Do you get people asking for a reduced price because they have to drive to get a puppy from you?

[sqs1]

I am surprised and kind of irritated every time it happens. “Well I’m 3.5 hours away one way so I can’t afford the price of the puppy and the gas. Would you take $100 less?” No. If you can’t afford to make the drive and pay the full price of the puppy you probably can’t afford to take care of a puppy.

I travelled a total of 14 hours one day to get one of my girls, and paid the full price. Asking for a discount for a half day’s trip is laughable to me. Your drive doesn’t make the dog less valuable or less costly to produce and raise.

I wouldn’t mind negotiating prices with someone I felt comfortable with a confident would be a good home, but the moment you say it’s because of the trip you have to make it strikes me as entitled and gets me aggravated.

ETA: I have never sold a puppy to anyone who asked for a discount based on drive distance. I don’t intend to. I was just posting to ask if other breeders encounter the same thing, not for advice on if I should sell to them. For the other breeders here you have probably noticed the same thing I have, which is that this particular type of person is always rude or otherwise popping up some red flags.

I have straight up never had anyone ask me this question in a polite way, or generally engage me in conversation with respect or enthusiasm about the puppies.

And if you are here just to tell me I shouldn’t breed, please realize that you have found your way to a dog breeding subreddit where that is going to be the topic of conversation and your 2 sentence comment is not going to convince anyone to up and abandon their business. We’ve already thought out the ethics.

 

[theonekingjesus]

@sqs1 Hahaha, I flew across the country to get my puppy. Left my house at 6am, got back home at midnight with puppy in hand. He's worth it, I wanted a specific breed and knew I'd have to travel to find it.

 

[sqs1]

@theonekingjesus Right! Exactly this! If I had to fly to get the breed I wanted I would do so, or pay the extra cost of flight service having someone travel with them in the cabin. I also feel like this question implies that they don’t value the puppy more than any mutt they could adopt from a shelter. Not that people shouldn’t adopt but…im a breeder. My dogs are high quality and the puppies are hand raised and socialized so that they are ideal pets when they go to their new homes. I work very hard to give people what they’re paying for.

 

[karkajou]

@sqs1 And you don’t want to sell to people who can’t afford to properly care for them either right? Not being able to afford gas, but can afford the dog is a red flag to me on them providing future vet care & such. When I was a kid we got a very expensive, well bread, show quality Westie (was only available puppies anywhere near us) & a few years later got another from just some regular breeder, she didn’t even have papers. The difference was like night & day, they barely even looked like the same dog. 1 looked like all the pictures & the dogs in shows, 1 looked like it’s mother & father were related. We loved them both the same, but as far as looks go, we got what we paid for. If you want your pet(especially dog or cat) to look just like the breed standards & the pictures you see in books, in ads & is in great health it’s going to cost more. Like how you explained your operation.

 

[eagleflight]

@sqs1 People are ridiculous. I drove half a day to get a rescue dog. I'm glad you're a responsible breeder.

 

[midaso]

@eagleflight I’ve always had rescues, foster fail, and found pups, not that I have anything against pure breed, I just need to rescue

 

[frankieberg1985]

@theonekingjesus Mind if I ask what breed?

 

[theonekingjesus]

@frankieberg1985 He's a Finnish Lapphund, and he's sooo worth it. His breeder is wonderful too.

 

[frankieberg1985]

@theonekingjesus Omg, that's a cute pup!!! (I googled the breed, they're adorable)

 

[teecake]

@theonekingjesus Oh my goodness, I’m hoping to have one someday too!! I know we will have to travel for it as well it’s a really rare breed where I live!

 

[notwhatiwas]

@theonekingjesus I met a guy that flew from Boston to San Diego to pick up a puppy. He did a one day round trip also. The breeder met him at the airport.

 

[brothermerc]

@theonekingjesus My husband flew from Ohio to California for a rescue. Did it in one day. Before anyone asks no they didn’t have any in shelters locally. I looked for months.

 

[emilsabry]

@theonekingjesus My dad did the same thing for one of our dogs and flew to Canada stayed over night and booked an extra seat for the pup on the flight back.

 

[rda]

@theonekingjesus Yup - we drove 14 hrs to Canada from the US to get one of my dogs. (Rarer breed at the time). WITH 3 kids in the car, 6, 4 and 18 months lol.
I never would have dreamed of asking for a discount!! It's a live dog not a vase at a garage sale!!!

 

[brnicholas]

@theonekingjesus What is the breed

 

[rda]

@brnicholas Mine? Irish red & white setter.

 

[mirandaaa]

@sqs1 My breed is somewhat rare and so people typically have to travel to get a puppy. I am in NC. We have had many California buyers and at least 1-2 from every litter where the buyer travels 10-plus hours. So for us no. I would think a more common breed would be no too as they could find a puppy easily.

Ironically though I sometimes volunteer a little discount if I see the buyer is paying for an expensive flight or a courier. Sometimes I will centralize a location that benefits all buyers and drive a bit of the way. Occasionally I have flown with my pups myself if I have two going to the same city. My buyers pay the flight, pup fee, parking and gas. My time is free. Usually with two pups going to one airport that’s only about $200 each buyer. If they hire a courier then I do drive the 2.5 hours roundtrip to meet the courier at the airport. I refuse the further away airports typically up front when they are negotiating with a courier.

 

[leolion]

@mirandaaa If they don't ask for a discount, and you know they're flying or driving from God knows where to get the puppy, you can feel a little more secure in where it is going and its nice you give them a little discount.

As opposed to "I'M DWIVING A LONG TIMMMEEE UMMM DISCOUNT PLEASE!!!"

 

[liengsunwin]

@leolion And 3.5 hours is nothing compared to a flight!

 

[austinjoel2001]

@mirandaaa what breed? i'm so curious!