Overview
There are many reasons to decide to start breeding puppies. Some dog owners are truly committed to a particular breed and want to do everything they can to ensure the breed maintains a high standard. These breeders are very discriminating about the types of dogs and bitches they will breed so the lines are of the highest quality possible. There are other breeders who start breeding their dogs just for the fun of it. These breeders are hopefully still responsible in their breeding practices but for them the real reward is having a house full of puppies for a few weeks every year. There are other types of breeders who get into the world of breeding for profit. It's certainly possible to profit on your litters but it's important to maintain the overall health of the dogs as the highest priority. As a home dog breeding business owner, you'll be responsible for the safety, health and welfare of several animals, not to mention be responsible for their bloodline.
When asked the question “Is it possible to make money with a home dog breeding business?” most experienced breeders would answer yes. But, there's almost always a but. But, you have to go into this business with your eyes open and be aware of the costs, considerations and issues.
Profiting From Breeding
The easiest way to make a profit from a litter is good old fashioned luck. Even the most experienced breeders can often times lose money on a litter. The reasons they lose money may include small litters, complications during the pregnancy or delivery or buyers who back out of the puppy list. Any one of these problems can result in additional costs for you, the breeder, or loss of income which makes it difficult for the breeder to profit from the litter. However, if you're extremely lucky and your dog has an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery with a large litter profit is probable. This is especially true if you set the prices for the puppies competitively and carefully considered all of the expenses associated with the breeding process.
One way to profit from a litter (which is not being recommended here) is to skimp on some of the costs associated with the breeding. Sure you may be able to find a stud dog that offers services for considerably less than most but you should also realize there's likely a very good reason why his stud fee is less than usual. Approach these situations with caution to ensure there are no genetic or medical concerns with the stud dog. Not getting health certifications is also not recommended. Responsible breeders want to ensure only the highest quality dogs and bitches are included in the breeding program.
The best advice available for turning a profit from your home dog breeding business is to calculate all of the costs associated with the breeding before venturing into one. Then determine the market cost of the puppies as well as the estimated litter size. Prices should be set to correspond with market values while still covering all necessary breeding costs and allowing for some profit. Next provide high quality care for the bitch during the pregnancy. This will help to ensure her good health as well as the health of the puppies. It won't guarantee that complications won't arise but they're less likely if the bitch is well cared for.
Expenses & Considerations
Potential home dog breeding business owners would be wise to first carefully examine all of the costs involved with breeding and raising a litter of puppies. Many people see advertisements for puppies in newspapers, magazines and online and immediately multiply the cost of the puppies by the size of the litter and jump to the conclusion that breeders must make a great deal of money on each litter.
However, this is rarely the case. Some breeds of puppies, and especially puppies from litters with proven show or working lines, may be quite expensive, but there are a number of costs involved in breeding a bitch and raising a litter which must be considered when figuring out the potential profit. Some of the costs associated with breeding a bitch and raising a litter include stud fees, the cost of obtaining health certifications, pre-natal care for the mother, healthy nutritious foods for the mother and food for the puppies once they are weaned. Other costs include a whelping box and bedding as well as cleaning supplies necessary to keep the whelping box and other areas of the house clean.
The costs listed above are just the standard costs associated with breeding a bitch and raising a litter. If anything goes wrong during the gestation period, birth or while the puppies are still in your care there will be additional expenses. An emergency c-section might be necessary if the labor is difficult and the life of the mother or puppies is at risk. Puppies may also be born with health concerns or become injured which results in additional expenses. When breeding puppies for profit it is important to be aware of these potential emergencies and the extra costs which may result from these situations.
There may be other costly aspects involved with the breeding process. Some breeds are notorious for not being able to deliver puppies naturally. Potential breeders should be aware of whether or not these concerns exist and should calculate the cost of a planned c-section if they choose a breed that is known to require c-sections. Depending on the availability of the stud dog, artificial insemination may also be required. However, again this expense is likely to be known before the breeding process so it won't take the breeder by surprise.
