I've sold many a Champion Sired or Grandsired bigger male for $350, since sadly they are less sought after. It makes it nice for families to be able to afford a healthy Yorkie for a reasonable price. Show Quality is higher of course, but it's maddening to see someone like Jeff Dane dupe someone into paying more than any Show Breeder would charge.

Wow I have to say there's a lot of good information generated from this thread. I will certainly take it all into account. I think the best advice I can take away from all this is that I should be patient, find a dog with a personality I like, in good health, has a good background. Then see if the price is something I can afford and feel comfortable spending.

Agreed! :thumbup:

Of course there are going to be unethical breeders that get away with charging and arm and a leg for a poorly bred, possibly sickly pup. However, breeders generally price their dogs based on the costs they have to try to cover and what they have invested in their programs--not what is "fair" to those looking to get a dog...if the dog/breeder is not in your pirce range, keep looking. I really want an Aston Martin, but can't afford a $250,000 car, but I wouldn't describe it as being "unfair." :p

That is a GREAT pointer to those looking for a reputable breeder! :thumbup::thumbup:

I think you have perfectly synthesized everything we are trying to communicate!

I got my Hiro-san from a lady in the paper for 300$. Hiro was the last to go and he was a bit bigger than all the other puppies she said and since people wanted the smaller ones they overlooked him! :( We got him at 15 weeks.

She said that she is friends with a lady that is a groomer in town and that their yorkies snuck off for a rendezvous! :eek: And then she discovered that her dog was preggo! lol

Seems like a fishy story, but this is a small town and my husband knows the groomer lady and her dog and was able to check it out. We just got a great deal! :D

I LOVE the big kids....I'd be a terrible breeder. Big kids would go for a bajillion $$$!! :p

This is so true. In fact, most of the pet stores charge a fortune, and sometimes the pups end up sick.

You just have to be willing to shop around and look for a reputable breeder. There are alot of very good breeders who sell their pups at reasonable prices.

So whats the best age to bring a dog home? Since 9 weeks, actually mine was 10 weeks and 1 day now that I do the calculations when I brought her home. I want to get another one down the road and I want to make sure I do it right! I had no idea what I was doing when I got my Sophie!

12 weeks is a good time for small breeds like yorkies. :aimeeyork

I let my puppies go anywhere from 12-16 weeks.. they need their momma. although I did let one go at 8 weeks but she came to my house every signal day.. it was a getting her use to the other dog the girl wanted.. they were perfect people so I tried it and it worked.. but like I said she had mom when ever she needed..
I sold annabella.. with all shots at 75 dollars each shot at the vet in canda.. times three parvo and then rabies.. had her microchipped also.. sold her at 4 months old for 800. cause it was to a great home.. and with things happening I never got around to actually talking to people about her.. I lost the three boys in that litter and on top of her vet bills.. my vet bill for the litter itself the tail docking was 200. for 4 in canda.. here in florida 15.00 for the same thing I paid 50 each.. so that all comes in to play...so I am in the whole on that litter.. so what people do not realize is the expense of having a litter when one goes to the vet for everything.. if there are problems.. that money comes in to play.. I am having a litter soon again.. a first breeding by a new breeder.. have no idea what will happen.. or what prices her babies will be.. I have not gotten enough to pay for her or my new stud yet.. it is going to take at least 6 babies to get me on track some what.. selling these puppies at 1,000 with utd on shots.. which is generally two shots at least..
anne

My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breeder wouldn't let Louis come home until he was 16 weeks. She said the CKCS matures slowly and she also told me, no matter what the breed, breeders shouldn't let the babies go earlier then 12 weeks. She explained all about development and mainly, the big deal about socializing and how puppies can become nippers (and worse) if they are separated from their littermates too soon.

IMO its better to be safe then sorry - its harder to repair a broken heart from losing a sick pup then to be patient in the first place...

I did the work with Ella Bean, nursing her back to health after some horrid puppy mill did god knows what to her. She was nearly dead. Lethargic, kennel cough, hypoglycemic, infected wounds, infected tail docking (or maybe it was severed, we can't tell) She still had dew claws even. It required 2 months of round the clock care. No guarantees she would survive and about $2,000 of vet bills. Now she is healthy as a lark, but who knows what genetic surprises wait down the line?

After this experience, all I can say is that these places do unspeakable things to dogs. You can find gorgeous rescues if you want to adopt from a mill - but giving your money to these monsters perpetuates a business that treats puppies like electronic devices and illness like defective hardware. If you find you are dealing with a mill or broker - chances are they are doing something unlawful - contact your local animal services and get them busted. Then adopt your baby from those rescued!

Lets put the Jeff Dane's of the world out of business!

12 weeks is great....

I have seen here in our area, with the economy so bad, last yr they were selling for 800-1500, this yr the same breeder is selling for half that price .....cant say if indeed they are a rep breeder, i just reconize there ads :aimeeyork

On the age issue I have to agree with 12 weeks. We got ours in Korea at 6 weeks, which I thought seemed really young at the time. Fortunately there was always someone at home to look after him, but I think he was too young to be away from his mom and litter mates.