In the world of dog breeding there is an almost unspoken rule: whoever asks about the price first will not get the dog. To me this approach makes no sense — and I will explain why.
Each of us has, at any given moment, a certain amount we are willing and able to spend on a dog. In this world the differences in price are large, and they are not random. Every serious breeder knows exactly what they breed, what goes into each puppy, and why it has precisely the value it does.
Why a question about price does not offend me
I find it strange when breeders take offence if someone asks about the price at the very start. Does it really wound our pride? Are we afraid someone will insult the name of our kennel? To me that holds no danger. Every buyer knows for themselves whether they will continue the conversation once they hear the price. I am not offended in the least.
Let me admit the other side too, because I understand it: many breeders use this rule as a safeguard against resellers and against people who buy a dog on a whim. That is also true. But I have chosen differently — I would rather trust that each person can judge their own means, and that honesty turns away the wrong buyers just as well as silence.
A comparison from everyday life
When we admire a beautiful piece of clothing in a shop and look at the price, it may well exceed our budget. Does the shopkeeper get upset that we did not first ask about the fabric? Of course not. A person says thank you, turns around and looks for something that suits them.
Why should it be different with a dog? If someone calls and asks the price, I tell them at once, without taking offence. That lets them consider for themselves whether it is feasible for them at this moment. If it is not, that is entirely human. They can simply say: "Thank you, I'm afraid I can't manage it right now." There is no need to exaggerate or belittle. After all, there are other paths too — anyone who cannot afford a pedigree dog can adopt from a shelter a dog that also needs a home.
What you are really paying for
Breeding demands sacrifice, sleepless nights, countless hours of learning, worry and investment. When someone asks about the price, they are not asking about the value of a life — they are checking their own current means. The two are not the same.
I cannot promise that a dog will never fall ill; health depends on many factors. Nor can I write out in advance the character that develops in harmony with a new home. But I do vouch for what I hand over: for parents who are firm and stable in character, chosen with care, with documents and a pedigree in order, and for my support, which remains available to the new owner for the whole of the dog's life.
Character is inherited only to a degree; everything else is built in the new home. That is why cooperation matters. When a new owner calls me at any time for advice, that is not control — it is help. Anyone who sees pressure in that should simply not look for a dog with me. But anyone who occasionally shares a photo and shows how the puppy is growing expresses responsibility, and it gladdens me, for every devoted breeder wants to see what kind of dog their puppy has grown into.
In closing
A dog is not a product. It is a living being that will be your faithful companion for fifteen years. But we must not blind ourselves to the right to choose or to financial reality. My dogs leave with everything they need, and they are worth every euro. To those for whom the price is an insurmountable obstacle, I sincerely wish that they find their dog elsewhere — for every dog deserves a home where it is valued and truly loved.