Another way in which you may find your profit margins compromised is in buyers who back out of contracts. Typical puppy contracts require a non-refundable deposit but don't require the potential owner to purchase the puppy. Even breeders who have a waiting list for puppies from a particular litter may end up losing money in this type of situation if they can't find buyers for all of the puppies in a litter. This often happens when a litter produces mostly puppies of a particular sex and buyers on the puppy list and waiting list are interested in another sex. It may also occur in litters which may produce a variety of colors and markings but most buyers are interested in colors or markings which are not well represented in the litter.
Profiting with your home dog breeding business is possible but these you should carefully analyze the potential costs before making the final decision to breed for profit. You should also be committed to making the well being of the dogs a high priority.
Selecting a Breed
You'll likely be faced with a number of difficult decisions before you ever start you home dog breeding business. The first decision will be to determine what type of breed you're interested in breeding. If, of course, you don't already have animals of breeding quality. There may be a number of factors which contribute to making this type of decision.
For some potential breeders there's a love for a particular breed which drives them to break into the world of breeding. They may already own a number of dogs and bitches of a particular breed and enjoy working with this breed. When this is the case the potential breeder is typically driven by a desire to produce the highest quality puppies of this particular breed. For example a potential breeder who's interested in hunting dogs such as Labrador Retrievers or English Setters may be determined to begin breeding puppies which have a physical structure and temperament which helps them to excel as hunting companions. Likewise a breeder of a toy breed such as the Pomeranian or Pekingese may be interested in producing puppies which will excel either in the show ring, as companion dogs or both. If the potential breeder already has intact dogs or bitches free of traits they would not want to pass on to future litters there may be no need to acquire additional dogs. However, if the potential breeder doesn't have intact bitches or dogs free of negative traits you'll have to begin searching for dogs or bitches to use for breeding purposes.
Some potential breeders will select a breed based on potential for profit. Breeds that typically produce large litters and also typically sell for a high price may be of interest to these types of breeders. This is because even if the breeder only produces one litter each year, the income generated from this litter will be larger than the income generated from litters that are less in demand and breeds that typically produce smaller litters. Of course there is more involved in the costs of producing these litters and the income is not merely a factor of the size of the litter multiplied by the fee for each puppy. The potential breeder will have to consider stud dog fees, fees for obtaining health certifications, the cost of pre-natal care for the bitch and the cost of feeding and caring for the puppies. Potential breeders who want to begin breeding for profit should avoid selecting breeds that typically require artificial insemination or c-sections because these procedures can be costly.
There are certainly some potential breeders who use the cuteness factor in selecting a breed. There are certainly some who will argue that all puppies are cute but there are also some people who have a particular fondness for a certain breed. Whether it is the big droopy ears of the Beagle that draws them in or the dignified look of a German Shepherd certain breeds just seem to appeal to some people more than others. There is nothing wrong with breeding for a particular look as long as this is tempered with responsibility. A bitch with an adorable face and great markings should not be bred based on her looks alone. If she also has dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy she should be spayed so these disorders are not passed on to future litters. Likewise a bitch that is free of all genetic disorders and structurally sound would be an ideal candidate for breeding even if her coloring or markings are not ideal.
Finally, you should be careful to do diligent research before making a final decision on a breed. This'll help to ensure that you learn as much as possible about a particular breed before attempting a first breeding. Armed with this knowledge you can make the best possible decisions for the well being of the mother and the puppies. It will also help you to choose ideal homes for the puppies.
How to Be a Responsible Breeder
When it comes to being a responsible breeder, knowledge is power. The best thing you can do to be a responsible breeder is learn everything you possibly can about the breed you're planning to breed as well as the process of breeding. This type of knowledge can be gained through reading books, reading websites and speaking to more experienced breeders. Additional knowledge is also gained through experience.
