Sled dog breeding

[Americano Blue]

I can attest to how much start up costs. I am just getting started and have invested over $5000 now and we have yet to go to a single show. It's all been in purchasing the puppy, buying equipment, vet fees, training classes, etc. it is not cheap if done right.

breeding is different for sledding dogs. Is cheaper to do then for show or pet. You may only breed 1-3 times a year unless your dogs are super great that mushers want.

 

[tridentk9]

breeding is different for sledding dogs. Is cheaper to do then for show or pet. You may only breed 1-3 times a year unless your dogs are super great that mushers want.

Figure in the time training, equipment, numbers of dogs. Is it really that much cheaper? I can sell my pups for $2500-3500. Yes, that many zeros. Sled dog pups that you're looking at sell for $150? But I've been in this breed for 20 years when there were less than 100 in the US. Reputations add zeros to puppy prices. And I've still retired from breeding.

What do you do with the pups that don't work out for one reason or another? Culling by killing is frowned upon most severely in dogs. At 3 litter a year, average 8 pups- what do you do with 24 pups a year? They take time, money and contacts. You can only sell so many pups to sledders if you and your dogs don't have a good reputation. Sledding bred dogs have a horrible reputation as pets. Do you take back any of your pups if they need a new home? Reason doesn't really matter but a certain percentage of returns might come back with health issues. More money. If your state has a puppy lemon law, you would be liable for genetic and congenital health problems. In some states for up to a year of age and for 1 1/2 times the cost of the pup. Are you ready to lose money?

 

[steny03]

I haven't read all the pages so I want to apologize in advance if this has already covered, or is a non issue...

Keep in mind the OP is a young teen (stated in other threads). While it is clearly a huge interest to her....realistically she's not just going to go out and start a sled dog breeding program right now.

It is great though for her to be able to research it here with knowledgeable people.

 

[Americano Blue]

Figure in the time training, equipment, numbers of dogs. Is it really that much cheaper? I can sell my pups for $2500-3500. Yes, that many zeros. Sled dog pups that you're looking at sell for $150? But I've been in this breed for 20 years when there were less than 100 in the US. Reputations add zeros to puppy prices. And I've still retired from breeding.

What do you do with the pups that don't work out for one reason or another? Culling by killing is frowned upon most severely in dogs. At 3 litter a year, average 8 pups- what do you do with 24 pups a year? They take time, money and contacts. You can only sell so many pups to sledders if you and your dogs don't have a good reputation. Sledding bred dogs have a horrible reputation as pets. Do you take back any of your pups if they need a new home? Reason doesn't really matter but a certain percentage of returns might come back with health issues. More money. If your state has a puppy lemon law, you would be liable for genetic and congenital health problems. In some states for up to a year of age and for 1 1/2 times the cost of the pup. Are you ready to lose money?

1. Dogs are priced based on age, family lines, and races done, and position(s) it runs in. The dogs I might buy from my friend are only cheap cause she's giving me a deal. She is my mentor and is trying to help me start a team. her dogs are usually more $$.
the dogs here friend's are selling are 200-450.
2. the most expensive year of mushing is your first year, after that, when your systems down, it gets cheaper.
3. people only typically kill pups in Alaska. and you typically don't take back dogs. only if you have to and if you do, you sell it.
4. you keep most of the dogs you breed.
5. you do race before you breed so you have some reputation and you only breed the best dogs.
6. there are no lemon laws where SternRose lives and there are no laws where i live
7.you don't sell the dogs as pets. they are work dogs. the problem with dogs/ huskies bred to run is even with the best training if they get lose they most likely won't come back.

what dogs did you breed? also you think from a pet/show breeder view.

 

[tridentk9]

also you think from a pet/show breeder view.

ROFL. If that makes you feel better.

 

[tridentk9]

I think these are current. Even working dog breeders and non-registered or mixed breed dog breeders have to follow the current laws in their state. https://www.avma.org/Advocacy/StateAndLocal/Pages/pet-lemon-laws.aspx

 

[kauaifeerange]

Then we wonder why the shelter is full of dogs........ and millions are killed every year.....

 

[Starfire669]

breeding is different for sledding dogs. Is cheaper to do then for show or pet. You may only breed 1-3 times a year unless your dogs are super great that mushers want.

I am starting up with showing and hope to eventually breed quality Siberians, which I have stated earlier in the thread. I have read their history and their AKC conformation standard. The standard was written with their job in mind. Meaning it outlines how a working Siberian should look and act to perform the job it was originally bred for. In the Siberians case it was bred to pull light loads at moderate to fast speeds over long distances. So what a show dog should look like is what a working dog should look like. Now I will admit that some show dogs are "soft" but there are some winning show dogs that are also worked, and their breeders do this on purpose, to keep the breed true. Conformation has everything to do with a working dogs ability to do its job. Shoulder slop, head carriage, rib spacing, and much more directly impact the dogs ability to run. Some dogs are built for sprinting, some for heavy loads. The Siberian was built for endurance, and it's body reflects that. Ignorance of what makes a dog good at its job will lead to nothing but pain and heartache, for both you and your dog. I have been doing a lot of research, meeting breeders, handlers, trainers, owners, and going to dog shows. For anyone to say that health tests are no needed, or that breeding any male female pair will result in good offspring is very naive, and that's being nice. I also know that lead dogs, being the most highly trained and smartest of the team, are the most expensive dog to buy. $150 for a lead dog is rediculous, it would cost more than $1000 and probably closer to the $2000-$4000 range.

 

[tridentk9]

Like Karen Ramstead and her North Wapiti dogs. http://iditarod.com/race/2014/mushers/123-Karen-Ramstead/

 

[dainerra]

Quote:
it costs the same to breed a proven healthy dog, no matter what venue you are in. Costs to recoup for a sled dog: cost of the dog itself. health testing stud fee and related testing (progesterone and STD tests top the list) prenatal care health care and food for the puppies until 8+ weeks old these are the bare bones basics and you've already reached close to a thousand dollars for just one litter. If something goes wrong or if the breeding doesn't take, all this expense is down the tubes and you start over again. A medical emergency during whelping can add $2000+ to the total just for a c-section. then you have the work you put into the dog - entry fees for the races you entered. equipment, yes the initial buying of equipment is expensive but you also have maintaining the equipment. repairing. etc etc keeping the dogs in top working condition. because it is a team of dogs, you aren't dealing with expenses for just 1 dog either. You have food and medical care for the entire team. You have transport costs for the entire team. Unless you bring "back up" dogs, if a dog injuries itself once you've reached the trial, then you are just packing up and going home. All the expense related to getting to this particular trial is down the drain. everyone mentions "unless you have super great dogs that mushers want" Shouldnt' that be your purpose for breeding? To have the best dogs? Why would you want to focus on breeding "ok" dogs? There are thousands of "ok" dogs killed every single day.