Home Forums Birds & Dogs Hunting Dogs Price of a dog

What would you pay to get a good dog?

I am looking to get a bird dog this spring and have spoke to a lot of great folks and learned much.

One thing I learned is that good bird dog pups cost some serious coin! Normally I wouldn't sweat it as the initial cost pales in comparison to the cost of feed, vet bills, and dog "stuff". Not to mention the cost amortized over 12-14 years.

When I asked the price from a breeder that I was excited about, I was a little taken aback.

WRONG!

What breed are you looking to get?

Contact a few Field Trialers in your area. A lot of times they have great dogs that just don't cut it for trials and are looking to make room in the kennels for dogs that have what it takes. A lot of the time the dogs don't have the legs they are looking for (meaning distance), which makes for a very good hunting dog.

I paid a lot for a puppy that wasn't trained. A year later the trainer had a fully trained dog for half of the puppy cost. He is a pleasure to have as a friend and a good dog too.

I have really come to like the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. I definitely want a pup as well.

I was expecting $500-$1000 but I wasn't thinking $1500+.
Gotta say I was a bit shocked.

Is that on the high side for a pup? I know trained dogs represent a huge amount of time, energy and knowledge so I get they can run into the thousands. Just a little shocked a eight week pup going for $1500.

Just trying to find where my limit lies.

Thanks.

Cost will be a small part of care, feeding, vet bills, travel and training...it is a major committment. Best wishes.

Well I know of more then a few breeders getting $2K+ for their pups. Are they worth that? In my opinion no.

I can buy a really good washed out Trial dog from good English Pointer and Setter lines for 1K+. With a little research and maybe hitting a few Feild Trials. The nice thing about those breeds is there are a lot of them out their.

I really couldn't tell you much on the Wiredhaired Griffon's, as I have never owned one and don't know any breeders. I am sure someone on here has experiance with them and maybe able to give you more help or leads.

Puppies are nice but all puppies are a "lottery ticket". You'll be much farther ahead with a started dog. A dog that is 1-1.5yrs old will pretty much show you what you will have. A nice started Pointer or Setter will run $2500-3500. Figure the puppy price and a summer with a trainer at $500 a month and that started dog price seems like a good deal.

This is good advice from MontanaCreekHunter:

"Contact a few Field Trialers in your area. A lot of times they have great dogs that just don't cut it for trials and are looking to make room in the kennels for dogs that have what it takes. A lot of the time the dogs don't have the legs they are looking for (meaning distance), which makes for a very good hunting dog."

I once got an Elhew Breed, pretty much finished dog from Pat Labree for $1500.00 because he needed room for clients dogs. He was a hell of a guy and knew his way around dogs.

Korthals are not a common breed... thus will cost more to find one from a reputable breed from my research.

I just watched a Dogs 101 episode that said there were 39,000 pure bred AKA registered labs litters and 49 Korthals litters...

That said, they are great dogs. I have a buddy that has two... I have no idea what he paid but $1500 does not surprise me.

Thanks for the feedback. I do appreciate it.

Like I said, I'm just trying to find my limit. It is obviously higher than I initially thought!

But does it need to be?

I paid $1500 for a GWP and was not disappointed. He is just what the breeder described. Mellow in the house and a hard hunter in the field.

While I understand getting a trained dog I couldn't do it because I feel the bond would not be as strong as raising a pup.

If you bond with a dog it doesn't matter if it is as a puppy or a 5year dog. The bond isn't stronger or weaker due to when you got them. A dog bonds with a human and gives its unconditional love to that person. Only you the owner may feel the bond isn't the same.

there is some appeal to raising a puppy for sure but I got to agree with MCH... put food in its bowl and take it for rides in your pick-up and that dog will bond just fine...

I have a puppy with excellent pedigree and parents with super build. The puppy grew to be just what I wanted, other than he is a bit hard headed. His cost was $600, but he is a labrador, and much more common. I would think that for $1500, you could have a started dog, or spend less for a puppy, but I am not familiar with your breed of choice.

I can understand wanting a puppy and my mid life crisis was a Vizsla (did the crazy read head all wrong). Anyway, this dog is my shadow and as the trainer said "loves me". That being said, I got a two year old that didn't eat the leather recliner, didn't cost a arm load to train and the first day I brought him home, jumped on the chair with my wife. It was unconditional love. He would kill for her, and her him. So puppies are great, older dogs are great. Heck, any dog is great. Get what you want and understand, it is work and money.

Just bought a 1 1/2 year old started setter. I bought from outback kennels in Kansas. She adapted to being a house dog within 2 hours of setting foot in a real house for the first time & we bonded with her immediately. She remembers her hunting commands, and gets along great with our 12 year old female setter. That's why we love English setters...hunting fools outside, docile couch potatoes in the house. I called Kirby Rust, outback kennel owner, to ask some questions about her registration papers, and he thought we might be displeased (not the case at all) but he immediately offered to buy the dog back. That's why you need to pay the higher price from a reputable breeder/kennel! They're not going to spend the time training their dog that doesn't have the potential to be a great hunter. Now some will keep training on your own pup as long as you keep paying. Hasbeen

Paid $800 for my vizsla. great dog. gets along with our cat , chickens, kids babies and other dogs. He loves to please and goes hiking,fishing with me and my wife.
I spent quite a bit of time training him and he has become a really good bird dog with an excellent drive and attitude.

could not be happier

go to VersatileDogs.com they 65 kennels listed.just get a g.w.p and never look back.the gene pool is alot smaller for wpg.giffs tend to have longer coat .can be a pain the butt.

Which ever breeder coined that little phrase sure convinced a lot of guy's of it's truth. Pup's IMO are terriblely over priced. You get no guarentee about what the pup will turn out to be! Pick your pup and take your chances!

You want a decent deal on a dog, go to breeding kennels that don't sell puppies and inquire about their started dogs. Robertson's sell's them for as little as $700. That's less than a lot of puppies. At those kennels all it means when it's sold as a started dog is that they don't think it will make a trial dog! How can anyone justify paying $500 and up for an eight week old pup when started dogs are out there for as low as $700?