Four months old is not too old in my opinion.

$3000 is a lot depending on where you're getting him from. What kennel is this?

 

Four months old is not too old in my opinion.

$3000 is a lot depending on where you're getting him from. What kennel is this?

The breeder they are looking at is German Shepherd breeder,German Shepherd puppies from Narnia Kennels and I think the dogs look wonderful. A bit pricey but bet they'd be good agility dogs! I'm also thinking you'd have to be very aware of this:

REMEMBER: no breeder bashing is allowed and you can get warnings and banned for it ..... so use a PM if you have personal information on the breeder that may fit into that category. But otherwise comments can be made (and I love the looks of the dogs!).

 

$3000 for a 4 month old pup that has most likely been in a kennel for the last 8 weeks?
His worst habits at this point will mostly be social issues. He may also be harder to potty train at first as he's probably never even had to think about holding it.
Just be aware, you aren't adopting the puppy, you are BUYING it. Like any other large purchase you should get the best for the money you are putting out there.

Annette

 

If you Were adopting no age is too old. But like it was said before you are buying it is a big purchase. Any way you could meet the dog first? I really think it's always best to meet your new family member to see if it's a match.

 

You are also supporting the breeder when giving that breeder $ for a pup...are you certain you are going to get support from said breeder when you have any concerns?
From the price you are quoted, I am assuming this is a showline kennel? Please do research to make sure you aren't buying into a price bracket type system that many SL kennels have. Research is worthy regardless of the cost of the pup, make sure you know who and the program you are supporting.

I know of others who buy a kennel dog (working line) at one yr old or more, and the dog does just fine, but that is due to good breeding and resiliance within the pedigree/lines. Other dogs that are kenneled for that length of time may not ever get over their lack of socialization during the imprinting stages and are a pain to manage/train because of their breeding.

 

What is the kennel you are looking to purchase from?

If this pup is suitable for being a working K9 this is not a good match for a first time dog owner.

 

New doggie owner here too. I don't know much, but we adopted Jack when he was 4 & 1/2 months old. Since we got him from another family, we were also worried about being able to bond with him since we were taking him from the only family he had ever known. We started obedience classes a week later and it did wonders! It was very comforting when we realized he was bonding with us through the training.

 

Even adults and seniors can bond with new families, so don't worry about that.

4 months isn't too old to adopt, but unless they've been doing housebreaking/training/socializing, a pup's price tends to decrease after 8 weeks, not increase. If he's just been sitting in a kennel since he was 8 weeks old, I'd expect a bit of a price break.

 

4 months is a young pup, similar to a 2 yo human. Of course they can learn, they can learn at any age, same as people. I rescued a dog that lived in the woods on her own, fending for herself, and she turned into a wonderful, loyal family member.

 

I am a first time dog owner.

Obviously, & that's not intended to be snarky. Experienced dog people know that even aged seniors can bond tightly with a loving, committed & dedicated owner. Which is the only kind worth being.

Unless this pup comes from lines or a breeder that you're enamored of I'd look further. That's (IMO) too much to pay unless you have a very specific reason you want that type, those lines or that breeder. Quality GSD abound at prices ranging from $1000 to $2000.

Is the pup of interest over priced??? Not if he's truly what you want & need, but be certain of that before buying. If not then look around. Acquaint yourself with all that's available. Analyze what you need, want & expect. Ask yourself how pups from particular types &/or breeders meet your needs. Go with the pup/dog that best suits your family.

Note, dogs beat pups any day IMO. The best thing about pups is they grow up to become dogs. I think the very best are retired breeders or young adults that turned out unsuited for breeding for one reason or another from a reputable & knowledgeable breeder.

Admittedly pups can be awesome, too. My little Djibouti was a pup when I got him & he's just about perfect. Perhaps a mite better than perfect...

 

The age is fine, 4 months old is still a puppy.

The price MAY be a huge issue. IF this is a top experienced responsible breeder with a heck of a background/experience under their belt and a fantastic puppy warranty.... (READ THIS ----> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/welcome-gsd-faqs-first-time-owner/162231-how-find-puppy.html ) it may be a reasonable price.

Can you put up the breeders webpage for us to evaluate a bit and see if anyone has heard of them? Good info can be posted on this main board, and if anyone has some 'heads up ' information they can then PM you...

 

No, it's not a reasonable price for a four month old puppy. To me it sounds like somebody wants to take advantage of an inexperienced person and they are using the K9 route as a seller and to put pressure on the buyer.

