Hello everyone this is my first time to this board. So far I have found alot of useful information. Over the course of the last 3 months or so my family and I have decided to get another dog. We decided we would get a English Bull Terrier. I have had 2 BT in the past. I have allways fancied the BT. We rescued 1 and got another form a guy in the paper. This was in the Late 70's early 80's. Right now we have a
Yellow Lab. Buhda our lab is dog/cat/children/stranger friendly so it wouldnt be an issue if we get another pup at this time. My question though is this. I was reading online at some BT club sites here in California. All say the same thing. Avoid Puppy Mills/Backyard breeders. They are only out for money and care nuthing for the breed. I said thats understanble, I would rather by from a reputable breeder if possible any how. Then I see how much a "REPUTABLE BREEDER" is asking for a Pup and its almost triple the cost from someone who might not show his dogs. It made me think that maybe its vise versus as far as the Money concern goes. I mean to go from say 300 dollars for a pet quality pup from a guy in the paper to say 900-1200 for a pet quality pup from a Reputable Breeder is kinda rediculious. If there is a perticular reason why a pup should be so much more when someone can offer for so much less please feel free to give me some insight. As of right now im leaning more towards looking in the paper for a pup. Sure he may have not had all his shots or been Baer tested. I can do that myself. We have a very good vet for Buhda and She wouldnt mind another patient. I dont care for Champion Blood since im not showing. I want a Dog my family can enjoy. I am very ignorant when it comes to dog breeding for what ever characterstics / colors / semetry / bone structure & muscle. I cant tell you the difference between a Champ BT and the nieghbors BT. All I do know is I love the breed always have.

By the way. I just noticed this Forum is based in the UK. Im in the US.

What about contacting the local EBT rescue ? At least then you would be forewarned about temperament, health and behaviour issues if any, an d the rescue would select a dog who would be happy in your family. The guy in the paper may be less than truthful about the pup and you may not see the mum which is important to avoid problems with other dogs or kids, and massive vet bills if pup has a chronic condition or comes to you ill as a result of poor husbandry.

Breeders prices reflect the costs of responsible breeding and the time taken to socialise the pups. Some also feel if a prospective owner cant accept the price they cant afford to keep it properly or arent committed to the breed. Have a look at the Breeding threads here and youll see what I mean.

Hope you find your soulmate.:)

Thats almost exceptable except that I have never owned a dog that cost me 900 a month to keep healthy. Buhda's effect on our families budget is minimal. Maybe 70 dollars a month for food chews and flea/tick meds. True enough Im not commited to the Breed. I want one as a pet not to breed and show. Thanks for the Info. I will check out the web page.
I forgot to add that I did check with our local BT rescue. They only have full sized dogs who are already late in their years. They want 400 bucks for a Deaf Dog, and 600 for a colored dog who is 6 years old. This is from a rescue. Seems like everyone is tryin to make a buck. Dont get me wrong I dont want one for free. I would be happy to pay up to 600 dollars for a healthy Pup. I dont want introduce a full grown dog to our home. I want the pup to be raised around my Child/Wife/Buhda so his place will be learned from the begining. I dont want to have to go through Domonance training with a Full grown dog.

In order to breed sound healthy dogs rather than trusting to luck reputable breeders will do various health screening tests. these are all very expensive. Also to breed the best posible puppies, in the USA a bitch may be shipped to the most suitable stud, who might be thousancs of miles away, or alternatively go therough the expensive process of artificial insemination.

If these breeders did not care about how the dogs compared to the breed standard you would soon find yourself unable to find a Bull Terrier that looked like it's breed, but one of the poorly bred specimins of amny breeds, where one is scratching ones head wondering what it is.

Not all likely health problems will be visible at time of purchase, and you could end up paying dearly for a cheap pup. You could also end up with one with an iffy temperament.

Going to a reputable breeder who knows his dogs and can possibly show you several generations, you have more chance of getting a similar pup in looks and caharacter.

In the UK most pedigree pups are likely to cost in this breed £600 to £800 ($900 to $1200). The bulk of the price reflects the money spent on rearing the litter and the cost of all the above. any profit helps defray the breeders expenses keeping their other dogs. A puppy farmer (miller in USA) does not keep any dogs that are of no commercial use to him. Most reputable breeders keep most of their dogs until their death, and only take a few litters from a bitch, so any profit made on her pups will not even touch the cost of her upkeep throughout a long life.

