Why Are Dogs So Expensive?

Have you noticed that purebred and “designer hybrid” dog breeds are quite expensive? These puppies can retail for thousands of dollars. If you’ve ever wondered why dogs are so expensive, then this article is for you.  PRENATAL HEALTH CARE COSTS  It might come as a surprise, but pregnant mother dogs need just about as much […]

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Have you noticed that purebred and “designer hybrid” dog breeds are quite expensive? These puppies can retail for thousands of dollars. If you’ve ever wondered why dogs are so expensive, then this article is for you. 


PRENATAL HEALTH CARE COSTS 


It might come as a surprise, but pregnant mother dogs need just about as much prenatal care as human moms-to-be. These mother dogs need to be periodically and frequently checked by veterinarians. This means that ethical, responsible dog breeders will actually have on-call vets that they work with, if not on-site vets.


Even though veterinary care doesn’t cost quite as much as health care and doctors visits for people, it’s still really expensive. Not only do the tests, treatments, and supplies really add up, but the veterinary fees themselves can be surprising. 


Then there is the matter of prenatal nutrition. Mother dogs need special nutrition, and generally eat quite a bit more than they would if they weren’t pregnant.


Costs Associated with Preparing a Mother Dog to Birth a Litter:



TOTAL: $1,000



TOTAL: $500


In the long run, these costs impact the final retail price of a puppy. Other costs associated with providing excellent living conditions, nutrition, and puppy care will also impact the price of a puppy, which we’ll go over, too.


What you can infer from this is that if you come across a puppy that costs less than $1,500, then the reality is that that puppy’s mother probably didn’t experience even a fraction of the health care services listed above.


HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR DELIVERING THE PUPPIES 


Ethical, responsible dog breeders will never leave a mother dog in the lurch when she’s going into labor to deliver the puppies. The good news is that healthy pregnant dogs who have received excellent nutrition and care throughout their pregnancy will be physically able to deliver their puppies without hand-on assistance. 


That being said, kennel staff will be there, by the mother’s side throughout labor and afterwards. Once the litter is born, kennel personnel will rotate to make sure that someone is always watching over the mother and litter. 


Even though it’s usually not necessary for a veterinarian to deliver a litter of puppies, responsible dog breeders will make sure they have a vet on-call anyway, so that if a complication arises, the vet can come immediately.  


If this occurs, the veterinarian’s assistance could cost anywhere from $500 – $5,000. For example, performing a C-section costs roughly $2,000!   


PUPPY HEALTH CARE COSTS


Once the puppies have been born and a vet confirms that each pup is healthy, then really it’s a matter of nature taking its course. The mother dog and her litter will sleep, nurse, and snuggle. Kennel staff frequently and regularly check in on the puppies and provide care and nutritious food to the mother dog, as well as fresh air, exercise in the sun, and whatever else the mother dog needs. 


This is when a fair amount of tests and vaccinations begin. The necessary tests and treatments that puppies receive throughout their 8 weeks of nursing and weaning can really add up, which also impacts the final retail cost of a puppy.


  

General Puppy Health Care Costs:



TOTAL: $983


Bear in mind that each of those costs is for one puppy. When a mother dog’s litter is 6 – 8 puppies, the vet bill can really add up!


We hope that by this point in the article, you can see that an “expensive” puppy is usually an indication that the puppy has received excellent care during his time at the breeding kennel. Whereas, a “cheap” puppy should be regarded as a red flag that the puppy might not have received adequate health care.  


STATE-OF-THE-ART DOG BREEDING FACILITIES 


Now that we’ve addressed the health care costs of breeding puppies, let’s take a look at the other major expense that factors into the final retail price of a puppy. We’re talking about the environment the puppies live in at the kennels. 


Dog breeders have to go above-and-beyond to avoid being accused of running a puppy mill. Ethical, responsible puppy breeders are more than happy to prove that money is no object when it comes to providing puppies with the best care and treatment humanly possible. In fact, many breeders, including those that Petland Kansas City works with, have an “open door” policy. Meaning, anyone can go and visit their kennels, see the puppies, and confirm for themselves that the kennel is doing a great job breeding their dogs. 


During these visits, you can roam the state-of-the-art facilities and see how the puppies live. In fact, we do that ourselves! The corporate staff at Petland Kansas City often stops by the kennels we work with. We do this to make sure that our kennels are maintaining the high standards of care that we require. Those standards include: 



All the costs of these amenities can add up. At the end of the day, these expenses are also factored into the final retail price of a puppy.  


THE TAKEAWAY


As you can see, it’s quite expensive to responsibly and ethically breed purebred puppies in a manner that ensures they receive the highest quality health care and are housed in comfortable, climate controlled facilities with access to outdoor spaces where they can run and explore. 


These expenses are what cause the retail price of a puppy to be so expensive by the time you walk into a pet store. 


Our most valuable word of advice is to warn you that an inexpensive puppy probably did not receive adequate health care and probably was not raised in a comfortable, loving, state-of-the-art environment. Puppies that receive substandard care are more likely to have health issues throughout puppyhood and possibly into adulthood. 


If you would like to learn more about the ethical breeding kennels that Petland Kansas City works with, please visit the Cares page of our site. 

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