a rescue, and roll the dice. Get Pet Insurance that covers everything. Well these days I recommend Pet Insurance for everyone.


Meeting the parents I hear all the time here - and really what does that tell you? Many times with show breeders the sire will not be there as the sire was not owned by the breeder of the female. You can tell somewhat the temperament and look of the female but usually folks are so focussed on the pups they pay little attention to the parents. You can't tell if the breeder has screened for health problems by looking at the parent(s). You tell this by doing your homework up front and seeing if the breeder has posted their results on the various health databases.

Originally Posted by gemy

You are kidding right ??you expect a health guarantee with a price of $350 that would not even cover the cost of championing and Health testing the two parents! Not to mention the vetting and feeding and caring for a small litter of puppies.


Your breeder happens to be a vet so maybe she would donate free her vet care for any of her puppies should they come up with an issue. Most breeders are not vets and do not have that option.

All I see here is hate for people who breed and/or buy mixed breeds.

Why does it matter if someone who breeds purebred dogs also breeds mixes? For example, say a person breeds both purebred Yorkies and purebred Maltese. Somewhere down the road, they decide they want to have a Morkie litter. I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. It is not ruining the breed by somehow degrading the quality of the parents. It is not hurting the parents or the pups by mating two different breeds, as long as both parents are healthy.

I did not want to go to the shelter to get a dog because 1) it would be extremely rare to even find a Morkie, 2) I wanted a puppy and, 3) I wouldn't really know anything about the pup's background, and that bothers me. I think adoption is a wonderful thing, but it's certainly not for everyone!

Of course there is going to be some randomness when it comes to coat color, tail type, ears, etc when mixing breeds. I am not looking for a show dog, or a "breed standard" dog, so I DO NOT CARE. Many others also do not care! If you know the personality of both parents, you'll have a pretty good idea of what the pups will be like. I love the personality of both breeds. I love the history behind both breeds. I love their small size. Also, both breeds are prone to similar health issues. If my dog ends up having terrible dental issues down the road, for example, that's something that I should have expected. If my mixed breed dog ends up with an issue that is, say, common in Yorkies but not in Maltese, that is something I should have expected to begin with!

You can't tell if a breeder has screened for health problems by looking at the parents, no. You can, however, get an idea of their overall health and personality. If the parents look sickly, or you are not allowed to see the parents, obviously something is wrong. Even though just looking at the parents would not show underlying conditions, you can certainly ask about it!

[gemy]

Originally Posted by Brianna

All I see here is hate for people who breed and/or buy mixed breeds.

Why does it matter if someone who breeds purebred dogs also breeds mixes? For example, say a person breeds both purebred Yorkies and purebred Maltese. Somewhere down the road, they decide they want to have a Morkie litter. I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. It is not ruining the breed by somehow degrading the quality of the parents. It is not hurting the parents or the pups by mating two different breeds, as long as both parents are healthy.

I did not want to go to the shelter to get a dog because 1) it would be extremely rare to even find a Morkie, 2) I wanted a puppy and, 3) I wouldn't really know anything about the pup's background, and that bothers me. I think adoption is a wonderful thing, but it's certainly not for everyone!

Of course there is going to be some randomness when it comes to coat color, tail type, ears, etc when mixing breeds. I am not looking for a show dog, or a "breed standard" dog, so I DO NOT CARE. Many others also do not care! If you know the personality of both parents, you'll have a pretty good idea of what the pups will be like. I love the personality of both breeds. I love the history behind both breeds. I love their small size. Also, both breeds are prone to similar health issues. If my dog ends up having terrible dental issues down the road, for example, that's something that I should have expected. If my mixed breed dog ends up with an issue that is, say, common in Yorkies but not in Maltese, that is something I should have expected to begin with!

You can't tell if a breeder has screened for health problems by looking at the parents, no. You can, however, get an idea of their overall health and personality. If the parents look sickly, or you are not allowed to see the parents, obviously something is wrong. Even though just looking at the parents would not show underlying conditions, you can certainly ask about it!

Not hate for goodness sake you buy what you like - but to say you should get a health guarantee from a puppy priced a little bit above a rescue is unrealistic to say the least.


Health tests are posted for all to see - you don't need to ask the breeder about them just ask them for their registration information and you can go look and see if the minimum of pre breeding tests have been done.


Pure breed breeders breed to the standard that is why they are purebred breeders. Simple really. WE don't breed mixes. As I said before many clubs disallow their breeder members from breeding mixes. Of course an oopsey litter could happen but it is not planned for.


And once again you don't go to a show breeder as a pet owner to get a show dog - because you won't qualify for a show dog. You go to a show breeder to support a breeder who breeds true to the standard and stands behind their dogs often for the lifetime of that puppy.


So let me ask you; did your breeder do BATS testing on the parents. As you should know Liver Shunt and other liver diseases are at high risk in both these breeds. Did she post on the CHIC database the results? Luxating Patella results, offa on hips and elbows, Eye certifications?


And because I do the testing I do know how much it costs and I will tell you that testing as above not to mention other screenings would add up to a lot more than $350 per puppy.


And a one year health guarantee is better than nothing (I suppose) but many many health issues do not show up until 3 or more years down the road.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by Brianna

We paid $550 for our Morkie pup, Louie. The breeder is a vet, and she gave us a one year health guarantee. He was 12 weeks, and up to date on all of his shots. We had a blood test done and it came out perfect. Now, at 6 months old, he's still a perfectly healthy boy.

I have to disagree that "reputable breeders will not breed mixes". I wanted a Morkie because I wanted a dog with the traits of both the Yorkie and the Maltese. Many other people also like the mix, hence why they are bred.

I would say $350 is a great price, as long as you get some sort of health guarantee, and the breeder seems to know what they're doing. Make sure the place is clean, and make sure you meet the parents!

A reputable breeder breeds to better the breed and morkie is not a breed.

[Lovetodream88]

It sometimes can be hard to swallow and it's not an attack on you personally but reputable breeders do not breed mixes.

[Brianna]

Originally Posted by gemy

Not hate for goodness sake you buy what you like - but to say you should get a health guarantee from a puppy priced a little bit above a rescue is unrealistic to say the least.


Health tests are posted for all to see - you don't need to ask the breeder about them just ask them for their registration information and you can go look and see if the minimum of pre breeding tests have been done.


Pure breed breeders breed to the standard that is why they are purebred breeders. Simple really. WE don't breed mixes. As I said before many clubs disallow their breeder members from breeding mixes. Of course an oopsey litter could happen but it is not planned for.


And once again you don't go to a show breeder as a pet owner to get a show dog - because you won't qualify for a show dog. You go to a show breeder to support a breeder who breeds true to the standard and stands behind their dogs often for the lifetime of that puppy.


So let me ask you; did your breeder do BATS testing on the parents. As you should know Liver Shunt and other liver diseases are at high risk in both these breeds. Did she post on the CHIC database the results? Luxating Patella results, offa on hips and elbows, Eye certifications?


And because I do the testing I do know how much it costs and I will tell you that testing as above not to mention other screenings would add up to a lot more than $350 per puppy.


And a one year health guarantee is better than nothing (I suppose) but many many health issues do not show up until 3 or more years down the road.

I don't know about any testing on the parents. Like I said, my breeder was a veterinarian. She said the parents did not have any issues at all, and said to call the hospital she works at if we had any questions, because they have the records. I saw the parents and they looked great. We got shot records, a health certificate, and a health guarantee for the pup. Regarding the parents' health, I took her word for it.

She is not a show breeder/purebred breeder. They are just her pets, and she breeds them on occasion.

The person asking if $350 is a good price for a Morkie could end up with a perfectly healthy puppy. The parents could be of great health, with no issues, yet the person who bred the dogs may not have done extensive testing. That does not mean the puppies will be unhealthy.

[Brianna]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

A reputable breeder breeds to better the breed and morkie is not a breed.

If a person breeds HEALTHY parents to produce HEALTHY puppies, has experience breeding, and offers health guarantees, I would consider that person reputable. Maybe not by your definition, but by the actual dictionary definition.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by Brianna

If a person breeds HEALTHY parents to produce HEALTHY puppies, has experience breeding, and offers health guarantees, I would consider that person reputable. Maybe not by your definition, but by the actual dictionary definition.

A reputable breeder breeds to better the breed!

[Brianna]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

A reputable breeder breeds to better the breed!

"REPUTABLE
adjective
1.
held in good repute; honorable; respectable; estimable:
a reputable organization."

Okay, how about I say a "trustworthy, experienced" breeder, then? Does that work for you? I bought my puppy from a trustworthy, experienced breeder.

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by Brianna

We paid $550 for our Morkie pup, Louie. The breeder is a vet, and she gave us a one year health guarantee. He was 12 weeks, and up to date on all of his shots. We had a blood test done and it came out perfect. Now, at 6 months old, he's still a perfectly healthy boy.

I have to disagree that "reputable breeders will not breed mixes". I wanted a Morkie because I wanted a dog with the traits of both the Yorkie and the Maltese. Many other people also like the mix, hence why they are bred.

I would say $350 is a great price, as long as you get some sort of health guarantee, and the breeder seems to know what they're doing. Make sure the place is clean, and make sure you meet the parents!

I find it hard to trust a vet who breeds, and mixes at that. A vet would know more than the average person how many pets are euthanized every year due to lack of good homes. A good vet should always promote spay and neuter.

As for your dog. He's only six months old. Most conditions start showing up after a few years. One of mine seemed totally fine until she was three years old and she has LP which is a genetic issue she got from her parents. Come back here when your dog is at least a few years old and hopefully he's still healthy. I mean if you get a pup that so sickly to get sick within the first year that's terrible. But most issues come up after a few years.

Also I'm curious as to what your guarantee entails. Is it only if a life threatening condition arises? Or you can bring him in for anything?

[Brianna]

We can bring him in for any genetic condition, period.

I'm not even going to bother to discuss this further. It's clear that many of you believe that there is only one right way to breed which, quiet frankly, is ridiculous. There is more than one way to do something, I guess you could say, "effectively".

[DBlain]

Originally Posted by Brianna

"[I]

Okay, how about I say a "trustworthy, experienced" breeder, then? Does that work for you? I bought my puppy from a trustworthy, experienced breeder.

that's a good way to put it, and while I know some will disagree, I know it is possible to find people that are honest and trustworthy and care about their pups that breed mixes. But keep in mind this is a yorkie website where the aim is to protect and educate about the breed so it is understandable that many here are Yorkie purists so it is not easy for them to understand that there are many people wanting a mix or breeding a mix.

I believe that you and I knew what we were looking for and made educated choices when selecting our pups and were willing to accept the risks. But not everyone goes about getting a new puppy that way. It's just my opinion but the person that just posted might not be that knowledgeable about buying a puppy. The dog she is thinking about has no shots so to me that would indicate the seller is either cutting corners or selling a dog that is quite young. So the buyer could be taking on a bit more of a risk than we did and it is good that people are willing to point that out. Of course it would be ideal if everyone was kinder in their method but we all have our own style of posting.

I think about this a lot when this subject comes up, while it would be ideal if everyone that bred a puppy health tested, it really is rare, many but not all show breeders do it but only a small percentage of non show breeders do, so probably for about 80% of the puppies being sold regardless if mix or purebred very little health testing is going on. If everyone that wanted a puppy could only buy from a breeder that health tested there would be very few pups for sale.

[SirTeddykins]

With all due respect, the OP asked if a morkie for $350 NO PAPERS and NO SHOTS was too much.


In my opinion, yes, it is.. why doesn't the puppy have shots yet and why is someone trying to sell a puppy without shots regardless of the breed?

Let's not make this subject an US and THEM when it was never about that...


No need to be defensive about YOUR choices which were not in dispute on this thread..thanks.