Taking health concerns seriously is a major part of responsible breeding. Most breeds have one or more health concerns which are common in the breed. These health concerns may include joint issues such as dysplasia, eye issues such as progressive retinal atrophy or a number of other issues. As a responsibe home dog breeding business owner, you need to be aware of these issues and only breed bitches and stud dogs that are certified to be free of these defects or disorders. Additionally, as a responsible breeder you should neuter or spay dogs that have these unfavorable characteristics. Doing this will help to ensure these unfavorable genes aren't passed on to future litters of puppies.
Carefully temperament testing all animals used in a breeding program is another part of responsible breeding. This is important because unfavorable temperament traits such as aggression shouldn't knowingly be passed onto future generations of puppies. Similar to the issue of unfavorable genetic traits, dogs with unfavorable social traits should also be neutered or spayed to prevent the pervasion of these traits.
As a responsible breeders you must make the well being of the dogs in your breeding program a top priority. This is accomplished by providing proper care and nutrition for the animals. It also includes waiting until the dogs are fully matured physically, mentally and socially. In most dogs this won't occur until around two years of age. Responsible breeders should also avoid breeding bitches too often and should structure breeding programs to provide adequate recovery periods for each female in the program.
Finally, responsible breeders take great care in placing puppies in suitable homes. This will involve carefully screening potential buyers to ensure they can provide an appropriate home along with adequate mental and physical stimulation for the puppies. The contract for the sale of the puppy should clearly define the expectations of the new owner and should also provide provisions for you to regain ownership of the puppy if the new owner is no longer able to provide a suitable home. This is important because you should always be willing to take back a puppy for any reason as opposed to allowing the puppy to be surrendered to a shelter or rescue group.
Finding Buyers for Your Puppies
For many new breeders, one thing they fail to consider is how they'll find buyers for their litters. This is an important consideration because regardless of the reason for producing a litter it's very important to find suitable homes for each of the puppies. Breeders who are not actively involved in activities associated with the breed may have a difficult time finding suitable homes for their litters.
The first way you can find homes for you puppies is by becoming involved in activities common to their breed. For example breeders of Labrador Retrievers may wish to get involved in organizations offering hunting trials and tests for Labrador Retrievers while breeders of Border Collies may wish to engage in activities common for this breed including sheep herding as well as agility and flyball. Participation in these types of activities will put you in contact with other owners of this breed who may be interested in a new puppy or know someone else who might be interested. This type of networking helps to ensure the puppies you place will go to homes where the breed is truly valued and well engaged in appropriate activities.
Participating in online forums specific to your breed is another way to find suitable homes for the puppies in your litters. Here you'll find a large concentration of individuals who enjoy your particular breed. You can advertise your litters in appropriate forums and will likely receive a number of responses from interested individuals. However, the caveat to this type of advertising is you likely have to be willing to ship puppies to new owners without meeting them personally or inspecting the home. If you're not willing to do this it is important to specify you're only willing to sell puppies to individuals living in your immediate area. This will greatly limit the potential for placing one or more of the puppies through the forum but you may receive some interest from local residents.
Magazines related to dogs or a particular breed are also useful for advertising a litter. Readers of these magazines likely have a particular interest in dogs in general or your specific breed. Again you're reaching a widespread audience so you may receive inquiries from those living far away. If you're comfortable shipping puppies, after they're at least ten weeks of age, this is an excellent source for finding interested buyers for your puppies.
Local newspapers are another source for finding owners for your puppies. While it's true these newspapers may be filled with backyard breeders as well as other breeders who don't follow proper breeding practices, this doesn't mean there aren't readers of the newspaper who will provide excellent homes for the puppies in your litter. As the breeder you still have the right and the responsibility to screen potential buyers carefully to ensure they'll provide a suitable home for your puppies. Advertising in local newspapers may result in more inquiries from unsuitable homes than using other sources for advertising but it's also a fairly inexpensive way to advertise and can result in at least a few potential homes for your puppies.
Writing Contracts for the Sale of Your Puppies
One of the biggest mistakes new breeders make is either not having new buyers sign contracts when they purchase a puppy or having a contract that's not extensive enough to cover all of the problems that may occur after the purchase of the puppy. In most cases there will be no problems. However, having a well written contract can really save you a great deal of trouble later on if problems do arise. The contract will not only serve to protect both you and the buyer in a variety of situations but will also serve to clearly outline the expectations and responsibilities of both parties so disputes can be settled quickly, fairly and amicably.
