miniature 8 months poodle with underbite

Question
Our family is looking to purchase a miniature poodle.  The original breeder of the mini girl is good friends with the breeder that has the mini girl now with the slight underbite.  She has offered to sell her to us for $800.  Would we be being ripped off?  Should we ask for less? What sort of problems does this cause.  What questions should I ask?  We are supposed to come and see the little poodle girl tomorrow afternoon.

Any advice or information you could provide would be helpful.

Kind Regards,
Jennifer

Answer
Hello Jennifer,
I checked with a few sites on the net about dogs with an underbite and most said that these dogs will need surgery or removal of some of their teeth. One site said that "Constant contact between upper and lower incisors when they don't meet properly can cause uneven wear, periodontal disease, and early tooth loss."  
I would suggest calling around to Vets in your area and ask about the cost of removing some teeth or surgery for dogs with an underbite.  
You might also have the breeder of this female Poodle take her to the Vet to get an estimate on how much fixing this problem would be.  See if the breeder will reduce the price of the puppy for what the cost of the Vet bill would be.  

You might also consider that if you would like to breed this girl in the future, that the underbite could be genetic and might be passed down to the puppies.  

I would ask the breeders if the parents or grandparents have had dental problems such as this.  

I hope this helps you with your decision.  If you have other questions, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim