# Chihuahuas are for the rich



## felix93 (Apr 2, 2009)

My son has posted something on his Facebook page earlier this evening. Just talking about it's not right when he saw a lot of adverts about people asking for Chihuahuas for free or extreme low cost because they are on tight budget or made redundent. Asking why people wanted to bring in a dog while they cannot afford it in the first place? The vet bills are more expensive in a long run.

One of the people in his friend list replied saying paying so much for a small dog like a Chihuahua, in his opinion is way over the top. They were under half the price. They only got so expensive because they became the dog of the rich and famous. He also knows that a lot of them, especially the tea cup breeds have major health problems. He refuses to pay so much for one, knowing they are not really worth that amount. 

I really have to laugh, I think keeping any dogs (or pets) are expensive anyway, not just the vet bills but all the good quality food too. I am not sure about the adoption in other country, but in UK alone, there are a standard adoption fees which is around £200 for any breed of the dog. The cost is including the first and second injection, as well as neutering if the dog is not being done yet. Any shelters do have Chis in there too, so it's not just big dogs needed to be rehomed.

Anyway, it's just sad that some people are such narrow minded to think about Chis. I just want to vent that's all. :foxes15:


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## Island Protector (Dec 31, 2010)

Wow, you can adopt a dog from a shelter for $50 here. Less sometimes.

I think that person has a point. Tea cups can sell for $1000-2000 when they're just unhealthy dogs that you'll likely have to pay a lot of money for for vet bills. Same with yorkies-and I've seen breeders selling normal sized yorkies for $1000. But why? Just to make more money because people will pay that for dogs like chi's and yorkies. 

I'd never pay that much either. I'm going to buy my chi for $200-250 from a good breeder. You have to wonder when a breeder is selling dogs for so much if they care more about dogs or money.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Island Protector said:


> Wow, you can adopt a dog from a shelter for $50 here. Less sometimes.
> 
> I think that person has a point. Tea cups can sell for $1000-2000 when they're just unhealthy dogs that you'll likely have to pay a lot of money for for vet bills. Same with yorkies-and I've seen breeders selling normal sized yorkies for $1000. But why? Just to make more money because people will pay that for dogs like chi's and yorkies.
> 
> I'd never pay that much either. I'm going to buy my chi for $200-250 from a good breeder. You have to wonder when a breeder is selling dogs for so much if they care more about dogs or money.


I just wanted to clarify...*no "good" breeder can afford to sell a dog for $200-$250*, nor will they. Expect to pay at least $500 for pet chi from an OK breeder, and $700-$1000 for a good quality chihuahua from a good breeder.

There also is no such thing as a "teacup" yorkie or chihuahua, that is a term people use to try to sell dogs for more money. It is unethical. There are many "small" chihuahuas in the 3-4 lb range not sold as teacups for reasonable prices


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## felix93 (Apr 2, 2009)

I guess it's true some back street hobby breeders breed Chis for money. I would never paid that much for a Chihuahua whether it's the top breed or not. Nothing is perfect and even it is meant to be the best of the best, there's the fault. Most of the Chis breeders I have seen here sell their puppies for about £500 - 700 (probably it's pet quality). I have no idea what the ideal price is but that's my limit that I would pay as I just want Chis as pets, not to breed them. Expensive doesn't mean good quality IMO.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

No, expensive doesn't mean quality. But a low price almost always does mean low quality. The people here who think they got great deals on their chihuahuas are sadly the ones shelling out tons of money later for problems the dogs have. A breeder simply cannot afford to do all the health testing, feed the parents quality diets, keep up with vet checks, shots, etc. and sell a puppy for $250, especially with such small litters like chihuahuas.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Also a "hobby" breeder is a good breeder! a back yard breeder is what you call a breeder just breeding their dogs left and right with no real care to it, a hobby breeder takes great care in providing the best possible care and upbringing for a very limited # of puppies each year. They may or may not show their breeding stock, but the parents all registered with KC or AKC and great care is taken in selecting dams and sires that will compliment each other and provide the best possible puppies


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## felix93 (Apr 2, 2009)

flippedstars said:


> No, expensive doesn't mean quality. But a low price almost always does mean low quality. The people here who think they got great deals on their chihuahuas are sadly the ones shelling out tons of money later for problems the dogs have. A breeder simply cannot afford to do all the health testing, feed the parents quality diets, keep up with vet checks, shots, etc. and sell a puppy for $250, especially with such small litters like chihuahuas.


I have to agree. 

I contacted the breeder way before my Chis are ready to come home. I could go and visit as many times as I want to and I also have emails and phone calls to keep me up to date.


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## Island Protector (Dec 31, 2010)

Really? Why do other dogs sell for less though? I mean, breeding chi's isn't much different to breeding larger dogs, is it? I know larger dogs usually have a larger litter, but still...I don't know much about breeding dogs but I would assume that small and large dogs would both require the same amount of money for breeding. Both need vet check ups, both can have difficulty giving birth, and all puppies have to have their shots. When breeding any animal you shouldn't expect to make much, if anything at all. I'd rather buy from someone who loves dogs and takes great care of the pups than someone who breeds for money and probably and isn't likely to care as much and tries to cut corners. I'm sure there are good big scale breeders as well but I'd say there are more good smaller scale breeders.


