There are far higher prices paid for stupidly named cross breeds than are usually paid for a good healthy pedigree pup, so why would anyone let a really well bred pup go for peanuts just for a sob story?  Totally different matter if it's a close friend or jointly owned and shown IMO

All pups should be sold as companions first and show dogs second IMHO. After all, even a dog shown every single week (although unlikely) is still not being shown for 313 days of the year ;)

havent you ever sold a good quality puppy at a knocked down price or even given away a good quality puppy to some one who desperately wanted one

No, why should I when good, suitable, solvent people are queueing up for one at full price? Anyway I charge a fair going rate for a rather classy puppy. If I get a call that say's anything like......
" haven't you got a runt or one with something wrong with it?" ( meaning cheap) I gently put the phone down...... click.
There is no NHS for dogs so my pups go to people who have thought through the cost of a dog's whole life not just   " oh I fancy a puppy just like one on the telly, I'm skint but I want it now.".

>why should I when good, suitable, solvent people are queueing up

Love it :D  And so true tooolz
(but the phrasing - ace :D )  Teri

LOL it is true though .. See my post below.

I find people getting worse and worse.

I spent a lot of time over the Xmas period with older relatives and you have no idea how many said to me, " when we were younger we just couldn't afford it"..  blah blah..

We have went from my parents and grandparent cautionary sensible thinking to outright spendaholics who take no responsibility for anything.

Getting off my high horse now :-)

well weve sold puppys cheap or even given puppys away quite a few times, a good home is more important than price IMO

Hi hayley123

A good home, amongst other things, is one where the dog will get everything it needs *throughout it's lifetime*  :) or at least has the best possible chance of ensuring same.

It's always possible that owners who start off financially able to afford a particular breed of dog could find themselves in a different situation some years down the line but anyone who cannot afford the *initial* outlay for their chosen breed should wait until such times as they can and, IMO, as a breeder I would expect only the very best for one of my precious pups so discounting or giving away one (other than to a very close friend or equally close relative) would certainly not come into it :)

regards, Teri

Why do you feel that dropping the price or giving the puppy away means it gets a better home Surely if someone has saved the money to buy the pup it shows a commitment and means they value the puppy? How do you know that a "free to good home" pup gets the vet treatment etc it may need if the owner cant afford to buy it in the first place?

No I wouldn't well except to my family and freinds perhaps but that is more because I know them.

Just as an example of my feelings on the matter.

I quite recently refused a couple ( some may not agree) who came to see me for a puppy I had run on a little longer but decided to let go.  A lovely couple they were probably late 50s that came to me via my vet who had recommended me.  All was well with their visit etc until the last 15 mins when they asked if it was possible to take the pup away for an hour and have her checked by the vet for £25 and they would return her and buy her if she passed some insurance tests but not if she didn't pass them.   Baring in mind they are at my vets also and it was him who had gave the couple my number I was a bit shocked and a bit unsure if they were confused.

I told them they would be able to return her anytime if they were unhappy but that she had been fully vaccinated, microchipped and had her overall check up at the vets so she would be fine without any doubt.   They insisted that even though she was already registered at the same vet the £25 inspection had to be done.   Needless to say I was a tad unhappy and hadn't heard so much nonsense in my opinion.

I called my vet right there and then while they sat in my house only to be told by my vet that it was for the PDSA scheme they were talking about and they couple had to have the inspection and pay the £25..  I even said to my vet why would you recommend me to someone who actually couldn't afford a puppy. He told his point that they would only go elsewhere anyway and buy a pup and that the scheme is so poorly managed people go out and by Sharpei , pugs all the latest must haves for thousands of pounds and then register then on the PDSA scheme. I was honestly disgusted.

When I came off the phone to my vet , I explain the PDSA is not exactly what you describe as insurance but as a means tested almost charity for those who can't afford vets fees.  I told them clearly in my opinion it wasn't their God given right to have it.   Believe it or not THEY were speechless as they had in their words, "always had it with every dog".     They honestly thought it was their God given entitlement.

As nice as they were out of principle and really because I was making a point they were not buying from me. What happens when the day comes and it requires an emergency surgery and the PDSA change their policy.. 

People seem to receive at times here there and everywhere and just think it is ok and right. 

Nobody hands things to me  or gives me anything cheap , I earn , I pay. 

Do people forget dogs are a luxury!!!!!!!

Good for you Pam, never heard the like of it!!!!  I suppose I would qualify for PDSA as I am a pensioner, but never thought about it, I pay my way at the vets like everyone else.

I refused a couple a puppy a good few years ago, they came into the house and I judge what they are like by watching them with the older dogs first, the woman shrank away from them, and when they sat down, the dogs went up to greet her and she sat their shaking, Husband and kids were great, but her no.

