want a newf - frustrated with breeders

[newfie-mom-wannabe]

Hello Everyone,

We've decided that a newf would be an excellent addition to our family. I'm frustrated though with the $$$$ to purchase a puppy and having breeders tell me "You get what you pay for" and "If you can't afford the puppy, you have no business owning a newf". It's not that we can't afford to purchase a pup or take care of it but right now I guess I'm suffering from "sticker shock". I also had a breeder who sells her pups for $2,500 - $3,000 tell me that people who sell their dogs for less are mixing them with black labs. What's the deal?? How am I suppose to know who I'm dealing with? Some friendly advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Desperatly wanting a newf in Chippewa Falls, WI

 

[alexmaddy]

Ever thought of a newf mix? There are a ton of them on petfinder.com (some puppies) and at the web site www.trunewfsrescue.com.

I am currently fostering a newfie puppy (we think he is purebred, but without the parents, who can say??). He is listed on petfinder as well.

If you are interested in any of the dogs you see on thoses sites, I'd prefer that you email me privately to discuss it further, or submit an online application, as this forum does not encourage posts about selling dogs.

Thanks and good luck.

 

[NewfMom]

I can't tell you current newfy pup prices because our girl is 5 years old. Based on our experience, I will say that getting a pup from someone who clears hips, hearts, etc. would be worth the difference in price. If the pup turns out to have those issues, you could easily spend more than 3,000 on vet bills.

Having said that, my 2 cents is I would be suspicious of someone saying that anyone with a lower price is mixing the newfs with black labs.That would be enough to have me looking for a different breeder.

Your relationship with the breeder should be very good and important to you in raising your puppy. Don't go with anyone you aren't comfortable with. As frustrating as it is, keep looking until you find the right one for you. Good luck

 

[ROM Newf]

The average price in the northeast right now is $1500 (and up). The Newf Club of America has a breeders listing on their website at www.newfdogclub.org Besides the breeders listing, also check the regional club section and contact the person listed. How about a rescue Newf? Information about rescue contacts is also on the NCA website.

 

[Henrys Mom]

I agree that you should start with the Newfoundland CLub of America and then your local Newfie chapter. That is what we did in our searh for a breeder. Then we talked to a few people that we felt were Newf qualified who steered us away from certain breeders. Just keep doing your research and you will find a good breeder. I would say though, be prepared to spend at least $1500 on a puppy and make sure they take them to a cardio specialist before you can take them home. I would also suggest reading as much as you can about the breed. Our Henry is now 6 months old and we are still learning!! A rescue is also a great consideration and something we have thought of for a second Newf.

Best of Luck

Sallie and Henry

 

[darktarnsparhawk]

Hi, there is sooooo much more to living with newfies than just affording one. To be honest out boys seem to be cheaper to keep, at the moment than even my Mothers two, a litte Brenesse and a mini sheepdog.
The main thing that any newf needs is time, love and loads of cuddles.

The breeder you contacted is not the one for you. I would recommed the lady we got ours of but Ireland is a long way to come. But two of her puppies are in Canada. The best breders are the ones in it for the dogs not the cash, in my opinion. But our boys didn't come easy interviews, phone calls and a house check. We have a life contract for both boys, and they are brothers. We also had a round the clock answering service, if we have a problem it is answered, from the silliest to the most complicated. If you can get a breeder who can be your frend, it really hepls. Best of look in your search, hopefull someone here can put you in contact with the right breeder for you.

 

[Annie Milliron]

Welcome to Newf Net!!!

Not being a breeder, it's my impression, that the more interest a breeder shows in a perspective puppy buyer, the better the breeder. That shows that they care about their puppies and where they are going. When we got Cora, we at first were a little put off by what we thought was "invasivness". We quickly learned differently. Our breeder genuinely cared about Cora's well-being. I doubt that she made a profit out of the litter because of all the vet care and health clearences, which included a trip to a board certified cardiologist.

We ended up spending more than we ever thought, but in the end were happy to do so, because we had a peace of mind that we were getting a sound dog. Sure, things can go wrong, later in life, but we were starting on a good foundation.

All of our other Newfs have been rescues. This doesn't mean that we'll never buy from a breeder again... it's just the way it happened. We've decided that we'll always have at least "one of each".

