Rant on Yorkie Pricing
 

Rant Warning.

I was looking at another thread on Yorkie prices and people were talking about paying $1500-2000 for a dog. Fudge, I don't mean to offend (don't you love when people qualify their statements cause you know someone is going to get offended) but why does anyone pay that much? Unless you are going to hit the show circut (which I don't imagine alot of the members of this board actually do) why is it so important to have a purebred, sired by show winner so and so, 3 to 5 pound Yorkie? How can breeders can justify asking thousands of dollars for dogs? I guess because people keep paying more and more and not asking questions. I don't know the percent of price increase, but I bet some of you on the board can tell us how prices have probably jumped in the last few years because toy breeds are getting more popular, not because the dogs are any different. The dogs are exactly the same. Don't get me wrong, I understand paying for quality. As my brother says, you pay for quality once, you pay for crap over and over. That said, thousands of dollars for a dog. C'mon. Yorkies in shelters are getting destroyed daily. Why don't you buy a cheaper, non-show winner sired, regular Yokie, tell the breeder you would rather own a regular dog and donate the rest of what they are asking to a Yorkie rescue agencies. Guess what, you will have your puppy, and save several other ones too.
I see alot of love on this board. Everyone seems to have their and everyone else's pups in the best interest. I paid $250 for my dog. I paid $350 for my Maltese. Of course I didn't know any better at the time and bought them from a pet store. By-gones. I agree that you need to get your dog from a reputable breeder. I want everyone who is responsible enough to have a Yorkie to get a happy, healthy dog. In order to get this, I don't think they should have to put down the equivalent to a house payment to get one. There are enough costs incurred just owning a dog, I don't see how breeders can justify charging so much for a dog. I hope the breeders on the board aren't going to disband me and kick me off the board. I love this site. I love my dog, and I love anyone who loves them or any dog as much as I do. I just don't understand why prices have to be so high to own one.
Am I out of line on this?

Well, I did get two of my Yorkies from a supposed "reputable" breeder. They are both pet quality - not show dogs and the price was still very high. Just like anything else, I think the price goes up as the demand does. Because Yorkies are so popular now, people will pay huge amounts for one.

For the breeders reading this, I don't mean to offend or anything. Maybe you can justify for us the prices charged? Does it really take over $1,500 to raise a pup and still make a profit? Just curious since I've never bred dogs. :)

I think $1500 is entirely too cheap for a Yorkie.:p People pay well over $1000 for the newest television set out or the best computer. It costs a lot of money to be a breeder. I don't think most of them make much if it is done right. Vet bills are very expensive, then what if mom needs a C-Section?

Yorkie rescues are a great thing. I have nothing against them. Do you know how hard it is to adopt from some of them though? You have to meet a ton of criteria and usually half of it is stupid. I have heard that shelters and rescues have turned people away for no good reason. So if I don't get a Yorkie from a shelter my other choice is a reputable breeder. No reputable breeder will purposely breed off-standard dogs. That would go against what they believe because if their dogs aren't standard, they haven't bred for the betterment of the breed.

My Yorkie is laying on my lap right now. She is the best doggie ever. She is, however, way off standard. It is not a big deal to me (although I think all Yorkies should meet the standard to be bred and hopefully produce standard dogs). Ellie cost $650. There is one small problem though. Ellie seems to be having health problems. The most expensive one may have been preventable if the breeder would have laid out the money to test her dogs for certain things to begin with. Sure I got a cheap dog, but I am paying it in vet bills and stress now.

HI, I see your from South Korea, Welcome to Yorkie Talk!...are yorkie prices where you are typically in the $300 range?....Are Yorkies a popular and sought after breed there also? :)

Paying alot doesn't guarantee no health problems. One of mine had to have hip surgey at 7 months old....:( That's why I called the breeder a "supposed" good breeder. :( I wish I knew then what I know now about Yorkies.

If you figure a small dog lives about 15 years, even if you pay $2,000 that's a pretty good deal :) Now, a car costs a ton more than that and how many people keep their cars for 15 years? Granted, you can get a cheaper yorkie(or a used car ;) for much much less. I'm just being silly but it's kinda true.

I'm pretty mid to low income but am willing to pay thousands for a yorkie. Not everyone would understand that. It's because if I'm going to own a pet for it's lifetime and this is going to be a family member then I want to be extremely happy with it. I want one that will stay small, is purebred, is cute(which is why I wanted a yorkie to begin with). Everyone has something in their lives they really want and think is worth what they can afford or a little more. It could be a house or a car or a really nice piece of jewelry but for some, like me, it's a dog. It's not a status symbol just something I really want. I never tell anyone in my family how much I'm willing to pay because they wouldn't understand and it's none of their business(my dad would easily spend twice that amount on a dirt bike but can't understand a best friend companion even comparing to that, he believes dogs stay outside and if they can't hunt aren't worth anything ;) It's a very personal choice on how much you're willing to pay for a pet.

