Rant on Yorkie Pricing

[love_me_cody]

Originally Posted by love_me_cody

JUST MY OPINION!!!!

I understand why some people are mad that they pay alot for a dog... Because at the end some dogs doesn't look like a good 'repersentation' of the standard... And it is like why are they breeding two standard dogs and creating more then they pay all of the bills and whatnot and say how much work they put in the dogs and blah blah blah but why are you breeding those dogs?! They look good but there coat isn't the best their topline and face is.... And I see lots of breeders pay alot for a litter but come on... you shouldn't have to because you shouldn't have bred the dogs..... And I think some breeders use YT to get sells by making friends then selling them that way... Not all breeders but some.. I'm not talking about show breeders because your dogs look like the breed with maybe a fault or two but most breeders has many faults and then say they are breeding because of this or that aren't out to make money. Your not really doing anything great because your only making more pet quality dogss.... Again My opinion and this in not towards anyone.. JMO

ETA: and some breeders use AKC to show that their dogs are purebred and just b/c they are pure doesn't mean they will look like good examples of the breed and is another reason why they are charging high prices... I know AKC has a high standard but still you can have 'ugly' quality and still be with AKC

Can someone tell me (maybe a breeder) they (non-show breeders) breed pet quality dogs to make more pet quality dogs? I know you don't get any money at the end because of it but why breed then? It's not really helping the breed and even tho you are able to give a wonderful deserving family that dog doesn't mean you are helping out the breed...... I'm just ttrying to figure this out.. I'm not saying any one breeder does this or that... And this isn't to start anything but a question I had for sometime

[daisysis]

WOW touchy subject...
I also think some of the rules on adopting an animal WOW.
It took me six months to adopt a parrot. But it was worth it also.
But, I bought a breeders bitch from a pet flea market.. And I will do it again if the situation faces me.. I did not buy her for that lady can have money or to help puppy mills or to look good
I bought her cause the dog needed HELP..
For yorkies prices..way to much..but people pay it..some say they breed not for profit..Come on..
Then give the pup away for cost.
Your time should be free.. if you are chargeing or your time and love you spend with each pup..that is priceless..or profit..
It is ok if you make a profit..I just get so upset..when people tell me they make no money by breeding. I sold my 4 pups for $600.00 and came out $250profit.. Not bad I had alot of puppy kisses that was priceless

[ketters12]

This is my opinion- when I was looking to get a yorkie, i found that on breeders websites, the prices were out of my range. we had gotten a gift of $550 for christmas. I knew enough not to go to pet stores. so i looked in the local paper and there were lots of advertisements for yorkies. was a women who has two female and one male yorkie and one female maltese. So she has only has a few litters per year (maybe three) of either morkies or yorkies. It was apparent that these four pups of hers were the families pets, and the puppies were in a play pen in the living room. so we paid $500 for our little Tobey and he has turned out to be a great pet! he is aca registered and i was given copies of the mother and father's lines. she gave us his food and a blanket, and told us how to watch for symptoms of hypoglycemia. then we left. Is she a breeder? or is she just a nice older lady who breeds her pets to make like $3,000 per year and supply good pets to people who can afford to buy from the full time breading business out there. is that wrong? i did not know a whole lot, but i knew i wanted a yorkie and couldn't afford $1,500. i would like to get another some in a year or two, but still don't want to pay much more than i did for tobey. What do you think? honestly?

[ketters12]

also, it is the price of yorkies that is soo incredibly high and i think that is because they are in demand. if you go by lots of other breeds- golden's, schnauzers, poodles, pugs, bosten, min pin's- none of those generally cost 1,500. i amsure prices vary but they would be more in the $250-$750 range right?

[mrlmonroe]

I haven't read the whole thread, and I anticipate that there is some strong feelings on this.

I can only share why I payed $1250 for my baby.

I wanted to know for sure what I was getting...ie: yorkie personality, size, and temperment. I found out later that could have been different than what I got, but I really did get a "normal" yorkie in that way........I wanted to know she was well cared for growing up, with love, in a good home. And she was.

