So, I've just had words with someone about the escalating prices within the breed, well within dogs in general. I merely said that I felt that people asking £2,000 - £3,000 for puppies were just being greedy.
It all started when we were discussing a local family who had been hassling me for a puppy, and I mean hassling ... I felt sorry for them but the K litter were reserved and I simply didn't have a pup for them. I gave them details of responsible breeders who do everything right, but they didn't want to travel. They have now paid £2,500 for a puppy from Shrewsbury. The pup is not registered, the parents are not health tested and the pup is now suffering from Giardia. They asked if they could pay for their puppy to be registered, but the answer was No, the bitch had already had the 4 litters that the Kennel Club allow, her last litter had been 8 Months previously! So there goes another £2,500 into the pocket of a backyard breeder ready for them to have the next litter!
Anyway the lady in question felt that people like myself who are selling at what I consider to be a reasonable price were causing another problem. In her opinion, moneymakers are buying from people like me and then selling on the puppies at a £1,000 + extra. Well there is no denying that it's happening, the adds on Pets4homes prove that it does. But how can I justify charging lovely people who are offering great homes silly money? I can't! Lucy's law does nothing to protect these puppies, the loopholes are huge and again only breeders are penalised. It is not against the law to buy a puppy today and sell it tomorrow! All we can try and do is pick our homes carefully, very carefully!
Should we be lucky enough to have a Kaiah litter then the cost of breeding from her are already through the roof. Stud fees to 2 different males, 7 blood tests and a lorry load of diesel before I've even thought of writing it all down, actually I think it's best I don't! Ok when/if the "L" litter appear then I will be revaluating my price slightly, but greed won't come into it. The right home is far more important than the profit, and actually any profit is not ours, it's only ever put into the dogs piggy bank.
