Price of Long Haired Miniatures

[Mutzie's Mom]

Does anyone know how much an AKC registered long haired miniature 10 week old puppy would be? Back in 1985, Mutzie was $350. That was a long time ago. Does it vary from state to state? We live in Ohio. I want to make sure I don't get ripped off. Also, how much would a 1 year old go for? I could really use your help. I have found prices from $250 all the way to $1,000. I am not looking to show my dog, but I would still like an AKC registered dachsie baby.

You guys have been so helpful to me!

Thanks!
Sherry

[Krista]

I live near Dayton OH and I paid about $400 for my pet quality smooth boys from a reputable breeder.

I would expect to pay around 400 -500 (maybe 600 at the most, but surely not 1000) for a pet quality puppy from a good breeder with a good health guarantee and spay/neuter contract.

[K.Middler]

Here in Michigan we know of prices being between $ 250.00 for a ill bred backyard breeder dog to $1500.00 for a well bred Ch.sired and dam red bitch or Cream male puppy some people say they want more but then give you a "Deal" by you breeding her to their stud dog of course you pay them a stud fee and they take the WHOLE litter. What a deal huh???? E-mail me as I do referal and rescue for DCA and our local club and help out the Central Ohio DC so I generally know who has puppies in both clubs. Kaye Middler

[Cindi]

Prices vary across the country so I highly recommend you use referred reputable breeders. In your area, take Kaye's help.
Now, if you lived in the southern states, I can tell you that you can get a pet for $400-$500 with a spay/neuter contract, papers given after vet proof of sterilization, and they will be 10-12 weeks of age before being allowed to leave and they will be current on shots (1 or 2 being already given depending on age of puppy.) and probably leash broke (not trained <g>).
Smooths and wires tend to be the higher end because there are few breeders of repute of those :)

[LisaH]

We paid $450 for our mini long-hair almost 5 years ago. This was in New Hampshire, where prices are relatively low. A New Jersey breeder was quoting $600 at the time.

LisaH and Annie

[badgerdogmom]

PK, I hope you are not suggesting that someone actually pay $1500 for a cream! A well bred pet is a well bred pet. I assume that is all Mutzie's mom wants. I don't think the price should be based on anything other than quality. A mill that we were speaking of on the Zone has an isabella puppy for an $800 pet price! That little isabella puppy will not make any better of a pet than the black and tan ones that they have for $250 (not that any of these would make healthy pets) JMO

[~Jen~]

For a pet puppy $400-$500 reguardless of sex from a reputable breeder (which most often means 1 or BOTH parents are finsihed champions) seems to be the going rate here in Virginia.
If someone tries to get more for the pup because its a certian color or add more money to the price for size or coat type then they are in it for the money. Most will agree a pet puppy is a pet puppy you will get the same kind of love from it reguardless of all the above.

Good Luck
Jen

[Mutzie's Mom]

Thank you guys for your input! I wanted to make sure I wasn't getting taken. We decided to "rescue" the little 8 month old boy who wasn't interested in mating. I am going to pay $300 for him. He is a pedigree and has all his paperwork. He is also AKC registered. We will get him on Friday, along with his favorite toys and his medical history.

Jen, since you're a breeder, do you recommend that we neuter him right away? Do you think we should wait until he is older and try to breed him? If he's a good dog, I'd like to have one of his offspring. Mutzie was spayed very early and now I wish I had one of her puppies or grandpuppies. If it is better for his health, then we will just neuter him.

Did you guys give me "pet" prices with AKC registration? I thought you paid more for the type of registration. Am I right? I've called several breeders in my area and they've wanted $600+ for a puppy.

Well, we're off to Pets Smart. We don't have a carrier for the car. I hope I can squeeze it in between the car seats! He'll be one of the family. I also need to get some squeaky toys and some new feeding dishes. We are passing down Mutzie's luxury pillow. I am washing it and putting wet towels with our scents on it. It is meant for a 100 lb. dog. I hope he likes it!! If anyone can think of anything else for a new puppy, let me know!!

Sherry <img border="0" alt="[Angel]" title="" src="graemlins/angel1.gif" /> (My 3 1/2 year old daughter is insisting I put the angel symbol in this post! She enjoys reading about other dachsies and seeing their photos!)

P.S. We're thinking of naming him Samson (Sammie)

[~Jen~]

Sherry,

I would personally have him neutered right away. Between 6mos - 1yr is the best time males usually earlier because they tend to like to mark their territory.
Do you plan on showing him? If you plan to show him then you would need to leave him intact for conformation but for field trials, agility etc. you can particpate with altered pets. The price I quoted you was for a pet puppy w/AKC paperwork from a reputable breeder that shows their dogs in conformation.
If you want a more experienced breeders opinion (as i am just a novice) you might want to talk to Cindi, PK or Carol Smith :)

Good Luck with your new pup :)
Jen

[Cindi]

