Page 2 | Have you ever breed your dog?

Leonberger · 28/05/2021 08:55

I have a rare breed so would breed them if they were a good example, had proven themselves in the show ring (or in the working field if I had working dogs!) and had passed all required health and temperament tests.

However I would want to ensure that I had plenty of money in the bank for every eventuality and would not do it on the cheap.

A Caesarian can be £2000 or so. Then the cost of chipping, vaccinating and worming the puppies etc. Then feeding and caring for them for 8-10 weeks.
Decent stud fees are not cheap plus the costs of health testing can run into the thousands. You also need the help of a good breeder to make sure your getting the cross right.
I can’t see how anyone could make any money from it if it’s done properly. The only way to make money is throw two dogs together and hope for the best which is not the right way to go about anything.

Mrbay · 28/05/2021 09:17

I have bred my lab bitch (working lines and she works) dad was selected as he works and is successfully field trialling.

We are breeding to keep and already have homes lined up with a few miles of us and are either friends of friends of friends.

So far costs have been around £1k, this is stud fee, whelping support, set up kit for the pups (I have borrowed a lot!), blood testing, AI fee, health checks, additional food for mum and scanning.

Litter is due any day now and I am nervous about what could go wrong, I've booked an experience vet nurse to support during the birth.

Before anyone asks, I am not selling the pups at the ridiculous prices that they are going for but a pre covid price that was agreed with the stud as my initial price was too cheap!

Oh will I do this again, no way! The standing process was not nice to watch, the stuff was extremely gentle and well behaved but was not for me.
I will not be able to leave the house without supervision for 8 weeks.
Once my bitch shows signs of labour, I'll be with her and this could be over 24hrs! The I will sleep on the kitchen floor with the litter for the first few weeks.

I've got a good amount of savings so we have the cash available should vet fees be needed.
A friend has also had litter of labs and they lost a pup on day 2. Yesterday a pup needed vet treatment so they have easily spent a couple of hundred pounds.

Do you have any experienced breeders near you? I've got 3 friends that all breed or have bred so I can call on them day or night for support.

My neighbours are very happy to pup sit when we have to go out and I also have my parents.

I'm working from home for the duration of the 8 weeks the puppies are here. I would worry that with shift work, you wouldn't be able to have the pups looked after 24/7.

Plus your dog has only had 2 seasons, she is probably too young to safely have a litter.

nellly · 28/05/2021 09:29

If you're private renting as well you risk paying for damage a bunch of puppies do to the property! I really don't think after costs it would even be a drop in the ocean towards a house deposit. The people who said that are just seeing the puppy prices atm and aren't thinking of the outlay of stud fees, vet fees and puppy equipment

Original poster

GreenTreeLeaves · 28/05/2021 09:53

Yes absolutely I agree, I'm definitely not doing it and actually feel very motivated to have her spade. I am just inexperienced with the process, and when I was looking for a dog, which took a year, I knew I'd seen some mush less than ideal situations, but now I know from reading this how unethical some were and I don't want to contribute to that.

I haven't got the experience nor the time to do this properly so I won't be doing it, especially after reading @Mrbay! Thank you for all the advice.

OP posts:

UhtredRagnarson · 28/05/2021 09:55

I'm considering dipping my toe in considering it.

so you’re thinking about trying to think about it?

UhtredRagnarson · 28/05/2021 09:55

And to answer your question, no I have never bred my dog because I like my dog.

HerMammy · 28/05/2021 10:00

Spayed

NavigationCentral · 28/05/2021 10:11

I am glad you appear to have changed your mind. As for your friends/the people who actually suggested you make money out of your defenceless pet - by impregnating her, making her give birth and then taking her babies from her - to make yourself money - I am not sure I could guarantee a calm response to them in conversation. I feel sick just thinking of it.

Mrbay · 28/05/2021 10:25

@GreenTreeLeaves - it is a very hands of process! Currently I am having to take my dog's temp rectally 2-3 per day to wait for the temp drop to see that her labour will start shortly!

user1493494961 · 28/05/2021 10:38

Pound signs.

Wishfulthinking1977 · 28/05/2021 21:21

I did! We did it 8 years ago, not for any financial gains but we had such a lovely dog and a friend who offered a stud the only price was we paid for him to be 'done' afterwards! We had friends and family asking for the puppies so apart from 2 we already had loving homes lined up. We had all the tests done, checks and vitamins during pregnancy. We bought a welping box, delivery kit and had a doggy midwife! We did lose one pup at 24hours due to fading puppy syndrome as he was caught at the 2nd tie so was prem 😔. We tried everything to save him but unfortunately he passed. We did have 6 healthy pups which were raised in our living room, mum fed until 10 weeks (topped up with expensive puppy milk!) we paid for all pups to have all their jabs and all new owners were thoroughly checked and updated us afterwards. We didn't make a penny, it actually cost us money! But apart from the sleepless nights and the cost it was an amazing experience and I have my late amazing dogs son as a reminder of her and I see his siblings daily! I wouldn't do it for money and we did loads of research but ours was mainly a positive experience xx

RestingPandaFace · 28/05/2021 21:28

@lastqueenofscotland
“whatever the fuck a poos”

ShowOfHands · 28/05/2021 21:34

My cousin is a dog behaviourist but has also bred her show line bitch. It is labour intensive, costly and a full time job. She makes very little money from it - as a pp said, nothing like the thousands paid for designer crosses - and she invests a lot of emotion in the whole process. Her home is set up purely for those pups. She does not recommend people ever breed from a pet.

EverythingRuined · 28/05/2021 23:18

How much can the puppies be sold for?

