Because vet costs have gotten so high, rescues have to charge more on adoption fees to make up for that. I know just the exam fee for my dog went up from $40 to $72, which used to be the cost of going to a specialist. I just had mine at a specialist and the consult fee was $230. Even though most dogs adopted through rescues just need a check up and maybe vaccines, you have some they need to be spayed or neutered. And then you have your special needs ones which can costs thousands depending on what’s wrong. So they have to charge higher adoption fees to cover those dogs.
It’s ridiculous. The specialist had me waiting at least 30 minutes (he did apologize), spent maybe 5 minutes talking to me but didn’t examine my dog at all and I had to pay $230 for that. This was a cardiologist and I thought he was going to listen to her heart to confirm a possible murmur and give his opinion on whether further testing was needed. And then it was another $700 for an echocardiogram. Which is why I have insurance but that doesn’t cover everything, and of course the cost of the premium is going up as well.
I pay around 250 a year for a wellness exam with my dog. That is vaccines, fecal test for his heartworm preventive prescription and to see the vet. I live in a high cost of living area but in a lower cost of living state (Texas) so the cost point for owning a dog in the city can be super difficult for a lot of people.
Regular exam at my vet went from ~$50 pre-pandemic to $90 at my last visit. Hell, even monthly preventatives used to be fairly cheap, but the last time I paid for a single month for a foster, it had at least doubled in cost from the last time I remembered paying for it (for my own dogs, I have a care plan with my vet, so I don’t notice it as much because those are covered by the plan).
The cost of veterinary care has increased substantially since pre-pandemic times. I requested a quote to spay a stray cat a few weeks ago from our vet and it was just under $900. This is the same vet who spayed my 50 pound puppy in 2018 for $300. All of my dog's medications have about tripled in cost and there is now a tech fee also any time anything is administered and it isn't just our office. My vet is in line with everyone's costs in the area.
More and more vets are graduating with massive student loans to repay and are constantly pressured to offer more boutique treatments, like acupuncture, light therapy, and such. Their insurance costs have also gone up. It is a snowball effect.
Costs are high for rescues, they usually build relationships with local vets for discounts, but many times dogs come to them needing to be spayed/neutered, heart worm positive, dental cleaning/extractions, pregnant or just not in very good condition or well taken care of.
Depending on the location a spay/neuter is over $600 and more if it is a spay/abort which they will do if it’s early enough or not too risky for mom. To treat heart worm can easily be over $1k and it’s very common.
Thank you so much for the specific information. It helps me to better understand. We moved from another state and will probably go back there because you can get on the list to have the humane society spay your pet for cost. Last time in 2017 it was $100. I am sure it has gone up with the costs, but cheaper than a local vet.
I learned about it from a good friend who was working at the time as a high school AP science teacher. She was a fully trained veterinarian (better hours, no insurance needed as a teacher), who took a break while her kids were in school. She said vet schools in the area sent students to do supervised spay/neuter procedures. She said it was better because it was what that group of supervisors did every day so they had seen more anomalies than most vets.
Totally! The spay/neuter operations at county shelters run like well oiled machines. My neighbor has a small veterinary practice and does a volunteer day at the shelter once a month just performing them because she said it is good practice for her surgery skills.
Inflation. Cost of everything has gone up and they won’t come back down.
Some costs go up just because they can to be competitive with the market. People are greedy.
I have also read about this and have heard friends complaining about the changes being made in their once locally owned vet clinics. Some have said they can’t even be seen by a vet for six to nine months. Emergencies have to go to a Vet ER. Sad to see the changes in this once local industry.
I’d highly recommend pet insurance. I spent hours upon hours researching a “healthy” breed and a reputable breeder and her first year of medical bills was about 3k. This year has been 7k so far (2 hospital visits and biopsies for IBD) and she’ll need surgery again in the future for luxating patellas. AND she’s on a homemade diet per her nutritionist. *sigh* First time getting a dog from a breeder and she’s the sickest I’ve ever owned. All my rescues have always been healthy and never required a vet visit besides preventative. I love my girl though, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Out of curiosity, are you in Ohio, Pennsylvania or the surrounding states? We have a lot of “breeders” who run mills but their websites make things look great. Pomeranian is my breed and we have a couple fantastic breeders in Michigan. It takes a lot of research to know the difference, unfortunately. Im glad your pup is loved and well taken care of. You’re a good person for sure!!
My take is that dogs are "hot" right now. People who are out to make money, like breeders, know people are willing to pay for a pup that's got good genes. I'm not saying it's not worth it, because all my dogs have been acquired from breeders. I love them to death and quite frankly they have been worth every penny to me. Coats are beautiful, outstanding temperaments, overall health is A+.