Only my opinion after over 20 years in dachshunds - it sounds like your hands are full with your family as it is and therefore you would not be thinking of the conformation ring (very time consuming <g>). If that is the case, neuter the puppy and enjoy him. There is absolutely nothing better as a pet than a neutered male and nothing more annoying than an intact male that wants to breed everything that moves. Eventhough this puppy is too young right now to understand the breeding world (thank goodness for him and please protect us from the breeder that tried to use him) he WILL become a teenager soon!
Even if you wanted to breed him in order to obtain a puppy from him, the genetics world is a tricky game and you most likely would end up with puppies looking and acting nothing like he does. And then, as most of us who consider ourselves reputable feel, you would be responsible for any puppies he makes for the rest of their lives. The same would have held true for your girl. Unless you can linebreed (combine similar pedigrees) with dogs that are similar in behavior and looks, most of the offspring do NOT resemble the parents (mind you, there are times they do but...not in this house!) and this is due to the genetic jeanies :D
My advice would be to enjoy him as a neutered child and if you have the desire to participate in performance events you will be set to go!!

[Mom of Freddie and FG]

Sherry,

I don't mean to sound harsh, but PLEASE get Kory neutered ASAP! Since you've decided on Kory, did you ask his breeder if they sell with a Spay/Neuter Agreement?
Getting Kory neutered ASAP will be the best thing for him. His hormones will start slowing down, thus reducing his URGE to find a female. This will also reduce his chance of darting out the door or jumping a fence and running into the street and getting hit by a car and killed.
I (along with others here) can't STRESS enough the importance of neutering. It also REDUCES the chance of cancer, particulary prostate for males. It also makes a better loving pet overall. They're not so likely to "mark" their territory. They're just more loving and gentle and can relax.

It's a good thing Mutzie was spayed, because she was bought from a Pet Shop. She most likely came from a Puppymill, where breeding practices and sanitation are terrible. Mutzie was saved from misery and did NOT pass on possibly (most likely) bad genes and traits. Be glad she was spayed, :)

I sincerely do not intend to hurt your feelings Sherry. I'm just trying to help you become aware of the seriousness of Pet Store pups and Puppymills.
I know you didn't know at the time you got Mutzie. I didn't know myself years ago. You were without a doubt ripped off paying that amount for Mutzie. Pet Shops jack-up their prices about 3 times purposely. They need to pay the ' middle-man ' (Broker involved with Puppymills) and also the Rent for their Pet Shop. People don't realize this. They think paying top $$ for a Pet Shop pup is BETTER. They think they're getting the best quality. It's just the opposite.

Also, on pet food, be sure to get a good quality premium brand. NO Grocery-store food! You want meat meal or meat as the FIRST ingredient. Stay away from corn, wheat, By-Products, Animal fat, Digest, BHA, BHT, Ethoxicyn. 'Kibbles N Bits' is an example. It's terrible food.

Susan

[mardoniche]

Everyone here have covered the neutering question, and I totally agree with them. Much better to get the little chap done, sooner rather than later. I am not sure of the exchange rate, but a pet quality mini smooth here is around £450-00. mini longs are a bit cheaper, about £300-00. Wires are about the same as the smooths. Show quality pups are dearer, anything up tp £700-00. Converted to dollars I think that they are rather more expensive than your pups. We have the dreaded puppy mills here, we call them puppy farmers. Our goverment and K club have brought in new legislation to help close them down, but sadly they always find a loophole in the laws. To breed dogs here, you have to be licensed. They come out once a year and and check the property, also we have to have an independant veterinary check of all animals on the premises. Do you have the same state side? The kennel club have also put loads of limits on the bitches, age, number of litters, how often a bitch can be bred etc. Sadly although they are trying, it is only the reputable breeders that are adhereing to these rules. The puppy farmers are just selling the same amount of puppies, just falsifying the paper work. But at least the goverment are aware of the dogs plight and are trying. See ya Dawn and dachsies. <img border="0" alt="[Walk]" title="" src="graemlins/spotting.gif" />

[Krista]

I agree neuter him ASAP. When you take him to your vet for a check up (which you should do right away, whether he was seen recently by the breeder's vet or not) I'd just go ahead and make your appointment for his neutering at that time.
I know some vets only spay/neuter certain days of the week and so it might take a few weeks to get an appointment time that fits with your schedule. I think I made my boys neutering appointments 3-4 weeks ahead.

I also agree that breeding responsibly is A LOT of work and takes much knowledge, time and money. This is why I have two pet quality boys that were purchased with neuter contracts. I'm not prepared to do what it takes to breed the right way.

As to the food comments below, I know what Susan is trying to say, but it sounds a bit confused. You do NOT want to see "MEAT" or "MEAT meal" as the first ingredient. You DO want to see specific meats or specific meat meals as the first ingredient (Like chicken meal, lamb meal, turkey meal, chicken, turkey, lamb...etc). If you are interested in learning about foods there are some great threads in the archives of the feeding forum.

Good luck with your new baby. I'm sure he'll bring many smiles to your face.

I've been told by many a breeder that a neutered male dachsie is perhaps the best pet you'll ever have and I completely agree!

