# Too Late to Negotiate?



## Yoshi (May 12, 2014)

Now here's a funny situation to be in. The breeder of who I am going to get my pup from just updated their For Sale page on their website and the price of the puppies have changed . . . :crazy: Depending on the pups listed, the price has dropped as much as $1000 while others still remain the same. It is now stated that they are open up for negotiation as well. I have already payed the full price, and that was done about 3 weeks ago, when the pups were just under 5 weeks old. Now they are just under 8 weeks old. 

Also, 3 weeks ago I was contacting other people who have brought from this breeder before, I heard good things, everyone loved their dogs and were very happy. But one of the customers asked me "how much are you paying"? Baffled, I told them I was paying the full price as stated on their website. The person then told me I could negotiate. I did think about this but in the end I disregarded the notion of negotiating, because I was very keen on this pup and I trusted the breeder, and I have no idea on how to negotiate.  I didn't want to offend the breeder, and I thought that lots of people wanted the pups too, so I didn't want to give the breeder a reason to sell the pup to someone else. 

But at the moment I am just baffled. Would it be possible to negotiate now that I have already payed for the pup? Or would that offend the breeder? Why have some of the prices changed? I am just baffled that some pups are so much cheaper to some others.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

ask the breeder what determines this "Depending on the pups listed, the price has dropped as much as $1000 while others still remain the same."

There may be some thing which will include some conditions , non-breeding as an example .


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## Yoshi (May 12, 2014)

They are all main papered registered. I was thinking the breeder may be dropping the price based on their drives and that they are almost 8 weeks old. The high drive pups are still the same price, and are labelled as suitable to government services. I would like to ask but I don't want to come off as rude either . . .


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

I think the main thing is that you're getting the particular puppy that you want, right? Did the owner who told you to negotiate buy their puppy when it was older, when they wanted to hurry up and find homes for them? That's what it sounds like to me.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

I'll say this...you're in Australia and might have different social norms about this. In the states...negotiation is usually a no-no...and I've never heard of a breeder dropping their prices before the dog is truly out of puppy stage and can't find a home. Until the age of 8-12 even 16 weeks...they can generally still get the original price because those are the ages the market says the puppies generally go home.

Then again...negotiation for most things doesn't happen in the United States, where it does in Europe and other areas around the globe.


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## Yoshi (May 12, 2014)

The pup certainly sounds like the type I want and I appreciate the breeder's temperament testing. The breeder seems to really want to match the right puppy to the right person.  Says the pup is very owner orientated, cuddly, has good drives, but not as extreme as some of his siblings that would be suitable for government services. A very all rounder type of dog. 

The customer said they got their pup at 8 weeks, and they are coming back to get another pup, so maybe that allows for negotiation as that person has dealt with the breeder before?

Yeah, I am not sure if in Australia negotiation for dogs is the norm either. With previous pets I have bought it never occurred to me to negotiate. I guess it depends on popularity? I know some well known breeders have puppies booked before they are born but for my breeder this is their first registered litter. From what I know they specialise in training and rehabilitating large breed working dogs.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

So the pup your getting would have been reduced in price if you were just now contacting them? If they say they will negotiate, then I see no harm in asking. I wouldn't push it, but I would ask.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

At this point, wouldn't it be called a refund, since the puppy's already paid for? I wouldn't do it myself, but that's just me. Not to say I wouldn't try to haggle for a deal _ever_, because I did save many hundreds on my car, lol.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

martemchik said:


> I'll say this...you're in Australia and might have different social norms about this. In the states...negotiation is usually a no-no...and I've never heard of a breeder dropping their prices before the dog is truly out of puppy stage and can't find a home. Until the age of 8-12 even 16 weeks...they can generally still get the original price because those are the ages the market says the puppies generally go home.
> 
> Then again...negotiation for most things doesn't happen in the United States, where it does in Europe and other areas around the globe.


Agree, except a good puppy will go UP in price the older it gets.


