Question (Kind of a vent but not really) - Bulldog "costs"

RazrRila99

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Mar 24, 2013
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Why is it when I go look for English Bulldog puppies they are so expensive? Is it the breeders going after the "novelty" and that new owners will just bite the bullet and pay it? Is it greed? Or is there actual health reasons that bulldog pups go for upwards of $1500 or higher?

Granted, I had Closs fall into my lap. I would have gone one sooner had they not been so astronomically priced.
 

nycbullymama

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Dec 22, 2012
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Because they can't conceive, or give birth naturally. It takes a lot of money to have a litter of bullies, and the cost gets passed down to us.
Oh, and $1500 is on the low end for this breed. We paid 3k for Blue and I believe that's about normal.
 

anatess

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Here's a short lesson for you on monetary value:

1.) The monetary value of an item is simply the amount of money a free person is willing to pay for that item.

And here's a short lesson in sales price:

2.) A good for-profit business will only produce something whose monetary value is greater than the cost of production such that the business can get a profit worth its time. The sales price therefore, should be set at a balance between monetary value and time. If you're willing to wait for that person who puts a higher monetary value for an item, then you set it at a higher monetary value. IF not, then set it lower.

So, why are English Bulldogs priced at $3,000+? Because it costs a lot of money to breed these dogs and people are willing to pay $3,000 for one of them. If say, it costs $3,000 for a bitch to produce a litter of 2 puppies, your lowest price would be over $1500 to make it worth your time. If nobody wants to pay $1500 for the pup, then it's not worth your time and might as well do something else, like... sell a toaster. But, if somebody is willing to pay $1 Million for an English Bulldog pup, it doesn't matter much that it only cost $3,000 to produce a litter of 2 puppies. The sales price for an English Bulldog pup is $1 Million and the breeder gets to enjoy a good profit. Is that greed? No. Because, the breeder did not force the guy to pay $1 Million for it. The guy decides that the value of his dog is $1 Million. That's what a dog is worth to him. It only becomes greed if the breeder puts a gun to the guy's head and says - buy this dog for $1 Million else I'll blow your brains out. Because, it doesn't matter much if the breeder lists his English Bulldog pups for $1 Million dollars. If it is a lot higher than the monetary value of his pups nobody will pay that price for the pup and he's going to be up a creek without a paddle.

And this lesson applies to anything in the free market, not just English Bulldog pups.
 
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RazrRila99

RazrRila99

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Oh, I follow the art of supply and demand, Im in manufacturing myself. It was the pure cost of the situation and what all goes into a successful litter. Dont get me wrong, Im not "going after" the breeders that are doing it right and actually care about their families.

Thank you for the educational responses. Its something that Ive always wondered about.
 

bullmama

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Last year we had two litters, a total of 6 puppies, one puppy was born with a spinal deformity so we were only able to adopt out 5 of the 6. We also feed all of our bullies home cooked and Fromm, our c-sections cost $2,000+ (each), we also had a stud fee and office visits, and we don't cut costs on the puppies upbringing, only the best of the best. One of the pups had an abcess from his sister biting him, another surgery cost. This is why I personally only breed on occasion because I simply LOVE doing it. It is a hobby, one I am willing to "make or break" on, regardless of the # in the litter, it is to me a form of art, and I love my little fur grand kids, keep in touch with all of them, it is the highlight of my day. If I was in it for a business, I would be buried deep in debt from last year this year "making up for it" per say.

If you are doing it right, and putting 100% into the pups and not using cheap food or substitutes, it can cost $4,000 to $5000, sometimes even higher, to have a litter, and 8 weeks of hard (but alas very fun) work to ensure you raise happy and well socialized puppies.

Also, it is not like having other breeds, since most English Bulldog moms have their pups via c-section they do sometimes lose the natural instinct to nuture them. Sometimes it can take a couple days for the to become good moms, other times a couple weeks. Their lives are very fragile so it takes a lot of research, mentoring and experience to actually become the bulldog mom (quite literally), up every two hours for 10 days and even though you get more sleep after day 10 it does not get much easier during the next 8 weeks, it just becomes different duties as the time goes by. Moms can also easily squish pups (even the best of the best ones!) so you must be the nurse maid, never leaving them alone with mom, and their tiny lives are quite literally in the hands of the breeder.