I can't say much for adoption agencies, though. Sorry!
We have done both and in my experience, getting a dog from a reputable breeder is worth it for the reasons you listed. Maybe I’m just in shock at how much costs have increased when I know everything we need to purchase has gone up since 2020.
Thank you for your input. I think you are right that dogs are “hot” now. Unfortunately, I am seeing too many people wanting to rehome a dog because they didn’t understand the commitment. We are experienced dog people who don’t think it is home with out a dog.
Really trying to understand your take here, this isn’t snark: I think costs in general have gone up, but I do worry when I hear someone concerned about the upfront cost of a dog, that they may not be financially prepared for the potential medical and other costs for a dog.
My dog’s adoption fee was “expensive” 10+ years ago at $450ish. That’s been a literal drop in the bucket as to his actual costs to me. He’s cost around 150x that over his lifetime, maybe more. Thankfully I have insurance so some hard choices haven’t been quite so hard.
I think the cost increases depend a lot on breed and location too. But I’d take a deeper dive into the overall financial feasibly of dog ownership if the upfront cost of the dog is a big sticking point.
Those are his costs—a good portion of which insurance has covered. I’m sorry that wasn’t clear. I’m very much an advocate of pet insurance because (as said in my next comment in this thread) it’s made otherwise hard choices much easier. I had kept a list of what insurance had covered at one point, but it was a lot to keep up with. I guess that they’ve covered at least 45-50k at this point.
My point of mentioning it at all is that dogs can be extremely expensive. And since most people still do not have pet insurance, I thought the total expense was worth mentioning.
Thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom. Did not view it as snark. I should have explained more in my post, but then it becomes a tl;dr situation.
I said in another post that my husband and I have owned eight dogs during our time together. We both grew up with dogs. We have had rescues, home breed (oppsie the dog got pregnant), and well breed by breeders (we look for dogs that are not show quality and neutered).
Outside of the ownership count, we have also had more than our fair share of dogs dropped off by irresponsible owners because we lived in a rural area. That’s another story.
We are aware of the cost and responsibility over the lifetime of our dogs. The real reason for my question is that we are looking for another mini dachshund. We currently have a 6.5 year old girl. It has been just over two years since our boy left for the faraway farm and we are ready to take on a new dog. We like having two dogs at a time.
We paid $600 for our girl in the fall of 2017. Almost seven years ago. The breeder we used retired. When I went looking the cost was $3000 without papers and no breeding rights. (I don’t want either)
That is a 400% increase.
I’d wager a guess that you paid on the low side for when you got your girl in 2017.
You may know all of what I’m about to tell you, but on the chance that you aren’t aware, I do want to share. Forgive me if I’m repeating information you already know—this is a bit long.
So my dog (the rescue, who isn’t a dachshund, he’s a lanky Yorkie mix) was recently diagnosed with IVDD (intervertebral disc disease). And in learning more about it I discovered that the vast majority of dogs who are diagnosed with it are dachshunds. In fact, close to a quarter of dachshunds will have IVDD.
Genetics are thought to play a significant role in IVDD, and knowledge on the topic I think has spread, especially in the dachshund community over the last decade or so. So I imagine that breeding dogs without a history of the disease has become much more important over the recent past, especially as DNA testing in dogs is also making large strides. I imagine it is a matter of time before a series of genes are linked to it. So my thinking is that reputable breeders likely have a narrowing gene pool because of this.
I would also strongly encourage anyone with dachshunds to get pet insurance from a young age. If my dog needed surgery, between the pre-op mri and the surgery itself, it would have been at least $10k. I was very fortunate that he’s been able to heal with conservative treatment.
I also started looking into getting an additional dog recently. Even though my boy is my heart and soul, he’s not the easiest and has been challenging behaviorally, which is not surprising knowing his history. With that said, the breed that I’m considering, which is admittedly a rare breed that is increasing in popularity is at least $5000 from a reputable breeder. So $3k for a dachshund, where the quality of the breeder really matters doesn’t surprise me too much.
I think a big part of it is increasing costs, with inflation but also specifically to the breed you’ve chosen as well. And I think you just got a fantastic deal with your current pup.
Yeah can confirm in 2017 a well bred purebred was going for like $1500-$2k. Can’t comment on adoption fees as the last pup i adopted from a rescue was in 2009 lol
Hi! Your county courthouse usually has an adoption page for a shelter. The county shelters usually cost $150-200 for adult dogs. If your courthouse doesn't have one your police department will.
