Your thoughts on what to charge?

$10 a day is a steal!  From what I've been able to find out...in MD it's around $20-30 a night to board and that doesn't usually include anything except the kennel they sleep in and a chance to potty.  A woman I know used to board for $25 a night and she would be playing cuddling w/ the dog like it was one of hers, the was a trainer so there would be some training too.  We're going to FL in May and will be boarding 2 of the dogs w/ us down there (the others are staying w/ my step MIL) and it's going to be $18 a night which includes feeding and 2 walks a day.  Additional walks are $5, cuddle time (15-20 min) is $5, and ice cream/treat/playtime is $4.  For just the day, not overnight it's $15 still getting 2 walks and fed.

I think it's really nice of you to take care of them like that.

 $12-15 a night for the standard place to sleep and out to potty if the run doesn't have an outdoor part.  Extra for walks, training, etc.

$10 a day is really really cheap. Can I send my dogs over for training, lol.

I normally pay 25 / night for 1 dog in an indoor / outdoor run plus extra for any exercise (I think it's $3 for every 15 minutes). If I want to board them in the place that will have them at doggie daycare for the day is is $60/ night (per dog). I'm in Maryland

How about 400? 100 dollars a month. I dont have a lot of money but heck I'd be willing to pay that for my pup to get all the training and time your gonna put into it. 

 The really nice boarding places around here are about $20-30 a day, and the owner provides food, beds, and of course any vet bills. That's without training.

 Here are 2 train and board places I've visited in person that both looked nice, you can see what they charged:

http://www.wagsandwiggles.com/rates.shtml <--training is an additional fee on top of these

http://www.thegooddogspot.com/boarding.html <--this place actually doesn't offer training, but is about $25/night for boarding

Hope those links were helpful! 

 I say$10/day minimum.  It'll be a steal at $10/day but you'll likely feel more comfortable with a lower amount since you know the people and want to help them out.  I would say that anything up to 20-25/day would be reasonable given all the training and travel he's getting as well as the CGC.

Here in SC I pay a total of $25/day for *both* of my dogs to go to a boarding facility that walks the dogs 4xs a day, allows them free playtime in an indoor exercise area, feeds, administers meds, etc. The cost ($15/1st dog, $10/2nd dog) is a steal around here because everything is included - most places charge extra for "amenities" like walks and playtime.

Also, I don't know if it "should" or not, but for me the price would depend a lot on the financial situation of the family. If $15/day is no hardship for them, but would help you significantly (and you deserve to be well compensated), then charging more I think would be quite reasonable. If they're friends and not especially affluent and you don't want to burden them, I can certainly understand giving them a good price. 

Wow---where I live, to board, the norm is around $49-$60 per day---that usually does include 2 walks and a play session.  There are some cheaper "no frills" places that start at $25 a day, but you pay extra if you need your dog exercised/walked---the standard is $10 per walk, so you are are at $45 a day if you want your dog walked twice per day. There is no training or socialization involved in the pricing.

Holy crudmonkey, tzu_mom!!!! Seriously? That's terrible!! The 2 places I quoted are daycare/boarding places - no walks, but they get playtime with the other dogs for as long as they want during the day, and if they get grumpy then they are put in a private room with a soft bed so they can rest. And that's New England and Southern CA - I figured that was as expensive as they got! $40 is definitely on the upper end!  

If this puppy is for the family you mentioned in your other thread, from New York, I would charge A LOT.  You are going to provide fantastic socialization, proper training and do all the work that the rest of us struggle through to have a great dog.

I think this family can certainly afford to pay $25 - $50 a day (I can't imagine it) and she really left it open for you.  The only drawback is that your work with the puppy must be apparent.

A lot of people around here send their dogs to hunting school for weeks at a time and it usually costs them hundreds and hundreds of dollars.

Yea, no kidding----there is a new place set to open near me and their rates will start at $60. Thank goodness I don't board my guy--he goes everywhere with us.

I would calculate your costs the best you can, add 20% and then double the dollars.  Then I would donate half of the proceeds to a shelter since this puppy is taking the place of a dog you could be fostering and working with. 

$500 a month would be a steal for the owners in my opinion.  Your going to be doing a lot of work with a dog and it isn't a one or two hour job since the dog will be living with you.  I would start with $500 as just a base price for your time then factor in the costs for keeping the pup and add that too it at bare minimum of what you should be charging a month. 

