not sure about Alabama but here in TN it is $3.83 so California is actually cheaper right now....go figure....i sure am ready for the prices of gas to go down....im tired of staying at home all of the time....lol

We payed over $1200 for our baby and he came with Lifetime Guarantee and AKC. But I agree with the ladies, some exagerate the price because of greed, others just to make a buck or just don't care and than there's the economy crisis.

There was a similar thread back a few months ago here is the link has some great info....
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...e-pricing.html

Also think about this......
My mom and I paid $700.00 for peeka and $700 for Boo we got a discount for getting 2 of them together(we were very lucky and this was our first yorkies but with their nice pedigree's we should have easily paid $1500.00 for each of them). We paid $2300.00 for Daisy and around the same for Tanzie and Kizzie(my moms) they are worth every penny to me. Now Daisy, Tanzie and Kizzie being so much it was hard but i wanted top quality. If i want a Yorkie I want it to be Top Quality with a very nice pedigree. I also am very picky about what i want them to look like.

I must say that here in Utah you are hard pressed to find a decent breeder that isn't breeding either 10 lb females or 2 lb females. Most don't even look like yorkies :thumbdown:mad:it's horrible They are mostly greeders

I do believe that when some sell their yorkies for under $1200.00 the are risking selling to brokers, BYB and puppy mills. They look for good bargins to expand their breeding.

Also thinking about cost of having a litter is insane. I know a few ppl here that breed and i will just say this for ex...

Getting the breeding Female if you want quality you pay more $1800-$2500
shots (here) $200 a set x 3 sets = $600
you have to wait 2 yrs to breed
Stud Fee $500-$1000
Whelping supplies if buying all new $150 minimum
misc supplies (food care etc) $200.00
Mother check-up $100.00
X-Ray at 58 days (here) $240.00
C-section (here) $2000-$3000
first checkup $200 for all mom and pups
Dewclaws and tail docks (here) $40 per puppy x's 4 = $160.00
Shots for the new puppies (here) $200 a set per pup x2 sets = $1600
Feeding and puppy supplies $200.00 Min
This is all with no complications and no money paid for your time. Just to walk into an emergency vet not even being seen can start at $500.00 and for care can run up to $5000.00+ Also think about all the time a breeder has to invest whether bottle feeding a litter, getting up every 2 hours to check on them not leaving your house for 3-4 weeks no vacations no family events nothing!!

So as you can see with a litter of 4 pups (which is above average) you don't make a profit and even if you sold the pups for $1500.00 a piece thats only $6000.00 when your cost with out including the price of purchasing the breeding female can be around $5950.00 if your lucky and no c-section or emergency care is needed then your cost will be a little less and you may recoup some for the female you bought but still look at the money involved that is why i don't understand all the bargin hunting that is done.

Besides like said before they live around 15 yrs I personally would like nice quality and heathy yorkie from buying from a reputal breeder then going bargin shopping and get one i wouldn't be happy with based soley on price.

People want to talk about shelters and buying from them and i think it's great to rescue and unwanted animal but unfortunantly those dogs in the shelters are there mostly because people went bargin hunting and making sponatnious purchases and they were not happy with their pet. IMPO i feel if people did more reaserch before they bought a pet you would have less animals in the shelters. Thanks for hearing my opinion

My Suzi is Quality and is bred to the standard... I did not have to pay top dollar for her, and she is very healthy and did not cost me A fortune... " I would have paid more" if that was the cost ! I was not looking for A "cheap" yorkie , either, A healthy full breded Puppy is what I was going for, and that is exactly what I have.
After being on YT for A while I consider myself very fortunate to have found A breeder who did not charge A enormous fee, and had beautiful , quality yorkie Babies.
However, she did not do the fancy test on her litter, or was A show breeder. If I was wanting to breed my female or show her, I would have spent the money that garunteed those things in my Yorkie baby.
I find it offensive for anyone to think that my Yorkie is not of quality because I did not spend A huge amount of money buying her as a pup. :aimeeyork

I also wanted to say this forget all the cost of breeding say this is a full time job for a breeder if they were to get paid for thier time under minimum pay say $5.00 an hour this is a 24 hour a day job so 24 hours a day times 30 days in a month thats 720 hours a month and an average yorkie leaves at 12 weeks (3 months ) old so you would times 720 by 3(months) =2,160 hours now times that by $5.00 = $10,800.00 that is what your time would be worth now say you have 3 puppies selling for $1500.00 thats still only $4500.00 thats like being paid $2 an hour for your time,sweat, blood,tears, heartache and sleepless nights. hmmmmm doesn't sound really profitable i doubt anyone would work that hard for $2.00 an hour???

