question about breeding?

Question

I was wanting to get into dog breeding and I was wanting to know some stuff before I started. Like what dogs are best, how much does it cost to get started, stuff like that. Thanks!

i wouldnt be doing it for money

Answer 1

Good job for doing research before you breed! This is the first step to being a good breeder. So many people get their dogs pregnant and then realize maybe they should learn a thing or two about dogs.

First of all, why do you want to breed? Carefully consider why and also consider that there are thousands of dogs dying every year because there's no home for them. I have nothing against breeding, but if you want to be a responsible breeder, you need to take responsibility for the animals you produce. Those who don't are just contributing to all the dogs dying every year.

Do you want to be a responsible breeder who breeds good dogs? If so, here are some tips to get you started:
1. Go to a dog show. Actually, go to several dog shows. This is a great place to meet some excellent breeders. It will also help you decide which breed is best for you. While it's important to decide on a breed based on breeding (that is, if you don't want C-sections, there are certain breeds to avoid), it's even more important to choose a dog that fits your lifestyle. Do you have kids? Other pets? How much shedding and grooming do you want? How much property do you have? Etc.

2. Read books. Of course you want to read the "dog encyclopedias" if you haven't decided which breed is right for you, but if you want to breed well, you need to read a lot more in-depth books. Read books about breeding and controlling genetic diseases. Read books about the history and function of your chosen breed. My favorite source for dog books is Dogwise. They have sections on breeding and on individual breeds. Most of the books listed there are excellent.

Those are the best ways to research breeds and breeding. If you want to do it right, start there. But this is just to get you started. Every good, starting breeder should have a mentor.

Consider that a responsible breeder researches his dogs' pedigrees, he tests his sire and dam for genetic diseases and he has a lifetime "take-back" policy on his puppies. This means that none of his dogs should end up in shelters or puppy mills. He takes responsibility for the dogs he produces for life. Also, responsible breeders prove their dogs with competition. This means either that the dog has been proven at a dog show to look like a breed should, or else it has been proven in working competition to act the way the breed should (that is, a Border Collie has been proven in a herding trial).

As to costs, it really varies by breed. To get started, you need a good *****. Don't start with something mediocre or you'll have mediocre pups. Prove her in a show and test her for genetic diseases recommended by her breed (consult the national parent club for more info on this). Then consult your breed mentors and breed her to another dog of her breed. When you're just getting started, you don't really need more than one dog. Start with one dog and see how it goes.

Costs: One good ***** (varies by breed and other factors, $500-$2000). Genetic tests and shows (also varies, $200-$1000). Stud service (also varies, $200-$1000).

These are just estimates. Anyone, feel free to correct my estimates. This doesn't count basic dog care and any emergency veterinary.

If you wish to be a responsible breeder, I wish the best of luck!

Answer 2

Dog breeding can be really rewarding if you take the time to learn everything you ever need to know about it. It's really hard at first especially if you want to do it as a serous thing, not just a one time thing or hobby.
First, look for the best breed for you. If you go on the AKC website, they have quizes you can take to match you with breeds that best fit your personality. Once you have choosen a few different breeds you seem to like, research everything about them from their temperment, trainability, health problems, grooming requirements, popularity, origin, and whatever else you can get your hands on. (breed specfic books help really well).
Once you decide on a breed, run a search on the internet for breeders of that breed (for example, type in "Doberman Pincher Breeders"). The sites you find that have pictures of the breeders show dogs are your best bet for good information. Email a few breeders that look like they are serious breeders and ask them the pro's and con's of their breed and breeding them and any advice they have for you as a beginner.
Once all that is done and you have settled on a breed, go to a few dog shows to see your breed in action and get aquainted with the breeders. Let them know that you are looking for a show/breed quality puppy. Telling a breeder this will make them more likely to want to help you out once you get a puppy. But don't take it personally if a few breeders come off a little harsh, they can get a little protective of their dogs.
Finally, once you have selected a great healthy puppy, you want to keep it on the best foods, as active as possible to stay in shape, and maybe even show it (adds value to the offspring if it does well, and you can see how it measures up to the perfect example of the breed).
Get all genetic tests done on your dog that you possibly can to ensure its health and the health of the future puppies.
All this is tough and gets expensive, but the more work you put into your foundation female (your first female you breed), the better and higher quality the offspring and more likely you are to be able to sell the puppies. It's all worth it. I took two years doing all this stuff before I settled on everything and purchased my first breeder female (Dashing's Mockingbird).
Good luck!!

Answer 3

Breeding is a hobby, not a job. A breeder who does it the right way, usually makes only enough money to cover expenses. A breeder breeds for love of the breed, not finanacial gain.

If I were you I would go online and find a good breeder, someone you would buy a dog from (a dog breed you would like to own) and ask him/her how they got started and what it takes to run the business.

Check out this website for help evaluating a breeder
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_adoption_information/how_to_find_a_good_dog_breeder/

Answer 4

I think that you should try German Shepherds, Basenjis, Vizslas, or Golden Retrievers. They are mostly good with other dogs, except for Basenjis(they are usually good with other dogs, but not always). German Shepherds are great money makers, because they are great guard dogs, police dogs, seeing eye dogs, & companions. Basenjis are great watchdogs. They need no grooming(unless they get covered in mud), and they don't take up much space. Males are 24lb and 17"; females are 22lb and 16". Golden Retrievers have all the qualities of German Shepherds, but they have slightly more hair, so need a little more grooming(not much). Vizlas are playful, affectionate, friendly towards other dogs/pets, are fairly easy to train,& need no grooming. A male Vizsla can be 22-24", while a female can be 21-23". They weigh 45-65lb.They have a smooth, solid golden rust coat.