So the $1250 was nothing really...she was healthy. All the things that needed to be done, were done....I just knew that all things were taken care of, and that she came well adjusted.

That's my reasoning.and I would do it again in a heartbeat (and hope to if I can ever have a little boy - I will call James Dean. My little girl is Norma Jean)........


Love yorkies..!!!

[Catrina]

Originally Posted by MyFairLacy

Also, a small dog like a yorkie will most likely live 15-20 years. So if you pay say $2000 and your yorkie lives 20 years, that's $100 a year. Even if the dog only lived 10 years that's only $200 a year. That's not much for the love our furbabies provide in our life. Think how much it costs to have a human child...thousands and thousands and thousands. So a couple thousand for a furbaby isn't anything... they're worth so much more than that

good point

[Sharon O]

I have also not read every post on this thread. I have been showing and raising yorkies since 1992. I have also struggled with the price issue. While I love being able to receive a price in excess of $1,000 on all the companion pets I place, there have been many times a retired couple or someone on a fixed income has come to me and the knowledge that this little creature would go to an awesome forever home has caused the price to magically drop to their ceiling figure. I can also attest to the cost of raising a litter. I've just whelped out a litter of six (see my avatar photo). C-section at 2:30 a.m. at the emergency clinic ($1,000), docking tails and dewclaws, shots, worming, driving home every day at noon to feed (have you SEEN the price of Goats Milk?), laundry (LOTS), makeup to cover the bags under my eyes , etc, etc. I like to think I'm a responsible breeder...to that end I offer a 2 year health guarantee from date-of-birth, send my new parents home with 3-4 weeks of food, blankets, pee pad, ALL my phone numbers and email addys. I also babysit for my local pets and offer free shots (which we are allowed to do here in Oregon)

The monies I receive from my puppies allows me to get up at 4 a.m., bathe my show dogs, fill up my gas tank and drive 4 hours to the dog show site (hoping all the way that nobody throws up), pay $7 to park my car, take my 2 dogs to the show ring (which costs me $25/day/dog to enter). After the show I need to get my scissors sharpened, pick up that special organic dog food that costs $43 per 20 lb bag and schlep it all back to the van. Before I start the drive back, I need to set up the pen so everyone can go potty, drink a good amount of water and enough food to tide them over til we get home...but not so much they'll throw up on the way back...otherwise I have to bathe everyone again when I get home. BTW, most dogs shows are Saturday AND Sunday. Sunday 4 a.m....start over.

Long about Sunday afternoon 3 hours into the drive home....I'm thinking it's OK to charge over $1,000 for a puppy....

.....I'm just sayin'

[Sharon O]

Duplicate entry...I hit enter twice!

Must be time to go to bed....

[dray]

Originally Posted by Sharon O

I have also not read every post on this thread. I have been showing and raising yorkies since 1992. I have also struggled with the price issue. While I love being able to receive a price in excess of $1,000 on all the companion pets I place, there have been many times a retired couple or someone on a fixed income has come to me and the knowledge that this little creature would go to an awesome forever home has caused the price to magically drop to their ceiling figure. I can also attest to the cost of raising a litter. I've just whelped out a litter of six (see my avatar photo). C-section at 2:30 a.m. at the emergency clinic ($1,000), docking tails and dewclaws, shots, worming, driving home every day at noon to feed (have you SEEN the price of Goats Milk?), laundry (LOTS), makeup to cover the bags under my eyes , etc, etc. I like to think I'm a responsible breeder...to that end I offer a 2 year health guarantee from date-of-birth, send my new parents home with 3-4 weeks of food, blankets, pee pad, ALL my phone numbers and email addys. I also babysit for my local pets and offer free shots (which we are allowed to do here in Oregon)

