Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kiki M. on June 16, 2012 at 10:23am

 A reputable breeder will never reduce the price for older puppies or describe one as a runt.

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Permalink Reply by Lela Schneider on March 2, 2012 at 10:11pm

I wouldn't necessarily rule out a rescue dog... we just adopted two Pembroke Welsh Corgis, both from local shelters.  Both were under a year of age and very definitely still puppies.    Neither had been trained, but they are now enrolled in puppy kindergarten and are doing well.  They learn so quickly!  Ours were $75 for the female, and $150 for the male.  That included spaying/neutering, check ups, etc.  Of course, the money outflow just began there... kennels, toys, training, replacement shoes (my husband was "watching" the pups during the superbowl, sort of), more toys, etc.  :)

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Permalink Reply by Donna and Lilly on March 2, 2012 at 10:13pm

Everyones stories on getting their corgis are so neat! I had to write and share mine!  I know the people that have Lillys parents, so before the mama even got pregnant, I was in line for one.  Then they were born and when I went out to see them, they were only like 2 weeks old.  I had initally wanted a male, but then my daughter has her boy, Ein, so I changed my mind.  The funny thing is that I didnt let the owners know, I was going to tell them when I visited the pups for the first time.  Well, the owners kept 2, another couple got 2, and I got the last one.  Well, when they put her in my arms, and I saw that she was indeed a girl, that was it....I was in love!!  Lilly will be 2 in May.  We go out and visit her brother and sister and mom and dad at least 3 times a month.  Lilly is a complete and total Diva.  I spoil her sometimes, I cant help it.

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Permalink Reply by Marcie on March 4, 2012 at 6:52pm

Good luck with your search. After a frustrating start with my own I am now finding possibilities for this summer. I had "sticker shock" at the beginning of my search. The breeders who have responded to my emails charge $1200-2000 for a pem puppy. I was thinking it would be around $800 or so, guess not, so I'm saving up. The two breeders I am serious about charge $1200 and 1500. Their programs are serious enough that I now feel comfortable with it. My friends and family think I'm a little nuts though. They are far more expensive than a backyard breeder, but have OFA , eye cert. etc. I have learned an amazing amount just talking with them. The breeders will be a resource as long as I have one of their pups.

I started with the Mayflower club website. Is there a regional club in your area? I sent out 8 or 10 emails and got 5 responses. It took a few weeks for some of the breeders to respond.

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Permalink Reply by Kaley and Ravioli on March 6, 2012 at 11:22am

well i've emailed the kennel club for my city AND state asking for recommendations for some breeders and they haven't emailed me back either... it's coming up on two weeks now and all i want is for a nibble. sitting and waiting is hard! especially because i've honestly been waiting until 1. i've moved out of the house (my parents aren't big dog fans) and 2. another 3 years after that until i've moved into a place that allows pets! So really, i've been waiting like 10 years. (we'll just round up) i've also heard stories of people waiting months to a year to finally get their pure breed puppy. the breeders take months to respond to you and when they do, half of them don't even want to sell to you for some outlandish reason.

$1200 seems like a lot for a pet corgi.. i thought thats how much the show quality ones were..! I hope i can find a breeder that's a little bit cheaper than that. i was also thinking around $800 as a possibly max price.. if it's going to be over $1000 it's going to be quite a bit longer before i can get my puppy. i hope it won't be that long! i'm very tired of waiting =) not to mention patience is difficult. i want a little jogging partner! (but obviously not until he's older and done growing. don't want to damage his little joints)

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Permalink Reply by Ludi on March 6, 2012 at 11:30am

I don't know if it's the same in the USA, but many breeders/Club members take ages to respond, if ever, to e-mails. Have you tried calling? It was the only way I could reliably get a hold of many 'dog people' - remember, they're all very likely to be super busy with their own lives and animals. :)

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Permalink Reply by Yuki & Ellie on March 6, 2012 at 11:33am

I know that waiting is tough, but you just have to stick with it!  :)  Prices for puppies will vary from breeder to breeder and from state to state.  Where I live, most pups cost between $600 and $900.  I couldn't find any near me, however, so I broadened my search.  I found a breeder a few states away that had a litter of puppies and was willing to fly her to me.  As luck would have it, two of the little girls fit my criteria for what I wanted (gentle, sweet and good with children) and I chose my little Ellie-girl.

