Designer Dogs

[uwharrie]

Its the responsible breeders who do not make money with breeding dogs. I am lucky if I break even on a litter. Sure I could make money if I did not health test, used only my own males ( no stud fees) did not show, bred the females early and often, and had many litters a year, placed puppies at 6 weeks or less ( cause it does cost to keep them till 10-12 weeks) and not care who I sold puppies to. Not to mention take dogs back that owners can no longer keep ( thank goodness that does not happen often but then I am only breeding one litter a year).

There are quite a few horse people out there that DO breed dogs strictly to make money, they may claim otherwise but the numbers tell a different story.

Some folks use the "show folks are snobs" excuse, but you know what? I DONT have a problem with someone producing healthy, correct, well tempered, well socialized dogs for the pet market. Yes I show, and YES I breed to produce dogs to show but guess what? Over 1/2 of the dogs I produce go into pet homes, Show homes are not the end all to be all. I rarely sell show pups anymore and would rather keep what I want to show and sell the rest into great pet homes no matter how nice the pup may be.

No I was serious. I know many who breed dogs papered but not show dogs and make $2500.00 - $3500.00 a litter. A few litters at a time that adds up to pretty decent money. I am not saying it is good or bad just what I have noticed with many horse breeders and even more often with breeders of Miniature Horses.

 

[lyn_j]

Im with uwharrie, I breed for show and .there is ALWAYS a puppy or two that go to pet homes, even some show quality if they are the right people. I have turned people away after meeting them also.... thats not going to make money but my dogs come first. I have 5 bitches and 3 dogs but I still will use an outside stud dog if he offers the bitch something better. I have bitches that are 5 years old that have only had 1 or two litters. I have spent WAY more than they have made me for example. When I bought Hunter two years ago, she was an adult bitch. I paid 1000 dollars for her and then I paid another 750 for a stud fee for a litter of 3 puppies, one I kept and two I sold for 600 each, She had vet visits that totaled over 500. Didnt make any money there. The daughter of hers that I kept to show, accidentally got bred to another champion while she was with the handler and I was in Germany. She had 5 puppies by Section and had to be spayed at that time her uterus ruptured.... no more showing, no more breeding and a 2000 vet bill for Prissy. Did I lose money, you betcha.

There was 1 bitch puppy in that litter that I kept who is a BOV winning puppy. Gracie was a great mistake but it could have all been for naught. So , all in all Gracie has a value of 4100.00 . that is what she cost me not counting her show fees.

It also took me 3 years for the quality show Dachshund breeders to accept me and agree to sell me show quality dogs. THEY were responsible breeders and now I owe them the same respect by doing likewise and being chosey where my puppies go and , I am responsible for EVERY ONE of them till the day they die because I brought them into this world Thats why my contracts say that they come back to me in the event they cant be kept.

Genetic testing for specific breed issues is also not cheap. IT takes lots of testing and repeated progeny testing to make sure they arent going to occur in your lines. Dachshunds have PRI and Disc Degeneration issues. WE test for those. I buy 40 pounds of natural food weekly, monthly interceptor is 60 dollars for 10 dogs. My dogs will never pay for me to play with my horses. And, they are a full time job! We dont go away together because we dont have a good house/dog sitter now that my son is in PAraguay.

All things to consider. No designer dogs here...... too much to keep up with a known standard!

Lyn