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.

Too Much or Not Enough?
 

The prices are definitly too high.......I personally had a Litter of 3 Puppies last year, I sold one male for $1,500.00 and a female for $2,000.00 and I kept the tiny runt female that is a year old now @ 4 lbs. and the other 2 that I sold ended up being 5 lbs. a piece. I personally do not set the Market price but locally (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) they average between $600.00 and $1,000.00 on the high end. I was able to get those prices because of the Coloration-Blue/Gold of the Parents and their Pedigree/Bloodline without having to promise that they wouldn't get too big (over 5 lbs.) Now for Show Quality they run as high as $3,000.00 to $10,000.00, that's ridiculous!
I kept the smallest female but I get offered $3,000.00 all the time from people who just want a tiny one. With all the Vet. Costs time & effort, you don't really make a profit after covering all your expenses! I didn't Breed for the Money, but to improve my "Yorkies". In California and New York, they are even more expensive! Supply & Demand? Once you get passed the sticker price shock of your initial investment you find that you do get what you pay for?

Things like bad hips and knees happen to reputable breeders. I was really taking about liver problems. They are avoidable in a lot of situations and very expensive to treat.

I think it comes down to supply and demand. Also, I think a lot more works goes into breeding a small dog. Everytime someone is having puppies we're all worried about there being complications. You don't see that in the bigger breeds. I've never had to pay that much for mine, and I did get them from reputable breeders. I think it depends on how much shopping around your willing to do.

IMO....not sure what pet stores you are shopping in...we have one in Upstate NY that I recently visited (last time too) that had a Yorkie for $1500 that was 10 weeks and looked to be about 4lbs. at least..and didn't look healthy to boot. Local breeders here, myself included, which are upholding the breed standard, holding pups till 12 weeks, with all the necessary shots and vet checks, are selling our puppies for that or LESS!

I think people shop at pet stores and do "impulse buying", they do not know the breed, and are ignorant of the puppy mill process. It is definitely easier to walk in to a pet store to buy something rather than to research a breed standard, and have to search for just the right puppy.

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

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

Excuse me but how do you make this comparison when any pet store in this area sells a Yorkie CKC reg from who knows where and not always in good health for more than double what I charge.

and yes I can back up all my price with a list of expenses not to mention the about 50 cents a hour I make for my time - this is done for "LOVE OF THE BREED " and not money- I am sure there are some on this forum that can tell you that I am not all about money when it comes to my babies getting to a great home.

As another poster said " at $2000 its a bargain for so many years of love in return- tell me how many on here after getting a "cheap" puppy have spent hundreds or even thousands only to lose the baby anyway- not to say every puppy that has a higher price is 100% going to be perfect - but the old saying of "you get what you pay for " holds true most of the time if you do your homework and go with a good breeder.

Sorry - just seems to be my morning to spout off when I see some of these posts slamming us that are trying so hard to produce beautiful babies for the rest of you to enjoy - hope I didn't hurt any feelings or step on any toes - if I did then let me say I am sorry - now I will go take on the day .;) :) :) :)

To me getting the healthy quality bred dog is the most important thing. I paid over 2000 for Pixie, but she was cahmpion sired (doesn't really matter but generally you can be pretty sure they will meet the breed standard), she was 13 months old, no health problems, spayed and EXACTLY what I wanted. Priceless!!! I do understnad that a lot of people cannot afford these prices but that is what the cost is on these little bundles of love. Not doing my homewor when I bought Cali cost me many many thousands in vet bills and heartache. You can still find quality, healthy Yorkies at a more reasonable price but to me price is secondary to getting a healthy dog that is with in breed standard.

i also paid 2000 for lexi... was the going rate here in ny

Well, hmmmmm, lets' see.

In 2 weeks for my 2 pregnant females, between vet visits, 2 sets of x-rays, oxy shot, ER visit, dews and tails, check-ups and triple the amount of food a day for 2 females I've spent well over $1000.00 and I'm not done yet, I still have to give shots and lots of puppy food, countless hours of changing newspapers, socializing them, a vet check, toys and food to take with them before they go to new homes.

And people want to pay $400. for a purebred with all that we put into them???? Nuts!!

People have no idea how much work, time and money breeders put forth...makes me mad!

price
 

Perhaps, if I was living in Korea I could let mine go for $250..just walking in the vets door will tear up a hundred dollar bill in my area.

