Is backyard dog breeding profitable?

[Akane]

I think the difference in chickens and many livestock is if they aren't useful any longer or can't be sold someone butchers them. They don't go out to be homeless chickens. They become dinner for someone or something. That doesn't happen to a dog. If someone breeds a low quality dog and creates unwanted puppies they end up being someone's problem somewhere down the line. Actually I highly dislike people who breed livestock that isn't quality, registered, and in demand unless they plan to butcher it or sell to someone that will for the same reason. All you do is create a problem. You also have to think about those people buying your animals. If you breed things with genetic issues and don't do full health testing those people are going to get attached to the animal. It may be an extremely important pet 4 years later when it gets very ill and they go through hell deciding whether to put it down so young or pay the high cost of vet care. My mom just went through that with her shelter dog that got cancer. If you are breeding something that is going to have a long lifespan and require a home that entire time you should make sure you are breeding quality animals that will not have genetic defects and illnesses. If you are doing it right no you will not make money. Responsible breeders first breed to improve the breed and make good healthy pets and working animals for people and then hope they at least break even. Eventually their quality of animals speaks for itself, they make a name for themselves, and then they can get into it more seriously and possibly make profits. Breeders contributing to the current over population problem and low quality animals requiring expensive vet care later in life breed for profit first.

Add in the stress on the females of carrying puppies with the risk of death and while I've bred many animals I don't have the heart to do that to my dog. She is my other half and in my opinion that's how a dog should live and not penned up in a kennel or yard as only breed stock. To risk her life for profit is something I could not do and not sure I could do to any dog. If I had a dog that was an excellent representation of an uncommon breed that needed the genetic diversity only then would I breed. I do occasionally breed my horses because I have acquired some very good mares over the years and everyone loves their foals. I have this heavy feeling all year long and my heart is in my throat the entire last month of their pregnancy hoping they don't suffer any harm giving birth. These guys live even longer than a dog so while they don't go everywhere with me they still are important to me beyond their price tag. It's worth it though because like I said I have nice mares in demand that produce nice easy to work with registered foals who go on to be great riding and competition horses for years and years. The mares I started these lines with retired from jumping or barrel competitions at over 20years old. I know they will be healthy quality animals for people and improve their breed. After working in rescue for awhile though I will never again breed anything for more than the occasional litter that I can't butcher extras so I'm not adding to the problem. I'd like to get guinea pigs and breed them again because it was quite fun to work with such a variety of color genetics and have such cute pups but not unless I'm butchering them like I would meat rabbits.

 

[Wifezilla]

Yes...all professional breeders are just selfless. They don't do it for money AT ALL. In fact, they are all poor because of all their boundless animal love!!!

Sorry.....sarcasm attack!

I hear they make medication for that now-a-days, but since I don't have insurance from selflessly trying to better the Welsh Harlequin breed of ducks, I am unable to get any for myself.

 

[Akane]

The number of breeders I'd place under properly responsible is pretty darn low and does not include anyone making a profit right now. The number of people I'd buy a dog from is low enough I have to drive states away to get a common breed. In fact I try my best to avoid the big name breeders because their dogs are kennel raised. A small breeder with one or 2 animals who is truly breeding to make quality animals and not making a profit generally puts out the healthiest and best working animals. I take my time to hunt down those breeders when I want to buy an animal instead of rescuing.

Again poultry doesn't really count. How often do you see poultry in shelters? We have such a horrible overpopulation...

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

The fix for for that is to get rid of the racist law that says I can eat hamburger in front of my Hindu neighbor but my Japanese neighbor cant eat a dog in front of me.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Well..i kinda guess that does make sense if ya really think about it... interesting..

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Ive been arguing that for years.... I mean what if the Christians said that no one could eat pork anymore because the bible says not to? Same thing.

 

[FarmerChick]

It is always about money in the end.

don't ever let that fool anyone.

high quality breeders do not do it only for love of the breed....they must make money in the end ---you can not go in the hole, lose your home and not be able to pay bills for the love of a critter you are breeding.

and if you "think that quality" is what is needed in this world of dogs----many a high quality expensive dog is treated wtih neglect. many a high dollar dog is paid for, and when that check is cashed, the breeder could care less the life of that dog. and the new owner, when the thought of that high price quality purchase is absored and that cute puppy grows up, it can easily be neglected and abused like a "mutt dog" bred by the neighbor.



don't be fooling yourselves out there seriously.

animals are only as good as the owner who receives them!! if the owner is decent, the animal lives decent. if the owner is neglectful, regardless of breed, price, quality or anything, the critter can suffer.


and so many people "think their animal is the highest quality"---hmm....how many times have I seen that in the horse business. My horse is just the best....it is perfect...it needs to be bred. Probably it doesn't need to be bred and it isn't the best respresntation of the breed....it is the owner thinks it is therefore it must be true. How many times I saw people breed inferior horses all the time saying theirs were the best!!! pleaseeee.....



animals are big business. big business has the earmarks of corruption all of it and that won't change any time soon.

big breeder, little backyard breeder...both have a right to do their own thing in this world. just do it with some good character hopefully.

 

[Akane]

Personally I'd have no problem with someone eating dog.... I'm a rescuer not a vegetarian. I only have a problem if someone takes something bred and sold to be a pet irregardless of what it is and kills it without the breeder being informed and having a chance to save it. If you want to breed not caring where your animals go that's your choice and if someone wants to then kill those animals that's their choice so long as it receives proper care until death and a quick death. If someone wants to breed good animals and not have them get killed then that's where we need a law to protect them so they can again be responsible for it's care in exchange for saving it's life and not to stop the butchering of all animals. I'd prefer the horse slaughter plants were still open. Now we are stuck with thousands upon thousands of low quality horses with no training that aren't good for much and no one wants to take. Rescues are full and random people who have never had horses are getting them free or cheap and then not having a clue how to properly handle and care for them. Farmers here used to make a bit of side cash throwing a random stallion and some mares out in a field and selling all the offspring at the local sale barn for slaughter prices. Now we have those foals plus the brood stock that they no longer want since they can't continue to breed and sell their foals. I've gotten so many emails and calls to come help train some supposedly insane man killing horse that is simply poorly bred, spoiled rotten by it's new owners, and never trained because the breeder was actually breeding them to sell cheap to slaughter and the new owner are clueless.

 

[Wifezilla]

How often do you see poultry in shelters?

Actually I tried to adopt a runner duck from our local shelter. Someone else got there before me!​

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Ever notice that all the worlds problems circle back around to the government trying to solve all our problems?