Rant on Yorkie Pricing

[TammyJM]

Originally Posted by Mardelin

I had to laugh at this phrase....not laughing at you.....but, are you sure you have a Yorkie.....all mine are wild indians, not a lap dog in the group. After all they are Terriers first. Or should I say Yorkshire Terriorists

So true, Mary! Livi will grace us with her prescence and beg to be put on the couch,but that's only for a minute....then she's off to chase the cat that was just peacefully walking across the room.

Tammy

[Jeri Cunningham]

I'm not sure about everywhere else but in California Yorkies are hard to find so cost can be high. I got my first girl for 850.00 almost 5 years ago. That was a bargain!

I got my second for 1500.00 but she actually was listed for 2500.00. But since she was bigger I got a reduced price.

I have since breed my girls and kept a female from each. The cost to have my last litter was over 3000.00! Selling the puppies just covered expenses and time, it is no way to make a living that is for sure.....It takes hard work and dedication to the breed that makes it worth while. Also you have to be able to lose a puppy and that is hard too. Breeding is not for the faint of heart.

[jrsygal37]

"Originally Posted by scoobiedooiscoo
i to think the prices are to high for yorkies and that is a huge part of the reason y more people are turning to pet stores to get one, everyone complaines about puppy mills but yet in an indirect way encourages buying a dog from one because prices are so high from breeders. i know i was very tempted when i was looking at buying one. i am so thankful i found a breeder that reasonalbe in price and that i trusted but it took along time to find her. i cant say i wouldnt pay a ton for another yorkie because i love them so much but there has to be a reason y there is such a huge difference in prices between breeders"

I won't get into whether breeders charge too a high price or not. I would just like to put my two cents in and say that no matter how much I may want a Yorkie or how high the price is through a breeder I would NEVER give my business to a backyard breeder, puppymill or Petstore In which puppies are bought from Puppymills. My want is not worth keeping such slime in business.

An option for those that cannot afford the price of a "Reputable Breeder" is to seek their Yorkie through a rescue. There are many Yorkies and Yorkie mixes which are now called "Designer Dogs" on www.petfinder.com. It's a misconception to think that all the dogs found in rescue are either senior dogs or problems dogs. MANY are puppies and MANY are young adults that to no fault of their own have found themselves homeless.

I've included a picture of Lilly. After losing our 10 year old Yorkie to cancer we were fortunate enough to find Lilly on www.petfinder.com. She came from Burlington Animal Alliance. She was only 13 weeks old and a full Yorkshire Terrier that was bought from a pet store then turned in a week later when the owners found that their two larger dogs did not like her.

Lilly was given a pediatric spay, shots and vet care by the rescue prior to being adopted out. The rescue incurred over $900 in vet costs yet only charged a $400 adoption fee. Lilly is now a happy, healthy almost 16 week old who weighs 2 lbs. 6 oz.

People do not have to turn to puppymills or a sale at the local pet store in order to get a Yorkie they can afford. Please, consider rescue.

Elaine

[scoobiedooiscoo]

Originally Posted by jrsygal37

"Originally Posted by scoobiedooiscoo
i to think the prices are to high for yorkies and that is a huge part of the reason y more people are turning to pet stores to get one, everyone complaines about puppy mills but yet in an indirect way encourages buying a dog from one because prices are so high from breeders. i know i was very tempted when i was looking at buying one. i am so thankful i found a breeder that reasonalbe in price and that i trusted but it took along time to find her. i cant say i wouldnt pay a ton for another yorkie because i love them so much but there has to be a reason y there is such a huge difference in prices between breeders"

I won't get into whether breeders charge too a high price or not. I would just like to put my two cents in and say that no matter how much I may want a Yorkie or how high the price is through a breeder I would NEVER give my business to a backyard breeder, puppymill or Petstore In which puppies are bought from Puppymills. My want is not worth keeping such slime in business.

An option for those that cannot afford the price of a "Reputable Breeder" is to seek their Yorkie through a rescue. There are many Yorkies and Yorkie mixes which are now called "Designer Dogs" on www.petfinder.com. It's a misconception to think that all the dogs found in rescue are either senior dogs or problems dogs. MANY are puppies and MANY are young adults that to no fault of their own have found themselves homeless.

