# Standard Pricing



## PoodleSeekin (May 8, 2021)

Is $3000 USD a 'fair' price right now for a champion line Standard puppy? The last time I got one (albiet 10+ years ago) it was only $1500 or so... I can't tell if I'm being naive/stupid considering spending this much on a dog or not


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## Phaz23 (May 31, 2020)

Sounds fair for health tested, champion PARENTS not line, make sure the at least one of the parents is at minimum an AKC champion or UKC grand champion. I think 3,000 sounds like show quality prices but not a crazy price for a quality puppy.


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## PoodleSeekin (May 8, 2021)

Ah thank you! The parents are both champions, yep! And they're red/apricots - I think they are generally a bit more expensive, as well?


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

Rose n Poos said:


> Be prepared to spend in the range of $2000 to $3500 USD.


A quality breeder will not charge more for colors, size, or gender. Doing that is trend pricing, going for as much as the market will bear. 

It costs no more to breed a red poodle than a black poodle. It costs no more to breed boys vs girls. 
It costs (the breeder) no more to breed outsize or undersize deliberately, but can cost the pup in conformation and health, as well as their future family. 

Genetics being what they are, surprises do happen but the quality breeders don't charge more for them. 

A reminder too that quality breeders are _always _breeding for show potential puppies, and those puppies are almost never sold to the general public. When the rare show potential pup appears, that pup will almost always either stay with the breeder or be co-owned with another breeder, someone trusted to take the pup thru it's show career. The rest of us get lucky and get a very well bred pet poodle. 



Phaz23 said:


> Sounds fair for health tested, champion PARENTS _not line_


The phrase "Championship _lines_" is nearly meaningless unless, as Phaz23 points out, the dam and sire are the champions, and their dams and sires...

"Championship" counts in the conformation ring, to prove that each generation is meeting the breed standard. It's not a given, an inherent trait that gets passed down.


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

The Long Version (Apologies that I don't have the Canadian Kennel Club links for the registry check)

Breeding Program 
! to maintain, improve, strengthen the breed by breeding to standard, for health and genetic diversity, and will prove their dogs meet these standards by showing or competing or by breeding from titled parents. 
It's not the title, but what it shows 
! focus is on quality, never quantity 
! they do not cross breed 
! they limit breeding to one to two breeds 
! they limit breeding to only a few litters per year * 

Breeding Parents 
! registry information available 
AKC Registry Lookup 
Dog Search 
! not too old or young for breeding 
! not overbred 
see Asking questions from a breeder 
and Frequency of Breeding a Bitch 
! health testing done appropriate to breed and variety 
this includes genetic testing (genotype) 
and 
testing done by physical exam (phenotype) (eyes, heart, hips, patellas), some annually 

! results of testing on own website, OFA site or testing lab 
see Health Related Publications - Versatility In Poodles, Inc. 
and OFA Lookup Look Up A Dog | Orthopedic Foundation for Animals | Columbia, MO 



Living Conditions 
! in home with family * 
! breeder allows, even encourages home visits 

Puppies 
! routine and urgent vet care, immunizations, dewormings 
! socialization 
! first groomings 
! registry papers 
! they will not require spay/neuter before physical maturity 
! health "guarantee" generally favors the breeder, not the buyer. 
health guarantee is no replacement for health testing of dam and sire. 
does the contract/guarantee/warranty rule out covering conditions the parents should have been tested for 
! puppies are not sold with full registration (breeding rights) simply for the price of admission. 
do you fully understand the terms of any contract/guarantee/warranty and can you live with them 
beginning housetraining is a bonus 
temperament testing is helpful 

Advertising 
! individual online site to detail history of breeder, goals for their program 
! information on dams, sires, puppies 
! no trend pricing for color, gender or size, 
! no marketing gimmick terms like "teacup" "royal" 


! Anything not found on a public online site should be provided by breeder before buying. 

* Many people prefer small scale breeders because they feel the puppies will have better socialization and it's very unlikely to be a puppy mill-like operation. 
This doesn't mean that larger scale breeders can't do things right. The breeder of record may not be hands on with every pup or poodle on the place but they should make sure that all the quality of life and attention are paid to all their dogs. 

If a breeder wants me to believe that they believe in their dogs, they won't stop the investment when it comes time to find the new families. If they want to cut costs by using free advertising sites like craigslist, kijiji, or listing on retail marketplaces like puppyspot or puppyfind, or other classified ad sites such as newspapers, I wonder what else they've cut costs on.


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

Oooh, knowing what I know now I would consider paying 3k if the experience came with every bell and whistle. 

Here's the other think to think about.. If puppy comes from super healthy parents, then you will save money on vet bills vs buying an inexoensice puppy mill puppy for cheap with bad knees and hips and crooked teeth... 

Fwiw Last June Basil was 2.5k...


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Sounds reasonable to me.


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## Happy'sDad (Jul 4, 2020)

Look at it this way, a designer mutt costs $4-5000 at the local puppies-r-us. $3000 for a top shelf SPOO sounds more than reasonable.


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## PoodleSeekin (May 8, 2021)

Thank you all for the replies! I think it honestly sounds fair, yes, and the breeder and her dogs are absolutely lovely, so..!


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