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

I would be asking why.......that seems a bit off to me and I would want to know why it is being done......weren't they were all spoken for and they said you may not have even had a crack at one......now they are dropping prices......you are paying good money.....it is a legitimate question. You don't have to be rude or confrontational about it........just curious


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## RubyTuesday (Jan 20, 2008)

Personally, I don't negotiate. My 2 biggest reasons are that 1) I'm no good at it & 2) I don't want that in any way defining my relationship with the breeder. 

The breeder I got my GSDs from, & who I think very highly of, sometimes has dogs & pups that are less expensive, no negotiations necessary. Prior to getting Phoenix I declined 2 lovely & inexpensive bitch pups because they were too young to be spayed & I don't want an intact female around Djibouti while I'm gone allll day. 

This is strictly my personal preference. Others love to 'bargain'. IF I was a breeder haggling over price would be an immediate turn off. Again, that's me.


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## Yoshi (May 12, 2014)

Yeah, so I called the breeder and we cleared things up. The breeder says that the reason why some pups have been marked lower is because they have lowish drives, and didn't really react to the mop when testing, weren't very motivated. They are only suitable as docile pets apparently. While the higher priced pups have very high drives and are suitable for police work. The police are going to view them approximately a week away. My pup falls somewhere in between. He's not super high but he did react to the mop. Apparently the breeder was considering presenting him to the police at some point. Don't know if he was just saying that to make me feel better or not, but I choose to trust. At any rate, the breeder believes the pup will suit what I am looking for.  

Oh, and for some reason the breeder keeps thinking that I want to breed??  But anyway, it's not long until the pup comes home. I'm super nervous! Just hope the flight goes well and the pup isn't affected too badly.


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

First litter and selling to police? Anything is possible I guess. 

What's the mop test? Do you know how it's done?

Also I never heard of low drive pups sold for less money but I'm sure there are many things I haven't heard


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## Yoshi (May 12, 2014)

lalachka said:


> First litter and selling to police? Anything is possible I guess.
> 
> What's the mop test? Do you know how it's done?
> 
> Also I never heard of low drive pups sold for less money but I'm sure there are many things I haven't heard


Yes, it's their first litter.  From what I can tell it's not their first time dealing with the police though. The breeder kind of has a business where they would buy or rescue large breed working dogs/puppies and would train and rehabilitate them to either be re-homed as pets or as working dogs to the police agencies. The breeder used to work in training dogs for security, I believe, and they also have a dog show where they promote protection trained large breed working dogs. 

Hmm, I don't really know about the mop test either. I think the point is to waggle it around while cracking a whip to see if the pups will bite it. Maybe other members on here who work their dogs can elaborate for you, Lalachka? :shrug:


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

LOL, there is no "Mop Test". It's just something the breeder used to see if the pups will want to chase and bite. Could have used any number of things.


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

So prey drive test. Why not just say that. Lol I'd think you'd ask him what the mop test is about. 
I'm butting out though))))))


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

i would negotiate. i would also feel taken if others were paying less. sounds like you are buying a car, not a pup.


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## Ellimaybel (Mar 16, 2014)

Blanketback said:


> At this point, wouldn't it be called a refund, since the puppy's already paid for? I wouldn't do it myself, but that's just me. Not to say I wouldn't try to haggle for a deal _ever_, because I did save many hundreds on my car, lol.


I thought were going to say you saved hundreds on your car insurance in just 15 minutes.... I watch too much tv


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## Yoshi (May 12, 2014)

lalachka said:


> So prey drive test. Why not just say that. Lol I'd think you'd ask him what the mop test is about.
> I'm butting out though))))))


Eh, I pretty much guessed that the "mop test" indicated the pups' desire to bite/chase moving things. I liked how they weren't phased by the whip being cracked though. But yeah, I am not familiar with the exercises that some breeders use to see what their pups are made of. Other breeders I contacted didn't elaborate on their tests, making it seem all secret for some reason, at least this breeder told me what they were doing. :shrug:


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