The first step in writing contracts for the sale of your puppies is to speak with more experienced breeders about what terms they typically include in their contracts. It can be very difficult to think of all of the situations and disputes which may arise over the sale of a puppy. However, breeders with considerably more experience may have already encountered a number of different situations from which they have learned a great deal about the need for a well written contract. They can also assist you in determining which health concerns are most common in your particular breed.
While speaking to other breeders, especially those who breed the same type of dog as you, is very important, the contract should be reviewed by a lawyer before it is finalized. This is important because the lawyer can view your contract objectively to determine whether or not the language being used is clear and is not open to alternative interpretations. A lawyer can also review the contract in comparison to state and county laws relevant to the sale of puppies. This is important because states and counties may have their own governing laws pertaining to the sale of puppies and these laws will supersede your contract language. For this reason it is important to ensure the language in your contract is not contradictory to state and county laws.
One important part of all puppy contracts should be health concerns. A reputable breeder puts the health and well being of the puppies as well as the dogs and bitches in the breeding program ahead of other concerns. For this reason the breeder should always be willing to take back a puppy if it deemed to be unfit for sale. The contract should carefully detail how these cases will be handled. Some breeders wish to offer a full refund while others prefer to take the puppy back with the promise of replacing the puppy with one from a future litter.
Another stipulation many responsible breeders like to include in puppy contracts is an item stating the puppy cannot be surrendered to a shelter or rescue group. There may be a number of different reasons why a puppy does not work out in his new home. There may be conflicts with existing dogs, family members may develop allergies or loss of a job may make caring for the puppy a hardship. A responsible breeder would rather see the puppy returned than surrendered to a shelter group in these cases so they often include this item in contracts.
When It’s Time for Puppies to Go to New Homes
For both experienced breeders as well as first time breeders one of the most difficult parts of the breeding process is sending the puppies to live in their new homes. This time can be difficult for a number of reasons; however, the most common reason is the breeder is sad to see the puppies go. It's certainly understandable that the breeders will experience some degree of sadness as the puppies walk out their doors for the last time because they have bonded with these puppies from the day they were born. However, the sadness associated with this day is often mixed with happiness and a sense of satisfaction. This is because the process of selecting new homes for the litter of puppies can be very rewarding and the breeder can bask in the knowledge that each puppy went to an ideal home.
The most important thing you can do to make the process of sending the puppies to their new homes easier is to screen potential buyers carefully and take the process of selecting homes for the puppies very seriously. A breeder that does this will be able to let the puppies go to their new homes without any lingering doubt about the quality of the home they are going to. When selecting homes for the puppies, you should carefully consider the type of home the buyer has, the amount of time they have to devote to a puppy, the ages of family members and the personality of the puppy.
Taking care to ensure all contracts and paperwork are in order before sending the puppies off to their new homes is also very important. Ideally the contracts should be completed well before buyers are lined up for the puppies. This will allow the potential buyers to review the contract before going on the puppy list and will help to ensure there are no surprises at the time of the purchase.
Finally, when it's time to say the last goodbye to a puppy from one of your litters, it's very important to ensure the new owner has your contact information and encourage him to keep in contact. There's no guarantee the new owner will keep you updated on the growth, development and accomplishments of your puppy. However, if you leave the door of communication open it's more likely that you might receive these types of updates.
Brief Final Note
Don't just jump into this type of business. It takes a very patient person to operate a home dog breeding business. It takes a lot of room, upfront cash, and a deep love of animals. If you feel this is you, then perhaps a home dog breeding business is for you. Learn your business inside and out. Don't cut coners, and .... this is most important... YOU CAN"T KEEP ALL THOSE CUTE PUPPIES, or you'll be out of business and probably broke. :-) Enjoy breeding your dogs.
Best of luck in all your business endeavours,
Until tomorrow,
Terry