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## felix93 (Apr 2, 2009)

Island Protector said:


> Really? Why do other dogs sell for less though? I mean, breeding chi's isn't much different to breeding larger dogs, is it? I know larger dogs usually have a larger litter, but still...I don't know much about breeding dogs but I would assume that small and large dogs would both require the same amount of money for breeding. Both need vet check ups, both can have difficulty giving birth, and all puppies have to have their shots. When breeding any animal you shouldn't expect to make much, if anything at all. I'd rather buy from someone who loves dogs and takes great care of the pups than someone who breeds for money and probably and isn't likely to care as much and tries to cut corners. I'm sure there are good big scale breeders as well but I'd say there are more good smaller scale breeders.


I don't know other breeds in other countries, but in UK, Staffordshire Bull Terriers are one of the unwanted breed here. Every shelter you go to, I guarantee you get to see at least half amount of the dogs in there are Staffy. It's a shame because they are really gentle quick learning dogs. Not because I have got 2 that say it, everybody who come across with one comment that. People used to breed them for money and that's why there are so many out there in this country. And without the pedigree, these dogs are not allowed to move to other European countries as they classified one of the dangerous breed (some people mated them with Pit Bull). It's so sad. Staffy costs about £100 - 150 from a good breeder, so you guess the rest.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Island Protector said:


> Really? Why do other dogs sell for less though? I mean, breeding chi's isn't much different to breeding larger dogs, is it? I know larger dogs usually have a larger litter, but still...I don't know much about breeding dogs but I would assume that small and large dogs would both require the same amount of money for breeding. Both need vet check ups, both can have difficulty giving birth, and all puppies have to have their shots. When breeding any animal you shouldn't expect to make much, if anything at all. I'd rather buy from someone who loves dogs and takes great care of the pups than someone who breeds for money and probably and isn't likely to care as much and tries to cut corners. I'm sure there are good big scale breeders as well but I'd say there are more good smaller scale breeders.


Breeding chis IS different. Here are just a few different expenses that are "common" with litters of chihuahuas...

C-sections -- they run $1000-$1500 depending on where you live. If you only have 2 puppies in the litter, ... well, there goes any potential of profit right there. C-sections are incredibly common for well bred chihuahuas because the heads are often too big to fit through the pelvis/birthing canal. 

Small litters -- 2-3 pups is average, 4 is a "big litter". Larger dogs have litters of upwards of 10 puppies! So puppies can be sold for a little less, and help recoup the costs. C-sections are uncommon in many of the larger breeds.

Showing breeding stock -- this costs money too. Not all breeders do it, but good ones do often do this. If your breeder doesn't show, they should have purchased their dogs directly from someone who does. They don't come cheap. 

Genetic and health testing -- this is a MUST for small breed dogs, especially dogs like chihuahuas who are prone to stifle/joint problems that can cost owners thousands within the first year or two of the dog's life--that, or you have a lame dog! What kind of quality of life is that for a young dog?

Dead puppies - the mortality rate for chihuahua puppies is upwards of 40%. That means that only a little over half survive to 8 weeks of age. Sometimes you can lose a whole litter, after a c-section. That isn't uncommon at all and most breeders have experienced it. You have to make this cost up later in later litters.

No "good" breeder will make money off of their puppies, but a great breeder, who pours her time and effort into the dogs, and does it right, eventually will almost always break even at the end of the day, which they certainly deserve to. A "bad" breeder often is the only one to make money off of puppies, but that is another post entirely, and very, very unethical.


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## Chihuahuasloveme (Jan 8, 2010)

$250 is way too cheap I would run if i saw a chi posted for that much unless it was a lot older or from a shelter. I spend that just in dog food and natural treats/supplements every couple of months to feed my chi's dehydrated raw food. Yes it is VERY VERY common to lose 1 or more chi's in a litter I know of a few people in my city who have bred and always lose at least 1 per litter depending on the size of the litter usually anything more than 3 is when it happens. Also bc chi's have such small puppies there also is a higher chance you may have to supplement puppies such as the ''tcup" due to it's small size they require bottle feeding sometimes tube feeding around the clock at least every 2 hours sometimes even more often depending on the puppy and if the mom is supplementing as well if the breeder has a job then there is guaranteed time off work to supplement. You seriously make no $ in the end I have bred a couple of times and came out with close to nothing profit wise and have had to bottle feed. Anyone who thinks a chi is worth less is very uneducated about what it took the breeder to get your baby to the point of ready to be adopted.