Donitta · 28/05/2021 23:28

If you think you’ll make a profit then you don’t know much about breeding. By the time you have shown the dog to establish its quality, had genetic testing done, found a suitable mate, paid vet fees etc, the money you make from the sale of the puppies will barely cover your expenses. The only way to make a profit is to be a backyard breeder who basically breeds any old dog with any old dog, with no concern for the quality or health of the puppies and no concern for the health and well-being of their own dog.

LondonMiss · 28/05/2021 23:39

We Stud our male dog as he’s a really solid blood line and a very nice example of his breed he’s been tested for health issues ect. Seeing what the females go though I didn’t think I’d do it

cupsofcoffee · 29/05/2021 04:28

@EverythingRuined

How much can the puppies be sold for?

Several thousand pounds each.

LEMtheoriginal · 29/05/2021 07:20

We Stud our male dog as he’s a really solid blood line and a very nice example of his breed he’s been tested for health issues ect. Seeing what the females go though I didn’t think I’d do it

But you're quite happy to take the money to put other females through it

cupsofcoffee · 29/05/2021 08:20

@LEMtheoriginal

We Stud our male dog as he’s a really solid blood line and a very nice example of his breed he’s been tested for health issues ect. Seeing what the females go though I didn’t think I’d do it

But you're quite happy to take the money to put other females through it

Just what I thought!

Selfish and greedy.

NavigationCentral · 29/05/2021 08:23

Seeing what the females go though I didn’t think I’d do it

Then why @LondonMiss do you participate in and contribute to what the females go through?

lljkk · 29/05/2021 08:28

£2k each for OP's puppies if KC registered. I'd be tempted, too.

cupsofcoffee · 29/05/2021 08:42

@lljkk

£2k each for OP's puppies if KC registered. I'd be tempted, too.

What a grim outlook.

Anyway, if you do it properly you won't make anything like 2k per puppy. That may be what they sell for but it won't be what your profit is.

Bavarian mountain hounds are rare so stud fees will be astronomical. Add in health tests, the cost of taking 8+ weeks off work to raise the pups 24/7, a potential 2k bill for a cesarean section, food costs, microchips, vaccines, flea and worm treatments and more.

Plus there's always the considerable risk that it will all go wrong and you lose your "beloved dog" in the process. I know people who have seen pound signs, bred their bitch and ended up losing both her and the pups in labour.

Why would you risk the life of your pet for that?

Mabelene · 29/05/2021 08:46

So max of maybe 8 pups, possibly 4-5 depending on breed and how many survive. Between 10-16k before costs, you’re not going to make enough for a house deposit unless you’re a virtual puppy farm breeding several bitches, so several litters a year, every year. Nope, it doesn’t add up for a single bitch and a single litter

I’ve rescued dogs and cats that we didn’t know were pregnant at the time, one miscarried while she was with us. I’d never voluntarily put myself or one of my pets in that position

Aprilwasverywet · 29/05/2021 08:49

I have had ddog owners approach me asking if I want their ddog for stud. We have a beautiful ddog amd would love to see lots of mini hers!! But I don't know lots of nice people who would buy her dpuppies!! And would never want to risk her health or indeed life. As much as yes sometimes the ££ is a flash in the pan day dream!!
No way never!!

WorcesterWombat · 29/05/2021 09:09

I have. My bitch has exceptional blood lines that are sort after within her type and her confirmation is superb. I had a waiting list of over twenty people wanting a puppy from her and could choose who I sold them too.
All puppies were sold with a contract and a no quibble I will take them back if your circumstances ever change and a life time of support offered.
Costs.
Is your bitch registered and does her registration allow her to breed.
It cost over a thousand pounds in genetic testing, hip and elbow scoring and eye testing. I then had to pay the stud fee ( over five hundred pounds).
Her food was the best quality I could find and increased hugely whilst she was pregnant and feeding.
Prior to birth puppy milk powder , and teats in case it was needed. Puppy collars, a set of scales so you can worm accurately.
Once puppies were born they need worming, flea treatment and food once they start weaning. You will need to be at home and they will need a large area to grow up in. Once they are five weeks old they are noisy and produce an enormous amount of poop and wee, you will spend huge amounts of time just keeping their area clean.
In these days I would not dream of putting puppies and mum outside as the risk of theft is huge. Therefore you will have this in your home. My puppies had the whole of a room within my home and as they got older were introduced to household noises and around the house.
You will then need a vet check and to microchip each puppy before sale.
It is now illegal to breed without a council license so you need this in place before you even start thinking about doing this. Cost varies from council to council but averages about five hundred pounds.

Things to consider your insurance will be invalid unless it is declared she is a breeding bitch and costs will go up hugely when you do.
Do you have the time, room and money up front to pay for everything. Do you have the experience of rearing a litter and ensuring both mum and puppies needs are your priority. If you have children how will that fill in with them?
Can you afford the outlay of something goes wrong, she may not get pregnant, she may need a c section, she may get mastitis, a puppy may be unwell.
Can you cope emotionally with the fact a puppy may be still born, or die.
How will you decide who has one of your puppies, do you have space to have them back if something goes wrong in the new owners life.
I have several of my pups to stay whilst owners go on holiday and have had one for a couple of months whilst her owner recovered from surgery.
You have no idea if your bitch will get pregnant or only have one puppy from mating so you may need to go through all of the above for nothing or one pup.
If however you cement all the above criteria then I would suggest that you contact other breeders of your breed of dog and dog to them. Ask if they are prepared to look at her and assess if they think she is suitable to breed from. They can Lao help recommend suitable stud dogs.

Have you ever breed your dog?

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