TreeSong Australian Shepherds

How We Determine the Price of Our Puppies.

A common question I get as a breeder is: " What determines the price of your puppies, and how do you decide on the price per pup? "
An Australian Shepherd puppy is a very important investment for your family. Through this article, I will explain a few of the more predominant factors that I consider as a breeder when pricing my dogs. Contrary to the belief of many puppy buyers, dog breeding when done properly is not very profitable. The price that is set on the puppies and adults is very carefully thought through, and represents the expenses, not just for that dog, but the balance of what we have invested into maintaining and caring for our breeding program. We breed only seldom, and are very careful when choosing homes for our dogs. Our priority, first and foremost, is to improve on the dogs that we have...we always breed for structure, temperament, AND genetic soundness. This ensures that even our pet home puppies come from strong, sound lines. Many people ask whether the color of the pup influences the price we set. I can tell you right away, that we will never set a price difference based on the color of the pup. Blue merles cost the same price as black tris. For me, what sets the price is whether the pup holds promise as a future show dog, or whether he/she has a future as someone’s loyal companion. This is ultimately decided by how the pups compairs to the breed standard for the "ideal" Australian Shepherd.
Fanny, one of our pups at 9 weeks.	Health testing is one of the largest factors impacting the price of puppies. All of our sires and dams go through rigorous health screenings before any breeding is ever done. Each dog’s hips and elbows must pass the inspection of a panel of vets at OFA, the United State’s official organization for testing and maintaining records on Canine Hips. All of our dogs also have their eye’s tested yearly by CERF. DNA certification also follows as the dogs get older. There are many more tests, but these examples are given, so you know that any puppy you buy from us has a sound genetic ancestry.
Medical costs are the most influential factor on our breeding program. We must consider the cost of proper care for our dogs, including but not limited to: yearly checkups, vitamins, supplements, shots, de-worming for puppies, and a full health check that all puppies get before going to their new homes. These charges are covered by us in general, rather than being additional add-ons to puppy prices. Housing, toys, and food also add on to our costs as a kennel. This is reflected in our prices. Here at TreeSong we take dog breeding very seriously. It is our responsibility to ensure that our puppy buyers are purchasing dogs from healthy lines. We always do our best to ensure healthy, happy dogs. While can never promise absolute perfection, and cannot control recessive genetics that occasionally show up...We do our best to ensure that we and you as puppy buyers are provided with good quality dogs that are healthy and fit for their intended purposes, whether as your loving companion or your future show dog.

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