[Mutzie's Mom]

I think my husband and I should buy stock in Pets Mart! We went a little crazy last night. We ended up buying special cow ears, shampoo, a 2 sided brush, tons of toys (my husband couldn't resist), collar, leash, carrier, cute little bed, doggie dish, etc. His owner has him on Eukanuba for small puppies by Iams. We just bought him the same. If he does well on it, we'll probably get him the adult formula when he turns 12 months. Is it too early to introduce him to fresh vegetables? Mutzie was a veggie freak, but she was older when I started preparing them for her.

I am calling my vet today to set up his first visit. We will schedule his surgery from there. I hope he won't hate me afterward. He's going to be my little man!

The breeder really isn't a bad, unethical person. She is a member of the Dachshund Club of America and a breeders association of Ohio for 14 years. When I see her face to face, I am going to ask why she would try to breed him so early. That is the only thing that we've had a problem with thus far. Although we're going to neuter him, he's still going to be the King Stud of our house. He will rule the roost! He is going to love our fenced in back yard. It is huge! We have no more dogs on our street (Mutzie made them all move! :D ), so he will own the entire territory.

We are picking him up early tomorrow morning. I will let you know how it goes. I can't wait to get my hands on him!!

Sherry

[K.Middler]

YES,I do mean some people ask that much and get it in our area for Creams and for RED SMOOTH MINI BITCHES!!!!!

[~Jen~]

Kaye,

I didn't think reputable breeders bred with the idea of making a profit? If someone is selling pet bitches for $1500 then they are making a profit. Isn't the goal to improve the breed not the bank account?
Some breeders will rest on the fact that they show their dogs therefore they will charge more for the pups because they show... the fact is no one ever twists ones arm into showing/breeding..so i have never felt that pet ppl should have to pay for a hobby they don't choose... if a breeders gonna do a "mark up" let it be on those pups they sell to other breeders. This RED SMOOTH MINI BITCHES AND CREAMS for $1500 is greedy a pets a pet!!

JMHO

[badgerdogmom]

American dollars?

I totaly agree with Jen, A healthy pet is a healthy pet reguardless of size, coat, color, pattern or sex. I think charging that much is just taking advantage of people.

[Cindi]

I must be misreading something or missed reading something. Kaye is right that some people do charge extremely high prices, IMO, for their puppies and especially for those in high demand ie color or sex. However, IMO that doesn't make them reputable or ethical. Just the opposite BUT, and I emphasize BUT someone is willing to pay that because 'that is what I want and I have to have it and I have to have it now!'
And just because someone shows doesn't make them reputable or ethical as there are many that do show that IMO are neither. And just because they have many champions doesn't make their dogs any better than those that only have one or two in their household. There are lots of determining factors in whether someone should be considered reputable and ethical.
For those who don't like paying medium prices $400-$700 for a puppy because you think you are paying for someone's hobby, that is NOT what you are paying for. In my mind you are paying for the education of that person to be able to make that quality puppy be born. That takes study in genetics and bloodlines and traits and conformation and that takes time. That is why a specialist is more expensive than a GP - training.
The commercial breeders charge and obtain these high prices because the pet person will pay it. That doesn't make it right; that just makes it a fact. And once they get those prices they don't want to ever back down from it. And yes, I would say obtaining $1500 for a puppy is making a profit. And does that puppy come with a spay/neuter contract? I bet not. And if it does, WHY WOULD SOMEONE PAY IT? For that amount of money I want a show dog with a major at least on it and preferably more than that..... :) But that's me.

[badgerdogmom]

Cindy,
I think Kaye is saying that it is OKAY to charge these outragous prices, that was my problem.

Kaye,
Is this what you are saying?

I agree about paying for knowledge. But it doesn't take $1500 worth of smarts to import and then breed a cream for a pet....Show quality, well, then I could see it, maybe, but come on. <img border="0" alt="[Circle]" title="" src="graemlins/circle.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Circle]" title="" src="graemlins/circle.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Circle]" title="" src="graemlins/circle.gif" /> :rolleyes:

[Uschi]

The reputable breeders we spoke with a couple years ago (in Colorado & Nebraska)were asking in the range of $300-500 for a pet-quality miniature pup. At the time, I thought it was a bit high, but that was before I read up on the differences between BYBs and reputable breeders. If we were looking for a pup now, I'd happily pay $300+ for a well bred pup. To a degree, you get what you pay for.

That said, I kinda think it's funny to see people list "rare" colored pups at 3 or 4 times the price of standard colors. It's even funnier to see that people actually PAY that amount. (Or should I say "tragic" instead of funny?) But hey, there are some people who pay thousands of dollars for a gownless evening strap [sic] that looks atrocious! :p So I suppose there are equally superficial people who'd shell out extra money for a 'designer' colored dog. :rolleyes:

Now all that said, I'm so very happy with my 4 puppers that we adopted for a grand total of less than $225! <img border="0" alt="[heart]" title="" src="graemlins/heart.gif" />

--Jada + Ripley, Kaze & Brendan "Second hand dogs make first class pets" <img border="0" alt="[Square]" title="" src="graemlins/square.gif" />