Learn more by reading the breeding article here on the forums. It is one of my most enjoyable experiences, but at the same time it's almost like the clock stops and life gets put on hold for 2 whole months, forgetting to do little things because each day passes by and the next thing you know you forgot to pay your bills on time, your pantry is empty, your house is in shambles, the yard is overgrown, lol..... but it is well worth it, to me as I love them and it's what I love to do.
 
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bluesteelapd

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Lisa, that was awesome! Very enlightening. Mona's breeders are the best and to answer [MENTION=8448]RazrRila99[/MENTION] 's question, Mona was 1 1/2 years old when we got her and she cost $1500. She had cherry eye that was already taken care of and she had already been fixed, so we really got a deal.
 

ChrisRN

Flip'n'bullies stole my heart!
Jan 10, 2013
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I spoke with a 3rd-generation breeder of these dogs who has gorgeous, healthy dogs. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of her puppies. I think if you do your homework you can get a dog for less, but you might not be getting the cute little puppy that makes us all drool on here. Settling for cheap from a backyard or mill breeder will cost so much more in the long run. Mabel was probably the product of a backyard breeder as were her many litters of puppies. I know we've spent close to what we would have for a puppy in medical care and adoption fees for Mabel, but I wouldn't trade her for anything!
 
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RazrRila99

RazrRila99

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Thank you everyone for the responses. And [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION], that was the answer I was looking for. I knew bulldogs were a high maintenance breed when it came to pups, but didnt realize they were that much different from bigger breeds. Again, Im NOT really questioning the "cost" perse, but just the equation by which the cost was calculated. I do apologize if I came across crass and coarse, that was NOT my intent.
 

ModernFemme

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We paid something like 1200 for Remi, which is incredibly low around here. And that was months of searching for something to fall into a price we were personally willing to pay for well... anything. ha ha ha.

The low price in this case is that the vet was somewhat retired and was happy to deliver the pups, etc, at a lower rate, and that was passed to us.
 

bullmama

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Thank you everyone for the responses. And [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION], that was the answer I was looking for. I knew bulldogs were a high maintenance breed when it came to pups, but didnt realize they were that much different from bigger breeds. Again, Im NOT really questioning the "cost" perse, but just the equation by which the cost was calculated. I do apologize if I came across crass and coarse, that was NOT my intent.

Oh no I didn't think that at all, a lot of people don't know what goes into it so I can assume most of the population out there think its just a high price tag.

Now I, on the other hand, just got a new broom for $1.50 because I needed another one.

I feel guilty either knowing that its made in a place of slave labor, otherwise how can they possibly make this broom, and profit from it, at such a low cost? Baffles me!


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D

DaisyBulldog

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That is why getting a bulldog from a rescue group is the best answer. Much cheaper than a puppy, and you help a dog in need. :yes:
 

Ftse 100

Bully lov'in wonder from down under
Mar 25, 2012
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Lisa that was well explained. Many years ago I mated my pug and if anything could go wrong it did she had seven puppies out if this three were born dead one was neither here or there we with a lot of effort got the puppie breathing within twelve hours a fourth one died there were three left I took them to have there dew claws cut and a check up first thing in the morning the vet suggested I have one put down as it had very weak lungs and would not last another day I said no I nursed this puppie and bottle fed it and he Maddisen lived until the age of 11. Then the mother stood on another one collapsing its lungs and it stopped breathing I gave this puppie Harley mouth to mouth and it survived then the the last one Winston lungs collapsed when he was around a week old once again the vet suggested putting him down and again I said no I had insert a tube every two hours into his stomach and feed him this was for a week and he too lived until 11. Did I sell them no I could not part with them I had five pug dogs in total three fawns and two blacks after we moved to the house we are in now we could only have two dogs so I have one to my mum and one to my daughter this way I could still see them and love them each day. But believe me I honestly think having skin babies and raising them is so much easier than fur babies I was a complete zombie for quite a few months. So getting to the point I myself do understand the cost of purebred and all the time and effort of a proper breeder puts into it and you will never get rich from breeding puppies.


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