IN the end, our rescues have actually cost us more in medical bills. Sure, the adoption fee is less than the fee you'd pay a reputable breeder. But there are alot of unknowns! Sadie's epilepsy cost us a fortune. I don't regret one dime we spent, but it's a fact.

These are all things you need to think about. ROM newfies advice to check out the NCA website, and the regional club closest to you is excellent. Asking questions here on Newf Net is also good. However, please keep in mind that discussion regarding specific breeders is against the rules... so if you want recommendations on specific breeders, please inquire via private emails.

 

[AmyPC]

Purely out of curiosity, what are puppy prices like in Canada? I ask because US prices DO seem very expensive to me. That's because I am used to Australian puppy prices. The Aussie dollar and Canadian dollar are not far apart.

A newf puppy here goes for about $1000 to $1500 AU. $1500 definitely being the upper end. That's about $500 - $750 US. These would be great quality Newfs, health checks and papers, etc.

I AM stunned at Newf puppy prices in the US - I KNOW it takes a lot to produce and raise a quality puppy but when I hear figures of $3000 US - which is Australian $6000...which is half the price of a brand new small car!

I too would find these prices extremely daunting.

 

[AngusMcDubhsMom]

Amy, As far as US prices go, I've been quoted usually in the $1200 to $1500 range. When contacting Canadian breeders I was quoted the price in US dollars;still $1500 US. Yes, it's a tremendous first expense, but then when I've seen the prices of other breeds and compare them with my Newf, it doesn't seem so outrageous. What I mean is $800 for a (insert breed you don't care for) and I think, my god,I'd rather spend more for a Newf than that mutt! I seriously cannot believe what i have spend in the past year on Angus, but it wasn't all at once and everytime I found a way because I love him so much. My children are all grown. He's my second family. Anne

 

[newfie-mom-wannabe]

Thank you to everyone with your helpful advice. Will continue my search and try not to become too frustrated.

 

[Synne]

Throwing in my two cents .. I, too, was stunned at the sticker price, but my husband has wanted a Newf for a long time. We decided to return my not-used Christmas laptop for about the same price. It didn't drool, of course, but it was not nearly as personable, loving, warm, etc. etc. When you compare prices - three trips to Costco or a lifetime of fur... you know?
What I wanted to mention was that we scoped the Internet and talked to people, many of whom recc. the breeder we chose, and she was equally concerned about who would be getting her dogs. Sadly, our first pup had a very rare growth problem that was not fixable and he had to be put down and it was really difficult emotionally to then replace him -- but our breeder did do this at no charge. That may seem logical, but we also heard horror stories about those who don't. And we have been able to write and ask her any questions we have --all part of the price, I think, and the guarantee that she will provide us with a healthy vet-checked pet.

 

[sarnewfie]

Most people have not a clue of the cost involved in breeding for instance, shipping fresh chilled semen for 3 breedings is at least a thousand dollars for collecting and shipping.
it may be more.
it costs 50$ for each progesterone test we run, and we usually do one every other day from day three of their cycle, till they hit a certain number, so it could be 5 tests we run, or more or less, plus the cost of the office visit, so all total per progesterone test? 80$
it costs money for vit, suppliments, while preggy, it costs money for antibiotic for the AI if that is what is done, becouse no matter how sterile the equipment is it still gets germs once it hits the air.The A-i costs 100$ for three
so females must have antibiotics for a few weeks after breeding, once the time is close to delivery, than it costs and easy hundred bucks for xray to see how many pups approx, what about if there are complications, that you need to rent a room and have assistance during the birth, we wont mention that wich could be more than one thousand, than you have to pay to register the litter, than you have to pay for extra suppliments for mom and pups, you pay for long distance phone calls, you pay for the supplies needed for the interview process, time out of your schedule to interview, time out of your schedule to educate, time out of your schedule to allow visitation once pups are a certain age, time out of work for the first two weeks minus a paycheck if you are self employed, it costs 1500$ stud fee, than it is at least for myself, 600$ for each series of shots for the pups they go in at least twice if not three times, they also may need special care for complications wich costs a lot, it costs money for potty pads, and treats, and special food and time to socialize the pups to take individual time with them the list goes on and on,
thus the cost.

