Without fail the most common question I am asked is = “How much are your puppies?” I can tell a lot about a client by when they ask that question. If that is = the first question out of their mouths, generally these Doberman puppies are = not for them, people concerned with price before health quality, temperament = etc seldom will appreciate the type of Doberman puppies we raise. I am the = type of guy who wants to get my money’s worth just like the bulk of the = world, but I finally learned that sometimes that means you spend more to get better = value. Cheap isn’t always good. Here are some of my rambling philosophies = on value. So how much are our Champion bred Doberman Pinschers? I guess you’ll = have to call and ask the right questions to find out J

A = word about Value

It is = my opinion that you really do get what you pay for in a dog. When you = purchase a car, they are priced (through honest people anyway) according to their = overall mechanical and cosmetic condition, how they have been cared for, what = features they have etc. Thankfully when buying cars there are buying guides to = help determine the worth. In Dogs there is no guide to go by. Often I am = asked why there is such a difference in the value of my Doberman puppies, and not = only my pups, but between my pups and someone else's. It really comes down to = value, what are you getting for your dollar, and naturally the environmental = factors such as supply and demand influence it as well. I have seen Dobes for = sale in today's market for as low as $300. I have seen them as high as $75,000. = I have also seen people turn down $300,000 or more on really outstanding dogs. = The differences break down roughly like this. Most important is the one thing most first = time buyers overlook, that is the "quality" of the breeder. Do they = have an understanding of the breed, genetics, and health? Do they have clear breeding goals that they are trying to achieve? Do they have experience? = Was this a planned breeding with a goal to get closer to their model of = perfection? Most importantly, are they going to be there for you after the purchase? = It is my opinion that $300 pups come from accidental breeding or deliberate = breeding between two dogs that happen to be Dobermans. Usually the breeding goal is cash. Generally it will be a first time = breeder with little or no experience or education. Again this is just my = opinion. Generally you will find that the pups will be worth what their parents = were worth. It is very rare to find a a world champion quality pup from two = $300 dogs. This type of breeder generally has not had any health testing, and = likely doesn't have a good vet for regular check-ups and help along the way. = This kind of care is very expensive, and the cost must be recouped somewhere. I = admit 15 years ago, I raised $300 pups. I learned a lot over the years and = developed my program and my education. I have learned that I would lose a great deal = of money if I were to breed great quality dogs, from outstanding parents, = care for them right and place them in their new homes for $300. It can't be done. = Most importantly, I have learned if you have a problem with your $300 dog a = year later, the breeder cannot be contacted, cannot remedy the problem, and = won't answer your calls about health and training issues. They only answer = calls asking about their puppies for sale. Breeder support is more important = in many cases than the pup you choose. They have been through it all, they can = answer most of your questions, and if you stump them, they know where to go to = get the answers. More importantly, they are willing to do all of that. Naturally = that time and dedication has value, and has real costs associated with it. = Start there first when determining value, then consider the face value of pup. = My Doberman puppies = are available at a dollar amount according to what I think their potential is. Some = dogs will be better athletes than others. Generally those traits are highly = heritable, meaning if mom and dad are great athletes their offspring should be as = well. Some dogs have better conformation than others making them ideal for = show. those traits likewise are highly heritable. Some dogs are lucky enough = to have both great conformation and athletic ability. Also important is their = genetic potential which becomes a deeper genetic study that I can explain if you = want to understand more. Pedigrees are important to some people and that to = can influence price. Based on which female produced the pups, we know what = to expect from those litters, and that is how we price our pups. What will = the demand be for this bloodline, this conformation type, their temperament, = the accomplishments of their ancestors as well as their own etc. We only = produce pups that will meet our program goals, if they don't we don't continue = breeding those females. We have given up many wonderful dogs that did produce = great pups this last year because we can only feed so many, and the current girls = are that much better. Determine what is important to you with your dog, what you = want to accomplish, and then see if that type of dog will fit your budget. If = you want to win an international championship, expect to pay more for your pup. = If all you want is a great pet, pick one from a breeder with great support, and = great health programs and a replacement policy. We want you to get the dog = that best meets your needs, and we want you to know you got your money's = worth.

Our = puppies do cost more than many available out there, and for a good reason. We take = time to research and select the best Champion Dobermans for our program, and plan each breeding carefully to = produce the right kind of Doberman puppies for you. I want you to get a high quality Doberman puppy that you will be proud of, that will live for many years = of effective service. I also want to be a support to you and your new = Doberman, and that will take time and resources. Isn't the help and education = worth a little more? With dogs you do get what you pay for, and with many dogs = they don't come with any support. We will help you raise and train your dog = wherever you want or need help. 

Steve Parsons

480-993-9797

http://www.familydobes.com

http://www.dobetalk.com