You say you want a dog your family can enjoy. Puppy mills and backyard breeders produce dogs for money - nothing more, nothing less. Once these puppies have been sold, as far as the breeder is concerned, that is the end of his/her involvement. A reputable breeder will be there to help throughout the dogs life. I know breeders in the US and their lives are made so much more difficult by puppy mill dogs. They have hereditary diseases which good breeders are spending time and money trying to eradicate, they have temperement problems because not enough care is taken in finding the right dog for the bitch - the list goes on and it is the good breeders, who are the committees and members of breed clubs up and down the country who in most cases are there to pick up the pieces and help the distraught owners of these dogs. Okay, you can buy a puppy mill pup for much less, but is the possible heartache worth the money you will save. If you cant afford the price of a well bred dog, dont buy a dog at all. And for those who have been following the "Dogs-R-Us" thread, I can assure you all that the puppy mill and backyard breeder situation in the States make our puppy farms a minute problem. These practices are rife over there. :( :( :(

Added to the above, I would say that if you truly loved the breed, you would not even consider encouraging a puppy mill owner by buying one of their pups. To love the breed means you would want to protect it. By saying that "everyone is out for a buck" I hope you include yourself, as you are wanting to pay less than a well bred puppy costs.

It's kind of like the difference between buying the genuine article and a 'pirate/copy' version of it. You have certain guarantees with the real thing and no come-back whatsoever from a backyard breeder

Are you the type that goes for quality and long term reliability or a bargain that won't do the job after the first week? If you are of the latter category then think long and hard about getting a dog.

IMO At the end of the day it is worth the money.

From what I've seen paying the most isn't always the best, some people are fooled into thinking this. Like everything else you've got to fully look into things, contact many breeders,find out from them the accepted normal price, if you find a breeder that you are interested in ask some of the others if they know of them and ask for any feedback on the person, ask them if they have a contact of people who have previously bought a puppy off them and ask if they mind you contacting them before deciding. If the person is a good breeder they won't mind you asking other people questions about them.

Good luck in your search.

Hi,

There are many reasons why breeders who show their dogs charge more for puppies - and why it is worth it for you to spend the extra $300-400 dollars.

1 - Breeders who show their dogs are continually having the animals they have bred compared by an impartial judge against the standard for their breed and the very best examples of the breed from other breeders. If you care that your puppy will grow up and look like the breed you admire, e.g., against the standard for that breed - then you should acquire a puppy from a breeder who feels the same way.

2 - Breeders who show their dogs care about the health of their dogs. They will do health checks of the dam and sire and would not knowingly breed two dogs together that are likely to produce puppies with genetic faults. They keep track of many of their puppies over the years, they have a reputation to uphold amongst the show crowd, and they are continually striving to breed a better, healthier animal.

3 - They are available to answer your questions about the breed as time goes on. They *want* to know how your puppy is developing and they want to be the first to know if you are having any serious problems. They care about temperament as well as looks - they can give you better advice about the breed's unique characteristics than any dog trainer on the planet.

4 - They love the breed - not just the their dogs. They know everything there is to know about the breed - but are always looking to learn more. The litter your puppy came from was planned, the dam and sire carefully selected, and raised with love.

No offense, but if you are spending $70 a month on food/chews/meds than the extra bucks for a better bred dog is peanuts.

I used to show a Cairn in the U.S. I moved to the UK and now I do not show anymore. But, when I wanted to purchase a Cairn as a companion I made sure to purchase from someone who shows *and* showed me that she cared about the breed. I wanted my Cairn to look like a Cairn - not be perfect for the show ring, but a perfect example in character and structure of her breed. That's what I got - I am not sure it would have been the same if I had bought from a pet store or a home breeder.

Stacey

Guys & Gals
Thanks alot for all of the input. Looks like I need to consider purchasing another dog a little more carefully. I am also starting to understand why breeders charge so much for a pup. Although I do not have the money at this time to purchase a pup I have contacted a few of the local breeders in California and they have waiting list of almost 2 years in some cases. Im sure I can put some money aside between now and then. Thanks again for the Info
Hugh

Good luck-I'm sure it will be worth the wait.I have now been waiting over a year for the 'right' pup but I know in the long run I'm doing the right thing-even though I'm still unsure as to wether the litter I'm waiting for will arrive.To wait and get a properly bred puppy from a reputable breeder could save you thousands of dollars in the long run in vets bills.I would put my name on some waiting lists and save for your new arrival....you won't be helping support the puppy farms and will be getting a really nice dog in the end.
Archer