How do we determined our prices?

Our prices are determined by expenses and pedigree:

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1. Expenses

There are many expenses incurred for the dam and litter; such as

• food

• upkeep

• vaccinations

• medical tests

• certification for suitability for breeding

• fees for quality studs

• pre-whelping exams & x-rays

• post-whelping exams

• dewclaw removal

• puppy shots (two sets for each puppy) 

• worming medication 

• extra food for dam

• extra food for pups

• equipment

• AKC registration requirements

• AKC Reunited lifetime enrollment

• temperament testing

• character testing 

• travel for selections and matings

• utility bills for heat, water, and air 

These expenses do not include invested time, labor, or extra cost if there are complications.  Amateur breeders will not incur the above expenses.  The puppy is of a lesser pedigree and of less scrutiny.

 

2. Pedigree

The selection of quality stock and pairings requires months of research and meticulous calculations. Acquiring breeding dogs with top pedigrees is very costly. A dog's pedigree is a map of its bloodline. A correctly bred dog is a product of calculated planning for genetics and heredity. Therefore, understanding a pedigree is essential if you want specific traits wired into the DNA of your animal. For example, if you want a dog that is the ideal image of what the Doberman(n) should look like in appearance, you want to see multiple conformation champions in its pedigree. Multiple champions in a pedigree tells you that the dogs in the bloodline is likely to conform closely to the breed standard. If you want a Working Doberman(n), you need a dog that demonstrates strong protection abilities either by actual working titles in the pedigree or other evidence. Though not a guarantee, the more frequent a specific trait shows up in the pedigree, the higher the possibility of certain qualities and characteristics showing up in the offspring. The more champions and/or titles that are in a bloodline, the more expensive a dog will be because of its potential to produce offspring of the same quality.

 

One may ask the question, “why is a pedigree important to me if I only want a pet?” “What if I don't need the perfect looking Doberman(n), or I don't need a dog with working titles? The pedigree itself is not important, it is what's IN the pedigree that is important. You may want to avoid a dog that has a pedigree of short lived ancestors.  Even the common pet owner need certain characteristics.  If you want a dog that is likely to be high in drive or courage, you want to see evidence of this throughout its family tree. If you want a dog that is likely to do well in obedience, you would look for such dogs within it's pedigree. Even those owners who want a dog that will be content to simply snuggle all day in bed must research the pedigree to ensure that they are not getting a dog that has a pedigree of super activity and constant desire to work. The more a pedigree shows evidence of desired breed characteristics, the higher the worth of the dog.