[ 05-07-2003, 10:03 PM: Message edited by: sarnewfie ]

 

[newfie-mom-wannabe]

I know it must take a lot out of you financially and emotionally as a breeder. I guess that I don't want to end up working with someone who does this for the money. How they would do that with all of the additional costs is beyond me. I have a "friend" who breeds her great dane and says she doesn't do it for the money, but I know she takes a check from anyone and doesn't bother to educate potential buyers, then you see them (the dogs) later in the local animal shelter or worse. Sometimes it's hard for me to justify spending $1500 on a dog when there are so many in shelters that deserve the same love and a good home. Nevertheless, I know what I want in a dog (temperment, etc.) and will probably spend the money. My husband however needs more pursuading.

 

[sarnewfie]

Another good point cheesehead, by the way i am one to! LOL
we as responsible breeders may be decieved by certain dog buyers and thus our pups are to be brought back to us, not the shelter or anything else, so having had this happen only once so far, it is costly for us to rehab the pup depending on the situation, and finding a new home.
it is sad about homeless pups, but that is a lot of the USDA breeders and the mills and BYB that supply that lot.

 

[ellesmom]

We pad $1500 for Elle. She is a honey and the best thing that ever happen to us We'd love to have another newfie in a heart-beat, but know we can only handle two big dogs. Right now we also have a Saint we rescued several months ago. So, we will wait until both our ds is much older, he is six, and once we have our Saint has passed, which hopefully won't be for a long time. She is a love. She doesn't have the personality of our newf or her drive to do "human-like" things as Elle does, but she is a giant "snug-bug" on a rug, warm fuzzy in our lives! *L* Good luck. Rescue, puppy...etc...hope the newf for you finds its way home!
Ellesmom

 

[BearMommy]

Originally posted by AmyPC:
The Aussie dollar and Canadian dollar are not far apart.

Mom just told me the dollar in Quebec, is up to $.70 on our dollar. After 2 decades - the recession is finally letting up a bit.

 

[alexmaddy]

Love your newf net name, cheesehead newfie!

Like SAR, I am a cheesehead too (though I live in Chicago now).

Go Pack! And good luck getting the newf you want.

 

[newfloverqc]

Amy,

It sounds like your puppy prices are a lot like ours (Long live the Commonwealth !!).

I was looking into puppy purchase in the fall of 2002, and found out that prices ranged from $875 - $2,000 depending on the breeder. Let me add that the breeder who was selling for $875 is someone I wouldn't buy a mouse from.

There was a breeder who sold blacks for $1,200 but a landseer was $1,500.

By far the most common price was $1,200......And that was the price the breeder we eventually settled on was charging.

And yes our dollar is going higher compared to the US dollar, but it's staying fairly steady compared to the EURO, so everything is relative....

Cheers

,

[ 05-08-2003, 12:25 PM: Message edited by: newfloverqc ]

 

[Strshine7]

Just thought I would add...The breeder we have been using charges $1200 for pet and $1600 for show puppies and is very good about answering any and all questions. Also she has a contract for guarantee but you must feed the puppy properly or it voids the contract...such as not feeding a food that contains over 22% protein and NO puppy food. Our Bailee is very Sweet and Beautiful

 

[Zatara and Merrick's Mom]

Although I understand that breeding dogs properly involves a lot of expenses that most owners, including myself, aren't aware of (thank you, sarnewfie for taking the time to detail many of them), what I don't understand is why it costs $1500 for a newfie but $300 for a pom.

Most of the itemized costs that are listed would apply regardless of breed. Medicine and food no doubt cost more for a newf because of their greater weight -- but if the weight difference were the only issue, wouldn't the cost of a pup be proportional to the weight of its breed? I haven't look up prices in a while, but I don't think this is the case.

The higher stud fee for newfs and the higher cost to purchase additional dogs for the breeding program would account for some of the difference, but those costs are higher because the prices are higher -- vicious cycle.

My pom's breeder said most pom litters have between 1 and 3 pups -- often a C-section is involved, which must be pretty pricey, so there are probably some extra costs for small breeds that don't usually apply to larger breeds (and vice-versa). And it must be harder to recoup costs with only 1 or two pups than it would be for 8-12 pups.

Please don't mistake my meaning with this post. I am NOT trying to imply that newfie breeders make money because I know that is not the case for respectable breeders -- all I'm trying to say is that I don't understand the disparity between costs of different breeds and would appreciate if someone could enlighten me. It's something I wondered about when I first saw newfie prices.