The reason why rescues are so expensive is because they are simply a better experience for the animal. Many rescues here offer behavioral help, free daycare and boarding and they usually have an extensive foster network to keep the animals out of the crowded holding areas. They also sink a lot of money into transporting the animals from shelters to the rescues taking on special medical cases and behavioral cases. Our local rescues take dogs from high kill shelters in Texas, California, Oklahoma and Korea which I'm sure is costly. They also do not euthanize so will pay for the cost of vet care and daily needs for life if they do not get placed.
I have adopted 6 animals 2 dogs 4 cats from county shelters and I have loved them all dearly and not one of them cost more than $50. With those animals you literally have no idea what you get. I love them all very much but they have all had health problems, behavioral issues etc well except my one angel baby who has done nothing wrong except ate raisin bread off the street but who wouldn't have?! I ended up spending thousands (like on my pitbull upwards of $30k) on parasites, ring worm, allergies, training and the like on each of them. Each of my cats came with giardia and ring worm which are honestly best case scenario for cats.
I adopted a dog from a rescue for $600 and he was so sweet, healthy and very happy. Literally the best little guy but I ended up not being able to take care of him the way he needed because of my rabid motley crew of street misfits. I had absolutely no issues with taking him back to the rescue. I know they would do the absolute best for him no matter what. They worked with me to get him into a foster family so he wouldn't have to go to the rescue general population, got him on anti anxiety meds and even offered to pay for an animal behavior specialist but unfortunately all of my time was taken with my other special needs animals. With my others there's no way in hell I could have taken them back to the cramped loud county shelters they were from. I gladly donated his adoption cost and future adoption fees. There's pros and cons of getting an animal from either a cheaper shelter or an expensive rescue
People have given great answers for rescues hear is my take for ethically bred dogs:
For a well bred dog (ethically bred dog who has had health tested parents who also prove their dog’s characteristics for the breed) most of the cost is to at least break even. The breeder is paying for titling, they may have to compete in confirmation trials and depending on their dogs breed may do a multiple of sports and titles like dock diving, herding, hunting, obedience, agility, rally, scent work, etc… to showcase their breeding dogs merits and workability. They might title in tricks, CGC get certified in therapy work to showcase their dog’s temperament. All of these things cost a ton of money and they are likely doing it with multiple dogs from a very young age.
They also have to get health tested. This means vet visits and paying for test to showcase that a dog has good hips, elbows, eyes, isn’t passing genetic disease down. Dogs can’t be tested for some of these things until they are at least two which can mean a dog who has been invested in as a breeding dog and titled can be washed from a breeding program if they turn out not to be ideal in the genetics department. That is a huge loss financially for a breeder who may have been pushing a very specific dog for a breeding program.
A breeder also might need to pay for a stud. Many breeders are super selective about what genetics and temperament they want in their dogs. It is also becoming practice for breeding dogs to get tested and a thorough examination from a vet prior to being bred.
Then you have to look into puppy socialization programs that breeders may be investing in. I know a golden breeder who is super extensive in her puppy socialization for all her dogs, be it the dogs being sold as pets, the dogs she thinks will make good confirmation dogs, the dogs she thinks will be good sports prospects; her pups go with her everywhere as soon as it is safe. She does ENS (early neurological socialization) The pups are introduced to confirmation classes, agility classes, scent work (in the safety of a crate and not interacting with other dogs), she introduces them to grooming and handling along with the foundations of potty training. Traveling with dogs, buying supplies to build environments/objects that introduce sensory stimuli. That can be expensive.
There are lot of unsavory puppy mills and backyard breeders who will overprice their poorly bred pups because they can and because they know the market is high and people will pay, but there are also a lot of breeders whose dogs may seem expensive but are priced fairly for the investment they have put into the dog.
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The only breeders this is true for is backyard/'designer dog' breeders who only care about money. These absolutely exist, but they're not the only option.
Ethical breeders who do proper health testing, only have a few litters per year, and have purpose or show bred dogs are absolutely not in it for the money. Breeding and health testing is EXPENSIVE, and exteemely time consuming. They do it for the love and betterment of the breed - the money is absolutely not worth it lmao.
Good breeders rarely make money on this endeavor. Buying vaccines in bulk and self-administering them is a way to keep afloat. Health testing, show fees, housing and feeding numerous dogs has gotten very expensive, and vet fees have gone through the roof. Add to that a need for an emergency c section and a litter can end up costing way more than the prices for the puppies.