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## Island Protector (Dec 31, 2010)

Yes, I know that about small litters and c-sections. But if a breeder gets the puppies their shots, they're CKC/AKC, fed a quality food, parents on premises, wouldn't they be a good breeder? Of course I wouldn't buy from a breeder that didn't do these things.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

I want to breed some day and have already spent thousands just getting set up with ONE DOG. Literally thousands. My time, my energy, my effort, those are worth nothing, I will get paid nothing for it. I do it because I love the breed and want to see it get better  But, I WILL be breaking even once I start breeding, you can believe me there. Over a few litters averaged out, that is the least I can do. But believe me when I will have probably spent and lost close to $15,000.00 dollars to start and do it right, with showing, good bloodlines, best healthcare, etc. I think its one thing to love the breed and another to work for free or even essentially "pay" a stranger that takes one of your puppies lol. If they are charging $250 it was a mega "oops" breeding and trust me, the puppies haven't had any care and nor have the parents...chances are the parents aren't even kinda purebred.


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## Chihuahuasloveme (Jan 8, 2010)

there's a member on here won't mention any names but she bought a chi for $300 and it was supposed to be purebred and ended up 12 lbs or so now. If you don't care if you're chi looks somewhat to standard or if you don't care about it being purebred then yes go for the $200 dog but don't be surprised later if it ends up costing you more in medical bills due to poor breeding. It may not happen like that the dog could very well end up healthy as a horse but I wouldn't want to risk it.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Island Protector said:


> Yes, I know that about small litters and c-sections. But if a breeder gets the puppies their shots, they're CKC/AKC, fed a quality food, parents on premises, wouldn't they be a good breeder? Of course I wouldn't buy from a breeder that didn't do these things.


CKC - fake registry...you can register a hippo as a chi. It is used primarily by petstores and puppymills to trick the unsuspecting consumer into believing they are getting a quality, registered animal.

Quality food -- keep in mind, they have to feed the parents for more than the duration of the puppy's lives, pay for the parent's vet care, and pay for the puppy's vet care and shots as will. A "good" breeder almost seldom has the stud on site, they had to go elsewhere to find the right bloodlines for their bitch. Puppy food, whelping, tube feeding supplies, scales, puppy pads, crates for puppies, momma, appropriate housing if sires are on site, etc. It all adds up and it just doesn't add up if they are only charging $250 for a puppy...there's something "off".


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Laure, the big chi in the middle of my siggy...was $250. Her parents were bother and sister. Sure...they were "registered, or something". The breeder gave "fake" papers when my hubby bought her. She was only 5 weeks old, but they lied about that too. The amount she has cost hubby, and us now that we're married is...astounding. And she's not even cute LOL. Seriously you better look like a furby and dance scottish jigs backwards eight ways to sunday while reciting rare and beautiful poetry and charging my ipod if you are costing me thousands on a yearly basis.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Finding a good breeder:

Finding a Responsible Breeder


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## Island Protector (Dec 31, 2010)

Oh, okay. I guess I'll be paying more like around $500 then? I want a purebred healthy chi... I just didn't realize chi's are so costly. And if they're registered as AKC is it definitely a purebred dog? Or can they also be registered falsely?

ETA: Thanks for the link, I'm reading it now


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## Chihuahuasloveme (Jan 8, 2010)

awww i think Laurel is kinda cute


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## Dragonfly (Jun 6, 2010)

If you want a Chi that is standard you'll def have to pay more than $250 -$300 I got Shayley for $250 but she's obviously not standard (She's almost 10lbs) Of course I love her and wouldn't trade her for the world and she's the BEST to ME but I'm her mom LMAO! But if you want standard you'll have to pay more for sure! I never had any health issues with Shayley until a few months back but that was because I failed on my part to get her spayed =(


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Chihuahuasloveme said:


> awww i think Laurel is kinda cute


Yeah. But she has her issues. She bites, is ill tempered, etc. But we also believe a pet is a pet for life.

She has recurring health issues too that cost $500-$1000 yearly...I mean, yeah. She's kinda cute. Til you get hose repetitive bills hahaha. And its always something...it kills me!


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Island Protector said:


> Oh, okay. I guess I'll be paying more like around $500 then? I want a purebred healthy chi... I just didn't realize chi's are so costly. And if they're registered as AKC is it definitely a purebred dog? Or can they also be registered falsely?


AKC is the only registry I would say you can "trust", where if both parents are AKC registered (you will want to ask/verify that they are), you can be certain the puppy is purebred. 

There are small hobby breeders that don't show, who sometimes sell puppies in the $500-$600 range, that have been well taken care of, have had all their shots, and the parents have been checked for problems such as luxating patellas, heart murmurs, and good eyes. But they are few and far between...if they brought in an outside stud usually they are at least $600 for the puppies because they had to pay a stud fee too.


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## Chihuahuasloveme (Jan 8, 2010)

aww that sucks abotu Laurels issues  I hate paying for vet bills it makes me so mad! lol but obviously needs to be done


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## Eclipsica (Nov 23, 2010)

I don't think it's unreasonable to get a free/cheap re-homed adult chi and use the money for their care instead of an adoption fee.


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## felix93 (Apr 2, 2009)

I think Laurel is cute too.  

Thanks flippedstars, I have learnt so much from you just from one thread. 

