[bigchicken]

Lets look look at the profit to be made selling pups. small pedigree terrier pups selling for £300.  the bitch has lets say four pups that's £1200.  lets break it down a bit stud fee usually the price of a pup -£300. extra feed for bitch and pups -£100.  vet check and vaccinations for pup's £180. there can be a discount for four or more pups but I wont count that.  registration with KC £100.  I make that a profit of £520 per litter six litters would be £3120.    lets look at a Labrador, pups selling for £400.  the bitch has lets say five pups that's £2000. Stud fee £400.  extra feed for bitch and pups £300 vet check and vaccinations pup's £225  KC registration £125. that makes costs of  £1050 so far, Now we come to the hip score test for bitch that's £300. eye test £50 these costs are a one of so lets say the bitch has three litters that would be lets say £120 per litter that's a profit of £830 per litter four litters would be £3332.    This is a rough idea of costs for the normal pet dog advertised in the papers etc.  I have tryed to be reserved with my pricing my vet prices were taken from a local vet. I have not taken into account the cost of keeping the bitch when not having pups as I believe most folks would have the dog anyway. Your comments will be most welcome. 

[sabrina]

You missed out the time taken to look after the bitch and the pups, lots of cleaning, heat lamp where needed, adds in the papers. checking out people.  time wasters, everyone gets them. if all cost are to be taking into account then the owners time should be as well.

[bigchicken]

OK so I forgot a few small think, that blows it all profit gone, All those people breeding pups for the love of it just marvelous that just restores my faith the human nature.   

[Oddbod]

1. If some one wants something they will pay for it, often people seek out the unusual, they may not keep it or treat it properly but the same goes for pure bred dogs, people buy a dog and not always realise what they are going to end up with. Like anything, the cost depends on supply and demand.

2. Breeders have thier different reasons, some JUST for the money, some because the want to say they have created a wonderful animal by thier choosing and some, for the fun.. the idea that tests to show how fast, attractive or aglile they are is silly, a lot of people JUST want pets, any other owners will seek out dogs with certificates, it so reminds me of taking children to beauty pagents. Health checks are a different matter and I agree with them, well most of the time.

3 How many people on here have hobbies? or drink? or eat too much food? know one adds up that cost as you only get pleasure out of it, so thats my view, for some its a nice hobby, you have a nice dog and have nice pups and sell them to some one else who also wants a nice dog...a  bit of money for doing it is a bonus, not a champ anything!!!!!!!!!! 

[robert waddell]

there was a family not far from us that breed Irish wolfhounds they had a litter of 12-14 pups and were selling them for £1200 each     now that is profit is it not             on the tax man being interested we were interviewed recently and the pups were there at her feet  asked if we should include them in the cash transactions       not interested

[doganjo]

I've done a rough costing and got a terrible shock - this is without taking ANY of my time raising the pups from birth to 8 weeks, nor of the registration fees and Assured Breeder Scheme membership, nor my KC affix annual fee of £17, nor the cost of showing my two other Home Bred Brittanys to promote what I breed.  God knows why I do it!   This is for two litters - one of 3 and one of 5 (6th one placenta detached which can happen at any time and meant she would abort if i didn't rush her to the vet for a Caesar to save her, and any pups if we could.  Luckily we got five out in time and brought them back to life - all five are working dogs)


Cost of Belle                                                                                             450
Cost of Allez                                                                                             550
Feed costs                                                                                           5720   
Vaccinations per dog for lifetime so far                                             300
Caesar op due to dead puppy                                                             479
Certificates for bobtails                                                                               75
Hip scores Belle and Allez                                                                     270
Health checks for both prior to mating x 2                                               80
puppy feeding costs - 8 pups for 6 weeks                                             220
Showing costs in order to prove quality - challenge certificates   
5 shows per year(25), entries £25 each dog, travel £60 per show   2125
Total costs                                                                                         10269
   
Pups sold 6 @ £500, 1 @ £400 (hernia)                                            3400
   
Total loss                                                                                            6869

[doganjo]

You missed out the time taken to look after the bitch and the pups, lots of cleaning, heat lamp where needed, adds in the papers. checking out people.  time wasters, everyone gets them. if all cost are to be taking into account then the owners time should be as well.

I didn't include these either.  Oh and as Sandy says most folk aren't interested in certificates, they just want a nice dog.  But in a specialist, fairly rare breed like mine I HAVE to get these certificates, show ones for mine, but I also ensure they are gundog trained too, so they remain true to their French origins as dual purpose - well triple purpose really - they are pets too.  Pets with Purpose!

[Fronhaul]

I don't think anyone would dispute that there are people who breed to make money but Dogango's analysis is I am afraid absolutely typical of the caring pedigree breeder.

[doganjo]

The showing will I hope pay off - Belle can have one last litter before she is 8 next May.  We did 'The Double' yesterday at Midland Counties Championship Show under well respected Norwegian Judge Per Iversen - Belle got the bitch Challenge Certificate (her second) and Allez the dog CC and Best of Breed (his first CC, but he has 3 Reserve CCs)  I am floating on air this morning!  Belle has come into season so fingers crossed I can mate them soon.

[sabrina]

Well Done Belle, no wonder you are delighted 

[Greg]

I've worked and trained ESP's for most of my life... Some have gone on to be very successful gun dogs and some have been lovely pets.

When my last springer retired at about Severn years of age I was at a bit of a loose end, mainly because I thought that I'd never find another working springer like him again.

The wife's friend had a litter of sprockers going and we thought long and hard about having one. Once I'd seen the size of mum who was a full cocker (And about the size of a large springer). We decided to have a pup.

This is his second season of working and I have to say he's the most attentive and easiest gun dog I've ever trained. He's got the softest mouth I've ever seen, he even gives a lamb bone back!!

So after years of saying that pedigree dogs are best as you know what your getting (To a certain degree )

I'm converted.

Greg

[doganjo]

I have never, nor would I ever, dispute that some crossbreeds are a good thing.  I must however reiterate over and over that ALL dogs MUST be health tested prior to mating.  And dogs should NOT be given a designer dog name in order to make huge sums of money.  I also think it is time we had a compulsory dog licence back even if it meant I had to pay a fair bit as I have 4 dogs.