I know I started this thread because of the Lady at Wally World but reading replies and thinking about friends has made me start thinking ABOUT what we do pay for our dogs. And how sometimes the choices we make, weather because we are pigheaded or just not very bright about some things should at least be acknowledged. My dogs get excelent care and if I have to scrape it is always on myself first, then the hubs then the house, then the adult kids then the out of state kids and then rarely on the 5 Grands, kids we are raising, they still come first but not by much..
and they know it !! I have only bought ONE dog in the past 12 years. All of my pack is part of my breeding program. We do not breed very often but the litters are really nice and I normally keep a girl. Right now my core pack is 7 with two I am caring for for a family that checks on them all the time and sends smell packages to make sure they won't be forgotten while waiting for the apartment to availble and renovated. While I understand our passion is expensive and prohibits having new kitchen cupboards , heck even having my teeth whitened or a tummy tummy tuck like many of my friends will never happen unless we hit a lotto 
But what ARE we doing ??
We used to show a great deal with a Mastiff Kennel. Pretty much lost touch when the Hubs was forced into early retirementafter the buy out of the company he had worked for for over 30 years. Chnage is tough for some folks... but I dogress, I will truly never understand the attraction of the giant breed after you have been around them for a weekend and wiped slime off any and everything withing slinging distance. ! They were sweet , don't get me wrong. But my smaller breed will not only out guard them but out live them. Baffles me I guess. There was Mastiff in our breed in the early development, and Dane and Airdale and Pointer and a half of dozen others that the early farmers brought to Rhodesia to and crossed with the Khoi Khoi a native ridged dog. So yes I have expensive mutts.
At one time our friends in Mastiffs and Irish Wolfhounds would get into a "one up" mood and begin to talk what they paid or what the current $$ on a puppy would run. I always sat back and listened thinking , gee the slobber and hair was really enough you do not have to KEEP pointing out why it's silly to own one 
People think I am nuts with the pack of 9 ,,,, the IW kennel has a pack of 5 IW and another 6 Border Terriers, the Mastiff kennel has 4 right now. The IW kennel were already wealthy, the Mastiff kennel is so addicted that at the last show the wife who is older than I said she is begining to worry she'll never be able to retire, they have cashed in CDS to pay vet bills , from causal listening I know they have paid almost as much on the dogs as it cost them to build their home ! Special diets, constant vet care , show fees, show clothes, 2 RVs in the past 10 years, special cars to transport them, only one ever finished, and they have only had one litter with like two puppies ! The last 4 show pups they got were all heartbreaking, A fawn bitch, had severe HD by 5 months, returned to breeder, another fawn had pyometria after her first season had to be spayed in an emergency surgery, so then they got a boy, a good looking boy and because the work schedule was rough they agreed ( while drinking) at a National Specialty to let him go with another handler /breeder to California, he bloated and died 2 days later, finally they ended up with the new brindle pup... he is not even a year and already had surgery for a hip issue They still have the one retired Champion and a couple of spayed girls.... they are so sure they are right about the breed it is heartbreaking
I sit here and wonder if they had a differnt breed would it have been better? Easier? It would not have commanded the attention they enjoy when walking them, or the little crowds that can gather but seriously, after a few months they can't even get on the bed to cuddle to ??? I have too many dogs and I know it was because I have been sooooo dreading the day I no longer have my soul puppy. Helping a puppy family was a no brainer, they pay for the two boy's every need. Caring for my daughter's dog , again just one of thoes things. my personal 6 are both our past and our future. Retired dogs adored and pampered and young up and commers , I have been dragging my feet about getting them finished, both the expense and the conflict with raising yet another family I guess.... One is singled out and only needs majors, another I have barely shown, and the boy is well on his way... for some reason I am okay with taking my time on this set. I watch my old soul puppy and I suddenly realize what it actually cost me to have them.
Bonita of Bwana