I have no objection of rehoming any adult chi for free. But a lot of adverts here are asking for puppies. Why good breeders would give out free puppies while they spent a lot of the time and money on choosing the right parents to breed from? Money might not be everything, but surely I wouldn't just give money away to strangers I don't know. And if I made redudent by a company, I might still have some savings, but I wouldn't want to bring a new puppy into my home while I have to spend my savings on a pet because I just want one. A healthy puppy can still have accidents and needs emergency medical treatments that we don't expect.

It's only my opinion and I can't base on myself to judge others. But asking for free Chi (or other animals) while I have no income is a bit stuggling to me.


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## LadyJ (Aug 20, 2010)

I bought a blue Chi puppy for $250.00 from someone I met in a church parking lot to collect him. They lived a good ways from me. He was AKC registered, but grew up to weigh 12 pounds. He was very sweet and beautiful, but he was a big boy. I think he was full Chi, just not well bred. I didn't know any better then. He had surgery on both back legs for luxating patellas. Other than that, he was healthy. Loved him very much.

I'm a big fan of rescues. My sweetie Lavender weighs 5.5 pounds. She was $175 from the rescue group. She was purported to be full Chi and I think she is.

Jeanette


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## Lin (Jun 7, 2006)

Island Protector said:


> Really? Why do other dogs sell for less though? I mean, breeding chi's isn't much different to breeding larger dogs, is it? I know larger dogs usually have a larger litter, but still...I don't know much about breeding dogs but I would assume that small and large dogs would both require the same amount of money for breeding. Both need vet check ups, both can have difficulty giving birth, and all puppies have to have their shots. When breeding any animal you shouldn't expect to make much, if anything at all. I'd rather buy from someone who loves dogs and takes great care of the pups than someone who breeds for money and probably and isn't likely to care as much and tries to cut corners. I'm sure there are good big scale breeders as well but I'd say there are more good smaller scale breeders.


I don't think large and small require the same amount to breed. I can't say for 100% because I don't breed big or small, but I do know that when the toy dogs are bred very often there are very extensive vet bills through the gestation and delivery, that I don't believe most larger breeds have. If dog breeding is like other animal husbandry, a good breeder does not make money. They are lucky if they break even.

Pls don't jump on me anyone, I'm just stating what I understand about the breeding issue, and may be really off base.


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## Lin (Jun 7, 2006)

LadyJ said:


> I bought a blue Chi puppy for $250.00 from someone I met in a church parking lot to collect him. They lived a good ways from me. He was AKC registered, but grew up to weigh 12 pounds. He was very sweet and beautiful, but he was a big boy. I think he was full Chi, just not well bred. I didn't know any better then. He had surgery on both back legs for luxating patellas. Other than that, he was healthy. Loved him very much.
> 
> I'm a big fan of rescues. My sweetie Lavender weighs 5.5 pounds. She was $175 from the rescue group. She was purported to be full Chi and I think she is.
> 
> Jeanette


I agree with you. And I love your Lavender!!!!! She looks so much like my Briscoe who is also a rescue, that it's breath-taking. He's also a wonderful little guy. We were told he was a chi mix, but the vet said no. It didn't matter to me, I fell in love with him when I went to the rescue place to pick him up.


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## felix93 (Apr 2, 2009)

Lin said:


> I agree with you. And I love your Lavender!!!!! She looks so much like my Briscoe who is also a rescue, that it's breath-taking. He's also a wonderful little guy. We were told he was a chi mix, but the vet said no. It didn't matter to me, I fell in love with him when I went to the rescue place to pick him up.



There should be a lot more people out there like you. It doesn't matter if a Chi is a mix, or a PB or even the best top show dog. It sounds like it's love at first sight with yours.


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## Lesley (Jan 7, 2011)

felix93 said:


> Expensive doesn't mean good quality IMO.


I agree! When looking for Radley, I saw Chi's going for upto £3000, and IMO it is just people trying to make as much out of a stigmatised breed (rich & famous). 
It annoys me that people say things to me like " are you trying to be Paris Hilton?" or something equally stupid. 

Any sought after breed increases in price, i.e. British Bulldogs fetch up to £2500 PER PUP  And they are riddled with health problems from about 1 yo.


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## felix93 (Apr 2, 2009)

Lesley said:


> I agree! When looking for Radley, I saw Chi's going for upto £3000, and IMO it is just people trying to make as much out of a stigmatised breed (rich & famous).
> It annoys me that people say things to me like " are you trying to be Paris Hilton?" or something equally stupid.
> 
> Any sought after breed increases in price, i.e. British Bulldogs fetch up to £2500 PER PUP  And they are riddled with health problems from about 1 yo.


It's all the inbreed and people who just "think" breeding dogs can make money that make the OS have such a lot of health problems. I have rescue an odd eye Persian white cat years ago. Her face is as flat as a piece of paper. The breeder didn't want her anymore because "in her words" she is no good to breed anymore. The poor thing lost one of her eyes in the end, no tears duct, nose is constantly blocked. Despite countless vet visit (I didn't pay for the cat, I am a rescuer and I have to do my job), and at the end, it's her health problems that kill her as she just couldn't cope with all the operations. It's so sad but I was glad she was under my care for a good 2 years. I might not be the best carer but I tried my best and gave her the best diet. 