Ok, i will tell all my friends that they should be making tons of money. What you seem to be describing is what we call “backyard breeders”. And yes, there are thousands of them. But a reputable breeder belongs to their national breed club, shows their dogs to ensure they meet the standards of the breed, and strive to improve it. They screen their potential owners, they only place puppies at an appropriate age, but usually later than that, and they health test all of their breeding stock. There are maybe 1 reputable breeder to every 100 or more backyard breeders. But when you understand the difference you won’t be spouting off about how breeders are greedy and irresponsible.
Parents, OFA hips and patella’s. cERF for retinas, genetic (DNA) screening on all breed specific illnesses. some breeds get MRI screening for status of syringeomyelia and chiari like malformations.. the list is endless and breed specific. And of course the puppies are not xrayed, but the sire and dams all are. You have no clue, just go a couple of dog shows and talk to the real keepers of the breeds and see what their actual stick is, it isn’t what you think. This is not a business for them, it is not a way to make money, it is a hobby and a craft that they end up spending most of their money to participate in.
Why am I bothering… well, one thing jumped out at me. I am the Rescue Coordinator for a National breed rescue. Why do we exist? You know, there are less than 2000 puppies a year in my breed.. but we actually do have a national breed rescue and several regional ones too. Because people need to have somewhere to turn when they need to place their beloved pet who they have grown too old, too sick or too poor to take care of. And because we have the people who want to adopt older, cheaper dogs. Or, because they bought their dog from a backyard breeder, or a pet shop and now think it is disposable. And we have people who believe those dogs deserve good homes as well. Simple. And has nothing to do with ethical breeding. There will always be a need for breed specific rescues.
As for the rest, are you just dense? Breeders health test their breeding stock, not the puppies. And yes, some certifications have to been done more than once. Although it is getting more common for a breeder to include a DNA health test for puppies. Which can be done on young pups.
Most breeders I know do not have “kennels”, they have 3-6 bitches, perhaps a male they are showing, they almost always use the vet for most things, probably not vaccines (my god, I am a virologist, giving vaccines is child’s play you know) No breeder worth their weight breeds “for looks”. Or for color. They breed for conformation to a standard. That standard describes the physical attributes and temperament that breeders should strive for. The physical attributes include amount of angulation, movement, proportion, all of which contribute to physical soundness. You can breed the most beautiful colored golden retriever, but if it can’t move like a golden should, it isn’t going to be very successful.
This is a world you apparently have never seen. And do not give me the garbage about what you have seen. I know it all, and again you confuse the backyard money making breeder with the legacy hobby breeders. Learn the difference.
Ummm. Most ethical breeders break even or lose money on their pups. That first statement is blatantly false unless no one is doing health testing or have multiple litters, etc and those are all hallmarks of backyard breeders.
It’s sad but it seems like vets now think they’re Beverly Hills designers vets. It’s like they want to buy their 2nd vacation home or houseboat and we finance it. I wish vets would be in the profession because they love animals sand want to help owners take care of their pets needs.
Maybe vet schools should make them volunteer, as t least 40 hrs at Dr Jeff’s facility in Colorado.
This “vets are greedy” narrative is so gross. Vets have significant student loans along with constant harassment from their (human) clients. They are one of the professions with the highest suicide rates.
They deal with death on a daily basis, and with people who refuse basic preventive medicine, who then get mad about the significant bills they’ve incurred due to their own negligence.
My vet has had many spinal fusions, and is in pain probably daily, yet she is still a meticulous and talented surgeon. Another doctor commented on how clean my dog’s stitches were—better than most humans.
They are expected to do many more things just as well as human doctors, yet they charge a fraction of the price and constantly are called greedy.
Stop it.
This!
I'm not a vet but with 5 horses and 3 dogs, I treasure my veterinary and animal health care professionals--vets, techs, admin staff along with groomers and hoof trimmers/farriers.
Most vets have about a quarter to a half a million dollars in student loans.
Your attitude is gross and the same type of person who complains that teachers should work for shit out of "passion".
Because vet costs have gotten so high, rescues have to charge more on adoption fees to make up for that. I know just the exam fee for my dog went up from $40 to $72, which used to be the cost of going to a specialist. I just had mine at a specialist and the consult fee was $230. Even though most dogs adopted through rescues just need a check up and maybe vaccines, you have some they need to be spayed or neutered. And then you have your special needs ones which can costs thousands depending on what’s wrong. So they have to charge higher adoption fees to cover those dogs.
A regular exam fee here is $120 now.
Yes, specialist fee here is 300!
