Welcome to Honeycreek Standard AKC Australian Shepherds

We always get asked about why an Aussie is this price or that price and why the difference along with what is or should be included with the pup. I cannot answer why others do what they do only speculate as to why. But I will spell it out as plan as possible below for all to see and understand the in's and outs' of puppy pricing at least for us. What and why others do what they do I will let them explain if they can and my bet is they cannot or will not open their thoughts up but I will for you and all to know.

First you have to understand what is involved in raising 1 puppy let alone a litter of 6-12 little fur balls as it does not matter whether it is 1 or 12 it all has to be done. The only difference is cost, work is the same, procedure is the same, products are the same for 1 or 12 or anything in between.

Naturally the very first thing you have is the Dame and the Sire assuming you own both. The cost and time of raising them cannot be 100% calculated but keep in mind it will be for most reputable breeders 2 years before producing 1 puppy. 2 years of training, feeding, teaching, Vet bills, loving and pampering. So how to calculate that? Well for just 2 of our Adults without including price to purchase, time or food just training, AKC paperwork, Vet bills for 1 year the total is right at $900.00 and we have 10 loving fur balls at our home. Add food into the picture, we purchase 100lbs. of food every 1 1/2 weeks so just say 1 bag every week. 50lb. bags divided by 10 would be 5 lbs each per week (way under actual amount but will at least illustrate cost). 1 bag of food, $59.00, divide by 10 would be $5.90 per week times 52 weeks would equal $306.80 per year, per Aussie to feed. So so far we have $900.00 for Vet, paperwork, training (which never stops) plus $306.80 to feed 1 dog times 2 for the Dame and Sire which totals for both to $2413.60. We will use this number later on. Remember this number reflects the Dame and Sire ONLY!

Now on to puppies. We shall figure on an average litter, litters can range from 4 to 12 but average litter size for an Aussie is 8 pups. So to do this correctly, safely for mom and her pups you need to invest a little time and some cash. Whelping box or Birthing place for mom to safely have her pups. You can purchase one from anywhere between $300.00 to $2000.00 or you can make one as I did for approximately $350.00. This included the wood, whelping pad, Infra Red lamp for heat source and some tubing, my time to build not included. Then some medical supplies should be on hand just in case, cotton swabs, cleaner, cord cutters and clamps and various other items depending on how prepared you desire to be. For myself it equaled right at $100.00. Total $450.00 for me anyway.

Now puppies where born, now what? Time to register the litter with AKC, that is $49.00. Then you must decide if you want to go ahead and list the litter on Marketplace, highly suggest you do. That will be another $29.00. OK, all are born, Litter is registered and now are listed on the AKC Market Place now what? You can rely only on Market Place or you can also list them in your local paper as I do which is another $55.00 for 1 month for me anyway. So total Registration of litter and listing them is $133.00

OK are you done, by no means not yet. Pups will have to have dew claws and tails docked before 4th day of life, we do not do it our Vet does. Average cost per pup is $25.00 x 8 (average litter size) is $200.00. De worming 2, 4, 6 and 8 week marks. Worm Medicine $35.00. At 6 weeks of age another Vet visit to have their shots giving and checkup prior to release. Average cost per pup $57.25 times 8 (average litter size) is $458.00. Total this time is $693.00

Now do you feel all the time you give to your Dogs is free, included, not worth a dime? I doubt it very seriously but for sake of argument I will use a pay scale equal to Minimum Wage here in Missouri which is as of this writing $8.60 per hour. To handle your adult dogs let us just be very low and say 1 hour per day giving to them and that IS very low. No weekends off that is every day so that is 365 days times 1 hour times $8.60 which is $3,169.00. Now you give the same amount of time to puppies (very light on this feeding, cleaning, building, vet travel etc) so that is 1 hour per day for 8 weeks which is 56 days that equals $481.60. So total this time for all is $3650.60

OK now let us total everything. ALL the above pricing equals $7340.20. Whew what a number! Remember this is for 1 years worth of taking care of, feeding, training Vet care for the 2 Adults. Birthing of an average litter of 8 pups, the care of the pups, feeding and Vet visits. Your time AT Minimum Wage as listed in my state which is Missouri and I guarantee you will spend more than 1 hour a day taking care of the Adults and their pups. So the total cost for raising the pups is $7340.20 now what do you list them for? Well you know what I am listing them for as you can see very clearly on the litter site, $800.00 each. Average litter 8 so 8 times $800.00 IS $6400.00, ouch guess what I lost $940.20......

My point to all this above is three things. 1, I do not count my time as I love my Aussie's, love the pups and most of all love the smiles I get from new owners. That is my profit. 2, do not do this to make a dollar but do it only for the enjoyment of meeting people and sharing something with a child or adult that lasts for life. Last if you are making a huge profit then your doing at someone else's expense whether that be human or animal this I do not and will not condone as that is the first sign of a true to life puppy mill and I for one will do whatever is in my power to eliminate you.

There you have the nuts, the bread and butter of it all. I can offer to Pay for your puppy's Registration, can pay for a Micro Chip and it's insertion I can even train your puppy if desired but all will be added to the final price as some do. We do not do this for the dollar but do it because we enjoy it, enjoy meeting people and thoroughly love our Aussie's. Pricing for Australian Shepherds with Blue Eyes can also be raised as some do, I do not. Price can be adjusted for show quality verses non show quality but they are all one and the same to me. That would be like saying "Will YOU are not worth as much as ME" and I will not do that. The price of our pups is set only difference we do in pricing is for Tri's and Merle's, the per say Show Dog or Non Show dog, sex or eye color matters not one bit to us nor should it matter to you as you are hopefully looking for a Friend not a Designer friend but a real friend. I say it now and elsewhere on the site, "If all your looking for is a designer friend we have nothing for you. Go Elsewhere as we will not offer one of our loveable fur balls to you for adoption for any reason at any price....

I hope the above helps in your knowledge of what it is to raise a dog, this though it is about our own Aussie's and style I am sure fits most others as well. To think that you are getting more from a breeder that offers AKC registration, Microchips and more at that ridiculous price of $1500-$2000 or more you are not, it is all included as you can see. Nothing free was giving but just included in the price structure, we can do the same if you desire I just believe one should know up front what they are paying for and what is actually included. If you want anything included with your pup just ask we shall do it and add the price to what the starting price was, my bet is it will still be lower than then next breeders.

Written with Love of the Breed and all Breeds in mind. Be informed, be smart and be always be cautious, never assume you are getting what you think your getting as to many people out there are SELLING DOGS, we are allowing adoption of lifelong friends from our own family. You decide which way is better.......

The above is my personal opinion and the personal opinion of this website of which I take full responsibility for, Ben McCune...