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Quality Has Value. Raising It Takes More Than Love.

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At TriSong Tibetan Terriers, we believe that choosing a puppy is about far more than finding a dog at the lowest possible price. It is about understanding what went into producing, raising, nurturing, and preparing that puppy for a lifetime with you.

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The value of a puppy is influenced by many factors, including the breeder's expertise, the investment made in raising each puppy, and the rarity or demand for a particular breed or bloodline.

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A thoughtfully bred and carefully raised puppy represents an investment that began long before the puppy was born.

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1. The Expertise Behind the Puppy

A responsible breeder brings knowledge, experience, education, and years of dedication to the process.

Breed knowledge matters. Understanding pedigrees, genetics, temperament, structure, health, development, and breed characteristics allows a breeder to make thoughtful decisions about pairings and puppy placement.

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Longevity matters. Experience gained over years of breeding, raising, observing, and learning cannot be replicated by simply purchasing a breeding dog.

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Education matters. Responsible breeders continually educate themselves about their breed, reproduction, nutrition, puppy development, health, behavior, and responsible breeding practices.

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When you purchase from an experienced breeder, you are not simply purchasing a puppy. You are also purchasing the benefit of the breeder's knowledge, experience, judgment, and commitment to the breed.

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2. What It Really Costs to Raise a Puppy

Every breeder's cost of raising a puppy is different because every breeder provides a different level of care.

Consider the investment that may go into each puppy:

• Quality raw or natural nutrition

• Veterinary examinations and routine veterinary care

• Vaccinations and preventative care

• Health and genetic testing of sires and dams

• Breeding and reproductive expenses

• Grooming and hygiene

• Puppy supplies, equipment, bedding, toys, and enrichment

• Cleaning and maintaining a safe environment

• Individual handling and socialization

• Age-appropriate stimulation and exposure to new experiences

• Time spent observing and understanding each puppy

• Transportation and other logistical expenses

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And then there is the investment that never appears on an invoice:

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Time.

A well-raised puppy does not simply need food, water, shelter, and veterinary care. Puppies need interaction. They need to experience people, sounds, surfaces, activities, handling, play, exploration, and appropriate challenges. They need opportunities to develop confidence and learn how to navigate the world.

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And, perhaps most importantly, they need to be spoiled.

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At TriSong, spoiling a puppy means giving that puppy an abundance of attention, affection, enrichment, individual interaction, comfort, and positive experiences. It means getting to know who that puppy is—not simply keeping it alive until it is old enough to leave.

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The difference between raising a puppy and simply housing a puppy can be enormous.

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3. Rarity and Demand

Rarity and demand also influence value.

Some breeds, bloodlines, pedigrees, colors, breeding prospects, or particular combinations of qualities are more difficult to find. When demand is high and availability is limited, the value of a well-bred puppy may reflect that reality.

But rarity by itself does not equal quality.

The true value comes from the combination of genetics, health, temperament, structure, breeding decisions, breeder expertise, and the environment in which the puppy is raised.

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Puppies Are Not Cars

One of the biggest mistakes a prospective buyer can make is treating puppies like interchangeable commodities.

They are not.

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You cannot look at one puppy, find another puppy "down the street" for less money, and assume you are comparing the same thing.

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You may be comparing apples to oranges.

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Two puppies can be the same breed, the same age, and even look remarkably similar while having had completely different lives.

One puppy may have been raised in a home, handled every day, exposed to household sounds and activities, thoughtfully socialized, appropriately stimulated, carefully monitored, health tested, well nourished, and thoroughly spoiled.

Another puppy may have received minimal human interaction and spent most of its early life isolated from the world—perhaps never experiencing love.

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Those puppies are not the same.

The difference may not be immediately visible in a photograph. It may become apparent months or years later in health, confidence, temperament, adaptability, and behavior.

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Compare the Breeder—Not Just the Price

When comparing puppies, look beyond the purchase price.

Ask yourself:

• What did the breeder invest in producing this puppy?

• How were the parents selected and health tested?

• How much knowledge and experience does the breeder have?

• How was this puppy raised?

• How much human interaction did the puppy receive?

• What nutrition, veterinary care, stimulation, and socialization were provided?

• Was this puppy treated as a living, developing individual—or simply as inventory?

• And perhaps the most important question:

• Does the breeder care where this puppy goes and what happens to it after it leaves?

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At TriSong, we believe the answer to that last question should always be yes.

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The Conversation About Price

We understand that purchasing a puppy is a significant financial commitment. We respect that every family has a budget, and we encourage prospective owners to make decisions that are right for their circumstances.

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However, there is an important distinction between asking about price and using another breeder's lower price as a negotiating tool.

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Telling a breeder, "I can get a dog somewhere else for less," may seem like a simple statement about price. To a breeder who has invested enormous amounts of time, money, knowledge, care, and emotion into raising that puppy, however, it can communicate something much more significant.

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It can suggest that price is the priority rather than the puppy.

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For a breeder who has carefully planned a litter, invested in the parents, monitored the pregnancy, stayed awake through deliveries, provided veterinary care, raised and socialized the puppies, cleaned endlessly, worried over every milestone, and poured countless hours into preparing each puppy for its future—that distinction matters.

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We are not offended when someone decides that our puppies are outside their budget.

We simply believe that a puppy's value should be evaluated by what you are actually receiving—not by finding the lowest number attached to a puppy somewhere else.

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At TriSong, We Don't Breed the Cheapest Dog.

We strive to raise the best dog we can.

Our goal is to give each puppy a strong beginning, an enriched early life, and the foundation for becoming a cherished companion for years to come.

Because when you bring a TriSong puppy home, you are not simply taking home a dog.

You are taking home the result of planning, knowledge, investment, dedication, time—and a whole lot of love.

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TriSong Tibetan Terriers

Exceeding the Standard™

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