Our studies have shown that there is money in dog breeding if the breeder is giving the required veterinary care to dogs, and goes beyond. Breeding healthy dogs may allow you to break-even, but if you want to achieve larger ambitions, you must build an irreproachable reputation.
For a person to breed its reputation within his own breed’s circles, one must show dogs in the conformation rings, breed champions, or simply become an authority on the breed itself. Not every successful breeder has shown dogs in the past. Instead, some clever breeders study the breed thoroughly enough that their opinion matters; and people see these breeders as thought-leaders. Their dogs will be worth a fortune, and they are not champions; they are just fruits of a knowledgeable tree.
Is there money in dog breeding? Yes, there is money in every single trade out there: you just have to be good enough and be there at the right place, at the right time, with the right product.
Define Your Own Meaning of “Money”
Before you begin breeding, you must decide what does “money” mean to you; do you want:
- to generate a consistent profit each year?
- to be a millionaire through dog breeding?
- to own a hobby kennel for an occasional litter?
If you want to breed dogs for a large profit and are willing to put in the intensive research, then it can take several litters and possibly years for you to see a profit in your investment. If you are a hobby breeder, then you may be happy with just breaking even or a small profit. Either way, breeding dogs can be a full-time occupation but you have no guarantee that there will be a payout at the end of each month if you are doing it in a responsible way. Only professional dog breeders, who devote dozens of hours every week can see a return on their several investments.
If you love dogs and have a number of them at your place, breeding dogs specifically for sale can be a hobby occupation for you but at the beginning, it is vital to do serious research about what the dog breeding involves. If you are looking to just start a new hobby and have the time, money to invest and a love of dogs then this could be the ideal pastime. Many breeders choose to do it part-time as a way to increase their knowledge of a particular breed they love or in some cases to try to keep that breed in the world, it is less about the profit they make and more about their love of a specific breed of dog that they want to share with other responsible owners.
[pullquote-right]Breeding dogs responsibly is an expensive hobby to take upon.[/pullquote-right]
Hobby dog breeders tend to be less interested in the profit and more so about the interesting aspects of breeding itself. However, breeding dogs responsibly is an expensive hobby to take upon. You may often come into difficulties of various types: veterinary, finding a suitable mate or maybe finding responsible owners for the litter. A reputable breeder must be financially capable to house the litter if they are unable to find homes which can end up with the breeder being at a monetary loss, this may not bother hobby breeders who did it as a lifestyle choice but if you have set out to make a large profit this is a common occurrence that can put you at a financial loss.
Dog Breeding Can Be Rewarding If Operated Well
Dog breeding is similar to any other trade you get back what you put into it. If you produce high-quality dogs that are at the top of their breed, then you will be rewarded financially as well as becoming a world-renowned breeder. However, becoming a reputable breeder is no easy feat and there are many pitfalls that are easy to fall in to try to save money and earn a profit faster. But if this is the mindset you are taking, in the end, you will be at a loss with a bad name in the breeding community and a litter of poorly bred pups that may not be able to be homed costing you more in the long run.
That it is why it is vital to create a good breeding program initially and stick to it, even if there is a temptation to cut corners on food or vet visits. In the long run, it will be worth as you will slowly build up a name as a reputable breeder with well-cared-for animals. Breeding is not just finding two dogs of the same breed and allowing them to mate; it is a science. You will need to be available to research bloodlines for generations back, looking for things like genetic health issues, temperament flaws, and whether or not the line of females had been able to give birth naturally or had C-sections. Once you find the correct dogs to breed and have had them checked by a vet and have built up your knowledge about their genetic pool, you will be ready to breed them. The mating may not happen the first time and on occasion can take weeks or months until it results in a successful breeding and pregnancy.
Get involved in the online and offline communities that love the breed as much as you.After the mating and the birth, the fun starts as you will now have a litter of puppies to look after as well as your own dogs and bitch. To become a reputable breeder and to be rewarded for it, it is vital to put each individual dog first, as this, in turn, will put their bloodline first and improve their breed in the long run. This is the goal of any reputable breeder. Yet, this is no easy task as once the puppies arrive, they will need to be health checked, wormed, declawed etc and many puppies need to be bottle fed which can be very time-consuming especially if you are only breeding part-time. The puppies will then need to be trained and socialized so that they can be placed in loving owners home who you should interview and research thoroughly so that you know that will be going to responsible dog owners such as yourself.
If you do breed in this responsible manner, soon you will begin to make a name for yourself in the breeding community as producing well-cared for healthy and happy dogs. Such dogs at the highest standard of their bloodline will eventually earn you a profit. As you can see, this generally does not happen quickly! It can be a long process but, as a breeder, it is your job to stand your grounds and build the best kennel name ever by treating your litters right and doing all the health checks possible and then this, in turn, will create a well-earned profit.
Work As Hard As Your Dog Breeding Ambition Is High
If your main goal is to make a large profit from dog breeding then you must be prepared to dedicate time and an investment into it. Every single breeder should take care of their dogs, that’s non-negotiable. Beyond caring for the dogs’ health, if your goal is to break even, then it can be quite simple by creating some build up by promoting your kennel and producing high-quality litters. This promotion can be done in several ways by for example you can document your litter’s journey through blogs, Instagram, a website, YouTube and other social channels. This will show potential owners exactly how their puppies are bred and how well they are cared for at each step of their journey. It will promote your kennel from the get-go and can also open the doors of communication for you to get involved with your potential buyers and show the personalities of your dogs to them. It’s also a good idea to become a part of your breed’s community! Get involved in the online and offline communities that love the breed as much as you, this will give your kennel traction at becoming well-known and reputable as you will be promoting yourself as a lover of the breed and not only breeding for profit.
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To make a large profit it back, you will have to take this promotion and dedication to the next level. Breeding dogs may need to become your full-time occupation if you want to increase the payback from it. You will need to not only make a name for your kennel but will need to research your breed extensively and choose a pedigree that you know you will be able to breed and look after in the long run. As a reputable breeder, you will need to know the full family history of your mating partners and be able to stand by your litters as you will know their genetic makeup is of the highest standards. To promote your kennel to the highest scale and create a buzz about it you may need to bring your dogs to shows so that the breeding community can know what standard they are, better yet is winning these shows. This build-up can take several years and litters to achieve as well as journeys to shows to promote your dogs but, in the end, if you have a litter from show winning pedigree dogs your profit will increase marginally.
The more your kennel and dogs are shown as being the best in its bloodline and breed, the more profit that can be returned back to you for your dedication and hard work. Breeding dogs can certainly be a profitable venture but it is not easy. To really make a profit, you will not need to just be a good breeder, but a great one who shows pedigree dogs and consistently produces more of the same. It is the same with any trade, if you create a high-quality product then after some time you will earn a profit but this will always take hard work and dedication. Of course, there are many risks of financial losses that will occur on this journey as you cannot predict mother nature and how successful your dogs may be.
3 comments on “Is There Money In Dog Breeding?”
You failed to mention the fact that breeding females are usually rehomed once they are done breeding to make room for younger females. Some hobby breeders have trouble doing this and end up with several older dogs that aren’t productive yet cost the kennel money in food and vet care.
I totally agree with the previous comment. I do consider myself a Hobby Breeder but not a puppy mill. One thing I had to consider is that there are times that I do end up keeping a puppy or two past the eight to the ten-week timeline that most puppies go on to new families.
But, here is where it counts. I am set up to keep a puppy longer. We are fine with continuing the training and potty breaking and shots and all that comes with raising a puppy. Until I do find the right home for our little girl or boy. The longest I have ever had to keep a puppy was four month’s but with continued training, I was actually able to advertise him as a pre-started puppy. The family had four children and were thrilled at what an easy fit he was into their life.
The hard part for a lot of people that raise dogs, have to remember that it is a hard thing especially when you have raised one of these babies to adulthood, and they have done their job for you. It is not fair to keep them if you do not have the time to love, groom and play with them, they need the time to ride in the car, go to the beach, etc. So, you have to tell yourself, that, although you love them, it is now time to find someone that will also love them, and be able to make them the family pet. It is actually better for them.
I stay at home and the dogs are my whole day. I do hug and kiss and love on every one of them every day. I have rehomed some as adults and every so often the thought of them creeps in and I get a bit melancholy, but, I know in my heart I did the right thing for them. Our dogs are not just a business venture they are our family. In some ways, I guess it is like sending your child off to college and into the big world out there.
All you can do is the best you can. And, yes I do have three older dogs now, that are our babies along with our breeding dogs and they do have some medical requirements now, just like people. The costs of caring for them, is a consideration, and yes, there have been some I would have liked to keep, but if I did. We would not be able to afford all that is needed. For the ones we currently have. And that would not be fair to them. I hope others see this and understand that dogs should not be looked at as just merchandise, although here in the U.S. they are considered as property. Sad, dogs have feelings also. Thanks for allowing me to comment.
Thanks for the info on breeding business. I quite agree on all the points you have brought out in the article ‘Is there money in dog breeding’. First I love dogs and I enjoy companion with dogs than any other animal. My son got me into the business from 2013 to date. We both run around in attempt to make it profitable but we failed due to several factors especially the finances to meet vet costs. It was a wonderful experience, given the proper knowledge and finances I would not regret to start the same business alone since my son has relocated to Korea further studies. My point I would like to bring out is, yes any business can be profitable if knowledge and experience is applied religiously with minimal risks of failure. I feel I now have the experience and I need good training in Dog breeding. Above all, I enjoyed the security the business provided to my family.