If you raise them right, you stand to lose a substantial amount of money in the process. Besides the fact that you didn't invest anything in testing for joint problems or PRA or any other things inherently associated with those particular breeds.
The people that accidentally bred my dog's mother had to BOTTLE FEED seven puppies until they could be homed, because the mother dog got hit by a car. They left them all in a kennel outside, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week because they couldn't handle them in their tiny house. Thankfully I got maybe one of the best in the entire litter (the others were crazy vicious from lack of socialization... being locked in a kennel all the time tends to do that to you), the runt, who is for the most part a lazy food moocher. This isn't to say he doesn't have health problems though. He has TERRIBLE feet, they're always red and sore, they get worse in winter, and no matter what we try they always stay stinky and nasty. He jumped off a pile of dirt and blew out his cruciate ligament, and we couldn't afford the $1,000 surgery to have a thirty percent success rate of his knee healing. (I have a torn meniscus, so I understand what he goes through when it flares up on him.) He has a wonderful temperament, but you still have to be wary if strangers come around because he will nip at them if they reach right down immediately. I spend all day with him, and have since he was brought into our house. He protects the ducks and chickens, and the house. He gets to run free with me if I'm outside, but just yesterday he rolled in something and we had to wash him in 20* F weather.
I had a purebred Chocolate Lab, but that doesn't mean she was breeding-worthy. She was the runt for one, she had white spots, and was so hyper we had to resort to keeping her in a kennel, which only made it worse (this is why I'm so against kennels being the dog's "home" now). She was fixed, thank goodness, before we had to give her away.
We had a Black Lab mix who was also hyper, and had to be kept in the kennel with the Chocolate Lab. Things I wish never happened, but did. You have no idea how much it hurts to have your best friends in a kennel. Full of crap. In the snow. Imagine if your puppies are locked to the side of a doghouse for their entire existence? I've seen many a beagle or other hound-type dog (wow, bassets are a hound!) sitting in a barren circle surrounding their house lately. People just don't want to take care of the LIVES that dogs are. They don't want to fulfill the basic necessities that a dog requires. Hounds need a lot of exercise, and need to be on a leash at all times or they'll track something off into the woods somewhere and get shot.
All I'm trying to say is mutts are awesome. Purebred dogs are awesome. Dogs are awesome. But you're probably not in the proper position to bring more uncertainties into the world (not that anyone ever is). I would worry about their health, the mother's health, and any future puppies someone will get out of YOUR puppies, thinking "Oh he/she is so cute I have to breed them and get some money out of them!"
No offense, but I hate it went people put monetary value on a dog with no purpose. I could see an amazing herding dog mutt being an expensive investment, because he's proven. His parents were proven.
But with a dog that does virtually nothing (and I mean this in the best possible way. I'm sure there ARE workings Bassets out there, somewhere. I'm sure there ARE working Dachshunds, if not only to do earth-dog trials) and has so much at stake health-wise, it may be in your best interest to avoid the whole situation.
Would someone please post the prices of a 'proper' breeding here, for all to see?
Even if you charge $300 dollars for a purebred dog, the money you've spent on x-rays, prenatal care, genetic testing, vet visits and conditioning, not to even MENTION puppy-care costs, vaccinations and the best food money can buy for the mother dog and her offspring, is much, MUCH greater than what you get back from selling your puppies.
I know Redyre has posted the costs of breeding her latest girl at least once before.
Phew! I'll get off my soapbox now and let everybody go on with the rest of their life.