Paris Hilton has people to help her to look after the Chis IMO. Her dogs live in a house designed exactly the same as hers. It's very nice but I don't think I would like to clean the "house" everyday like that. A lot of people would ask if you are following Paris Hilton and that's why you like Chis.


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## LDMomma (Mar 28, 2009)

I only paid $300 for Roxy granted she's not a Chi but a Westie. I wouldn't consider her breeder a BYB at all. Roxy came to us fully loved with all the confidence a terrier pup should have. She was potty-pad trained. You could easily see that she was well loved and cared for at the breeders house.

Lily and Daisy however came from BYB's. We didn't know any better. Daisy has had no health issues (well except the LP but she hasn't needed treatment for that) that have needed treatment. Lily on the other hand has had several. Between the constant skin/ear infections, teeth issues, growth under her skin and etc. Lily can also have "temper" issues with other dogs on occasion.

We rescued Riley so I'm not sure where she originally came from but my guess would be a BYB, OOPs, or puppymill. She hasn't had any health problems so far.


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## 17428 (Jul 10, 2009)

I feel any purebred dog from a breeder
is going to cost more if they are certified
for genetics in their lines.At least they
are trying to do it the right way.
But in general its a proven fact
that purebred dogs are less hardy then
mixed breed dogs.I attribute it to inbreeding
in show quality dogs.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and
nobodys twisting the guys arm to shell out big bucks
for a dog.But I bet if it was a nice stereo or car
the guy wants then the big investment is worth it
right?? Its all about priorities and nobody can tell someone
else how to spend their money or their a hypocrate in my book!


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## RosieC (Jul 6, 2010)

I think that, in the UK at least, there is a middle ground that you need to find in terms of price. I looked at alot of adverts for Chihuahua's when I was researching into buying one and the price difference was amazing, they ranged from about £150 to £3000. 

We paid £950 for Alfie. We bought him from a KC accredited breeder who is approved by the Kennel Club to judge and award challenge certificates and who has been breeding since 1987. Alfie isn't perfect enough to be a show champion himself but he comes from good stock and his daddy won a CC at Crufts in 2009. However, I saw MANY Chi's on sites such as Preloved who were quite clearly bred by money-spinning amateurs posing as serious breeders, and yet they were being sold for more than twice the amount we paid for Alfie! 

You'd be forgiven for assuming that the quality dogs from well recognised breeders would be fetching the highest prices, but it's really not the case. So I think you really need to find the middle ground, cheap is bad but hugely expensive quite often equals bad too!


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## ~*Jessie*~ (Aug 8, 2007)

RosieC said:


> I think that, in the UK at least, there is a middle ground that you need to find in terms of price. I looked at alot of adverts for Chihuahua's when I was researching into buying one and the price difference was amazing, they ranged from about £150 to £3000.
> 
> We paid £950 for Alfie. We bought him from a KC accredited breeder who is approved by the Kennel Club to judge and award challenge certificates and who has been breeding since 1987. Alfie isn't perfect enough to be a show champion himself but he comes from good stock and his daddy won a CC at Crufts in 2009. However, I saw MANY Chi's on sites such as Preloved who were quite clearly bred by money-spinning amateurs posing as serious breeders, and yet they were being sold for more than twice the amount we paid for Alfie!
> 
> You'd be forgiven for assuming that the quality dogs from well recognised breeders would be fetching the highest prices, but it's really not the case. So I think you really need to find the middle ground, cheap is bad but hugely expensive quite often equals bad too!


I totally agree with this!

There are SO many chi breeders who sell puppies here for $2500+, and they are generally breeders you want to avoid.

I wouldn't expect to pay $300 for a well bred chi puppy from a good breeder, either. There's no way a breeder can afford to feed good food, show, and health test their dogs AND sell their puppies for so cheap. It's one thing if a breeder is rehoming an adult for under $500, but it's worrisome for me to see a puppy priced that cheap.

There's definitely a middle ground where most responsible breeders price their puppies.


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## cprcheetah (May 4, 2009)

It depends on the breeder....I paid $1125.00 for Zoey (yah I got ripped off) and didn't pay near that much for my show quality male, and when he didn't turn out I got 1/2 his purchase price back. Zoey has had nothing but health issues since the get go (her breeder made all sorts of promises, even promised to refund part of the $$$...but 5 years later I haven't seen a dime....but she came from a horrible BYB (didn't realize/know that till it was too late). A responsible breeder I think you will end up paying more but you pay more due to the care the mom/dad's get, the puppies get, the lines, the health etc, and IMO it's worth paying more for a health dog than just a cheaper price. It costs thousands to show dogs, and to 'prove' your line so to speak. There is a reason 'quality' dogs cost more.

I have seen many chi breeders who sell for $2000+ but they aren't the type of breeder I'd want to buy from as they are breeding strictly for profit, don't do health testing, dogs are substandard etc.


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## IowasAngel (Mar 5, 2008)

Just thought I would throw my 2 cents in about this subject.