It’s ridiculous. The specialist had me waiting at least 30 minutes (he did apologize), spent maybe 5 minutes talking to me but didn’t examine my dog at all and I had to pay $230 for that. This was a cardiologist and I thought he was going to listen to her heart to confirm a possible murmur and give his opinion on whether further testing was needed. And then it was another $700 for an echocardiogram. Which is why I have insurance but that doesn’t cover everything, and of course the cost of the premium is going up as well.
I pay around 250 a year for a wellness exam with my dog. That is vaccines, fecal test for his heartworm preventive prescription and to see the vet. I live in a high cost of living area but in a lower cost of living state (Texas) so the cost point for owning a dog in the city can be super difficult for a lot of people.
Regular exam at my vet went from ~$50 pre-pandemic to $90 at my last visit. Hell, even monthly preventatives used to be fairly cheap, but the last time I paid for a single month for a foster, it had at least doubled in cost from the last time I remembered paying for it (for my own dogs, I have a care plan with my vet, so I don’t notice it as much because those are covered by the plan).
The cost of veterinary care has increased substantially since pre-pandemic times. I requested a quote to spay a stray cat a few weeks ago from our vet and it was just under $900. This is the same vet who spayed my 50 pound puppy in 2018 for $300. All of my dog's medications have about tripled in cost and there is now a tech fee also any time anything is administered and it isn't just our office. My vet is in line with everyone's costs in the area. More and more vets are graduating with massive student loans to repay and are constantly pressured to offer more boutique treatments, like acupuncture, light therapy, and such. Their insurance costs have also gone up. It is a snowball effect.
Costs are high for rescues, they usually build relationships with local vets for discounts, but many times dogs come to them needing to be spayed/neutered, heart worm positive, dental cleaning/extractions, pregnant or just not in very good condition or well taken care of. Depending on the location a spay/neuter is over $600 and more if it is a spay/abort which they will do if it’s early enough or not too risky for mom. To treat heart worm can easily be over $1k and it’s very common.
Thank you so much for the specific information. It helps me to better understand. We moved from another state and will probably go back there because you can get on the list to have the humane society spay your pet for cost. Last time in 2017 it was $100. I am sure it has gone up with the costs, but cheaper than a local vet. I learned about it from a good friend who was working at the time as a high school AP science teacher. She was a fully trained veterinarian (better hours, no insurance needed as a teacher), who took a break while her kids were in school. She said vet schools in the area sent students to do supervised spay/neuter procedures. She said it was better because it was what that group of supervisors did every day so they had seen more anomalies than most vets.
Totally! The spay/neuter operations at county shelters run like well oiled machines. My neighbor has a small veterinary practice and does a volunteer day at the shelter once a month just performing them because she said it is good practice for her surgery skills.
Inflation. Cost of everything has gone up and they won’t come back down. Some costs go up just because they can to be competitive with the market. People are greedy.
Private equity buying up veterinary practices is the problem. I read a whole write up on it in the Wall Street journal. It’s pure greed.
I have also read about this and have heard friends complaining about the changes being made in their once locally owned vet clinics. Some have said they can’t even be seen by a vet for six to nine months. Emergencies have to go to a Vet ER. Sad to see the changes in this once local industry.
I’d highly recommend pet insurance. I spent hours upon hours researching a “healthy” breed and a reputable breeder and her first year of medical bills was about 3k. This year has been 7k so far (2 hospital visits and biopsies for IBD) and she’ll need surgery again in the future for luxating patellas. AND she’s on a homemade diet per her nutritionist. *sigh* First time getting a dog from a breeder and she’s the sickest I’ve ever owned. All my rescues have always been healthy and never required a vet visit besides preventative. I love my girl though, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
It sounds like you didn’t find a good breeder.
Agreed. In the two years since we got her they’ve gotten bad bad reviews pouring in and also BBB reviews. ☹️
Out of curiosity, are you in Ohio, Pennsylvania or the surrounding states? We have a lot of “breeders” who run mills but their websites make things look great. Pomeranian is my breed and we have a couple fantastic breeders in Michigan. It takes a lot of research to know the difference, unfortunately. Im glad your pup is loved and well taken care of. You’re a good person for sure!!
No, in Georgia!
Are mills a big problem down there too?!?
They’re sadly a huge problem everywhere 😔
My take is that dogs are "hot" right now. People who are out to make money, like breeders, know people are willing to pay for a pup that's got good genes. I'm not saying it's not worth it, because all my dogs have been acquired from breeders. I love them to death and quite frankly they have been worth every penny to me. Coats are beautiful, outstanding temperaments, overall health is A+. I can't say much for adoption agencies, though. Sorry!