I've included a picture of Lilly. After losing our 10 year old Yorkie to cancer we were fortunate enough to find Lilly on www.petfinder.com. She came from Burlington Animal Alliance. She was only 13 weeks old and a full Yorkshire Terrier that was bought from a pet store then turned in a week later when the owners found that their two larger dogs did not like her.

Lilly was given a pediatric spay, shots and vet care by the rescue prior to being adopted out. The rescue incurred over $900 in vet costs yet only charged a $400 adoption fee. Lilly is now a happy, healthy almost 16 week old who weighs 2 lbs. 6 oz.

People do not have to turn to puppymills or a sale at the local pet store in order to get a Yorkie they can afford. Please, consider rescue.

Elaine

i said in one of my other posts i wish that more people knew about this site or rescues. my point was when people look online and see dogs that are 5,000 or more they dont realize there are cheaper breeders that dont breed just for show dogs or rescues they can find if they look into it more. and congrats on your sweet baby and sorry to hear about you baby that passed.

[jrsygal37]

Scoobie. I didn't think you were promoting petstores or puppymills. I understood what you were trying to say. I was just trying to put the word out that people can actually find pure bred puppies in rescue. Thank you for the kind words on the passing of our Newman. Lilly was such an unexpected surprise that has really helped us heal. Thanks again. Elaine

[Tammyh]

Originally Posted by Brooklynn

Oh and one more thing....if you have a litter of 2 and you are show exibitor and both are show quality I'm not selling one but keeping them for show and then there will be no money coming back to me....and say if there are 3 and one is of pet quality will I be getting my money back on the one I place? Nope! I've lost money if I were to sell just one out of a litter of 3.
Donna Bird
Brooklynn's Yorkshire Terriers

I wouldn't say you lost money, because you have 2 show quality dogs that you are chosing to keep. I'm sure if you had purchased them from another breeder you would have paid more than what it cost you to breed them yourself. So you actually saved money by breeding them yourself. You don't have to keep them.

[scoobiedooiscoo]

Originally Posted by jrsygal37

Scoobie. I didn't think you were promoting petstores or puppymills. I understood what you were trying to say. I was just trying to put the word out that people can actually find pure bred puppies in rescue. Thank you for the kind words on the passing of our Newman. Lilly was such an unexpected surprise that has really helped us heal. Thanks again. Elaine

its amazing how they help you get through things isnt it. i really dont know mentally how i would be now if i didnt have my lacey to help me get through loosing a human baby last year. dogs are the best at comforting in times of need. now the next question for me is will i love my human grandson thats due in feb as much as i love her lol j/k i do know she will have more clothes then him hehe.j/k again

[Sugar's Mom]

here's my opinion. i had another breeder call me the other night and the first thing out of her mouth was "why do you price your dogs so high"? keep in mind that the going rate here is around 600 in the paper or less. My answer to her was, well, that is what I feel they are worth. At least to me they are and that's what I want for them. people can take them or leave them. I really don't care." That's just the way I feel, too. I price them what I want and if people want one, they pay, if not they buy one from the newspaper. they are always free to look elsewhere.

[MorkieAZ]

Originally Posted by Sugar's Mom

here's my opinion. i had another breeder call me the other night and the first thing out of her mouth was "why do you price your dogs so high"? keep in mind that the going rate here is around 600 in the paper or less. My answer to her was, well, that is what I feel they are worth. At least to me they are and that's what I want for them. people can take them or leave them. I really don't care." That's just the way I feel, too. I price them what I want and if people want one, they pay, if not they buy one from the newspaper. they are always free to look elsewhere.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

[Sugar's Mom]

Originally Posted by MorkieAZ

Couldn't have said it better myself!

My husband accuses me of pricing them that way so no one will buy them and I can keep them all. he may be right;

[MorkieAZ]

Originally Posted by Sugar's Mom

My husband accuses me of pricing them that way so no one will buy them and I can keep them all. he may be right;

You're so funny!!!
That's great!

I seem to have a problem keeping them too!!