DPU

I would calculate your costs the best you can, add 20% and then double the dollars.  Then I would donate half of the proceeds to a shelter since this puppy is taking the place of a dog you could be fostering and working with. 

I realize this family has a great deal more money than I but in my head and heart this is not a reason to price gouge.  I get the sweet puppy breath and the funny cuddles.  My grandkids have a puppy to play with a love on and even more importantly my boy, the dog I bred will have a wonderful companion.  That means a lot to me.

The notion that I should donate any money to a shelter because this puppy is taking the place of a dog I could be fostering is kind of odd. By taking the responsibility of this pup  my  3 pups will have less time with me in every way.  We donate way more than we can afford an I fund raise pretty much non stop for rescue. We do pulls and transports and I am on call to whelp for the shelter. Taking Momma into our home and making her as comfortable and secure as possible. I have not lost a pup yet. And because I am well known in my circle I do more than 3/4 of the work to find the placements by writing about them , before blogging I kept running commentaries allowing folks to come into the whelping box and feel as close to the adventure as they may ever get. I appreciate you are passionate about the concept of fostering.  But at what point would it be "okay" with you for me to make "money" ?  I am raising 5 of my grandchildren.  I breed very rarely and ever so carefully...maintaining contact and an open and welcoming relationship with my puppy folk. Until Kota I never charged more than $4.00 a day as most vacations were of a short duration and everyone had a blast enjoying and being a large pack. Kota had some special needs and his Momma would not accept the $4.00 a day fee. So to feel I was earning the increase I improved his training taking him from a dog on a prong collar to a dog on a very loose lead chain ( sorry I am old school) that allowed my 3 year old grand daughter to be able to walk him.  I took over 15 pounds off of him ,began getting his nails back once more and got him comfortable once more with being crated. I do this for 120.00 a month and I feel awful that I am charging to care for a dog I whelped and broughtinto the world !

The new pup is from excellent lines.  The breeder was willing to place the boy with the family based on knowing me and knowing the quality of my puppy homes.  While my puppies go home with a large, and I do mean LARGE bag of supplies.... 5 pounds of the food they were weaned on, Collar, lead, toys, bowls, a puppy book filled with pedigree and information, pooh bags, travel supplies, a puppy book with "family " photos of mom, dad and the rest of the litter..  they are microchipped and fully vaccinated.... nope I don't make money when I breed and breaking even is a family joke. But I put a quality of pup out in the universe that will do my breed no harm and can ALWAYS come back to me for any reason... I have maintained the same phone number for over 24 years to make sure my puppy folk can find us. I don't mean to sound defensive but I do find the notion that for some reason you thought taking care of this pup somehow made me indifferent to a shelter or rescue pup?

The point is I could ask a ridicoulous fee and they may have no problem with it but I have to look at myself when I brush my teeth. I am trying to teach my grandkids that the world is not all about the "Benjamins" ( hee hee my attempt at being hip and current ) There is a magic found in a puppy that is brief and fleeting. It is everything from the sweet sweet breath to the amazement they find when a new idea or adventure presents itself.  I don't think Karma would treat me well should I charge an arm and a leg just because I could use the money and then had this blissful adventure with this new soul on top of it.

I will get the pup micorchipped and make sure he has all of the things that my puppies go home with...why? It is tremendous fun... there is a joy that money can't buy. So my carpet takes a beating, I have a great carpet shampooer. So He will have to chew his way through anything I forget to put up... that has to help keep me sharp right???  I will know in my heart that a great dog is out there.  Part of that greatness will be due to the love and training he gets at our home and by our hands. My grandkids will grow a bit and all of us will laugh ... how can that not be worth something to me?

I guess I will go for the $10.00 a day with them paying for the vet fees and us for anything else. I will force all of you to oooh and ahhh over little Nemo as he and his cousin Kota learn to love each other and try to get away with as much as they can. Maybe you will find a smile or a lost memory of your own dog from the puppy tales we will post.  Hmmm I think reading what Business charge and what I know he will get I can live with the $10.00 a day and that money will cover  the legal fees we are facing to achieve legal guardianship of one of the grands who's mom stuggles with life.

Are all of you game for an adventure??  If you are keep and eye out for the puppy tales that should start in a couple of weeks...we will be picking the baby up on April 6th....

Thanks for the help gang!

Bonita of Bwana