Dog prices............

After looking at the ESS rescue website and finding a very nice 15 mo old male in MN,I will always look there first.It's always a gamble and would sure suck to find he has dysplasia, etc.But the feeling of saving a good dog from the green needle is priceless.With adoption costs and a generous donation,I got out of there for under $200.Also they use vet tech students to do a complete state of health check on the dogs.He was neutered,vaccinated,ears treated,feces tested,blood work etc.The retail cost of these services alone would be several times what I paid to get the dog.

I know the breeders on this site always put dogs first and you probably already do this,but when I bought dogs from Glenwood I had to sign a document stating I would surrender the dog to her if I could not keep it.Probably not a legally binding agreement,but it made me aware that I had an option besides abandonment in a shelter.I got the AKC papers for my shelter dog and called the "breeder" in MN to advise him that one of his dogs was abandoned.He was offended by my gesture and let me know it.I wouldn't buy a dog from this joker if he had the only litter in North America.
 
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Madison COunty said:
I just paid $800.00 for my pup about 5 months ago. I used to hunt alot but never hunted with a dog, I did not know anything about how much dogs cost befor I started looking. I did not have any problem with paying that, I thought it was a fair price.
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I will just reiterate what Setternut said:

It is just a drop in the bucket to the total you will invest in that dog in it's lifetime. If your serious about making your pup into a hunting companion you will be proud of, you will undoubtedly spend that many times over.
 
ranchodeluxe said:
After looking at the ESS rescue website and finding a very nice 15 mo old male in MN,I will always look there first.It's always a gamble and would sure suck to find he has dysplasia, etc.But the feeling of saving a good dog from the green needle is priceless.With adoption costs and a generous donation,I got out of there for under $200.Also they use vet tech students to do a complete state of health check on the dogs.He was neutered,vaccinated,ears treated,feces tested,blood work etc.The retail cost of these services alone would be several times what I paid to get the dog.

I know the breeders on this site always put dogs first and you probably already do this,but when I bought dogs from Glenwood I had to sign a document stating I would surrender the dog to her if I could not keep it.Probably not a legally binding agreement,but it made me aware that I had an option besides abandonment in a shelter.I got the AKC papers for my shelter dog and called the "breeder" in MN to advise him that one of his dogs was abandoned.He was offended by my gesture and let me know it.I wouldn't buy a dog from this joker if he had the only litter in North America.
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Rancho-

Thank you for saving a dogs life! When we got out second dog ( not hunting ) my wife got him from a rescue place and I swear he was the best dog ever. A few years ago he got hit in front of our house on the highway, boy do I miss him:( R.I.P Sawyer Brown
 
ranchodeluxe said:
I know the breeders on this site always put dogs first and you probably already do this,but when I bought dogs from Glenwood I had to sign a document stating I would surrender the dog to her if I could not keep it.Probably not a legally binding agreement,but it made me aware that I had an option besides abandonment in a shelter.I got the AKC papers for my shelter dog and called the "breeder" in MN to advise him that one of his dogs was abandoned.He was offended by my gesture and let me know it.I wouldn't buy a dog from this joker if he had the only litter in North America.
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Good point Rancho, all buyers of my pups signed a similar contract. I also only placed my pups in homes where they will be worked, not necessarily hunting but definitely a job to do, some of them are hunters, some are docks dogs, fly ball, obedience etc. I'm no "breeder", I just had two great dogs that I felt other everyday people would be proud to own. I can tell you we didn't make any money off our pups after pregnant dog check ups,tails and dew claws, puppy shots and a check up for all pups before they went home. It was well worth though just having puppies around, see the joy on peoples faces as they picked their pup, and getting pictures and reports from owners on how great their pups are working out.
 
ranchodeluxe said:
After looking at the ESS rescue website and finding a very nice 15 mo old male in MN,I will always look there first.It's always a gamble and would sure suck to find he has dysplasia, etc.But the feeling of saving a good dog from the green needle is priceless.With adoption costs and a generous donation,I got out of there for under $200.Also they use vet tech students to do a complete state of health check on the dogs.He was neutered,vaccinated,ears treated,feces tested,blood work etc.The retail cost of these services alone would be several times what I paid to get the dog.
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I fostered for ACES (Another chance for English Setters) for several years before I moved out of St. Louis. I had some great dogs and some not so great come thought my home. The two I would have kept were adopted very quickly. One went to a home in Colorado and another went to a home in Cape Cod. Very rewarding experience to foster those setters, sometimes it was painful to see them leave.

As far as this thread goes. The prices of quaility dogs is depressed right now. You can snap up a very well bred GSP for $300-400, without batting an eye. that beng said. Steve (Setternut) said it right when he related that the initial cost is nothing compared to what you spend in the life of a dog.
 
