If your idea of buying a pure bred dog is getting it at the pound, then it doesn't suprise me why you are suprised at the prices of good dogs.

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Don't get me wrong, rescuing dogs from the pound and providing them a nice home where they can live out their days in comfort and love is wonderful, but that's hardly a pure bred dog.  Even if it was pure bred it wouldn't matter because you wouldn't have it's papers.

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Whening buying animals that are advertised as "pure breed" or "registered" animals, it's buyer beware.  There are many unethical people passing off subquality animals as quality animals, and over pricing their animals, etc.   There is no end to the engenuity these people have to trick us into giving them our money. 

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A good animal is worth the money you'll pay to get one.  Just be sure to do your homework.  Get to know the breeder, get to know the bloodline, before you give the breeder any money or sign any agreements.  You'll save yourself alot of future grief if you do a little legwork ahead of time.

Dam weblogs!  That last post was posted by Goat!

Steve, I agree with you.  And now if the breeder's yorkie gets with his poodle they call it a yorkiepoo or a "designer breed".  There's no such thing as a low priced mixed breed anymore!  "Designer Breeds" cost as much as "Pure Breds"!  And you have to be very careful.  Our Vizsla came from a breeder who gauranteed no hip dysplasia.  Turns out he has "the worse case of hip dysplasia" the vet has ever seen.  The breeder will send us another pup, but he'll put this dog down.  We can't do that to Scout.  He's family!

Funny this topic came up now.  I'm looking for a Chihuahua at the moment but I'm put off by the prices.  I'll stay dogless for awhile longer.

dgrealish:  Any breeder who guarantees no hip displaysia should be avoided at all costs.  Any reputable breeder will tell you they breed to mimimize hip displaysia (as well as the other genetic problems) but there's no way to guarantee your dog will not develop it.

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If they try to make such a guarantee, that should be a red flag for you.

What ought to horrify you isn't the price of the dogs, but that there are so many available.  Considering somewhere in the neighborhood of 90% of all animals who enter the county animal control shelter on Mt. Vernon are euthanized, when will we finally take the steps necessary to enact a mandatory spay/neuter law for pets in Kern County?

Purebred dogs mean nothing to me. I look for friendly, smart dogs who are fun to play with. Most are mixed breeds.

But I am still aghast at the prices people want for their dogs.

>>>Purebred dogs mean nothing to me.

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--->That's exactly why you don't understand why they're so expensive.  It's like someone who drives a Ford Focus and has no use for a Corvette not being able to understand why Corvettes are so expensive.

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>>>bakoblue:  when will we finally take the steps necessary to enact a mandatory spay/neuter law for pets in Kern County?

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--->We're not going to because that would be a big mistake!

Why do you think a mandatory spay/neuter law would be a mistake?   Responsible show breeders could pay to have a license to allow them to breed, subject to property inspections.

Thanks Goat, we'll know next time.  Until then, he's a great pet.  Not the hunting dog we were looking for, but we love him anyway.

Because I don't think regulating everything is the answer to all of our problems.  I am a responsible breeder. I don't need the government to tell me that.  And I certainly don't think it's my business to tell you what you can and cannot do with your animals.

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I think if we provide more education to the public about the problem and ways to resolve these problems in our community (which is what I was trying to do above), people will make responsible decisions, and those decisions will affect the marketplace.

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I definately would not support MORE laws that control and tax what we can and cannot do with our own personal property.  The laws we already have on the books are suffecient...  All we have to do is enforce them.

dgrealish:  I'm really sorry that happened to you, and I'm glad he has worked out to be a great pet.  The next time you're on the market for a new gun dog I'd be glad to help you steer clear of the bad actors, and would even enjoy helping you train your new pup if you were interested in that.   I don't know many other gun dog owners in Kern County and would love to invite people to join me while I train.  It's more fun when you have friends ;)

I certainly respect your opinion regarding government regulation.  I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say that what one does with their animals is none of my business.  Following that logic, we'd have no animal cruelty prevention measures.  If the pet owners in the county were behaving in a responsible manner all of this would be a non-issue.  But 28,000 dead dogs per year should be unacceptable by anyone's standards. 