The monies I receive from my puppies allows me to get up at 4 a.m., bathe my show dogs, fill up my gas tank and drive 4 hours to the dog show site (hoping all the way that nobody throws up), pay $7 to park my car, take my 2 dogs to the show ring (which costs me $25/day/dog to enter). After the show I need to get my scissors sharpened, pick up that special organic dog food that costs $43 per 20 lb bag and schlep it all back to the van. Before I start the drive back, I need to set up the pen so everyone can go potty, drink a good amount of water and enough food to tide them over til we get home...but not so much they'll throw up on the way back...otherwise I have to bathe everyone again when I get home. BTW, most dogs shows are Saturday AND Sunday. Sunday 4 a.m....start over.

Long about Sunday afternoon 3 hours into the drive home....I'm thinking it's OK to charge over $1,000 for a puppy....

.....I'm just sayin'

Well said Sharon and welcome to YT......I think it will be great to have you here.

[trinity]

Originally Posted by love_me_cody

That's the thing, most breeders charge alot for their dogs and they look like a yorkie but not really a good repersentation of the breed.
(I haven't read the other post yet, sorry)

And when I asked a vet about a c-section he told me that for a small breed they can go about $200 in his clinic... but I guess that is in my area.

My female just had pups and a c section here is 1100.00 and thats if everything goes ok. WE put alot into our babies and I know speaking for myself I just want to know who ever get my babies love them and takes great care of them.Also it takes alot to get a litter ready for new homes.
Thanks Connie

[love_me_cody]

Originally Posted by trinity

My female just had pups and a c section here is 1100.00 and thats if everything goes ok. WE put alot into our babies and I know speaking for myself I just want to know who ever get my babies love them and takes great care of them.Also it takes alot to get a litter ready for new homes.
Thanks Connie

Oh, I know that c-setions cost a TON.. but I wanted to know (I think I said it in one of my previous post. i have to go back and see) why would most breeders even breed their dogs knowing that they are pet quality and aren't a really good example of the breed. If they weren't bred in the first place then that breeder wouldn't have to do a c-section when the need arise....
And I am not talking about you... It's just a open question that I think of about many breeders.. Isn't the whole point of breeding to make the breed better and not to just produce dogs to put in good homes... JMO

[MyFairLacy]

Originally Posted by love_me_cody

Oh, I know that c-setions cost a TON.. but I wanted to know (I think I said it in one of my previous post. i have to go back and see) why would most breeders even breed their dogs knowing that they are pet quality and aren't a really good example of the breed. If they weren't bred in the first place then that breeder wouldn't have to do a c-section when the need arise....
And I am not talking about you... It's just a open question that I think of about many breeders.. Isn't the whole point of breeding to make the breed better and not to just produce dogs to put in good homes... JMO

I think a lot of those breeders that don't show (not all) do it so that they can make a profit. Like you, I'm not sure why that small amount of breeders (that don't breed for show dogs and aren't breeding for profit) do breed. To me it seems like you would either be breeding to improve the breed or breeding to make a profit, so if you're not doing either one I'm not sure what the purpose of doing it is. FYI - NOT trying to turn this thread into why you should or shouldn't breed. Just curious why someone would breed if they aren't breeding for their next show dog and also not breeding to make a profit.

[buddybramble]

Originally Posted by feminvstr

a friend has french bull dogs, every litter is a c-section no matter what...because of this she has a max of 3 litters each bitch, you pay $3000 - $5000 for a breed quality and know going into this kind of breeding you will be very lucky to break even...very few can free whelp!

out of interest, how many litters is considered safe if you have a female that is having a c-section each time? 3 seems alot but i'm judging that on human c-sections. but then again why would it be any different for dogs?
I know i couldn't intentionally put a dog that i loved through the risk of 3 c-sections.