I asked her "do you like dogs"  No, she replied I am scared of them.  Now as she would be the one looking after the pup my alarms bells started and I said " I am very sorry, but, as your wife is scared of dogs and pups I cannot sell you one of mine, after all she is the person who would be looking after it all day"

I advised that they went to some local training classes and sat round and watched the dogs and that she would see that most dogs are nothing to be scared about.

Dont know if they did this, but never heard from them again.  I am sure in those circumstances I did the right thing for the wellbeing of my precious pup.

I am beginning to think people have went crazy :-D

why on earth were they getting a dog then????

Same here I am disabled and I think I might qualify for PDSA, but would never dream of it.

I honestly don't have any issue with people getting things and assistance,  I really don't. My father is very disabled now and we have relied on the NHS the last few years to save his life. He is one from a generation who also claims for so litter . He still has a reasonable income from his private pensions.    I just hate those that think it is their blatent right.

I was speechless when I vet said people are walking in with the latest must have breeds after paying £1500- £2000 bragging and right away straight onto the PDSA scheme.

Put me in charge for a year I tell you :-)

My thoughts were that it should be made avaliable to those who fall harder times and already have a dog and are faced with the need to assistance.

I tell you really when we look around just now we have a nation with a high % of lazy sods. 1/4 million people under 35 on disability.  In the politest way " my bottom" is what I think ;-)

It used to be far, far worse with the PDSA. Going back around 20 years, virtually every vet offered the scheme, and anyone in receipt of certain benefits could have 3 pets registered. So what people did, was to register 3 pets with each vet in their town, and so they could have unlimited numbers of pets (almost), and not need to pay anything. We did use it ourselves in the 80's when my then husband had been made unemployed -I can't remember then how many animals we had, but it was more than 3, so you had to chose which 3. My then vet was very good in one sense though, I remember turning up with a rescued kitten that had been dumped on me (this was before I was breeding either cats or dogs) and he said he'd "fiddle" PDSA so that it would pay for the kitten's treatment as it was a rescue and I had not deliberately got it. Not right, no, but very kind under the circumstances.

A few years later then scheme changed, and now each person could only have ONE pet registered, a one named practice. My (current, the old one retired) vet told me that lots of vets including him had people dump their animals on them saying as they would no longer be able to treat more than one, the vet could keep the rest. Because of this, a lot of vets pulled out of the scheme altogether, mine included.

Looking at the PDSA website today, it's changed  again. Today apparently you can have 3 pets once again, but you must go to a PDSA vet, no longer are general vets available. http://www.pdsa.org.uk/eligibility.html

I do agree, it shouldn't be able for people to abuse it like this, it IS charity, fair enough if somebody suddenly loses their job and already have pets, or an elderly person who is perhaps widowed and lonely can only have a pet as a companion if they get PDSA, that I don't mind.But not for reasons like those mentioned in this thread.

our lad was like that, a very slight reduction for his fault simply because it removed the option of showing him. as you say they cost the same to rear

From what I've seen, people who get things at a 'knock down' price often don't particularly value it - it's more part of the buy it now, change it tomorrow mentality :(   why should people like that get a member of the family? - which is what really well reared pups are!

in our case it was a very slight reduction in price because the pup in question would never be able to be shown. this does not i think suggest that there was anything wrong with him, he was not advertised at a reduced price, my family simply felt that since his tail made it impossible to do well with him in a ring it was fair that there was a small reduction. the people buying him never even knew about it i think, so the "things at a 'knock down' price often don't particularly value it" thing really did not apply. And as i think i said earlier he is with a lovely family, up north, running around a big moore and hills and we are often sent pics of him (shame about the tail cause he's a lovely looking dog). As to not valuing cheaper things, as a skint student i'm slightly offended by that, just because you don't have much money doesn't mean you don't care for the things you have, especially a living creature.

I wasnt refering to you, Astarte, but to reducing the price or giving a puppy free to someone just because they say they cant afford the proper price. Presumably those people go to view the puppies initially knowing the price, so then spinning a hard luck tale that they cant afford it is, in my opinion trying it on. If they havent the money, they shouldnt be at the breeders in the first place. Your situation was not the same.

ah fair enough. my oh and i are going to get a dog next year and we will be either saving or getting a rescue. people with little money can afford to keep dogs but i must say i wouldn't sell on a pedigree cheaply because of a story, to be fair well bred pups tend to cost that much because thats what they cost to produce/rear.

Astarte,

Not really talking about your situation ;)  more generally about those who think the average price for a well-bred pup is 'far too much as it's only a pet' :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

When we all know that 'only a pet' is the most difficult job/work any dog can do ;)

ETA  - I saved for 2 years to afford my first pedigree pup and the vaccinations etc.  It then took another 3 years (as I was also showing the 1st one ;) ) to save enough to be able breed a litter of pups and know that money would not be a problem - whatever happened!