I just wanted to add i don't think any less of anyone or their dog because they paid less:) i got my first yorkie for $700.00 and he is great quality:) i am just stating that it isn't cheap to breed the right way:)

On A breeders side of things, when they do the testing, and extra things it takes for their puppies , then of course they should consider all the extra costs it took , when selling the pups. the Breeder will need to let the owners know exactly what they are getting and what the extra costs will ensure in the puppy .
As long as it is all laid out and the new owner knows what they are getting + all the extra, then it is highly understandable .
For me, I was looking for a pure Bred Yorkie, that is of Quality... She did not have to come with all the "Bells and Whistles" This does not mean that she is not as good as the rest , she is still A pure bred Yorkie, who is healthy and is bred to the Standard . That is what i was looking for. :thumbup:

$3.63??? I paid $3.86 in South Alabama yesterday! What's up with that?? Not Fair :p But I guess we can thank the hurricanes for our gas prices...they were down to about $ 3.50 then Gustav hit and they skyrocketed to $4.10 and they are finally coming down some.

LOL
The saying around here is that its still cheaper than a gallon of milk!
Well yeah, but cars don't run on milk :) I have noticed lighter traffic though, and thats a wonderful thing for here!
Now, this is probably going to show my age :rolleyes: but, I remember living in Indiana as a teen and my foster Mom was taking me to the mall. We stopped to get gas and she was so upset that it was .65 cents a gallon!! Thats the cheapest I can remember it being (dont try to guess my age!)

I don't have to;) cause I think we are about the same age...lol..Movies .50cents..wow remember that??Is this what our Gparents called "the good ole days"?

Oh, heres another: .99 cent kids meal from Mc Donalds and it came with an ice cream or cookie..the kids get ripped now, just a toy :)

I paid more then I ever dreamed I'd pay for a dog but I wanted a purebred Yorkie and I wanted a female and I paid the going price in our area. I certainly didn't do it to so I could brag, quite the opposite I don't tell people what I paid for her because I get embarrassed. But I tell ya, she's worth every penny! My idea of bragging is when I get a really good deal on something, that's what I like to bragg about;)

Yea, actually people would always ask me how much I paid for my dog when they see me out with milu. I don't really like that question, i think it's kind of rude... But i forgive them, because i think it probably means they also would like to buy one because yorkies are so cute, so they want to find out more about it. (you know what though, now that i am writing about this, i have come to the realization that i think it's pretty darn rude when ppl just ask you how much your dog cost when they meet you on the street...geez!!!)

I agree, I think it's rude. I wouldn't mind if someone asked what the price range is for a Yorkie but not what I paid for her. You know, one time we were fishing in our boat (we don't have it any more) and some complete strangers came by in their boat and asked what we paid for it:eek: Both my husband and I were shocked! Of course we didn't tell them. Some people have no class.

maybe next time some stranger ask me that question about how much my baby "COST" i can respond "tell me how much you make, and i will tell you if you can afford one" lol, JUST KIDDING...or am I? :p

In all honesty though, I am always sad when people get dogs, and then fail to have the money to pay for proper medical treatment when the babies have medical problems. It's a huge responsibility, and it can be REALLY EXPENSIVE, and when people ask me about the price of a dog, i feel that they are not ready to have a dog yet...because they do not seem to understand that the initial price of the dog is not the reflection of the price of owning a dog...

My best friend lives in GA. I've lived in the Northeast for the last 10 yrs. She thinks I'm crazy because I stay up here, when I have to pay much more than she does for everything.

I pay exactly twice what she does for the same gallon of milk. :(

Her mortgage on a HOUSE is the same as my rent for my 2 BR APT. :eek:

Regular gas was $3.99/gal (credit card) or $3.79 (Cash) the last time I pumped :mad:

Everything costs more. She thinks everything up here is a scam. I see her point of view.

Even though I love so much about where I live, I might move South or the Midwest when I'm finished with grad school, so I can live better on less money.

I think it may have something to do with location too somewhat. We paid $350 for Tyke in MS.....but i do know there were some in the Gulf Coast paper that were $600 and up. And that's only 45 miles from us. So I don't know what it is either.

