The answer to this is going to be as diverse as the answer to "what is the best dog food." LOL!!
There are really too many variables to consider...is the dog a rescue or from a breeder...male or female...AKC registered or not...Are you buying breeder rights....Are you buying pet quality or show quality...are you buying from a reputable breeder or are you buying from a BYB, puppy mill or pets store....are you buying a dog from parents who are champions and/or been health tested....what part of the country is the pup coming from...how old is the dog(puppy, young adult, senior??)....
And the list could go on and on!!
~One thing people say is that "you buy the breeder, not the dog."
If you got an AKC registered puppy from a reputable breeder who has champion bloodlines, who's health tested their dogs and has given you a health guarantee, than I think you got a steal!! Usually dogs like that go for over a grand...some are well over a grand. Those people put A LOT of money and time into showing and health testing those dogs and they aren't producing tons of puppies...so IMO, it's understandable why they command a higher price for their puppies.
If you got the puppy from a rescue, than it seems a bit high as they usually go for $500 and under.
"GOOD" is also a very broad term...one persons idea of a "good" yorkie or even a "good" breeder is going to be totally different from someone else!!
I personally won't be paying anything over the cost of a rescue UNLESS I pay for a dog from a professional, responsible breeder. That's just me, but it has to do with ethics as much as it has to do with money. If I am paying a lot of money upfront for a dog, I want, to the best of my ability, make sure the dog is genetically sound so I am not paying out more money on the flip side.
If I am going to get a dog that's been less than impeccably bred, that may be riddled with health problems, I might as well just adopt one for a lesser price and save the rest of my money to pay for vet bills on down the road. This is just the way I think and operate....Ultimately, if you are happy with your puppy and it appears to be healthy upon purchase, than you paid the RIGHT price, whatever the dollar amount may be. |