I paid $350 for Coco and she is not poor quality, sickly, etc. She is a little over 3.5 lbs and fits very nicely into the standards. She has also been, and continues to be, as healthy as can be. 

I've also been researching breeders for when I get my next pup and most in my area are asking approximately the same for their "pet quality" pups. Some I have checked in to were BYBs and some were breeders that also show.

I think instead of assuming a low price pup is a poor quality pup, it would be better to research the breeders closely, visit their homes, ask questions, etc. and find out if it is an instance of "too good to be true" or not.


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## RosieC (Jul 6, 2010)

It also seems to me that the good breeders don't tend to actually advertise their pups on 'supermarket' websites. They rely on contact from the KC website and on word-of-mouth. I'm always pretty suspicious of people who advertise on websites like Preloved and the like. I'm not saying they're all dodgy, but from my experience over the years (both in searching for a Chi and with other breeds of dog and other species of animal) the good, conscientous breeders don't advertise their animals for sale on those kinds of sites.


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## Lin (Jun 7, 2006)

Chihuahuasloveme said:


> awww i think Laurel is kinda cute



Awwwwww me too. I always love the underdogs. But I do know vet bills can be tough too... but they are weather the dog is bred to standard or not.


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## cchipman (Oct 7, 2010)

I know that I will get blasted with people that do not agree with me on this, but here is my $.02 on the price a breeder should charge. I share my life with 3 beautiful Chi's, all purebred (AKC), all over a year old, and all very healthy weighing in at 4.5, 5.5, and 7lbs. Two of them came from champion pedigreed bloodlines (I saw the photos, awards, and certificates, etc). None of them cost me near what you seem to be charging as a puppy. I had plenty of contact with the breeders, made visits to the homes, saw what was being fed and their living conditions, received all pertinent paperwork with each pup. 
Many years ago, I did breed both Chihuahuas and Boston Terriers. They actually have similar birth rates and probabilities of c-sections. As far as the cost of my pups: 
*I did not charge for high quality food as I fed that regardless of breeding or not. 
*I did not charge for the costs of showing my personal dogs, why would that be up to the purchaser of a new pup to pay for? That is my choice and has nothing to do with the new litter, nor does showing make for better pups.
*When one or more of a litter dies I didn't pass that cost on to new buyers either. Would it be fair to expect them to pay for a dead pup? (BTW, I only had three pups from three different litters die out of many years of breeding)
*Litter size made no difference either. The cost I put into one pup is the same for each pup in a litter, whether it be a litter of 1 or 6. Buyers shouldn't have to pay more because my litter was small.
*Feeding supplies, whelping supplies, crates, etc are all "tools of the trade" so to speak. Are you charging people for these things??? Getting into breeding is a choice and with that choice comes certain expenses that should not be expected to be regained.
*My time was another cost not passed on to the buyer. I spend lots of time with my Chis and when there are pups around, they share in this time. I don't punch a time clock to charge buyers by how much time I spend with their pup. Hand-rearing and every 2hr bottle feedings are things that happen and should be expected. 
Breeding is an enjoyment, not a job. The breeder should not expect a full salary for each pup. To me, this is the kind of breeder to stay away from.

My most expensive dog (cost me more than equal to a months mortgage) has grown to develop health issues that are quite costly to keep up. I don't care what anyone says about the reasons or ways breeders come up with what they charge. Nature is nature, and there is no guarantee on the health, size, or condition that an animal will grow up to be.

And if all these "fees" are really legit and morally acceptable to you, then why is it ok to rehome an adult without cost? Do you not give an adult the same level of care? I guess I was just brought up with different morals than you guys. I believe that fair is fair and others shouldn't be expected to pay for your choices or elected extras, only for the product they receive. 

JMHO, thanks.


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## chi's R me (Jun 30, 2009)

Well, I'm sure not going to blast you, I hope it gives people something to think about.


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## cchipman (Oct 7, 2010)

Thanks, me too.


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## rubia (Jul 3, 2008)

Steering a bit off topic, but....

someone should start a thread of registries..because there seems to be some minor confusion..

The CKC in the United States is an off the board 'registry' which can register dogs to anyone , etc. BUT in Canada isn't the CKC the Canadian counterpart to the AKC or the British Kennel Club ?? Or the UKC

In the US there seems to be several sub-par such 'registries" like APRI, CKC , etc.

Just a thought...


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## Lesley (Jan 7, 2011)

Just to add another comment to this debate, I was browsing the classifieds online the other night for no particular reason, and came across a breeder/seller, charging £2000 per puppy. 
The advert had a picture of a scrawny looking puppy, which IMO didn't even look much like a Chi, she stated it was a rare blue and white mini Chi from champion lines. But it wouldn't be health checked, wormed etc before collection. and there was no mention of any registration papers or anything. AND parents were not available to be seen.

What justifies this price tag????