Doesn't make me mad LOL I just know who I'm gonna place my puppies with. Comments that have been made just helps weed out puppy homes LOL....When I get calls sometimes just how they start talking on the phone I say NO I'm sorry I don't have any puppies at this time :) and if we continue to talk and I get a good feeling it's then I may reveal I have some if I do at that time. If I get a bad feeling then I just try and educate them :)
Donna Bird
Brooklynn's Yorkshire Terriers

Thank you for explaining this....I think people sometimes forget all of the money and work that goes into raising a litter of puppies. I have only raised one litter of puppies (Westies) and I am a future Yorkie breeder. There is sooooo much work, money, love, sleepless nights and tears that go into it....and that's my experience with just one litter.

I know what I paid for Livi (my parti Yorkie) is not what lot of people would pay for a puppy, but that was my own personal choice. There will always be a puppy that you can pay less for....so I just think that it is up to each person on what they are willing to pay.

Tammy

I paid quite a bit for my 4 dogs (it seems the price got higher for each dog I purchased lolol). I started out with my first dog paying $1,000 and then the last dog I bought was $2,500, plus I had to fly out to CA to pick her up.

Money isn't the issue to me. HEALTH is the first and foremost important issue to me and sadly, my dog's haven't always had the best health. In the future, I plan on doing A LOT more research on a breeder because it's just too heartbreaking to have a sick dog. :( I'd pay more for a healthy dog.

I for one am not a breeder. It takes a special person to be a breeder. Now with that said- There are all types of Yorkies out there.

Supply and demand...Well, that may be true to a point...But and that is a big BUT you want a quality pup you pay for quaility. You want something a lot less, you will usually end up paying for it in vet and medical bills. Yes there is the occasional pup that you will get at a fantastic price...But that is few and far between. So the question is, will you pay for it up front or through out the pups life???? It is just something to think about...

The best bet in my opinion is find a GOOD breeder that you feel really comfortable with and go from there....Talk-Communication works...

I think I am rambling now...and a little off topic...Sorry but I hope I made this sound clear????

i was not cutting down anyone here who breeds i totally understand how it wroks i was just trying to say that with the prices so high for well bred yorkies alot of people do turn to pet stores, the pet stores here are usually around 500-800 for a puppy around here. its sad that people are buying from pet stores so they can get the kind of dog they want and can afford is all. i dont think alot of people understand that if you do get to know breeders there are options for them, such as payment plans or rescues. in no way was my comment ment to be mean.

I have to say that I find the breeder's prices more reasonable than a
pet store. Yorkies, here in NY anyhow, go for 2,000 and up. I had one
in my hands that had a price tag of 2,800. I have seen many times
on YT Yorkies less than 1,000 from breeder's here. At least here on YT
you get to know the breeder and can trust them to get a healthy pet.

I know you weren't being mean :) If one does their homework then they will know buying from a pet store/byb or a puppymill they will have problems in the long run...someone stated something about impluse buying that happens alot....the serious person takes the time to read, read and more reading and studying. :) And with reading and doing their homework they will know what the cost of a good healthy quality puppy will be and start saving for that sweet yorkie puppy. No need to get into a hurry :)
Donna Bird
Brooklynn's Yorkshire Terriers

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.

Wish my vet charged $200 instead of $890.00 but then again I wouldn't trust any other vet but this one so I guess I'll have to pay it again if it were to happen again.
Donna Bird
Brooklynn's Yorkshire Terriers

$200. for a c-section???
Last thursday it was going to cost me over $2000. if she needed it.

I've never thought of it, but if you tried to put a per hour dollar amount on it w/ all of the work that goes into it most breeders are probably in the hole. I wonder how many hours a breeder spends just on one litter from when the mom gets pregnant until the baby goes to it's new home at 12+ wks (cleaning, feeding, picking up poop, changing newspapers/pee pads, laundry, socializing...I'm sure the list goes on & on and that's only after the babies are born). We don't expect the people who make the clothes that we buy to work for free so that we only have to pay for actual expenses incurred in making the shirt. We pay for the materials, labor, shipping, mark up, etc...thanks for shedding some light on this for me. I was lucky enough to find Sugar through an individual who decided to rehome her because she just didn't have any time to spend with her. I'm searching for another one to rescue partly because I don't have the cash to pay "full price" for one and partly because I want to spoil some poor pup who's had a rough life.

Just to add... Yorkies in my area go for $300-$1000.... And I have seen some that are about $700 that are great quality but I'm not ready yet and they usually sell fast so you can't want to spend time with the breeder to get to know her/him and their dogs but to just buy the dogs..