It costs about $300 for the medical care of a dam during her pregnancy. It costs about $30 per week for 40 lbs. of good quality puppy chow. That's about how much a litter of, say, 6 eats in a week. It costs about $250 to properly vet a litter prior to going home to new families. (Assuming we don't need ears or tails done). The average breeder takes about a week off work during the first days of a pup's life and the last days of pregnancy. Assuming the breeder has a 12.50 an hour job (that's what my mom gets) that's $500. So we've got 6 pups...(check the costs of feeding).
That's an average of $900 for each puppy.

Answer 5

What dogs are best??? The ones you have an attraction to, an interest in, and a passion for, of course.

However, I personally oppose breeding dogs without titles, so to give you my honest opinion, I would say spend some time showing, or achieving working titles, after you do immense research on your chosen breed and aquire a puppy. After you've aquired the puppy, do obedience training with it, and make sure it receives extensive socialization.

Then, begin showing or go after some working titles. When you've achieved that, do loads and loads of research on dog breeding. Get a mentor, and enlist the help of your b*tch's or dog's breeder.

Have them help you find a suitable breeding partner for your dog.

Answer 6

You really need to know what you're doing to be a successful breeder. If you think you're going to much a bunch of money doing something easy, breeding dogs is not it.
Unless you have a kennel and can keep at least 5 GOOD bitches and at least 2 GOOD dogs. Breeding dogs is not a money maker. One c section can put you out 1200 dollars and if you're not breeding very high demand and quality dogs, you just lost money. Not to mention raising the bitches and dogs, food, vet care, x rays to check for problems, this is going to put you in the red before you ever make a cent on the pup's
If you breed big breeds, you will get a lot of puppies, do you have a place to put10 to 15 pups? Smaller breeds only put out 3 to 5 pups and are easier to keep, but smaller breeds also have more problems giving birth. I only bred my shih tzu's once, luckily the parents were my pets already. After one litter and all good intentions of educating pple about the breed, making sure everyone was well cared for, I found out the money I made on the pup's was NOT worth the hassle I had, just having 5 puppies in my house, IT SUCKEDDDD!!! They were adorable, no doubt, but stink and puppy poop all over is not fun. After I sold my pup's I took mom and dad to the vet and got them fixed. End of ever thinking about breeding dogs again. I will give breeder credit you have managed to breed and sell Labordoodles, Goldendoodles, maltipoos and all those other designer breeds for a pretty penny nowdays. Down here a goldendoodle will go for 1200 dollars....yes I KNOW it is a mutt, but if pple are stupid enough to pay that kind of money for a mixed breed. WAY TO GO BREEDERS!

Answer 7

I strongly suggest finding your local breed club for the breed you are interested in. Go to www.akc.org and find the national breed club for the breed you are interested in. Contact them and they will direct you to your local one. Get involved, get to know other breeders and really learn about the breed and what it takes to be a good breeder. If you can, find a mentor who will help you get started doing it the right way. It is neither cheap nor easy and there is a lot to learn.

Answer 8

Most sucessful breeders develop a reason first (field trials, showing, herding, whatever) and then the breeding comes as a natural extension of that interest.

Always works best when the horses are pulling the cart

Answer 9

If you want to be a reputable breeder:

1. Find a mentor (or multiple mentors) in a breed you like
2. Study the breed- read a ton, go to the National Specialty
3. Talk to a LOT of breeders of the breed you like... you don't have to like the breeder but you should LISTEN as much as possible. Often, the best breeders can be opinionated jerks *raises hand* who have a ton of information about the breed
4. Talk to MORE breeders, learn about bloodlines... issues within the bloodlines and realize .. if someone tells you their line is clear... they are LYING.. every line has something to watch out for.
5. Join your local breed club and all-breed club... Join the National breed club
6. Start learning about breeding dogs... go to the closest college of Veterinary medicine.. see if they will let you audit a class on dog reproduction. Make friends with the best repro vets in your area- they could very well save your b*tch's life someday.
7. Learn more about breeding dogs- find out where/when people are having seminars on dog reproduction. Go to seminars on anything that applies to reproduction.
8. Beg your mentors to let you assist when they whelp pups
9. Buy the very best quality b*tch you can afford... co-own if its the only way to get your hands on the best.. out of a line known for producing good quality dogs WITHOUT the continuous need for veterinary assistance (A-I's, c-sections etc)
10. Show your b*tch.. keep studying.. learn how to evaluate pups.. again.. seminars. Get all of her health clearances.
11. Look for a good stud.. LISTEN to your mentors. Make sure he comes from a line that produces well when combined with YOUR b*tch's line. Make sure he has all his credentials and check on the credentials of his parents, aunts, uncles, sibling etc (You don't want to do a breeding to a male and then find out that 70% of the males in that line have died of cancer at age 6)
12. READ somemore about whelping pups ... I'm a fan of The Whelping and Rearing of Puppies by Muriel Lee.
13. Beg your mentors to come help you whelp pups
14. Be prepared for the fact that whelping can be hazardous to your b*tch... and that you'll need to take time off of work... and you may lose pups.. and it may cost you a FORTUNE in vet bills- c-section.
15. Devise questionnaires for potential puppy owners... agonize over who should get the babies you put so much work into
16. Read TONS about raising puppies, how to stimulate their brains and bodies as they grow
17. Clean up LOTS of puppy poop.
18. Formulate a contract that includes spay/neuter of a all non show dogs and that requires the dog comes back to you if it should need a new home.
19. Sell pups. Worry about them... keep track of them.. monitor what you've produced.. serve as a mentor to new puppy buyers.

I know I missed some..

Its blasted expensive... in $$... in time... in emotion...

Answer 10

What dogs are best?? Well what do you think everyone is going to say?? Obviously the dogs they have are the best... But which ones do we want you breeding?? Well not Dobermans.. I would suggest another breed !