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## Chihuahuasloveme (Jan 8, 2010)

In my opinion if achi is listed for $250-$300 I can almost guarantee most or all of the pups here will attract bad homes if someone is willing to dish out the initial adopton fee then i would feel they would put in the extra care and training a dog requires also low prices like that attract puppy mills. In my own searching experience lately on Kijiji I've been searching since summer I've seen chis get marked down more and more and when they're finally adopted not even 2 months later the new owners are reposting the dog for sale right now even there are TONS of these cases "I just got this dog 2 weeks ago but I'm allergic" "I just got this dog a month ago but I'm not cut out to be a dog owner" etc etc etc everyone has their own opinions and experiences but I think more times than not buying a $200 chi turns sour There's what 1-2 people on here who paid and didn't have problems in the end it's up to the purchaser and what they decide but they should know what the outcome may be.


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## Lesley (Jan 7, 2011)

by the way £2000 is $3140 USD. Just thought I would put that in as a lot of people on here are in USA. 

I agree that a dog shouldn't be too cheap... or else yes they do end up in the wrong hands (sometimes), and not all rehoming and puppy stories end in happiness.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

I think a "fair" price range from a good breeder for a pet will run you $600-$1200. After that you're just getting ripped off. Some pups are and will mature much more nicely than others. 

Show dog prices are entirely different, though.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

cchipman said:


> I know that I will get blasted with people that do not agree with me on this, but here is my $.02 on the price a breeder should charge. I share my life with 3 beautiful Chi's, all purebred (AKC), all over a year old, and all very healthy weighing in at 4.5, 5.5, and 7lbs. Two of them came from champion pedigreed bloodlines (I saw the photos, awards, and certificates, etc). None of them cost me near what you seem to be charging as a puppy. I had plenty of contact with the breeders, made visits to the homes, saw what was being fed and their living conditions, received all pertinent paperwork with each pup.
> Many years ago, I did breed both Chihuahuas and Boston Terriers. They actually have similar birth rates and probabilities of c-sections. As far as the cost of my pups:
> *I did not charge for high quality food as I fed that regardless of breeding or not.
> *I did not charge for the costs of showing my personal dogs, why would that be up to the purchaser of a new pup to pay for? That is my choice and has nothing to do with the new litter, nor does showing make for better pups.
> ...



What you have described is "breeding dogs" not having a _breeding program_. The two are very different, and knowledgeable buyers are aware of those differences. 

The "product" they receive would not have existed without all the prior care, care of parents, good food, etc. A puppy is not a product nor is it an investment. It is a living, breathing thing. You are not charging extra "fees" because of the good care. If people didn't care about the care an animal received prior to bringing it home, they'd have gone to a pet store or a BYB. I personally think it is demoralizing to myself and my family for me to basically work for free, countless hours, sleepless nights, etc, and then basically give the puppy away, and end up in negative numbers that will add up and up and up, because I didn't make any costs back?? that's just stupid. I know the costs that will be involved, and they will be recouped in puppy sales. That's how it works  I am not looking to make money...but I certainly am not going to hurt my family or myself to do something I love. I love chihuahuas and want to see the breed get far better than it is. But, I'm not made of money...I'd dead end in a deep hole if I didn't at least attempt to break even.

Edited to add: Breeding is definitely a full time job. One you don't get paid for nor expect to. But there is no reason you should damage yourself or your family financially to do it...??? It would be immoral of a puppy buyer to expect that of a breeder too, lol.

Not one breeder charging $600-$1000 per pup that has a good breeding program is making any salary, so, you have been very misinformed.


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## ShilohAcres (Jan 26, 2011)

Okay...I'm brand new as of today but feel compelled to also add my $0.10 (for inflation). I am a breeder and I have sold pups for $250. Don't scream. I do not charge that little for all my pups. In my humble opinion the high price of Chihuahua puppies is immoral. How can an average middle-class family afford a $1500 puppy and then pay for the correct care? I would MUCH RATHER charge less for my pups and find them wonderful, forever, loving homes where they will be happy. Even "poor" people deserve to have a puppy to love. Breeding was my choice and you might be shocked at the amount of investment I have in total (close to $40K). I have a passion to create better structures and healthy pups. I do not care one bit whether I have a finished champion or not. I have had pups that I decide to grow out and see if they would qualify for my breeding program or for show. If that pup holds together and is a very nice show pup, you bet I'm going to charge quite a bit more. However, if he ends up not qualifying, then I would sell that dog for considerably less. I also give deep discounts to military personnel because I figure that's something I can do to thank them. I have also refused to sell a pup if I find out the person has just lost their job or when they bring their children and I see out of control behavior problems. Do I break even? Usually, but sometimes I don't. If I can't afford to keep doing what I'm doing then I will simply get out. This is NOT a money making business....at all.


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## tricializ (Jun 1, 2010)

This is a really interesting debate. What I find most interesting is some who feel it is morally wrong to make a profit on breeding dogs. I obviously think those that are trying to capitalize on the Legally Blonde, Paris Hilton type of thing and charging ridiculous prices for the runts of the litter are probably not the best places to go. However, I would expect when purchasing a dog to be paying in part for the supplies, healthcare of the pups and mom, stud fee and TIME of the breeder. I think that's only fair and I don't mind paying a fair price. Nobody likes to be ripped off but you also should expect to pay for quality and for someone's time.