[bettyeanne]

Originally Posted by Sharon O

I have also not read every post on this thread. I have been showing and raising yorkies since 1992. I have also struggled with the price issue. While I love being able to receive a price in excess of $1,000 on all the companion pets I place, there have been many times a retired couple or someone on a fixed income has come to me and the knowledge that this little creature would go to an awesome forever home has caused the price to magically drop to their ceiling figure. I can also attest to the cost of raising a litter. I've just whelped out a litter of six (see my avatar photo). C-section at 2:30 a.m. at the emergency clinic ($1,000), docking tails and dewclaws, shots, worming, driving home every day at noon to feed (have you SEEN the price of Goats Milk?), laundry (LOTS), makeup to cover the bags under my eyes , etc, etc. I like to think I'm a responsible breeder...to that end I offer a 2 year health guarantee from date-of-birth, send my new parents home with 3-4 weeks of food, blankets, pee pad, ALL my phone numbers and email addys. I also babysit for my local pets and offer free shots (which we are allowed to do here in Oregon)

The monies I receive from my puppies allows me to get up at 4 a.m., bathe my show dogs, fill up my gas tank and drive 4 hours to the dog show site (hoping all the way that nobody throws up), pay $7 to park my car, take my 2 dogs to the show ring (which costs me $25/day/dog to enter). After the show I need to get my scissors sharpened, pick up that special organic dog food that costs $43 per 20 lb bag and schlep it all back to the van. Before I start the drive back, I need to set up the pen so everyone can go potty, drink a good amount of water and enough food to tide them over til we get home...but not so much they'll throw up on the way back...otherwise I have to bathe everyone again when I get home. BTW, most dogs shows are Saturday AND Sunday. Sunday 4 a.m....start over.

Long about Sunday afternoon 3 hours into the drive home....I'm thinking it's OK to charge over $1,000 for a puppy....

.....I'm just sayin'

Thank you for breaking this down!!!! I agree with dray .... welcome and it will be great to have you here!! We bought our Toto from Ava Tyree [show breeder] and all we wanted was a healthy little pet!! We got soooo very much more! That was four yrs. ago this month and we have never had so much fun! We never tell what we paid [that's between us & Ava] but I can tell you this ... it wasn't nearly enough!! Ava is always there for us and happy to offer advice even with her hectic schedule. I don't think you mentioned vet visits. We also use the same vet as Ava except that she is over 100 miles away and she gladly drives it with a carload of yipping Yorkies! She is totally dedicated to her Yorkies and I am so thankful for her!! So, thank you, Sharon for being a good breeder!

[chris_e]

Well, I am still confused about the whole thing. I still don't get the pricing, and after reading through alot (not all) of the responses, all I am getting is that the breeders are pissed because they are breaking even or in some cases losing money, which make me wonder why they do it. If it is for the love then why the push for profit? If it is for the profit then they don't care for the dog, which should incense every owner on here. I guess this topic will forever be a conundrum.
Owners and prospective owners are either happy spending the money for a pet that may or may not be healthy (I know you judge by the parents, but who really knows when you take them home at 12 weeks?) or settle for something cheaper because they can't afford to shell out thousands for a beautiful, documented, certified, sired by purebred show winner puppies. I don't know if that drives them to pet stores. To be honest I am betting alot of people on this board, myself included, got their first dog from a pet store because they didn't know better. I got Lick wicked cheap apparently, and I must be Irish because he is super healthy, happy, well adjusted, yadda yadda, so on and so forth.
I am pretty sure I can take care of any living thing. It isn't rocket science. I don't subscribe to the pampered pet thing and I don't knock anyone that does, just like I don't knock celebrities for spending millions on their baubles. It is personal choice, just like paying out the wazoo for a Yorkie. It just kinda makes me a little upset when good people can't afford to get a dog because someone wants super high prices because Yorkies are so popular. If, and it will never happen because my dogs are fixed, my two had puppies I would be more concerned with good homes than making money.
I don't know who moderates this, but this thread needs to be locked as it is going nowhere. I am no closer to an answer and I am not an economics major so I can't extoll the virtues of a free market society and dog prices. The only thing this topic is going to bring about it anger and resentment which was not my goal at all.