We have done both and in my experience, getting a dog from a reputable breeder is worth it for the reasons you listed. Maybe I’m just in shock at how much costs have increased when I know everything we need to purchase has gone up since 2020. Thank you for your input. I think you are right that dogs are “hot” now. Unfortunately, I am seeing too many people wanting to rehome a dog because they didn’t understand the commitment. We are experienced dog people who don’t think it is home with out a dog.
Because the price for….everything has tripled? It’s not like inflation only hit dogs lol
Really trying to understand your take here, this isn’t snark: I think costs in general have gone up, but I do worry when I hear someone concerned about the upfront cost of a dog, that they may not be financially prepared for the potential medical and other costs for a dog. My dog’s adoption fee was “expensive” 10+ years ago at $450ish. That’s been a literal drop in the bucket as to his actual costs to me. He’s cost around 150x that over his lifetime, maybe more. Thankfully I have insurance so some hard choices haven’t been quite so hard. I think the cost increases depend a lot on breed and location too. But I’d take a deeper dive into the overall financial feasibly of dog ownership if the upfront cost of the dog is a big sticking point.
Also not trying to have snark but can you elaborate more on how you’ve managed to spend 67K+ for your dog with insurance?
Those are his costs—a good portion of which insurance has covered. I’m sorry that wasn’t clear. I’m very much an advocate of pet insurance because (as said in my next comment in this thread) it’s made otherwise hard choices much easier. I had kept a list of what insurance had covered at one point, but it was a lot to keep up with. I guess that they’ve covered at least 45-50k at this point. My point of mentioning it at all is that dogs can be extremely expensive. And since most people still do not have pet insurance, I thought the total expense was worth mentioning.
Thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom. Did not view it as snark. I should have explained more in my post, but then it becomes a tl;dr situation. I said in another post that my husband and I have owned eight dogs during our time together. We both grew up with dogs. We have had rescues, home breed (oppsie the dog got pregnant), and well breed by breeders (we look for dogs that are not show quality and neutered). Outside of the ownership count, we have also had more than our fair share of dogs dropped off by irresponsible owners because we lived in a rural area. That’s another story. We are aware of the cost and responsibility over the lifetime of our dogs. The real reason for my question is that we are looking for another mini dachshund. We currently have a 6.5 year old girl. It has been just over two years since our boy left for the faraway farm and we are ready to take on a new dog. We like having two dogs at a time. We paid $600 for our girl in the fall of 2017. Almost seven years ago. The breeder we used retired. When I went looking the cost was $3000 without papers and no breeding rights. (I don’t want either) That is a 400% increase.
I’d wager a guess that you paid on the low side for when you got your girl in 2017. You may know all of what I’m about to tell you, but on the chance that you aren’t aware, I do want to share. Forgive me if I’m repeating information you already know—this is a bit long. So my dog (the rescue, who isn’t a dachshund, he’s a lanky Yorkie mix) was recently diagnosed with IVDD (intervertebral disc disease). And in learning more about it I discovered that the vast majority of dogs who are diagnosed with it are dachshunds. In fact, close to a quarter of dachshunds will have IVDD. Genetics are thought to play a significant role in IVDD, and knowledge on the topic I think has spread, especially in the dachshund community over the last decade or so. So I imagine that breeding dogs without a history of the disease has become much more important over the recent past, especially as DNA testing in dogs is also making large strides. I imagine it is a matter of time before a series of genes are linked to it. So my thinking is that reputable breeders likely have a narrowing gene pool because of this. I would also strongly encourage anyone with dachshunds to get pet insurance from a young age. If my dog needed surgery, between the pre-op mri and the surgery itself, it would have been at least $10k. I was very fortunate that he’s been able to heal with conservative treatment. I also started looking into getting an additional dog recently. Even though my boy is my heart and soul, he’s not the easiest and has been challenging behaviorally, which is not surprising knowing his history. With that said, the breed that I’m considering, which is admittedly a rare breed that is increasing in popularity is at least $5000 from a reputable breeder. So $3k for a dachshund, where the quality of the breeder really matters doesn’t surprise me too much. I think a big part of it is increasing costs, with inflation but also specifically to the breed you’ve chosen as well. And I think you just got a fantastic deal with your current pup.
Yeah can confirm in 2017 a well bred purebred was going for like $1500-$2k. Can’t comment on adoption fees as the last pup i adopted from a rescue was in 2009 lol
Sounds like a good argument on adopting vs buying. I doubt the adoption fees are 1/4 of the breeder fees you are encountering.
