The advantage to adopting an adult over a puppy is that usually genetic issues (etc) have had time to rear their ugly head so you usually know what you are getting into.
I also agree that I doesn’t support BYB but that’s already been said.
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@chestnutmarebeware I think you should just quit answering all the posters, especially the ones who keep repeating negative things. They ARE NOT reading your replies, or don’t care to listen, where you state you cannot answer questions because you have not contacted the seller yet!!
Just walk away from this thread and don’t come back until you get with the seller, to buy or walk away from the puppies. You CANNOT make them happy, no matter what you say! Funny how they think a high price makes for a better dog! Cheaper puppy MUST have all negative qualities, though they are ignorant of who is selling.
The stalker trying to find your seller is scary!! Are they going to out you as a cheap buyer or spell out your name and address for everyone??? Just way over the line in trying to get more details!!
You REALLY need to ignore any more posts on here!!
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No, that’s not it at all. I’m personally saying a higher price generally reflects the cost of proper health screening. Not a lot of breeders breed and set up a model only to lose a lot of money.
I don’t care either way really. I don’t want to support BYBs but I’m not sure this is one.
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I said it before and I’ll say it again. GET THE PUPPY!
People can really be stuck-up prigs when it comes to their very important, well educated opinions.
Do what makes you happy.
Re: price. Crap breeders around here regularly over price their dogs. Because they can. It doesn’t mean that it’s quality dog at all.
Get the puppy!
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Dog breeder here. I can say without question that your statement that “all dog breeders contribute to overpopulation” is nonsense. I’ve been breeding for many years, and I can tell you exactly where every single puppy I’ve bred is (or was, in the case of those who’ve crossed the bridge) and I always am willing to take back any pup I’ve bred if a situation arises where the owner cannot keep it (example, one owner was dying of cancer, another was a divorce situation, etc.). All of my pups end up in good homes for life. That’s not over population.
As for health issues in Pekingese, this is from the OFA website and give you an idea of what is present in the breed and percentages:
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My trainer breeds Great Pyrenees and charges about $1200 for a puppy. Her dogs pass every health test, come with a guarantee and she will take back any one of them at any time for whatever reason. She says it barely covers the cost of exams, tests, etc. They are healthy with great temperaments (two are top show dogs right now).
My chi-mix’s adoption fee was $400, which included all vaccines, deworming and spaying. The “breeders” of the puppy you’re interested in could be showing photos of different puppies, which is often done. Is it possible to get the name of their vet for information about the parents (unless that’s a privacy issue, IDK). Or if they’ve had litters before and can call other puppy buyers for reference?
Maybe they had two beloved dogs that happened to produce two puppies. Maybe you’ll be lucky and have a perfectly wonderful healthy puppy. From what I’ve seen from dog shows, a well bred conformationally correct Peke just looks like a poorly designed dog with future health issues; a badly bred one that bears more of a resemblance to a Tibetan Spaniel might fare better.
We’re all just looking out for you.
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I am just here for puppy pictures. 
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I know you are not wanting to update but did you find out about the pups ? I think $400 is plenty for any pup ( and way more than I could / or would want to pay) and see no reason why the price should mean an inferior pup or a scam?
Some responsible family type breeders raise healthy, happy pups without the need to price gouge the prospective buyers…
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@candyappy, how many litters have you raised? None, clearly.
I’m not in a high income area of the country. I have around 240 hours of work and time in a litter of 8 puppies by the end of 8 weeks, not counting vet, health testing, food, stud fee and just owning the dam, not counting training and proving she is worthy of being bred. I’ll have around $6000-7000 in in the basic time and expenses in my current litter by the time they go home. Add extra expenses like a C-section at the emergency clinic at 1 am ($3500). I’ll have close to 1k in each puppy.
There are plenty of rescue dogs available and in need of good homes. The majority of rescue and shelter dogs will be more than $400. Breeders work very hard to raise good puppies, and I see no reason they should take a huge loss.
And if you know of any, I’m in the market for a Grand Prix dressage horse, no older than ten. I’ve got $2000 to spend, might go 2500 if it’s really a good mover. And I have a kid looking for a proven Big Eq horse for less than $1500.
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You can price your puppies at whatever you want. Doesn’t mean everyone wants to pay your price .
I don’t have to raise a litter of puppies to know there is cost involved. Breeding and raising animals is expensive.
The problem is that high priced breeders tend to rip apart the small backyard breeders when you have no idea what quality of puppies they raise . I have known people who have gotten a raw deal buying from both.
Your horse comment is not worth replying to. I find horse prices as inflated as puppy prices.
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I have said before that I think there is a solid market for pet quality puppies. One of the most expensive parts of being a purebred breeder is acquisition of titles - which is important at a certain level, but for the average pet owner is just not important.
I think there is a world in which good breeders can select good, healthy specimens for breeding without acquisition of titles - or, perhaps, acquire the kinds of titles that matter to families who want pets – CGC, basic obedience, etc. A show record is not something that makes a pet a better pet – even if you appreciate the value of conformation titles.
What I won’t give in to is the idea that health screening is optional. It shouldn’t be. I saw an xray on Facebook today of a dog with no hip sockets at all. Now - who knows, the text says it was a breeding animal, but it might have been a random rescue. The bottom line though is that it was a physical trainwreck. And that level of dysplasia is preventable. There is almost no chance that a dog with generations of clear hips would produce something like that.
But OFA xrays cost…$500-600? Maybe? But it’s once. Each breeding animal should have at least the basic health testing for their breed, even if it’s $1000 total. Because if they are good and you breed it twice, it could be possible to recoup the pre-breeding expenses and make a small profit even selling puppies for $500-700. (Obviously, of course there are risks that might mean c-sections, or loss of dam/puppies, etc.)
I do think there are backyard breeders who do this. But unfortunately there are more who don’t think that way, and don’t select for quality or conduct health testing at all.
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Although we found our Great Pyrenees on the side of the road, I would have gladly paid that, and more, and I suspect that her original owners did pay. Her temperament couldn’t have been better, and she died at age 13, which is old for a big dog.
I don’t care about titles, or even the AKC, one little bit. But I care a lot about health and temperament and that’s why I would pay the big bucks to a breeder.
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Which there are plenty of coming from serious breeders of show or working dogs- those are the culls! We don’t need to breed for them.
For $400 I would expect a “I think my female purebred dog is adorable and my friend has a male wouldn’t puppies be adorable and we can make a little money!” breeder. Unlikely to have made an educated breeding decision based on bloodlines, type, etc. or even have knowledge that those would be best practices.
If you visit the puppy and like it, buy the dog in front of you based on if it’s worth $400 to you and prepare firvthe fact that s#$t happens with any animal despite anyone’s best efforts.
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My breeder friends sell their pet puppies for the same price as their show puppies. As they should - their input costs are the same whether a puppy lands in a show home or pet home.
I disagree - we should encourage breeding for quality pets because the alternative is puppy mills and designer mutts.
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I agree, not everything needs to be proven with a conformation title. Screen them medically, prove them somehow. “I just want a nice family dog”? A CGC is so obtainable, it’s really the least anyone can do to show the dog is capable of being trained & presentable in public.
There are so many different goals in dogs. Conformation, hunting, obedience, agility, etc etc etc. There should be a clear path–screening and proving–for people wanting to “just” produce pets. They’re going to do it anyway. Show them how to produce physically and mentally healthier puppies instead of vilifying them. Everyone wins.
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And, teach them that personality alone is NOT a reason to breed.
I saw this recently, a coonhound with every health issue under the sun (hips, CCL, teeth issues, etc), but “he was such a lovable dog” that they wanted to find a bitch to breed him to.
NO.
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Well, that’s a given. That’s my point - they have to have the health testing.
For the average pet owner - even a CGC itself isn’t going to make any difference to them if the adults are otherwise nice pets.
But for the breeder - I think that would give them an edge over puppy mill and BYB puppies. Canine good citizens, some entry obedience, or maybe gold standard - therapy dog titles on the parents. Those plus heath screening would make great pets.
And - really to go the extra mile - select for conformationally correct, even if you don’t actually obtain the title. Most of my show breeder friends wouldn’t totally support this - but some of them might work with a pet breeder (many of them do it with hunting dogs already) to provide correct breeding opportunities. E.g. I have a nice titled stud dog that I’ve allowed to be used without taking a stud fee.
Show titles are very expensive, especially in common breeds like Labs and Goldens. Owners will easily spend $10K to obtain titles and sometimes much more because the numbers are so high - showing against 20-40 other dogs at average shows. And nearly every dog in that show ring is conformationally correct. But only two dogs get the points each day.
(At least in my breed, if you’re going to lose, you lose quickly). 
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I just don’t think buyers who are looking for a dog in a low price range, who poo-poo any higher priced puppies as some sort of rip off, are going to care about a CGC or anything else. They’re just looking for a cheap puppy. If the CGC dog is even $100 more than the puppy mill dog… well, they’re already buying the puppy mill dog so they don’t care.
Plus, the health testing while not outrageous is not cheap. All of the strictly hunting/NSTRA dog folks I know don’t give a rats behind about OFA or anything like that, as they run through dogs like toilet paper. Compare it to the racehorse industry - no one cares how long he lasts as long as he’s fast as a 2 and 3 year old.
We’re all eager to know if you got the puppy!
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They just want a cute puppy, yep.
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