Is backyard dog breeding profitable?

[pamperedpoultry]

Quote:
well said!

 

[FarmerChick]

sure it is

my friend breeds her pet dobermans
1 litter per year
she makes a profit definitely

 

[EweSheep]

Redyres Rotties is a very good example of a dog breeder who you would want to listen to. With all the work and hassles she has gone thru with her Rotties, you can learn a great deal from her.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Thanks for all the great info, folks! I really just asked out of curiosity, and often find the BYC community the best-informed on such a wide range of topics. I wasn't considering getting started in the business myself and already suspected the realities of the business are as you all said. I was really curious because as I said there were often several different signs posted on every community bulletin board in my community advertising puppies for sale at very high prices. And there I would be, tacking up my signs to sell eggs or laying hens, & wondering only half-seriously "Am I in the wrong business?" When people balk at paying $5-$10 for a POL hen who will give many dozens of eggs over her lifetime, but will pay $500-$1000 for a lap dog.

Please, I'm not taking a stand on the whole dogs vs chickens, or pet animals vs livestock animals debate, nor on the purebred vs mixed-breed, everyone has their own preferences & reasons for valuing certain animals more than others in their lives. I was just curious as to how & why there were so many people in my community offering dogs for sale.

 

[tharrell]

When people ask me if you can make money breeding dogs I always answer the same way. I compare it to every two weeks or so depositing money into a savings account (one that pays no intrest, or negative intrest most of the time, lol) and then once or twice a year making a withdrawl. You get a good chunk of money at a time, but you are just taking money that was technically always yours to begin with. That is usually best case scenerio with me and if something goes wrong you will lake a much bigger loss. In my breed one to two is the norm for litter size. I sell show quality puppies for quite a bit of money, but pet quality puppies get placed on a spay/neuter contract and are priced no higher than 300 or less. When you have a $1500 c-section and two pet quality puppies are born you can see where the loss can come in! In the end, you have to just love what you do and not worry so much about the money you are spending!

Also I wanted to add that even show breeders of AKC dogs can be bad news! One of the best names in my breed is Davishall Kennels. They produce AMAZING dogs and to have that name on your dogs pedigree is a big deal. However just take a look at their website. They have hundreds of dogs. Do you really think they are leading happy lives of a spoiled housepet? They kennel their dogs and give them little attention with exception to when they are in the ring. Their dogs also sell for upwards of ten grand. I guarantee you they make a ton of money but people don't look at them and others like them and think puppy mill because their dogs are getting vet care and good food.

My last little point is that if you want a working dog usually the last thing you want to look for is AKC. These dogs most usually (but not always) have their instincts bred out of them so they can look a certain way and not necessarily do their job. I have always said if someone has two great working dogs even mixed breeds it is great to breed them together to make a better dog! The goal of any breeder should be to make a better dog whether it's AKC, CKC, or just a big mutt!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Everyone keeps saying C-sections? There's a issue in its self. An AKC/show breeder will keep breeding a dog that looks right an pay for C-section after C-section. A back yard breeder would cull that dog in favor for one that can give birth naturally an be ok that the dog wont win a show. I'll take my healthy CKC an unregesterd pugs that have almost never had to see a vet over any AKC pug that cant even reproduce without human intervention.

 

[Wifezilla]

I had an old room mate that bred her sheltie. She made good money off the pups. I know someone who does it now. Beautiful dogs, no c-sections, dogs are spoiled house dogs...healthy puppies....

 

[tharrell]

Myself and all breeders I work with spay at the time of c-section. You always want to try to produce free-whelping lines! Some breeds can't reproduce without AI breeding,and sections for every litter. English Bulldogs are the biggest ones, but bostons and frenchies and other breeds with large heads (chihuahuas included!) are always risks for sections!

 

[FarmerChick]

as a true income sustaining business I can't comment.

but my friend Barbs dobermans, 1 litter, made her alot of profit.

she would use that money to buy a new horse saddle or save for Christmas money.

dobbies have like 8 pups, 1 or 2 might not make it, but she sold her pups at $250 each
never had a problem getting rid of them....so 6 pups at $250 was great money for one litter




so again, it might be "how much profit you are gunning for?"

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Thats the issue. The were not like that 100 years ago..... Why are they now? Show breeders. All the breeds can breed naturally but then someone says, hey I bet it would look better if the head was bigger. An, Hey lets make the the hind end smaller.