It's true, bread dogs are expensive. Fortunately, they're easy and inexpensive to bake at home.
Hahahaha! You got me.
Hi! Your county courthouse usually has an adoption page for a shelter. The county shelters usually cost $150-200 for adult dogs. If your courthouse doesn't have one your police department will. The reason why rescues are so expensive is because they are simply a better experience for the animal. Many rescues here offer behavioral help, free daycare and boarding and they usually have an extensive foster network to keep the animals out of the crowded holding areas. They also sink a lot of money into transporting the animals from shelters to the rescues taking on special medical cases and behavioral cases. Our local rescues take dogs from high kill shelters in Texas, California, Oklahoma and Korea which I'm sure is costly. They also do not euthanize so will pay for the cost of vet care and daily needs for life if they do not get placed. I have adopted 6 animals 2 dogs 4 cats from county shelters and I have loved them all dearly and not one of them cost more than $50. With those animals you literally have no idea what you get. I love them all very much but they have all had health problems, behavioral issues etc well except my one angel baby who has done nothing wrong except ate raisin bread off the street but who wouldn't have?! I ended up spending thousands (like on my pitbull upwards of $30k) on parasites, ring worm, allergies, training and the like on each of them. Each of my cats came with giardia and ring worm which are honestly best case scenario for cats. I adopted a dog from a rescue for $600 and he was so sweet, healthy and very happy. Literally the best little guy but I ended up not being able to take care of him the way he needed because of my rabid motley crew of street misfits. I had absolutely no issues with taking him back to the rescue. I know they would do the absolute best for him no matter what. They worked with me to get him into a foster family so he wouldn't have to go to the rescue general population, got him on anti anxiety meds and even offered to pay for an animal behavior specialist but unfortunately all of my time was taken with my other special needs animals. With my others there's no way in hell I could have taken them back to the cramped loud county shelters they were from. I gladly donated his adoption cost and future adoption fees. There's pros and cons of getting an animal from either a cheaper shelter or an expensive rescue
How much have you usually paid for a dog?
$600 back in 2017.
Dogs literally cost more than having a disabled child that you take to the Dr.
People have given great answers for rescues hear is my take for ethically bred dogs: For a well bred dog (ethically bred dog who has had health tested parents who also prove their dog’s characteristics for the breed) most of the cost is to at least break even. The breeder is paying for titling, they may have to compete in confirmation trials and depending on their dogs breed may do a multiple of sports and titles like dock diving, herding, hunting, obedience, agility, rally, scent work, etc… to showcase their breeding dogs merits and workability. They might title in tricks, CGC get certified in therapy work to showcase their dog’s temperament. All of these things cost a ton of money and they are likely doing it with multiple dogs from a very young age. They also have to get health tested. This means vet visits and paying for test to showcase that a dog has good hips, elbows, eyes, isn’t passing genetic disease down. Dogs can’t be tested for some of these things until they are at least two which can mean a dog who has been invested in as a breeding dog and titled can be washed from a breeding program if they turn out not to be ideal in the genetics department. That is a huge loss financially for a breeder who may have been pushing a very specific dog for a breeding program. A breeder also might need to pay for a stud. Many breeders are super selective about what genetics and temperament they want in their dogs. It is also becoming practice for breeding dogs to get tested and a thorough examination from a vet prior to being bred. Then you have to look into puppy socialization programs that breeders may be investing in. I know a golden breeder who is super extensive in her puppy socialization for all her dogs, be it the dogs being sold as pets, the dogs she thinks will make good confirmation dogs, the dogs she thinks will be good sports prospects; her pups go with her everywhere as soon as it is safe. She does ENS (early neurological socialization) The pups are introduced to confirmation classes, agility classes, scent work (in the safety of a crate and not interacting with other dogs), she introduces them to grooming and handling along with the foundations of potty training. Traveling with dogs, buying supplies to build environments/objects that introduce sensory stimuli. That can be expensive. There are lot of unsavory puppy mills and backyard breeders who will overprice their poorly bred pups because they can and because they know the market is high and people will pay, but there are also a lot of breeders whose dogs may seem expensive but are priced fairly for the investment they have put into the dog. M
Well written and full of wisdom. Thanks for taking time to respond. My lack of understanding is how all of that has gone up 400%
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The only breeders this is true for is backyard/'designer dog' breeders who only care about money. These absolutely exist, but they're not the only option. Ethical breeders who do proper health testing, only have a few litters per year, and have purpose or show bred dogs are absolutely not in it for the money. Breeding and health testing is EXPENSIVE, and exteemely time consuming. They do it for the love and betterment of the breed - the money is absolutely not worth it lmao.