The dog is four months old. Two months away from half a year. If you purchase an eight week old pup, it's a different ball game. If that dog was two years old, already OFA'ed, lots of drive and the BH on top of it, 3000 Dollars would be appropriate but not for a four month old pup that knows nothing but a kennel and awesome bloodlines can be found anywhere for much cheaper!

 

The bonding with the new owner probably wouldn't be my first concern. We have bought pups/dogs of all ages over the last 25+ years. From 8 week old pups to 3yo SchH 3 titled dogs. Every single one of them has adjusted and bonded to our family with no problems. Some took a little time and effort (the older dogs) just because they needed to learn our style and routines, but all of them were equally devoted to us and us to them when all was said and done. Short of the dog coming from an abusive or severely neglected background, bonding shouldn't be a big problem.
Now, having said that, if I were paying $3000 (WOW) for a pup at 4+ months I would want to see the pup in person, barring that I would absolutely demand video showing what if anything the dog has learned and how it interacts with other dogs and people. When we buy a pup sight unseen, then video is a must. I realize it is not perfect, and video can be edited, but in general you should be able to get a good insight into the general temperament and whether it has any clue about working with a human. When we buy an older pup (8 mos or more) we always get video showing the dog doing some basic obedience and maybe even some bitework for fun type stuff. At 4 mos, and $3000 video showing the pup would be the least I would ask for.
Like others have posted, maybe a link to the kennel would get you a bit more insight into whether you are making a wise choice.
We had a guy show up at our Schutzhund club a few months back with his new, 6 month old pup. He got the pup from a very well known SL kennel that is famous for it's pricing tier and "satellite" breeders. It was obvious within a few minutes that this dog was completely kennel bound. Totally lacking in any general etiquette as it applied to dogs or humans. He is a sweet pup, but may never get over some of his quirky stuff. The owner is a great guy and very hopeful for this dog, but I wish he would have done a bit more research. For the large sum he spent, he will not be getting what he hoped for. The guy is still going to pursue Schutzhund but it will absolutely be more work with less rewards for sure. Actually now that I think about it, he hasn't been out to training for a few weeks. I think he is getting totally discouraged after watching the other dogs work and make significant progress and his is still just spinning and lunging with no focus. Our club has a mixture of SL and WL dogs, so it's not that he's comparing only to WL dogs.

Annette

 

While that age is not too old, as others have said, he may have more issues if the breeder has not done things with him, particularly in terms of human interaction and some exposure to the outside world.

$3000 seems a bit high to me for a puppy that age, particularly given the whole recession statement. My next pup will be about a third of the price and I am taking him at 11 weeks.

Actually the only reason I am doing that is I know if I did not jump someone else would take him (and this is not from talking with the breeder) and I can't get him before then......and because I know the breeder spends a ton of time with the puppies doing all kinds of interesting things..just being around the family in a kennel does not mean a lot to me.....

.I see litters all the time from good breeders that are sold out either before they are born or before they are ready to leave...and for a lot less money. Now showline dogs can be more exensive, maybe he is showlines?

Given the circumsances, I think you are wise to ask a lot of questions.

 

Yeah four months is that awkward age where dogs tend to lose value. Everyone wants a 2-3 month old puppy and once its been sitting around for more than that you start asking questions. Dogs can increase in value depending on the training they receive and if it is kept back and later works out to be great breeding stock, but thats later after they have developed a little and you can tell what you're getting.

Some breeders won't get away from their tier pricing system so according to them this dog might be worth the $3000. If the part about police dog training is true, you should do a lot of research about the kind of dog you are getting. This is also a reason why the price can be so high, many breeders take pride that their dogs end up in military/police jobs and will charge more for that novelty.

 

A true green dog that is placed in a K9 program is usually somewhere between 1 and 2 and may well go for $5000 to $6000 or more -- But part of that price is now you have a dog that is x-rayed and you know has no congential problems and is old enough to assess in terms of temperament and drives. And also a dog that has had foundation work. You are paying the breeder to absorb the risk when you go that route.

Most pups bred for work tend to sell for less, not more than their showline counterparts.

 

If you do buy him, I'd like to see what a $3,000 puppy looks like.