[crystalsmom]

Originally Posted by Brooklynn

In this show breeders opinion it's not about supply and demand....I know when I raise a litter it costs me over a thousand just to raise one litter and that's not all that is involved. I only have one litter a year.
There is the stud fee if you don't have one at home, whelping as in if there is an emergency c-section which in itself can cost over $1000 luckly in my area my vet was open and it didn't quite cost me that much but almost but I know if you have to go to the ER vet in the middle of the night that c-section is over $2000 trust me I know almost had that happen. Then there is the puppy shots, health tests, food, pens, potty pads, toys the list can go on and on. I dont' even break even! Pet shops, puppy mills and byb's are the ones that make the money not us reputable show breeders. And g-d forbid one of our babies do have a health issue and it's serious then there goes that show bitch that you will have to spay and place or that wonderful show male you have to have neutered just to stop anymore health issues that arise. The cost of raising a healthy puppy takes alot of money, time, patience and the love of the breed and it isn't cheap! I'm not trying to offend anyone please that is not my intentions but it's to educate why you might pay more from a show breeder vs. someone that just breeds and not takes into account everything that goes with trying to breed to better the breed.

Donna Bird
Brooklynn's Yorkshire Terriers

So true Brooklynn and may I add that Yorkies often have only one or two pups where other breeds may have six or seven and then add the cost of a c-section for one pup. I am not a breeder but years ago I bred Shih Tzu and they whelped so easily and always had four or five. With english bull dogs the price is up there too for many of the same reasons as Yorkies since almost every whelp needs a c-section and sometimes even then dams are lost. JMHO

[feminvstr]

Originally Posted by crystalsmom

So true Brooklynn and may I add that Yorkies often have only one or two pups where other breeds may have six or seven and then add the cost of a c-section for one pup. I am not a breeder but years ago I bred Shih Tzu and they whelped so easily and always had four or five. With english bull dogs the price is up there too for many of the same reasons as Yorkies since almost every whelp needs a c-section and sometimes even then dams are lost. JMHO

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!

[LoveMyJake]

When I decided to buy my yorkie, I put ALOT of time into researching everything I could about the breed. I had never owned a yorkie before, and I wanted to make sure I learned as much as I could so I would know what to expect in any given situation. When I bought Jake, I didn't think about the cost. I thought more about his health and whether or not he was right for me and my family, and whether we were right for him. I also wanted to find a breeder whose main concern was health, and I found a great one.

There's no way I can put a price on what Jake's breeder gave him. She took excellent care of his mother during her pregnancy, she helped deliver him, and she made sure he got good vet care, shots, etc. He spent the first 10 weeks of his life with her, and she gave him lots of attention, helped to keep him clean, made sure he was eating and gaining properly, and gave him lots of love. He came to our home very well socialized, and he settled in very easily. He has always been healthy, never had him to the vet except for his routine checkups and shots, and he is perfect to us. How can you put a price tag on the love and care that a breeder gives to your puppy before you buy him/her? She put in alot of time and alot of love, and I got a very healthy yorkie who is really smart and has a great disposition, and who is perfect for our family.

Alot of breeders work full or part-time jobs, and they have to take off work for whelping or vet visits, etc. You have to consider all that.

[Brooklynn]

Originally Posted by Tammyh

I wouldn't say you lost money, because you have 2 show quality dogs that you are chosing to keep. I'm sure if you had purchased them from another breeder you would have paid more than what it cost you to breed them yourself. So you actually saved money by breeding them yourself. You don't have to keep them.

Yes you would be correct I am choosing to keep both girls "for the time being" but if I end up keeping both for show it will cost me double the money ie. vet bills, shots, testing, care, show fees, handler fees (cuz I can't show two at one time) and when and if they were to finish a stud fee because I can't breed to their father because he's the only male I have. What's the point of breeding if you don't breed to keep that show dog you've bred so carefully? I'm sure there is another word for it but right now I can't think of it LOL. So actually it would be cheaper to sell both and purchase one but that's not my goal. So in reality no money is made at all it's all expenses going out.
Donna Bird
Brooklynn Yorkshire Terriers