Every minute in this country, for every person born, there are 15 dogs and 45 cats born.  There's nothing responsible it.

Posted by Drummel:

I, like Steve, are surprised by the high prices of these breeds. What happens to the dogs if they are not sold?

 All of our pets came to us free of charge. Two muts and four cats. I spay/nueter all of our cats & dogs because I don't want the hassle of puppies and kittens. Been through that already.

So what is the purpose of a pure bred animal? Does it make it better or something? Is it people trying to stay with the jones? It doesn't impress me, i just think any person spending that kind of money on a pet is pathetic

Thanks Goat, I'll take you up on that offer when the time comes.

>>>  I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say that what one does with their animals is none of my business.  Following that logic, we'd have no animal cruelty prevention measures. 
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---->Well, I'm not a big fan of big government, so I can't see that I'd have a big problem with that.
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>>>If the pet owners in the county were behaving in a responsible manner all of this would be a non-issue.  But 28,000 dead dogs per year should be unacceptable by anyone's standards.
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--->When it comes to morality, none of us should be in a position to control what other people do, or to judge how they live their lives.  I may not like what my neighbor does with his property, but it's none of my business as long as he's not violating my rights.
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>>>Every minute in this country, for every person born, there are 15 dogs and 45 cats born.  There's nothing responsible it.
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--->That's your opinion...  Your opinion is valid and legitimate...  But sure is the opinion that people should have a right to do as they wish with their own pets, and if they choose to breed them, no one should be able to prevent that.  Should your opinion bind everyone else's actions?  Is your opinion superior to everyone else's in Kern County?  These are not easy questions to come to term with.  The fact is, to the dismay of the animal rights lobby, until the constitution is re-written, animals are personal property and have no rights.  That's the way it should be.
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>>>soltini:  So what is the purpose of a pure bred animal?  It doesn't impress me...
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---->I certainly didn't purchase my dogs to impress you, and I don't care to try to impress you now.  For those who do things with their dogs, (as opposed to those who have dogs that spend their entire life living in the back yard, only seeing their owner when they are fed or the yard is cleaned) it is important to verify the integrity of the dogs blood line.  That's important for two main reasons... 
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1.  Working ability - In my case, I want to make sure a dog I purchase (a dog I purchase will eventually be bred) has a good nose, is birdy, and has alot of natural hunting ability, as well as being smart and trainable.  Others, instead of needing a good nose and hunting ability, might be looking for natural herding abiltiy, or speed, or tracking ability, or a dog that a good solid bite.  Regardless of what activity you enjoy with your dogs, if you're seriously involved in it, and if you have any kind of breeding program, a dogs pedigree matters alot.
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2.  Health History - A dogs health history (and the health history of it's family) is very important, not only to a breeder but also to someone who wants his investment in the animal to be returned with 10-14 years of healthy dog, without costing thousands of dollars in vet bills.
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Ofcourse, if you're just going to rescue a dog from the pound and toss it into the back yard, you shouldn't be worried about it's pedigree and you definately shouldn't pay alot of money for it.
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>>>i just think any person spending that kind of money on a pet is pathetic
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---->Well I guess I'm lucky you're not in a position to make those kinds of decisions for me.  I really don't care if you think I'm pathetic.  You don't know anything about me.

i paid $240 for a mix that i was looking for and waiting/wanting for 2 years
she is a SHUG 1/2 Pug and 1/2 Shitzu - i  L O V E  her..........

i also want a English Bull Dog, but i wont get one, i was told by a vet that they are even more expensive to care for then what they cost initially.  

our other dog is a mix  too - he is 1/2 chow and 1/2 boxer and looks JUST like scoobie doo ---------

both of our dogs are wonderful and we wouldnt trade them for the world !

Len