To be a baller, you’ll need to put down some serious cash. I’ve always wanted to start just like that. It felt a bit strange, but here we go.
We’ll first take a closer look at staffie pricing across borders. We’ve taken three different countries and researched both the prices in those countries, and calculated the median price.
After, we’ll take a look at how you can weed out the worst breeders, and how you’ll find the best ones in your area.
The median price of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier in the US, the UK and Norway, is approximately €1,782 or $2,106 (28.07.2021). To weed out the worst breeders, you should make sure 1) the prices are somewhat competitive, 2) you don’t notice any red flags in images or description, 3) the breeder ask you questions, 4) their puppies are well-fed, well-trained and vaccinated (if applicable in your country), 5) happy to answer any questions, 6) it’s a big plus if the kennel has a membership in a relevant organization or club.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier pricing
Prices are varying quite a bit when we cross borders, but not as much as you’d think. But when we searched for prices in each of the countries listed below, there were quite a bit of variances and finding a true median is difficult. Therefore, include a 20% variance either up or down as the estimated price. You can find amazing prices, but serious breeders are often quite strict on pricing.
- Price of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier in the UK: €1,750
- Price of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier in the US: $2,000
- Price of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier in Norway: 20.000 kr
The median price of a staffy puppy in these countries is approximately €1,782 or $2,106.
Now, let’s get to how you can weed out the bad breeders and find a reputable one.
How to find the best breeders
Serious breeders will spend a lot of time training and taking care of their dogs and puppies, and so therefore you’ll often get what you pay for. But there are quite a lot of pitfalls, so below we’ve sorted most of the things you need to make sure of before getting a new family member.
First impressions may not be everything, but it is something. Take a closer look at the advertisement and the images. Look at whether it looks like a safe environment, and what the breeder write in the description.
Some people are terrible photographers, and humorous statements are very subjective, so take all of these points with a pinch of salt.
Other red flags are ridiculous pricing in either direction, the breeder not asking you questions and otherwise poor communcation. Ask how the breeder keeps their dogs active, recommendations about nutrition and vaccination.
First we will take a look at the pricing, and then we’ll go deeper into how you can weed out the worst breeders.
How to weed out bad breeders
There are a lot of bad breeders out there just trying to make a quick buck. Many of these are nice people, who try their best to make a nice home for their puppies. So don’t get too hung up on how others treat their animals, but if you find something quite suspicious, then feel free to contact animal rescur services or other organizations that are working in your area.
As a buyer, it should be on the top of your list to find a healthy and calm household where the animals have had a good time and there are no signs of abuse.
A serious breeder will ask you questions
Don’t get angry if the breeder is asking you a lot of questions – it’s a very good thing! You want a breeder who cares, and you should be happy to answer the questions. It’s important both you and the previous dog owner agree on how to raise good and healthy animals. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, as the breeder will probably see this as a positive trait – willingness to learn and wanting the best for your dog.
Prices are either way too low or way too high
For most breeders, it’s not important to make a ton of money selling dogs, even though it’s a major time commitment. But they have to make a salary somehow, and for some of the breeders it’s pretty much a full-time gig!
But if the breeder have no idea of the market value, they might not be all that serious or trying to squeeze everything they can on the price. On the other side of it, they might be really serious and charge a premium.
There is a market, and there is a market value as we’ve explored above. If you’re a serious buyer looking for a long-time family member, spending a bit of money on a well-raised and well-fed puppy shouldn’t be that big of a deal. With an estimated lifespan of 12 years, spending €2,000 on a puppy is just €166 per year. This is not necessarily how you should look at it, but maybe it’ll make you realize you don’t have to go looking for really good deals. It’s not that big of a deal.
There are also a lot of costs that goes along with running a kennel, mainly shelter, food, allergy injections and toys. Call a bunch of breeders and figure out how knowledgeable they are.
Lack of care, vaccine, exercise or diet
Bad breeders wants to make money – quickly. They might be non-suitable for care-taking, proper diet and vaccination in the puppy stage.
These are big warning signs, and important to pay attention to.
Staffies are very dynamic, and loves to run around and be active. It’s important from an early age that they receive both love and care. It can be challenging to train it correctly later, if it’s at the end of the puppy stage.
Other signs that may seem obvious are weight and general condition. One might think that this is something that will correct itself eventually, but nutritional deficiencies are not a good sign.
Look at pictures and ask questions
“A picture says more than a thousand words”. At least, it has the potential to do so.
Feel free to look at the environment in which the puppy has grown up. The photos might be of a poor quality, but that doesn’t mean anything. Take it with a pinch of salt and keep it in the back of your head when browsing pictures.
An open and good communication with the kennel or breeder
When you’re looking for a puppy, there are few things that will tell you more about the kennel than a phone call.
Better yet, a personal meeting at the place where the kennel is located. Serious kennels will be very open to visits, so take the initiative to travel a few hours instead of meeting halfway. You’ll get a great idea of how the puppies are being treated, and the general environment they grew up in.
Ask questions about the puppies history, and whether they’ve competed in any dog shows. This is not important for most people, but some of us are interested in getting professional reviews about how the dog measures up to the breed standard etc.
The main point here is that you should get to know the people you buy the dog from. Any red flags and it’s completely up to you if you want to make the deal or not. No shame in visiting multiple breeders and kennels before deciding on one.
There are also many breeders who want open communication after the transaction. This is a very good sign, and something you should appreciate. Breeders or kennels looking for a quick buck has no interest in talking to you after the deal is done.
Find a serious kennel who care about their animals
We’ve briefly mentioned the importance of researching the kennel or the breeder, and figure out whether they’re serious or lazy in their endeavours. Below you’ll find the links to the Staffie clubs of the UK, US and Norway.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club (UK):
www.thesbtc.co.uk
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of America:
https://sbtca.com/finding-a-stafford/breeder-directory/
Norwegian Terrier Club:
https://norskterrierklub.no/raser/staffordshire-bull-terrier/oppdrettere-19/
If you’re not located in any of the countries mentioned above, then feel free to search for ‘Staffordshire bull terrier club *your country*’.
If the breeder is included in the member list, it’s a very good sign. They’re more than averagely interested in the breed, and that should count for something. Nevertheless, you should still be a tiny bit skeptical and use common sense when you’re in communication with the breeder.
Worst case scenario and you’ve got a club to reach out to for any questions.
A bad breeder can get into a lot of trouble
There are no guarantees, even if you decide to buy a dog from a reputable and serious kennel. Some staffies might experience issues with skin, hip, eyes or metabolism, and are somewhat prone to heart issues and some cancers.
Some of these unfortunate conditions are quite common (pdsa.org.uk), and can appear during their lifetime regardless of their family history.
Lastly, we want to make it clear that price should not be a deciding factor. If you find an awesome puppy from a safe and good home, it’s not about the initial investment. Negate buying an iphone or two over the next decade and you’ve got a fantastic pet, family friend and companion hopefully for a long time.