Find breeders from states surrounding you.  Work out the maximum distance you would be able to travel.  Some owners travel up to 10 hours or more (one way) to get their new little pups, but obviously not everyone is able to do that.  Sometimes breeders are willing to travel a certain distance to meet you along the way, as one breeder offered to do with me if the pup I wanted wasn't claimed that afternoon.  It would have shaved nearly two hours off of a 6 hour trip.  Keep trying and keep your options as open as you can.  :)

Also, are your initial contact emails (and subsequent replies) kept somewhat professional? You obviously want to convey that you love the breed and want to welcome a puppy into your home, but a well-written and proof-read email can sometimes help to get things started on a good note. This isn't meant to imply that you aren't doing this, just giving you a tip that I found was very helpful when I contacted the 20 or so breeders I found during my search.

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Permalink Reply by Kaley and Ravioli on March 6, 2012 at 11:55am

right, i used roughly the same email for each breeder (just changing a few things based on where their location was). i showed the emails to my sister (who recently got a papillon after months of searching) and she said "damn, where did you learn to talk like that?!" she was probably shocked since we went to the same schools growing up, but i think it's really helped that i grew up just a bit more into the digital age than she did. (she's 6 years older than me). for whatever reason when i compose emails they're always super professional and make me sound way older than i am. 

i'm sure that's hard to see since i don't bother to capitalize anything when writing on here! i'm just lazy and this is informal so i don't feel it matters. 

i have no problem driving far for my corgi but the only thing that had me worried was how he would handle the long drive. i do the long drive all the time because my family lives 5 hours away from where i live so it's a piece of cake for me. but i guess people travel far for their corgis all the time so i suppose it's not that big of a deal for the dog? whenever i do get a bite and hopefully get a corgi my boyfriend was going to drive with me so that on the drive back i could care for the puppy and have our first bonding time in the car

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Permalink Reply by Ludi on March 6, 2012 at 12:09pm

If it helps, corgis are resilient creatures. They aren't precious little flowers who will wilt because of travel - at least, not any of the ones owned by folks on here, I think.

For reference, Ace (my Cardigan puppy) was 4 months old when he came to me all the way here in France, from a farm in Minnesota, USA. You're looking at what was basically 14 hours straight of being in a crate either in an airport cargo area, or in the dark, super noisy cargo hold of the plane itself. He was a champ and completely unaffected by the travel - he didn't even mind going back into the crate that evening for his first night here.

Don't be worried about a long drive, or even a flight, to get your pup. What matters is that he/she comes from a breeder you trust to take all necessary precautions, and that includes prepping him for life's experiences.

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Permalink Reply by Jane on March 6, 2012 at 2:11pm

Just keep in mind that the initial purchase price is really only a small part of the overall cost of owning a puppy. Henry was only $450, but I bet we spent at least another $1500 in the first year, probably more like $2k. His neuter alone was ~$400 because he was a cryptorchid. Then there are multiple vet visits for vaccinations, wormings, fecals, crates, toys, food, training classes (usually around $100 for 6-8 weeks and we did two), heartworm meds, flea/tick treatment, etc etc. And that's assuming nothing goes wrong healthwise. It's really a good idea to make sure you have some extra funds saved up before getting the puppy, or at the least apply for carecredit or something similar in case of an emergency.

 

I think $600-1200 is a reasonable price from a good breeder, depending on your area. Many don't charge different prices for pet or show puppies. Most breeders in the same area all know one another so if you sent emails to all of them I would just wait and see, or give one a call.

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