What is the true cost of a puppy at the end of the day?
I sell my pups for just about the same price as every backyard breeder out there. However, what is the true cost of my puppies after my investment in their sire/dam?
The cost of a Master Hunter title is the biggest investment for us. It's 2-3 years of training and handling for the test. I have 2 Master Hunters in our kennel right now and we're currently paying for our 3rd. Friends, a MH title is many many months and years of paying trainers and then paying handlers for the test. I kid you not when I tell you a MH title can be over $10,000. You have a truly intelligent gun dog if you own a Master Hunter! Quick brag... Our stud dog Sport MH has 26 Master Hunters in his pedigree including himself.
The cost of finishing an AKC Champion is about $5,000-$7,000 depending on how fast they finish. A Grand Champion is 10 points above an AKC Champion and could easily be $10,000. Again, prices vary regarding the specific dog.
The puppy food I feed y'alls pups is literally more than double what I could have fed. I feed the most expensive kibble money can buy, Orijen Large Breed Puppy.
The raw diet I feed my kennel, pregnant bitches and lactating bitches is my time, not necessarily money. I literally shop 3 local grocery stores for all ingredients they consume. When I do raw food prep on a Saturday, it's a thankless job. Nobody sees the work I put in. My only reward is the health outcomes of my puppies, health of my adult dogs and repeat puppy buyers who bought a healthy puppy.
Our bitches are NEVER over bred. When you over breed broad bitches you'll see immunocompromised puppies due to depleted nutrients in the dam. This is where you'll see skin issues, bad joints, allergies, arthritis etc. It is perfectly acceptable to ask how many litters the dam has had that you're buying a puppy from!
Our breeding stock NEVER live their lives in a 10x10 kennel. This is why we use foster families. I own the only Grand Champion/Master Hunter bitch in Texas and even Bristol lives with her foster family where she's a loved couch potato/hunting partner.
Your puppy comes with lifetime support regarding your personal situation. I never charge an adoptive family to adopt your puppy in the event there's a life situation that you can't keep your pup. I donate my time.
So... What's the cost of your puppy? The actual question is what is the TRUE cost of you puppy after hard work.
Work.. work.. work.. THEN have a litter of puppies. Backyard breeders who did NO work don't deserve to charge the SAME amount of money we do. When a breeder boast, Champion lines, remember, they are selling puppies on the coattails of another breeder's hard work. When a breeder does nothing with their breeding stock regarding titles, you know they are only breeding to profit, not breeding to better the breed.
If a breeder did zero health clearances, you'll know because it's not posted on their website. This is a golden rule in reputable breeding. It costs me about a little over $1,000 per breeder for health clearances.
Characteristics of a reputable breeder:
Health clearances posted
Titles on the sire/dam to prove their value
Posted pedigrees
Clean, sanitary environment the puppies are raised in
Outside playtime for puppies with videos
Healthy food for breeders and puppies
Transparent open kennel to the public
Again... You're getting the very best we can do from WAAP Shorthairs.
