Why are pedigree dogs so expensive?
In my area, I have been quoted for a pet pedigree lab puppy between
£400.00 to £550.00 depending on colour.
I know someone who breeds regularly cross bred puppies, crossing two different
pedigrees together, they are well looked after, and have health tests from the
vet before mating, She breeds them for money, she is very open about it, and makes a profit. Selling Bitches for £250.00,and Dogs for £225.oo She told me that her customers would prefure a pure bred pedigree puppy but their too expensive. She has a waiting list. She told me, there's a gap in the market so why not. I have now noticed in the paper, someone else who advertises varies different
breeds for sale, are now advertising first cross pedigree puppies for sale. When
I rang her up, she said not every one wants to pay pedigree puppy prices.
I hope this does'nt become a new trend. From Patricia.

Hi Patricia,
What puzzles me about this breeder is why if she can produce well reared `pedigree crosses`why she does not breed the `full pedigree`.On a monetry level the cost of rearing puppies correctly costs the same whatever the parentage.So she can still be benevolent towards the people who she says can`t afford `pedigree prices `with the genuine article for the same price and still corner the niche in the market
that she thinks is not catered for by breeders who strive to keep their bloodlines pure.
Regards Carole

Hi Guest, this subject has been well aired on the board, try doing a search and I think you will understand. It does of course depend on what you understand to be a well bred puppy.
Jackie

i donot think the price you are stateing is bad,after all hip,eyes ect,will cost,plus stud free,food for mum before and after birth,milk and food for puppie,kc paper,BUT the bigges cost in my area is vet fee just to see him cost £16,and the time and care that you put into the rearing of a litter,but if you get a litter like mine that cost OVER £1000,00 beacuse mum and puppie got kennel cough and the rest of the dogs in the house, plus to pts 4 puppie,i just like to say that i only had 2 littles in 17 year of my breed,so i go out to work to support my dogs my dogs donot support me,where some case it is different,

£16 is cheap then to see your vet, mine just to walk through the door is nearly £22!!!!

my vet is excellent,there has been no real trouble with zak my mini schnauzer,he had a hernia op before we bought him,it had caused a flare up and produced a large lump(the breeder offered to pay any costs).i got him booked in the next day,the vet checked him over said to keep salt bathing as i had been,and wait for it to pop,then come back.she didnt charge me anything no consultation or anything.the lump dissapeared instead of getting bigger and popping,i was walking past the vets and called in as it didnt look busy,again the vet checked him over at no cost,and just seemed happy that he was better.
does anyone else have a vet as nice as this?
mel :D

surely only the first litter will be first cross any subsequent litters (same parents) wont be

A first cross means the parents are pure bred, so subsequent litters will also be first cross as long as the parents are pedigree.
Ted

In answer to your question the price is expensive for the following reasons.
Stud fees
Travelling costs for mating
extra nurishment and vitamins for bitch
heating, bedding and equipment needed during birth
Vet fees for helping with the welping if necessary, call
out, etc etc.
Puppy food
vaccinations
insurance
advertising
and no doubt other items I have forgotten

Not to mention the fact that most of us take time off work when litters are due, so that the bitch and puppies are not left on their own for the first week or so.

Yes, people forget the time involved in rearing puppies well, its not just the "chores" but several hours daily spent with them, grooming,trimming, housetraining, socialisation, inviting strangers ( to them) round and entertaining them, rides in the car etc etc. One can spend at least two hours with each client when they pick up their puppy, and much more if they visit the litter often, and with a large litter this could maybe be three or four days, constantly preparing for, and entertaining clients , those that come a long distance are often given a meal or even B&B at no charge of course!! To say nothing of the preparation and time wasted on the odd clients that just never arrive! Of couse we do it cos we love rearing puppies and want one for ourselves, but although they are very welcome clients can take upo the whole of several weekends running. I expect if costs involved really were billed for with ones time set at the minimum wage the actual cost for most puppies would actually approach four figures, it make £400 look very reasonable to me!!

I totally agree WestieLover! Our breeder has seven pups, she's not keeping any, so thats seven sets of people visiting. Two are going overseas, so she 's having them vaccinated before they go. We're going for the fourth time tomorrow, that's to choose one, then back again in two weeks to get her. Each time we've been, it's been for an hour or more-I always feel it's a bit of an imposition, but then at least the breeder knows we care! I take my hat off to breeders like ours-I know I could'nt do it.
Nic :)

I agree people dont take into account what is involved in breeding. There are so called 'breeders' out there who say their pups are well reared. We brought our first dog nearly 20 years ago from a so called 'breeder' and at eleven months he dropped down dead from a heart attack. We had an autopsy (sorry can't spell it) and the pup had a deformed heart. We went back to the 'so called breeder' who said they didn't believe the vet and we could have another pup from them when they next bred - like hell!! Our next dog had health problems and died at a young age from cancer.

After home checks and 100s questions we brought our next bitch from a well establisbed breeder.
We had a litter (the fifth in 17 years) in November frome her daughter and spent New Years Day outside a potential buyers home checking the area (it turned out to be a good home). Our previous litter was five years ago (and it will be another five years before we do it again!!) I'd forgotton all the work that's involved.