I'm really sad now - can't get one of the puppies.

The breeder just emailed me back. She now charges $700 for a puppy. I paid $400 for Indy so in a year, she almost doubles her price? $400 is a little high but $700 is robbery. She sells them online. I think it is kind of sad though. It seems like she is only out there to make money because the way she sounded, she does this all the time. Just seems to me that you would just want your puppies to go to a good home rather than the highest bidder. I was all excited too. Now I'm really sad. I emailed her back saying that if she didn't get any bidders online that I'd pay $400 and give one a good home. Which should be the most important thing. Makes me want to cry. and throw up. :0024:

 

that is sad!

 

Yeah good breeders should generally sell a dog to a previous buyer and owner of their dogs for the same price if needed you'd think... WHAT inflation and sounds much like she's out for money...

I'm sorry about that too! Must be hard to find that out no doubt...urg.

 

I'm sorry eliza, i wish you could get one of those puppies.

 

I'm sorry you can't get one of the puppies.

I've dealt with inflation too. When we bought Rocky we paid $750 and a few years later we were thinking about getting another dog so we called Rocky's breeder and they said around $3000!

 

Hiya i am so sorry i know how much you were looking forward to getting indy a brother.

When you say she sells online and the dogs goto the highest bidder do you mean she has an auction on these dogs.

If this is the case i know it sounds nasty but she needs reporting you don't auction animals its actually against the law to do so and this also shows no care or thought was put into breeding other than to make money.

Yes i understand she may have done everything she could to make sure her girls had healthy puppies but if she has done this before makes you wonder how many litters her girls have had and how old they really are.

Again i am sorry and i agree with you a loving caring home is more important than money ...

Mike

 

It is not an auction, it is a website called puppyfind. I went there and was actually quite surprised b/c there were ALOT of st. bernard puppies on that site. St. bernards are usually kind of hard to find. She said the only reason she went up in price is b/c that is comparable to what some of the other puppies on the site are selling for. Not necessarily b/c they are of better quality, or champion/show dogs. And I don't think she has gone to any other links other than just breeding the dogs (such as getting hip certifications, etc.) so I really don't see what warrants her selling them for so much other than just wanting money.

The reason I said she does this alot is b/c in her email she talked about how I could make a deposit and she wouldn't list the puppy on the site b/c she says that when she lists the puppies on the site they go very quickly.

I wish I could pay that much for a dog but seriously? For a dog that I am not going to show, not going to breed, $700!

 

I'm sorry Eliza...that really sucks.

 

I don't mean to run over anyones feet, much less step on toes, but honestly? I don't think any really responsible breeder would be selling puppies over the internet! I had to fill out an application, answer a whole lot of questions, and provide references before the breeder I bought my bull terriers from would even consent to having me visit and meet her adult dogs. And when it came right down to it, the dogs were the ones who got the deciding vote!

I did pretty much the same thing when I sold my dachshund pups. And again, my female got the deciding vote. If she didn't like someone, they didn't get a puppy. I would never have sold a puppy over the internet, and I didn't ship, either. These were my babies!

This just makes the warning bells go off in my head. I know you're disappointed, but maybe it's all for the best. Check with your local kennel club for help finding a responsible, reputable breeder.

 

I've checked with the kennel club, there are no breeders they list that are anywhere near here so I'd still be doing the "shipping" thing which I do not like the idea of shipping an 8 wk old puppy.

I even started looking at St. Bernard rescue but they charge a $375 adoption fee?! That seems a little steep I think, for an older dog with no papers that you know nothing about.

I guess these people have found the internet as a way to overprice their dogs and connect them with idiots who will pay that much.

 

A reputable breeder who would have to ship would take your concerns seriously and either make a way to meet you so that the puppy wouldn't be "shipped" or keep the pupppy longer than 8 weeks so that he/she is older when they are shipped... If it's a reputable breeder there are ways around shipping at 8 weeks of age.

