why are dogs so expensive?

i know this thread might sound a bit dumb but why are some pedigree dogs more expensive? i will give a few examples, british bulldogs and french bulldogs, between £1000-£2000, chihuhuas around £1000. then things like cocker spaniels and labradors can be between £400-£650. why do breeders vary their prices so much? sorry if this has been posted before, just me wondering again lol. chloe x

i don't think non pedigrees aren't that cheap either! my friend paid nearly £500 for a cocker spaniel X toy poodle. he's huge now and i reckon the poodle involved was actually a miniature.

i think with chihuahuas and many of the smaller breeds, they became a 'fashionable' dog to have. it's a shame because i think they are all fantastic little creatures but are being sold to be someones dress-up doll.

i guess it's a case of supply and demand really.

Bulldogs I believe have trouble whelping and require a C-Section more often then not. I guess this is one of the reasons they charge more for their puppies. Also, I notice they don't tend to have very big litters. So, it could also be a case of supply and demand. There is a demand for them, so they can charge higher prices.

Chihuahuas are not as expensive as they were a couple of years ago. They have had a MASSIVE boost in popularity since then and consequently I see them going for a lot less than what they used to. Being toy breeds they also have very small litters. So like the Bulldogs I guess, there is a demand for them so they can justify charging more.

With Labs and Spaniels, the difference in price generally reflects the type of breeding that it is. Puppies from two pet dogs (not usually KC registered, health tested or shown/worked/proven in anyway) go for a lot less. On the other hand, puppies from excellent breeding lines from health tested and proven parents go for more because of this. There is lot of effort behind (both financially and physically!) these types of breedings, and most people are willing to pay more for a quality dog.

Im not quite sure if its the litter size as well. Chis cant have big litters and i dont think ive seen bulldogs have big litters either. And it also depends if there rare around your area. My friend just bought a boston terrier and paid £1k for it. But saying that, i never see them around on the streets, as its mainly an american dog

yeh i have noticed that smaller dogs seem to be more expensive because they are the kind of dogs you can put in your handbag, pugs seem quite expensive too. surely dogs have never been this expensive? it would be intresting to know what people paid for a certain breed of dog years ago and what they are paying now.

It is not so much that they are smaller, but that they have very small litters. Toy breeds especially don't often have more than 2 or 3 puppies. So if there is a big demand for them and quite simply not enough pups to supply the demand, breeders can push the boat out with prices...

Most dog breeds go through 'fads' of being popular.

siberian husky 14years ago £400-500 now £700-800

I have always wondered the same thing, I paid £5-600 for my boys, but was really shocked that your average 'designer' crossbreed cost more than that I suppose it does depend on litter sizes, vet care, feeding and giving the pups the best start in the world. My neighbour paid £1,200 for her 7mth old French bulldog... Lovely dog, not sure I could pay that though..

Hi,

I paid £47.50 for my last GSD from the dogs home. I brought her home in January 1997 and had her with me until November 2004.

Zane was from a breeder (kind of - bit of a long story involving fraud too!) but because I wouldn't pay extras for his pedigree I got him for a lot less than I shold have paid. I think the other pup (only him and his sister in the litter) was sold ultimately for around £700.

Ellie was free because I chose to take her away from the BYBs who wanted to dump her and Yiannis cost £125 from Birmingham DH in January this year.

Obviously over time prices will go up but personally I thknk that £1000 or more is excessive for any dog - regardless of bloodlines. high quality bred dogs can be bought for less than that.

Chis are very rare where I live but they are popular in Birmingham as a whole - since the film about them came out earlier this year!
Having said that, there seems to have been a burst of GSDs and huskys in and around the area I live in. Until about 4-6 months ago, I had the only 2 GSDs anywhere near here. Now I see them every time I take my brood out for a walk around the block.

Laura xx

with my dog (chinese crested powderpuff) they seem to be cheaper than their hairless siblings, my dog cost £400, however some people (not the my breeder) will charge around £600 for powderpuffs and around £800-£1000 for hairless. my breeder sells them for around the same price, hairless being a bit more because thats how it seems to work. she doesnt overcharge because she doesnt think its right to be making a load of money off a litter. as for being a toy dog and small litters, chinese cresteds can have a litter from 3, but my breeder has had 12!!! so i think it all depends. the chihuahu thing is true since the disney film came out, i think thats where the big husky influx came from as well because i certainly see alot more of them these days since, snow dogs and eight below.