In a message dated 3/25/2007 7:20:29 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, crystaridge@xxxxxxx writes: Breeders that have spent YEARS breeding the best that they can and have spent a bundle to get a breeding and get pups to the age where they can go to their homes, have campaigned the male or the female, done hip and elbow certifications, done whatever it took to get a breeding, chilled/frozen semen, whatever, surgical implants, etc. etc., compared to someone that has a male and a female in their backyard that they really don't know anything about and just want to get 'rid' of the pups because they are getting too expensive to feed ------ give me a break ---- HOW can you compare this??? I don't think anybody is comparing it, I just don't think the economy is good, and like previously said, disposable income is down. People are mortgaged to the hilt, (the second shoe is going to drop re the mortgage debacle), credit card debt is at an all time high, savings at an all time low, more and more people are living paycheck to paycheck an awful lot can't afford health insurance much less set something aside for their children's education funds and their own retirement and to pour salt into the wound, taxes are through the roof. I don't think any of us need marketing lessons; we're for the most part pretty efficient at it. You can defend the value of your product until the cows come home but if it (the price of a well bred/raised companion puppy), isn't in the budget, it simply isn't in the budget. I've been more worried about people being taxed off of properties large enough to breed/raise dogs more than I have restrictive legislation for a long time now. I have friends that will be forced to move when they retire, (because their retirement income won't be enough to afford the property/school taxes), and there goes the few litters per year they breed now. NOT because of legislation, but because of property/school taxes. Not to be negative, but an awful lot of people are living paycheck to paycheck and those that ARE doing OK are seeing the writing on the wall and tightening their belt. (And THAT is you companion puppy market.) Kathy member GSDCA, DVGSDC three generations of Dual Titled TC'd Champions live here! visit _Pine Hill German Shepherd Dogs_ (http: //www.geocities.com/pinehillgsds/) ************************************** AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com. ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2007. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - www.showgsd.org ============================================================================