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## ShilohAcres (Jan 26, 2011)

Just for the record, I do NOT think it is immoral to make some money breeding dogs. I DO think it is immoral to charge such extremely high prices for them...especially when I can see structural issues from just a picture. The worst is when they try to sell a puppy before 6 mos of age for major bucks and "guarantee" it to be show or breeding quality. Gets my irk up...


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

ShilohAcres said:


> Okay...I'm brand new as of today but feel compelled to also add my $0.10 (for inflation). I am a breeder and I have sold pups for $250. Don't scream. I do not charge that little for all my pups. In my humble opinion the high price of Chihuahua puppies is immoral. How can an average middle-class family afford a $1500 puppy and then pay for the correct care? I would MUCH RATHER charge less for my pups and find them wonderful, forever, loving homes where they will be happy. Even "poor" people deserve to have a puppy to love. Breeding was my choice and you might be shocked at the amount of investment I have in total (close to $40K). I have a passion to create better structures and healthy pups. I do not care one bit whether I have a finished champion or not. I have had pups that I decide to grow out and see if they would qualify for my breeding program or for show. If that pup holds together and is a very nice show pup, you bet I'm going to charge quite a bit more. However, if he ends up not qualifying, then I would sell that dog for considerably less. I also give deep discounts to military personnel because I figure that's something I can do to thank them. I have also refused to sell a pup if I find out the person has just lost their job or when they bring their children and I see out of control behavior problems. Do I break even? Usually, but sometimes I don't. If I can't afford to keep doing what I'm doing then I will simply get out. This is NOT a money making business....at all.


I love the way you do things, I just think people like you,...breeders like you...are so few and far between, it's hard to tell people to expect to find them, or even how to. Actually, lol, people like you are really hard to find. You don't really advertise, and primarily go on word of mouth, so I'm glad I did find you 

Some of the prices people put on pets are completely and totally outrageous. Unfortunately as long as there are people out there paying that for them, those price tags will stay on them. 

I have an issue with people who essentially believe a breeder SHOULD be in the hole. I won't know exactly what it takes to stay out of that hole for another few years, but ... it just bugs me when people seem to think the ONLY thing they should pay for is literally whatever you spent to feed, vaccinate, and worm a pup to a sell-able age, cuz a whole lot more goes into it than that. Ultimately our society says: breeding dogs correctly means not making any money, you do it because you love it. I agree with that, or, I wouldn't be investing personal time, money and energy into it. 

You brought up another good point, too...WHO is buying the dog? Is it just someone who doesn't want to pay $600? Or is it someone who can't, but will care for the dog with it's last dime? But those are all things that don't necessarily get discussed because then you get the whiners who say "it's not fair", and stomp off and buy a puppy from a BYB that is riddled with health issues by the time it's 2 years old. 

Hmm...bottom line really is...I believe it is perfectly ethical for a breeder to recoup their baseline costs through puppy sales. Maybe my putting a price tag on it isn't the correct approach, but I also know what I have seen out there price wise, that IS advertised, and I know what I wouldn't want even my worst enemy to touch with a 10 foot pole, whether it's listed for $75 or $2000.


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## lyredragon (Jul 28, 2010)

On the other hand, both of mine are rescues, and they have no real health issues. Foxxy is very allergic to hartgard and prednisone. taggert has a lvl 1 LP in his right knee, but that's an $800 fix at the vet that we have quite a long time to save up for before he needs it. 

Foxxy was getting over her first litter when we got her, she whelped naturally with 3 pups, but two of them died. We got her and spayed her, and that was expensive, but Taggert came to us from the humane society, and they had neutered him and extracted his retained teeth when he came in and passed the holding date. He only cost us about $200 after adoption fees and licensing. neither are standard, but they're still cute!

People think chis are for rich people because that is the stigma that all small dogs carry. Actually, I wanted a tiny dog because they're more economical to feed and easier to travel with if we need to. Chihuahuas are not frufru toys. Just ask foxxy, she loves to be pampered, but she would rather be digging in the dirt and ratting. She could probably tightly compete with terriers in the business of rodent extermination. Chis are way more tough than they look.

The coolest thing I saw the other day was a muscly guy and his two chis jogging together. The chis were all muscular, you could tell that they do this every day. Just tongues and huge smiles all around. These are blue collar dogs that just happen to be favored by the rich because they also happen to be very cute. Never forget that though it is famous today, just over a century ago this was almost a forgotten breed that some lineages did actually fend for themselves in the desert for a very long time.

I think the breed tenacity reflects their lineage as temple dogs and aztec bed warmers, but also the fearlessness and ruggedness of a survivor. Willing to be treated like gods, but also able to survive on their own if forced to. Definately not just for the rich.


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## cchipman (Oct 7, 2010)

lyredragon said:


> The coolest thing I saw the other day was a muscly guy and his two chis jogging together. The chis were all muscular, you could tell that they do this every day. Just tongues and huge smiles all around.


A muscley guy, and tongues and huge smiles? Yours or the dogs??? lol!


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