Puppy Purchasing - Let The Buyer Beware

Haven't posted a new picture of Bennett for awhile, but this one's a beauty! Ben picked up two Group Seconds a couple of weeks ago, and this is one of the photos. Lovely! Photographer was Callea Photos, and Meg really got a terrific picture, the best one I've seen of my granddog Ben. Ben was sold with the provision that I could breed to him if I wished, which I might do next fall if I can get the details worked out to my satisfaction. Mom would be a nice champion liver female who is Paisley-bred on her dam's side. She still needs to get her health testing done before this is a go. Ben is from an excellent litter and I am eager to see what he might produce.

A question from a reader - . . . can you tell me about what a champion bred pup costs? pet quality and show quality. my friend found a litter of 6 week old dals that are priced at $800 - $1000. they haven't been BAER tested, microchipped or anything. they will not be vet checked before leaving, they will be given their immunizations and that is all. i saw the pictures and they don't even look like normal dal pups, not to mention they all have big pot bellies so i am thinking they probably have worms. i am trying to convince her that is way too much to spend for such a pup and that she should just add a little with it and get one from a reputable breeder so that she can be sure the pup she is getting is of great quality, health and temperament. i don't really know exactly what per say one of your pups would cost but i'd like to give her an idea so hopefully she will realize she is getting, for lack of a better word, SCREWED. thank you!

Sounds like a bad deal to me. The price range quoted would be similar for a pet quality puppy from a well bred litter, but a pup from a responsible breeder would also be BAER (hearing) tested and have had a vet check in addition to the first vaccination and worming (if necessary). (Yes, pot-bellied pups are normally wormy, or worse. I've seen some of those under-nourished pups on several Internet sites.) Also, the parents of a litter from a responsible breeder would have some health testing themselves. An OFA number for hips, BAER testing, perhaps a CERF eye exam, or even better a CHIC number. Because people tend to be impulsive and impatient they often settle for less because they are in a hurry, but these randomly-bred dogs generally cost as much as a quality pup would cost, and you get far less. She should also ask where the pups were raised, why the breeder did the litter, what kind of contract/guarantee will be given, and she could ask for references. If she found this breeder on the Internet and the breeder does not show her dogs, this could easily be one of the Internet puppy mills that sell direct via a website.