Why So Expensive?

Just recently I was in the middle of a debate regarding the different prices of “Purebred” Dachshunds and the difference between “Reputable Breeder” vs. “Backyard Breeder”. These two phrases get thrown around a lot, and so does the question “Why so expensive?” So, today I figured I would share some facts and some thoughts on this subject.

First, let’s tackle the differences between a reputable breeder and a backyard breeder. A reputable breeder is a responsible and conscientious breeder who believes in the betterment of the breed. They want to breed for, not just the looks or popular color of their chosen breed, but also (and most importantly) for the health, genetics, structure, bloodline, and temperament of the puppies they ultimately put out into the world for others to raise and enjoy. This means they do comprehensive testing: DNA panels for the inherited conditions found in Dachshunds (such as PRA, an eye disease that can lead to blindness), eye and knee exams, heart checks, careful attention to back health, and they research pedigrees to check for inbreeding percentages. All of these things are so very important in keeping the breed healthy and viable for future generations. And…all of these things also cost money. So a responsible breeder is definitely not just trying to make a “quick buck”.

A so called “Backyard Breeder” (I have a hard time putting the name breeder with this one) is someone who buys a purebred animal from a breeder, and instead of getting the animal spayed or neutered like the contract he signed states, he decides to breed this animal without papers, so he can make a quick buck. By the way, this is thievery, because this person did not buy breeding rights for this puppy. I breed Dachshunds, so of course, this is where all my examples will come from. 

“A nice family wants a Dachshund, but was not ready for the expense of a well bred animal. They had their heart set on owning a Dachshund because they saw how cute and funny they are on TikTok. Then they happen upon a backyard breeder who is selling puppies for half the price, or less, of all the reputable breeders. However, this puppy has no papers, pedigree, or registration. The parents of this puppy have not had any genetic testing, and there is no pedigree to prove this puppy is “Purebred”. The new owner is ecstatic at finding a “Purebred” Dachshund for only $950!! So, they buy it, and fall madly in love with this little ball of fur. Unfortunately, this family got scammed. They did not do their due diligence in selecting a reputable breeder. They didn’t know that Dachshunds carry a risk of PRA (progressive retinal atrophy), an inherited eye disease, so they did not ask the breeder for test results. Within a few years, this beautiful puppy had lost its sight entirely. The family was devastated!! They contacted the “breeder”, but because there was no contract, no DNA results, there was nothing they could do. They were scammed out of $950 by a backyard breeder.” **(Stories like this one happen all too often)**

Now, having made the distinction between the two types of “breeders”, we can go into why they are so expensive….

Providing families with a well-bred, not just purebred, animal is an expensive venture. You have to first buy your breeding dogs as puppies. Along with paying for full AKC registration with breeding rights and transportation, a quality Dachshund from health tested lines can cost several thousand dollars each. Then you have to provide this puppy with the highest quality food, toys, housing, bedding, ramps, veterinary care, DNA genetic testing, eye and knee exams, and heart checks (and you have to do this for each breeding dog). So if a breeder wants to own 3 females and 1 male to breed, they are tens of thousands of dollars in before the first puppy is ever born. A breeder should not breed these dogs until they are physically mature and have passed their health clearances, usually around two years of age. So all of this money is upfront, before the breeder ever has a puppy for sale. Then when they do begin to breed and have puppies, there is even more expense.  

Each puppy that breeder has will be in their house for a minimum of 8 weeks, and often closer to 10. In that time, the breeder has to buy milk supplements, bottles and nipples, whelping boxes and heat sources, puppy pads, vet visits for wellness and vaccinations, microchips, deworming, AKC litter registration, etc…Then we can go into how much the breeder’s time is worth. This is not a sit down and watch all the puppies play all the time type of job. No, this takes hours and hours every day cleaning pens, feeding, giving meds, sweep, mop, disinfecting, socializing, etc…Then there is the marketing side, where a breeder answers phones and a steady stream of messages every day, taking new pictures, posting to all the social media, and updating the website. We have to add in the business side of it now, the finances, the contracts, the computer ink and paper, the appointments, the travel, on and on…and I’m sure I have missed some things in there…

So, when it is all said and done, we are lucky to break even with our “expensive” prices. Inflation in the last couple of years has eaten us alive, but we still want to provide quality pets to some fortunate families that look for reputable breeders, and their payoff is having a gorgeous, purebred, well-bred, healthy member of their family for years to come. So there you have the answer to “WHY SO EXPENSIVE?”.  

Happy Birthday America!!