When I first decided I was going to get into breeding I began my research and uncovered a lot about purchasing a puppy not to mention the cost of adopting one. I nearly fainted when I found out that a pure bread champion blood line poodle could cost anywhere from $1,000.00 to $5,000.00. Initially I wasn’t prepared to adopt at that cost but I was determined to get the puppy of my dreams and I didn’t want to take any short cuts.
Buying from a breeder isn’t the only place you can purchase a pet but after all my research it is my highest recommendation to do so, and from an accredited experienced breeder. I never planned on purchasing from a pet store because often they are from puppy mills where there is a tremendous amount of inbreeding and no real rules they follow to ensure quality healthy pets. I recently stopped at a pet shop to see what they did have available and a poodle cost $5,000.00 and if you fed the pet their food and adhered to their nutrition supplement regiment and purchased it they would guarantee their dog. I was floored! With the amount of research and dedication that goes into creating quality well balanced healthy pets as a breeder and I don’t even charge that.
The other option is to adopt at a rescue. I have always kept that in mind however I actually have an allergy to dogs and yet because poodles are hypoallergenic I have no reaction to them what so ever and I have a lot more dogs then most. I also have four children and although most rescues complete testing on the dogs if I wasn’t going to be allergic to the dog there was no guarantee of its temperament with 4 different aged children. I needed more assurance. So if I were to ever get a dog I would get him/her from a breeder. But we come to the next issue. Finding a GOOD breeder.
I did some research in my area and called around speaking to different breeders. Some had very cheap and inexpensive pups under $1,000.00. Some of those breeders were letting their puppies go to homes as early as 6 weeks. They were trying to avoid paying for the shots required and still get a decent amount of money for the pet. It saddened me a bit. Allowing a pup to go to early takes away from the pups time of socialization with other dogs. It builds their foundation to be well balanced dogs. I also came across breeders selling their pups with a background story yet offering no vet history, medical history and this particular pup had had a set of puppies according to the breeder. This was odd to me. If you can’t find a breeder that is fully transparent on vet history, tracks and provides all medical records and gives you a weird feeling in your gut you are probably right and something is wrong with the situation. So we come back to the first question of why dogs are so expensive?
A good breeder has been building their stock and developing and planning their litters for years. Often and I have, adopted my stock as pups. I raised them in an environment that they were socialized with other dogs, and children. I provided them with the highest quality dog food, and did all the research to insure I was developing a good potential stock for our first litters. I unlike some breeders genetically test all my animals. If there is an issue with the testing or an issue with the poodle we don’t breed. Sometimes that means you have devoted a lot of time and effort into an animal that ends up remaining a family pet. We do what's right to better the breed and that's it. Whelping is a big cost as well. The resources needed, the doctors visits, sometimes requiring emergency surgeries they are all costs to being a breeder. After the birth of these beautiful pups it doesn’t stop there. Ensuring the mother is provided all the extra nutrients to nurse for the first 4 to 6 weeks is important to. Not to mention, tails get docked, dew claws are removed, and deworming's take place constantly. They receive their first shots and this is all paid for by the breeder until the pup finds his new home. A good breeder takes the extra time to ensure no corners are cut. It guarantees the puppies have the best chance to have the longest and healthiest lives possible. A good breeder does the research to make sure that we can limit as much as possible passing on any genetic abnormalities and that the puppy you get doesn’t have a long future history of vet visits.
There is always temptation to buy the puppy that costs the least. Maybe a $4,500.00 puppy was not in your budget and you thing it is to expensive. But well bred puppies are not “expensive”. They simply are what they are. Generally the cost as I mentioned earlier for a well bred puppy is between one and three thousand dollars. That is about what you should expect to pay for a well-bred well-raised and well-socialized puppy. If a puppy cost less than normal, assume that it comes with no promises, no predictability and no support.
When you purchase a puppy from Simply Standards’ we offer a health guarantee. We offer ourselves as a lifetime resource for you and your puppy. We have done the extra research to ensure you are getting the best of the best puppy for you and your family.
I wish you all the best on your search for your new puppy. Should you have further questions and need some more guidance and advice always feel free to reach out to us. We love the breed. It is our passion and we are here for you.