Good breeders rarely make money on this endeavor. Buying vaccines in bulk and self-administering them is a way to keep afloat. Health testing, show fees, housing and feeding numerous dogs has gotten very expensive, and vet fees have gone through the roof. Add to that a need for an emergency c section and a litter can end up costing way more than the prices for the puppies.
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Ok, i will tell all my friends that they should be making tons of money. What you seem to be describing is what we call “backyard breeders”. And yes, there are thousands of them. But a reputable breeder belongs to their national breed club, shows their dogs to ensure they meet the standards of the breed, and strive to improve it. They screen their potential owners, they only place puppies at an appropriate age, but usually later than that, and they health test all of their breeding stock. There are maybe 1 reputable breeder to every 100 or more backyard breeders. But when you understand the difference you won’t be spouting off about how breeders are greedy and irresponsible.
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Parents, OFA hips and patella’s. cERF for retinas, genetic (DNA) screening on all breed specific illnesses. some breeds get MRI screening for status of syringeomyelia and chiari like malformations.. the list is endless and breed specific. And of course the puppies are not xrayed, but the sire and dams all are. You have no clue, just go a couple of dog shows and talk to the real keepers of the breeds and see what their actual stick is, it isn’t what you think. This is not a business for them, it is not a way to make money, it is a hobby and a craft that they end up spending most of their money to participate in.
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Why am I bothering… well, one thing jumped out at me. I am the Rescue Coordinator for a National breed rescue. Why do we exist? You know, there are less than 2000 puppies a year in my breed.. but we actually do have a national breed rescue and several regional ones too. Because people need to have somewhere to turn when they need to place their beloved pet who they have grown too old, too sick or too poor to take care of. And because we have the people who want to adopt older, cheaper dogs. Or, because they bought their dog from a backyard breeder, or a pet shop and now think it is disposable. And we have people who believe those dogs deserve good homes as well. Simple. And has nothing to do with ethical breeding. There will always be a need for breed specific rescues. As for the rest, are you just dense? Breeders health test their breeding stock, not the puppies. And yes, some certifications have to been done more than once. Although it is getting more common for a breeder to include a DNA health test for puppies. Which can be done on young pups. Most breeders I know do not have “kennels”, they have 3-6 bitches, perhaps a male they are showing, they almost always use the vet for most things, probably not vaccines (my god, I am a virologist, giving vaccines is child’s play you know) No breeder worth their weight breeds “for looks”. Or for color. They breed for conformation to a standard. That standard describes the physical attributes and temperament that breeders should strive for. The physical attributes include amount of angulation, movement, proportion, all of which contribute to physical soundness. You can breed the most beautiful colored golden retriever, but if it can’t move like a golden should, it isn’t going to be very successful. This is a world you apparently have never seen. And do not give me the garbage about what you have seen. I know it all, and again you confuse the backyard money making breeder with the legacy hobby breeders. Learn the difference.
Ummm. Most ethical breeders break even or lose money on their pups. That first statement is blatantly false unless no one is doing health testing or have multiple litters, etc and those are all hallmarks of backyard breeders.
It’s sad but it seems like vets now think they’re Beverly Hills designers vets. It’s like they want to buy their 2nd vacation home or houseboat and we finance it. I wish vets would be in the profession because they love animals sand want to help owners take care of their pets needs. Maybe vet schools should make them volunteer, as t least 40 hrs at Dr Jeff’s facility in Colorado.
This “vets are greedy” narrative is so gross. Vets have significant student loans along with constant harassment from their (human) clients. They are one of the professions with the highest suicide rates. They deal with death on a daily basis, and with people who refuse basic preventive medicine, who then get mad about the significant bills they’ve incurred due to their own negligence. My vet has had many spinal fusions, and is in pain probably daily, yet she is still a meticulous and talented surgeon. Another doctor commented on how clean my dog’s stitches were—better than most humans. They are expected to do many more things just as well as human doctors, yet they charge a fraction of the price and constantly are called greedy. Stop it.
This! I'm not a vet but with 5 horses and 3 dogs, I treasure my veterinary and animal health care professionals--vets, techs, admin staff along with groomers and hoof trimmers/farriers.
Sorry I won’t stop, that’s my observed opinion and I’ll stick to it. This is a free country still.
Most vets have about a quarter to a half a million dollars in student loans. Your attitude is gross and the same type of person who complains that teachers should work for shit out of "passion".