Some people may be interested in what a breeding such as this costs.
The tally so far:
Updated CERF eye test: $35.00
Prebreeding exam and consultation, Brucellosis screening,
baseline progesterone test $290.00
2 more progesterone tests $130.00
Stud fee $800.00
Trip to make breeding $150.00
So far we are up to $1405.00. This does not include any of the other expenses incurred such as training, showing, and finishing the dam's titles (Estimated 5K), all her health testing (probably another 1200), advertising and website (several hundred more).
Future expenses will include an ultra sound to confirm pregnancy (About $100.00), rental of Whelpwise equipment (About $450.00), various other supplies I will need to have on hand for whelping (about $300).
My whelping box is relatively new. I spent about 350 on materials for it, and my husband built it for me. I am making some mods to the safety rails, so will spend another hundred bucks or so doing this before these puppies arrive.
Here she is in the box in 2007 just before the Choice litter was born.
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That is exactly what I was thinking. You can pick one up from a BYB for pennies compared to a well bred dog but if you dont watch out then your BYB dog could end up costing WAY more than a well bred dog from a reputable breeder. My mom has a Rotti from a BYB who isnt even a year old yet and been diagnosed with hip and elbow dysplasia. Luckily my BYB Rotti is healthy so far. It PAYS in the long run to spend the extra money and get a quality dog.
From time to time between now and the whelping, the puppy cam will be live. It is live right now. On the bed is my girl who was so sick the other week, "Diddy", taking a little afternoon snooze.
The whelping box will be in this room when it's time to be set up.
Best of luck with the babies...a friend of mine breeds Newfoundlands, and I work in a nursing home... I brought home some of the quilted cloth incontinence pads we use on the beds (that nursing home used the disposable ones, so the cloth ones were up for grabs), and gave them to my friend. She uses them in the whelping box, and loves them. They absorb and wick away the moisture, they can be washed and bleached all to heck and stand up to it very well. She also uses them in the crates, as Newfs tend to drag lots of mud and dirt and ick into their crates. They work so well she has bought more as the original ones wore out. Just a suggestion, if you want to look into it.