 

In my buying and raising of pups, 3000.00 can get one a top dog with no faults and capable of high level showing if a show type dog. For that money, I have gotten a green dog with hips and elbows prelimned, drives observable, great working abilities for an applied task. For a wonderful, quality and appropriate life long GSD family member, 3000.00 is far from necessary to spend. So, it makes me wonder what is being sold to you for this price on a 4 month old?

 

4 months old is perfect to me as long as the puppy has been socialized. I would prefer it if they are crate trained and at least a little house trained at that age too.
But $3000 is a lot (too much) unless it is from a special litter and has been worked with.

 

I was going to say, if this puppy is coming from a large scale operation and never socialized - to people - then you may have a load of trouble on your hands. The first 4mos. is when they need to strongly bond with humans and interact daily with them.

We have a dog rescue and some of the hardest pups we get in are "farm" puppies who are over 3-4 mos., who were born on a farm, often in a barn or even field, and nobody interacts with them in a meaningful way (just feeding them isn't enough) and they are perpetually shy and do not live up to society's standards for dogs, even the basic interactions. Some are almost feral and have extreme fear issues where you cannot handle without being bitten, or the puppy going nuts and pooping and peeing on itself in fear.
We end up instructing their adopters on how to bond and socialize the puppy so it can have a semblance of normalcy but often it takes a special owner to adopt them because they'll always have social flaws including extreme shyness.

To the OP, you'll need to post where you're getting the puppy from, and also if you do choose to purchase it, you'll want to assess it carefully for shyness/fearfulness. If it's shy and/or fearful, and not outgoing and happy (cowers or tucks tail instead of being happy to see you, and wagging tail) when you meet it, run away fast and take your 3k with you.

 

I'd like to add that a high price tag doesn't mean a high-quality breeder. Sometimes, not even close. I'll just leave it at that and not bore with the long story.

 

I must say that this has also been very true in my many years. Often, the inexperienced equate price with quality. It is just not that simple in dogs. High pricing makes me super cautious because I know the markets and the values of different types of dogs.

 

Considered a 8 weeks puppy normally costs around $1000 to $2000, I think $3000 for a 4 months old one is not overpriced if that puppy is coming from a good breeder with great bloodline, ie. Ivan Balabanov. An extra thousand bucks to cover all the expensive such as foods, vet check, vaccinates, works, etc for extra 10 weeks (since 8 weeks to 4 months) are reasonable. I also would like to see the puppy if OP decided to get him.

 

If I don't have a special purpose for the pedigree etc and the specific qualities of the specific pup, I would be able to find a great youngster for less and begin my early things with them at 8 weeks.

I have gotten dogs at ages from 7 weeks to 6 years. They all bonded, trained, etc. As far as family companions who also titled in venues, my rescues have been awesome. The husband and now grown kids can attest to our incredible experiences with them.

I am sure I have never spent $1000.00 raising and vetting a pup from 8 weeks to 4 months. Pricing is a whatever the market will bear thing.

 

I don't think I'd be hung up on the age of the pup, nor the price. I think the biggest red flag would be a breeder selling a puppy they thought worthy of K9 work to a first time puppy buyer.

 

I think the price is on the high side. I have had young adults with extensive socializing go for around that much .

Add up the hours and gas , taxiing dogs back and forth into town , the fire hall , the big box hardware stores , and the hours accumulated treating a particular pup as if he were the only dog in the world -- lots of one on one (no dog park) shaping behaviour, creating bonds and connections , often with a prelim , or can if requested, or if part of pre-purchase (service dog).

It depends on what this person has done with the pup to "add value".

Should you be able to bond -- absolutely , if the dog has had good social experience to this point, an engagement between the dog and the caretaker.

As a matter of fact my experience has been that there are people that will ask to have a pup held over and readied for them , say a household with both partners working , professionals who want that pup to have an optimum foundation . They want the crate training , the housebreaking , the leash training . They want it done correctly .

There is no "best before" or "sell by" date sticker on the dog.

Is there anything else that you can provide as information on this dog .

Carmen
Carmspack Working German Shepherd Dogs

 

maybe they thought it would be a k9 but it didn't pan out?

 

i got my dog for $1200 at 3 months 3 weeks and the breeder had him started in training and very well socialized it was kind of the same reason on that dog too-she said two people were lined up to buy him, the first guy broke up with his girlfriend and the 2nd guy lost his job-that' why she had him.
he is completely bonded to me

 

I think the reason she had not sold him should be your clue that you are overpaying! If she cant get rid of them for less at 8 weeks old......hint hint