04/21/2025
* REPOST from another Breeder*
The True Cost of a Puppy: not only are you paying for the Quality of a puppy but also the quality of the breeder!
We often receive messages from people asking, âDo you offer a discount?â or âCan you work with me on the price of a puppy?â And while we understand that budgets matter, we also hope people understand the reality of what goes into raising a quality, well-bred puppy. It is not simply a business. Itâs a way of lifeâand one filled with love, sacrifice, and heartache.
What many donât see is the journey that starts long before a litter is even born. We invest in carefully selected breeding stockâdogs that are not just beautiful, but healthy, sound in temperament, and proven in their lineage. These dogs often cost thousands of dollars on their own, and thatâs before training, certifications, health testing, and care.
Planning a breeding isnât done on a whim. It requires months, sometimes years, of preparation. We study pedigrees. We consider genetics. We travel, consult, test, waitâand hope. When the day finally comes and the dam is confirmed pregnant, our hearts are full, but the real work is just beginning.
Whelping a litter is one of the most intense, emotional experiences a breeder can go through. Many of us sleep on the floor next to the whelping box for daysâor weeksâon end, waking every hour to check pups, help with feeding, and make sure the mother is okay. We live in a state of constant watchfulness and exhaustion. There are no days off. No âsick days.â Just a deep sense of responsibility that doesnât let up.
We clean constantly. We track weights. We assist with nursing. We sanitize, feed, socialize, and soothe. And then there are the emergencies. The moments when a puppy is failing and youâre rushing to the vet, praying youâre not too late. The nights you sit quietly crying, holding a puppy you couldnât saveâbecause no matter how experienced you are, loss still hurts. It never gets easier.
Vet bills pile up. Quality food, supplements, vaccinations, microchips, deworming medsâit all adds up quickly. And these arenât shortcuts weâre willing to take. Because our goal isnât just to raise puppiesâitâs to raise great puppies. Confident. Healthy. Stable. Well-started. And ready for the life theyâll share with their new families.
We are with them around the clockâday and nightâuntil they go to their new homes. We miss holidays, cancel trips, and put our personal lives on hold. Our own families often come second to our four-legged ones. Because this isnât just a job. Itâs a calling. And we feel a tremendous obligation to do it right.
So when someone asks for a discount, itâs hard not to feel like everything we pour into this is being undervalued. Youâre not just paying for a puppy. Youâre paying for the years of experience behind that puppy. For the sleepless nights. For the heartbreaks. For the endless hours of care, cleaning, training, and love. Youâre paying for peace of mindâknowing that the dog you bring home was given the very best start in life.
Weâre not here to mass-produce dogs. Weâre here to preserve a breed we love, and to match our puppies with homes where they will thrive and be cherished.
If our price seems high, itâs because the cost of doing this the right way is even higher.
We ask for understanding, and more than anything, respect for the process. Because behind every puppy is a breeder whoâs given their whole heart to raise themâand thatâs something you simply canât put on sale.