(Edit: my computer froze and posted prematurely ... I just wanted to finish my thoughts)

It's terribly unkind and hurtful for some to think people to think I am unintelligent or indulgent b/c I've lived in places with high cost of living. (And folks often don't have the means or flexibility to move b/c of families, jobs, or school). I say this as someone who's never had to pay hundreds or more to have a dog, but I have paid a lot to care for a dog as a foster mum.

For those advocating rescues, even adoption fees are much higher in the Northeast and CA because the cost of healthcare and maintaining pups in the foster home period is so much higher, You are right that I could get a rescue Yorkie in GA (my homestate) for $75, but the same "profile" in NY will cost me 400-500 (just looking at petfinder.com -- I'm not making this up)

Aren't you exagerating a wee bit? No one sitts with these dogs 24 hrs a day. And if they weren't making money, they wouldn't be doing it!

Cost of Yorkie Puppies & Possible Defect
 

Another question for the group... I am looking at a Yorkie puppy to purchase, seems to be in good shape all around, except his legs are really short, he is very active and compact more square than rectangle. Have a good disposition and seems like a normal puppy. Any info on whether or not the short legs are a sign of potential problems??????!!!

Also it seems like the average cost for Yorkie puppies are between $1500 and $1800 but this should include various vacinations, testing for common health issues, spay and neuter, and potty training. I've found the lower cost in the hundreds are generally backyard breeders. Also if you want to really get a good deal on a quality Yorkie average $300 look for a retired show dog, breeders seem to be giving them away.

Final question... any idea why females cost more than males????

I think the short legs are considered cobby, which is desirable to most people including myself :)
Females are generally more because you can breed them. This is usually the case in all breeds. Good luck on getting your baby, I already know your doing your homework :D

Actually the compact, square body is the standard. So this isn't a sign of problems. The price of a female being higher is a female is desired gender and they can reproduce so those two is why they are usually higher... Do you have any pictures of the little guy??? Did you get to see his Mom or Dad...There are so many things to look for in buying a yorkie..so, do be careful..

Yorkie Cost and Fair Market Value
 

The FMV..fair market value is the price that buyers and sellers agree on, regardless of whether you paid $275 for your Yorkie like I did for my first (a 5 yr old retired showdog) or $1200 like the puppy I am going to get...price is relative to the buyer, if the buyer is willing to pay the price for what she wants then it's not for anyone else to judge!! Bottom line as a Yorkie owner, I believe you all will agree that regardless of the price you paid for your Yorkie, that Yorkie is now PRICELESS TO YOU and one of the best decisions you made... I haven't heard any of you trying to sell the Yorkie you bought or expressing buyer's remorse!! :)

Very good points you are making. I paid exactly what I think mine was worth. And no your right, no buyers remorse here!

Hi Teffiemoore
 

I did see the mother she is also a retired showdog and she is beautiful with a good disposition, she did not mind my playing with the puppies and also came up to me to be petted also. So thanks to you all for giving me some peace of mind on the leg issue. I really am excited about getting my 2nd Yorkie!

This is so true! So whatever the price, as you said, it IS what you wanted to pay and you wanted the dog so it was fair. As long as the dogs was in good health, there were no scams, no screwings, nothing but smiling faces...so the reason some cost less, some cost more is just the way it is... tear it to pieces, analyze it to the inth degree, call some crazy..perception can be everything;) I'm happy are you?? Hadn't heard anyone not happy yet!!

What's wrong with OK?? I understand "it's a personal preference", but what is it that you don't like about dogs from here? I'm trying to not be offended, but it almost sounds like you think dogs bred here are inferior in some way, or are all from puppy mills.....that would be a pretty broad generalization don't you think? Just curious....

This thread is a little shocking. I mean, the point of this board is to talk about and share things in our yorkies lives....right??? My boy was $350 adoption fee from a family home. I do not know his pedigree, but I do know that he is not better than or in a lower class that 'your' yorkie. If you think he is, then you need to get a grip.

I am actually a little sad now.

Rik,
This thread took a turn for the worse. I thought in the beginning the question was why the difference in price on a yorkie. I believe there are many factors for the price difference. How this may have turned into one dog being better than the other, I think came from the original poster who is trying to get a rise. It seemed like a harmless curious question, but really just trying to start trouble IMO.

Don't be sad, all yorkies are little angels, and we are so lucky to have them in our lives. :animal36 honestly when i look at pictures of all the yorkies here, all I can say is that every single one of them is adorable! :aimeeyork: