How Do You Pick Your Puppy Prices

How did you pick your puppy prices?

We charge $1000-$1500 for our puppies. Why this price, you ask? We feel this is a good median price point which allows us to cover our expenses and make a little profit for our time and effort while still keeping the cost low enough for an average middle-class family to afford. (Yes, ethical breeders do sometimes make a *small* profit when nothing goes wrong.)

Can you get a puppy for less than this? Absolutely. In fact, I’ve bought them for much less and gotten really good puppies out of the deal! However, anytime you buy an inexpensive puppy, you are running a risk. Inexpensive puppies are usually not fully health tested. That doesn’t mean your puppy is destined to have health problems. Growing up, we had tons of “backyard bred” dogs and you know what? They all lived long, health lives.

However, when you buy from health tested parents, you buy peace of mind. Inexpensive puppies are usually not from parents that have been proven in any form of competition. They may be good pets. They may even be good working farm dogs (I’ve seen great working farm dogs quite cheaply priced). However, once again, when you buy a titled dog, you are “buying” proof that this dog’s parents have certain abilities and attributes. Unlike some breeders, I will never try to shame you for buying a less expensive puppy. Not everyone can justify a $1000 pet and that is ok! I’m simply explaining why *my* puppies cost more. I feel $1000 is high enough to prevent impulse buying and to make sure you are financially able to care for the dog but not so high that an average person can’t afford it.

That said, you will also see puppies much more expensive than mine and wonder “why are Rusty Rose puppies only 1000 and I’m seeing pet quality pups for $2500-3500 with other breeders? Is there something wrong with your dogs? Are you cutting corners?”

First, no, there is nothing wrong with our dogs and we do not cut corners. Our dogs are fully health tested and titled.

There are 3 reasons why puppies may be much more expensive.

1)The breed requires C-sections and AI to reproduce. This is common in bulldogs. Aussies are thankfully a breed that usually can breed and whelp naturally so this should not factor into our breed usually.
2)The puppies come from a very highly successful show kennel. Yes, we show our dogs but we show locally and don’t try to make the top national standings (although sometimes we do get lucky and make those standings!) When breeders are showing at the very highest levels, they are spending a fortune to do so. Their prices are both a reflection of that success and an attempt to cover their costs, which often include professional handlers, private planes, paid magazine advertisements, etc. I simply don’t put that kind of money into showing, and even if I did, I do not feel it is the job of an average pet buyer to “pay for me to play”. I compete and train because I LOVE doing it. It is a HOBBY and not a breeding expense. If all my dogs had to be sterilized tomorrow, I would still spend $500-$600 a month on competing and training. It is not the job of my pet buyers to finance that hobby.
3) Because they’re over-charging. Yes, unfortunately this does happen. Some people are simply charging too much money and the quality of pups they are producing does not justify that cost. There is no logical reason for a pet aussie to cost $3000. That’s greed. Be especially careful of people charging very high prices for dogs that have minimal health testing and no significant titles on the parents.

We strive to price our dogs at the “sweet spot”…. high enough to make people think carefully about their commitment before jumping in but low enough that they are not cost-prohibitive to average families. Your puppy should be an investment but they shouldn't require taking out an extensive loan :) For more information please see our blog, "In Defense of Affordable Breeders".