When people ask how much we bill for one of our pups, they sometimes react like “Ouch, that’s expensive!”
It’s true, we do charge higher prices are than some others who advertise pups or adult dogs in online platforms or in magazines. However, our pups are not more expensive than those bred by other responsible breeders. We don’t take out ads in online marketplaces, but announce litters, planned or born only on our own website, on the website of our club and of the national kennel club VDH and via social media.
Why?
We are no puppy traders. 🙂
We are living with Siberian Huskies and keep them working as sleddogs should do. These dogs are part of our familiy. They are well taken care of by the vets of our vet clinic, and our kennel is monitored by our kennel club, the DCNH (member of the German kennel club VDH and the FCI), and the district veterinary office. Whenever we mate two dogs, it does not happen because our pretty girls should have pretty pups. We want to protect and preserve a historic dog breed, the Siberian Husky. This is consuming time and money, and even though it’s a lot of fun, it’s a lot of work as well!
First, a litter has to be well planned. Sire and dam must be healthy and their genetic predispositions must match. Breeding for colors of coat an eyes alone won’t do – quite the opposite!
We chose our dogs deliberately, not just because they are pretty, but because they bring fine quality due to their pedigree and upbringing in their very first home. All their ancestors have been equally chosen and taken care of (at least as far as we can research down the line).
To be approved for breeding, dogs are tested for hereditary diseases and faults of skeleton and eyes. They have to pass an expert opinion by a purpose-trained breed judge who examines the phenotype according to the breed standard and stanes their value for the breed. Purebred alone is no value.
Any dog breed is an object of historic and cultural value. Siberian Huskies are dogs whose ancestors were companions of the Chiukchi and their ancestors, nomads of the tundra in northeastern Sibiria, for at least a millenium. As hunting dogs and as sleddogs they made those peoples’ hard life easier. In early 20th century, the first Chiukchi dogs or Siberian dogs came to Alaska. Their swiftness, courage, loyalty and stamina made sleddog tems become the most important means of transportation for decades. Sleddog teams were deployed in the Vosges mountains during World War I. And right from the beginning they were used in sleddog races.
For every breed that is bred under the rules and regulations of a kennel club there is a breed standard, a scripted desciription of the animal and its features specific for the breed. Dog breeding is aiming a protecting and preserving breeds with all their specific features. We want to breed healthy and well-tempered Siberian Huskies according to the breed standard. To get there, you have to diligently work with your dogs, to carefully chose sire and dam and to carefully look after the pups you raise.
This needs time, money and commitment. And most of all a whole lot of love for these animals.
The puppies grow up safely and secured in our house, first in the whelping room, after about 3 weeks in a puppy room and in a puppy pen outside in the garden. All rooms and pens have to be kept clean – to leave it to the bitch would be shere animal abuse, even if that is nature’s way. The little ones are checked up at least twice by veterinarians, are dewormed at least three times and got at least their first vaccinations, when delivered (if delivered abroad after 12 weeks or later, they also got their second vaccinations, including the rabies shot. They get the blue EU Pet Passport to keep records of the vaccinations. When moving to their furever families, they are chipped and already registered in Germany.
During pregnancy the dam is well taken care of and she ist provided with everything she needs now. We are with her, we care for her and support her in labor, the nearest vet clinic is well informed about the date of whelping and supports us. The puppies are supervised and taken care of from the day they are born, supporting the dam. In everyrthing concerning health and growing up, too, we are supported by the vets of the vet clinic. We care for the pups, we play with them, stimulate them, help them get to know the pack and people of all age, first of all children and their furever families.
While growing up, the pups get accustomed to many things that belong to a modern household – yet, they will never suffer a sensory overload or compulsive stimulation. The learn through taking part in our daily life and playing. they are not separated from us, they are not stuck in a dark place, but are near us all the time. When they leave, they already had their first walkies on a leash and learned some tricks. 😉 We do not follow any program, but our hearts and reason.
This means a lot of time and effort – and we want to see that appreciated.
How much do you think, is it worth to adopt a healthy and well socialized puppy? You will see that all costs and payments you do for your dog, starting with basic equipment, expenses for food, healthcare, insurance, dog training up to all the changes a dog will bring into your life, they will exceed the puppy’s price many times.