As far as selling dogs online... Do you mean selling them in an add like in the paper or advertising them. I know with the Rare breeds anyway to sell anything you have to have someone from a distance purchase a dog, as MOST people don't know what they are etc... Advertising them online is about the only way they are sold etc... Now there are reputable ways to sell puppies online and less than reputable ways to do so. I know a lot of kennels who sell via the internet and require all the things listed previously Plus some in many cases... Deposits, contracts, questionaires, interviews, and refrences are still obtainable in an online setting...so...to say all breeders who sell online is irresponsible is one of those not so true blanket statements...

 

Sara, I understand what you're saying. I know many breeders who advertise their kennel online, and give contact information. But they don't list puppies for sale, complete with prices. If you are interested in a pup, you have to do some personal contact with the breeder, at least over the phone. They want to talk to you, get a feel for what sort of person you are. So much is missed if you're only dealing with the written word.

And a word about the fee rescue organizations charge. So many of the animals that end up in rescue need a lot of medical care and rehabilitation. The fee charged often barely covers the expenses involved. The rest comes from private donations or vets that will donate some medicines/procedures at cost. It sounds like a lot of money, but it's what keeps the rescue organization going, and able to provide things as basic as vaccinations, spay/neuter, heartworm testing and treatment, which many rescue dogs are sorely in need of.

 

You are right, this person is a byb. A reputable breeder does not do business this way.

Being involved with rescue I heartily agree with what you have said. Some dogs come in to rescue in bad condition and it takes $$$ to get them well and ready to go to a good home. By the way AKC papers mean nothing about he quality of a dog, just that it's parents are known to be of the samd known breed. You can blow your nose on that paper for what it is really worth. I have seen some really genetically messed up dogs with AKC papers..Most rescues I know of will not give the papers to the adopitve home if the dog is turned in with them.

 

I was just clarifying that selling and advertising online aren't one in the same and that advertising online can be done by reputable breeders...

I'm talking about breeders who list litters and hip scores of dam and sire and then you have to inquire about the rest and fill out a questionaire before even thinking about getting so much as a response from the breeder regarding possibly selling you a dog...

I think it'd be easier for people to understand rescue fees if it were on a dog by dog basis... That's how bird rescues tend to work...and I think it'd make more sense to people if some dogs are more expensive to rescue because of problems dealt with and others less... Base fee of whatever and then extra for vetting depending on the case... Seems like it'd be more fair and understandable that way...

 

I don't know about all rescues, but the ones I've been involved with charge a flat fee that barely covers the basics. Additional money needed to get the really sick dogs healthy comes from private donations and the generous donations of time and medicines from some of our local vets. We do discount the fee if a dog is elderly or requires ongoing medications, like dogs with diabetes or dry eye.

 

I would imagine with a St. Bernard, some of the fee goes toward reimbursing the foster homes for the cost of feeding the giants.

 

Is $375 the standard adoption fee? St. Bernards eat a heck of a lot more than many other breeds so I would figure that adoption fees might be somewhat higher across the board than a breed that is not as expensive to feed/keep.

 

I am fully aware of the costs that go into a rescueing dogs. And I know about AKC papers as well. I would rather have a dog with AKC papers than without. I didn't mean to start some huge discussion. It is just that other rescues around here charge $125-200. That is somewhat reasonable I think. $375 is not reasonable for a dog you know nothing about - such as health problems, etc. I would love to rescue a St. but I can purchase a puppy for that amount, maybe less and have an understanding of their background and AKC papers just in case I run out of tissue.

$375 is the standard adoption fee. And St. Bernards do not eat that much more than other breeds. Maybe a lot more than a chihuahua, but compared to most others, they do not eat alot. My dog eats $40 of dog food a month, 1 37lb bag of Calif Natural (one of the most expensive dog foods). I don't see how that makes the adoption fee almost double or triple as compared to others in this area.

And one last thing, the woman who does the St. rescue in GA is a vet so she should definately get low-cost vet services.