I get $1,200.00 for a Pudelpointer pup. Sounds like a lot? It is but let's look at a few things.
As a member of the North American Pudelpointer Alliance, I test my dogs with NAVHDA. Females must score 105 of 112 Natural Ability test and males
must pass the Utility test (125-$200) before they can be breed. There are training/bird costs, national and local dues also.
Hip x-rays must be taken, Penn Hip and OFA ratings must be fair or better $300.00 minimum)We rarely ever touch anything that is not good or better and were we to breed a fair, it would be to excellent. Such a breeding would be to retain other strong traits or genes.
We also have Breedmate Computer database we run potential breedings through for compatability.
Periodically one of the NAPPA members import a pup from Europe. Members get first crack at the off spring. All but one of my current five dogs have at least an import grand parent. We have the gene pool well expanded from what was around when I started with the breed in 1987.
Obviously all this costs $ and I had $3,000 into my last breeding before I made two trips to Rice Lake WI from Siuox Falls and spent some more on brucellocis and bordatella shots.
Is there any guarentee that you will get a full litter of outstanding pups that are better than the backyard breeding of "AKC, BOTH PARENTS OUTSTANDING HUNTERS" ads you see? No, but the odds are better.
I have a 13 acre back yard that cost me a bit but I would not raise hunting dogs of any kind if I did not have that either.
Pic is of Beau Collison, Pierce Nebraska and his Prairie Trout Pudelpointer after 112 Prize I Natural Ability score
 
Thank you for the last two posts. The back yard breeder looks at a litter as a way to make a couple thousand dollars. There is a lot more to it than that. If you kept track of time and money invested these two have more in it for less profit. And the plus side for all of us, is they do it right. I for one applaud you for that.:10sign:
 
my 1st akc lab came from a person that bought her from a breeder then decided he didn't have time for her. the 2nd akc lab came from a friend that spent $1000 stud fee then didn't advertise. at 10 weeks old i gave him $250 to take a pup off his hands. my 3rd a lab mix was an accidental breeding. i'm trying to be respectfull but you don't have to spend a small fortune to have a good dog. i will gladly run my cheap dogs with any of you :D. time n place is s.d. in nov and dec:thumbsup:. bell, ben and dutch will be there :cheers:.
 
i know this is like preaching to the choir, but cheap puppies can break the bank.My brother in law wanted another lab after his first passed away of old age, a neighbor's female was wandering, and got bred by another lab. They got a great price on it!

The dog is black, and has a great coat, but one of the parents may have had some issues, it is a raving crazy dog! it gets regular exercise, yet is a nut case. Now 3 years later, they still own it but it cant do anything.

Lesson learned, and repeated from above. YOU Spend way more money on some Cheap dogs, in their lifetime, than they may be worth.

I wouldnt be afraid of a 1000.00 pup, or 2500.00 for a two year old started dog, that had most of the basics done!

Tell your friends not to SAVE too much on the front end, to only regret it later.
 
i should add my story, cause its on the same line as FC springer. I wanted a started dog, as my oldest lab was getting close to dying of old age. She just couldnt tolerate a pup chewing her up. A local breeder had rescued a female lab , who had no training, for a brood bitch, that had a excellent breeding from a no good owner. He gave her to me after her pups got weaned, and she had recovered.

A seeming small leg infection, blossomed out this summer,and we had no choice to save her life by taking the leg, with an infection.

She is a wonderful dog, hunts her heart out, and i wouldnt take 10,000 for her. But my free dog from less than a year ago, vet bill for the leg alone was 3400.00.

Free isnt free, and most folks probably would have put her down vs 3400.00 but you wouldnt know she is missing a rear leg! so what if she didnt hunt well? Where would the well intentioned cheap dog rank, no demand for Cheap dogs, means the supply will Dry up!
 
I personally don't see paying over $500 for a pup unless you are a breeder, trialer, or it's some really obscure breed. Just my personal opinion. I'm not meaning to insult anybody.

I think if you are buying a dog strictly for hunting, or hunter/family pet, there are lots of great puppies in the $500 range. I wouldn't fault anybody for paying more for their dream dog, and there was a time when maybe the sky was the limit for me too... But with a family to feed and bills to pay, I can't justify paying thru the nose for an 8 week old pup. They are all a gamble, even the ones with the very best breeding.

Just my personal opinion. No offense intended towards those who are charging or paying top dollar.
 
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Toad said:
I personally don't see paying over $500 for a pup unless you are a breeder, trialer, or it's some really obscure breed. Just my personal opinion. I'm not meaning to insult anybody.

I think if you are buying a dog strictly for hunting, or hunter/family pet, there are lots of great puppies in the $500 range. I wouldn't fault anybody for paying more for their dream dog, and there was a time when maybe the sky was the limit for me too... But with a family to feed and bills to pay, I can't justify paying thru the nose for an 8 week old pup. They are all a gamble, even the ones with the very best breeding.

Just my personal opinion. No offense intended towards those who are charging or paying top dollar.
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horror stories can be found with cheap and expensive dogs. i have had great luck with mine. i hunt the hell out of mine. basic vet bills are the same and if you hunt them you are going to have some injuries in the field. barbed wire will cut a high dollar dog to.:rolleyes:
 
Some guys shoot Mossberg pumps, and are happy, some guys aspire for more. If all you can afford is a hundred dollar dog, but your serious about your sport, and craft, I'll hunt with you anywhere anytime. If, on the other hand the 100.00 dog and 100.00 gun are an example of commitment to the sport..... I hunt only with those that aspire to more, I have a good friend,started with a mossberg bolt action shotgun, two years, and he had a nicely bred english setter, and Belgium Browning A-5, paid $135.00 to my uncle, in 1973, that was the begining, never looked back. Everybody starts somewhere, It's hard to say, but with sporting dogs, breeding should push the breed forward in some way, or they should not be bred. If we breed genetically flawed dogs, dogs who are timid, dogs who are fear biters, dogs which are gunshy, (yes it runs in lines), dogs which are marginal, we get increasing marginal dogs, just a larger selection of marginal dogs. All animals breed back to a basic mean, so a certain number of dogs.snails, oragutan's are going to be average, even out of outstanding parents. Some of us don't know the difference, some of us don't care, and some of us hunt with Mossberg's for life. If you can live with the fit and finish, birchwood stock, and get the safety off, it shoots, just like a Purdey. You expect more refinement from a Purdey, by reputation, they only make best guns afterall, and you increase your odds of getting a great dog from a great litter, regardless of cost.
 
A great summation Old and New.

In the 70's , when i was younger, and much dumber. I had a springer that i thought i wanted to breed.... maybe i was thinking a get rich quick scheme?

I talked to a top notch field trial owner of ESS, a Mrs Janet Christensen, and she said the same thing you said. IF YOUR BREEDING of your dog, doesnt somehow enhance the breed itself, and further the breeds good traits, it is a tragic mistake. I am guessing most back yard breeders dont know the good or bad traits that both parents can impart. That leads to the genetic issues many breeds are faced with today.

Profound and correct, all these years later.... , getting a back yard dog, may suffice for your hunting needs, i accept. But, in the long run, having a dog with the genes to give you great attitude, conformation, and instinct, for a few dollars more upfront could save the owner much heart ache, and money.
 
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"I was just wondering what people feel is a fair price for pups"

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In down town St Paul Mn they buy'em buy the pound....:laugh::laugh:

There is no set price and price doesn't always dictate the quality or how well the pup/dog will perform. Some of these close line bred dogs are a walking health disaster. There's a reason they have laws against marrying your sister, brother, Etc. Same should go for dogs.
 
BrownDogsCan2 said:
Thank you for the last two posts. The back yard breeder looks at a litter as a way to make a couple thousand dollars. There is a lot more to it than that. If you kept track of time and money invested these two have more in it for less profit. And the plus side for all of us, is they do it right. I for one applaud you for that.:10sign:
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I am not in it for the money, but it sure helps. I do not us contracts, but screen my buyers and keep track of my puppies as best I can. You are going to have at least two serious conversations with me before you get a pup.
I also see the higher prices as a deterrent for the "casual" buyer. Nothing says serious like cash in most instances. The complaint I hear most often is "I have to get it by the wife".
I actually rescued a Pudelpointer from a local shelter. He was not from my breeding, tho I knew where he came from. He was a great dog after very little upland training and exposure. The prior owner had cancer and only used him on ducks and geese. Incredible softmouthed and great retriever. Three years old when I got him. I have heard of two others, one in Reno a while back and one a member of this site. I also literally stole one back in the early
'90s nuetered him and gave him to my sister. He was the only Pudelpointer I ever saw who did not exhibit good prey drive on birds.
 
Mr Hyde said:
UncleBuck You make it sound like it's a bad thing :p .................and it is
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There have been some good outcomes, and actually I have sold a number of puppies to females so I should be careful.
The second to last puppy sold last litter is an example. The guy and his son came out and looked at the pups and big dogs. You could tell he really wanted "Lefty" as I was calling the pup, 4months old, and when he walked out the door he gave me the run it by the wife speech. I counted him out when he calls me out of the blue and says he would be out to look at Lefty again with the wife. Long story short, they left with the pup and she wrote the check from her personal account for his Xmas gift!!
He was one of only three pups I have sold in Sioux Falls area so I stopped by his house Sat. to see Jack as he re-named him. Jack has been taught to fetch the paper and his owner has joined NAVHDA. We train and test across Skunk Creek, right out this guy's back yard so he will not have far to go. Needless to say they are really attached to Jack already.
 
Uncle Buck said:
There have been some good outcomes, and actually I have sold a number of puppies to females so I should be careful.
The second to last puppy sold last litter is an example. The guy and his son came out and looked at the pups and big dogs. You could tell he really wanted "Lefty" as I was calling the pup, 4months old, and when he walked out the door he gave me the run it by the wife speech. I counted him out when he calls me out of the blue and says he would be out to look at Lefty again with the wife. Long story short, they left with the pup and she wrote the check from her personal account for his Xmas gift!!
He was one of only three pups I have sold in Sioux Falls area so I stopped by his house Sat. to see Jack as he re-named him. Jack has been taught to fetch the paper and his owner has joined NAVHDA. We train and test across Skunk Creek, right out this guy's back yard so he will not have far to go. Needless to say they are really attached to Jack already.
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Great Story UncleBuck probably our next dog we get my wife will be writing you a check for a female :cheers:
 
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