Great question, huh? With so many ramifications. Of course, we toy poodles think we are PRICELESS because we are so special.

This morning we awoke to a question from a guest about the value of a toy poodle:

“Mr. Dibs,

      I am interested in knowing the "value" of a Toy Poodle. If I had to say put a price tag on one.  Like Replacement value for instance. You can't put a price on a pet or what it gives to your life. But what if I needed to put a price tag on the type of dog itself? I need the value of a Toy Poodle and also a Boston Terrier. Is there some sort of website or reputable organization that lists the Value of Breeds?”

In the world of commerce, I suppose, the value of a toy poodle depends upon what the customer is willing to pay for one. Some of this might depend on supply and demand. A big problem arises, however, when there is a perceived shortage of a particular kind of dog. The puppy mills and backyard breeders will jump in and produce that kind of dog.

This leads to an oversupply of poorly bred pups. I am reminded of the Dalmatian problem that occurred when Disney first released its film, 101 Dalmatians. Every kid in America wanted a Dalmatian and the puppy mills/backyard breeders were happy to comply. The outcome, as I recall, was a lot of Dalmatians given up to rescue organizations.

Also, in the world of commerce, I suppose our value depreciates as we age. In other words, the value of an older toy poodle in money would probably be considered less than the value of a puppy. Ironically, as we age we become even more endearing to our owners because of the lives we have shared together. I shudder to compare us to the tires on your vehicle; but warranties on those take into account the number of miles the tires have logged.

I know of no web site that offers insight into the objective value of a toy poodle or any other breed of dog.

That said, I have found that the "cost" (which is different from value because it doesn't include the aspect of emotional attachment) of a toy poodle PUPPY varies from one part of the country to another. The cost also depends on size. For example, a teacup toy poodle would command a higher price than a normal size toy poodle.

Toy dogs, in general, cost more than big dogs because our litters are much smaller...two pups, say, as opposed to seven or more. If you do it right, it’s expensive to raise pups. Producing more pups in a litter lessens the overall expense.

Costs vary with breeders, too. Those who make an effort to provide excellent medical care, premium nutrition, and outstanding support (health guarantee, genetic testing, etc.) might charge more, and justifiably so, for their puppies. That is because they have added "value" to their pups by the efforts they have made to ensure long, healthy lives.

Problem is, puppy mills often exploit the situation for profit and charge exorbitant prices for their pups. Ironically, the replacement value of a puppy to a puppy mill is almost ZERO because they overproduce and treat puppies like replaceable commodities.

A puppy that dies when it goes to a new home is easily replaced because puppy mills are nothing more than breeding farms where mother dogs are bred every time they come into heat. Replacing a dead puppy is just the cost of doing business to a puppy mill. They have a steady, virtually unending supply of puppies.

So, you see, value is mainly in the eye of the beholder. If you have a heart (and a conscience), you hold the value of any life in high regard.

Until next time,

Mr. Dibs