What is Responsible Dog Breeding?
Responsible dog breeding is the practice of selecting dogs to breed based on their health, temperament, and conformation to breed standards. This ensures that future generations of dogs will be healthy, happy, and free from genetic defects. It's important to remember that responsible dog breeding is not about making money — it's about improving the lives of dogs and improving breeds.
There are a number of ways to make money from responsible dog breeding. The most obvious way is to sell puppies. However, responsible breeders also sell stud services, offer boarding and training services, and even sell dog-related products like food, toys, and accessories. Contact me for a free strategy session if you are interested in learning how to add companion businesses to your breeding business without having to layout a bunch of money or carry inventory.
Why is Responsible Dog Breeding Important?
As the population of pet dogs in the United States continues to grow, so does the demand for healthy, well-bred puppies. Unfortunately, there are many so-called "breeders" who are in it for the money and don't care about the health and welfare of the dogs they are breeding. These substandard breeders often have poor living conditions for their dogs, don't provide proper veterinary care, don't screen their dogs for genetic defects before breeding them, and don't raise their puppies using enhanced programs.
This is why responsible dog breeders are so important. By only breeding healthy dogs with good temperaments, responsible breeders help improve the overall health of the dog population and make sure that only the best puppies are born. In addition, responsible breeders take care of their dogs throughout their lives — they don't just abandon them once they're no longer profitable.
How to Be a Responsible Dog Breeder
If you're thinking about getting into the business of dog breeding, there are a few things you need to do to make sure you're doing it right.
First, do your research. There is a lot to learn about responsible dog breeding — from choosing the right parents to mate to knowing how to care for pregnant mothers and newborn puppies. You can find helpful information online, at your local library, or from experienced breeders themselves. Midwoofery courses are evidence-based and designed to help elevate the practices of responsible breeders of all experience levels, you can check them out here.
Second, be prepared to invest both time and money into your business. Breeding dogs is not a cheap or easy endeavor — it requires commitment and dedication if you want to do it right. Be prepared to spend money on things like high-quality food, veterinary care, DNA testing, and more. You also need to have some financial reserves for possible emergencies like c-sections (emergency C-sections can cost upward of $3000-4000 in most areas), parvo infections, mastitis or pyometra infections, and so much more. I recommend you have at least a $5,000 cash emergency fund available when you have a litter.
Finally, be patient! Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is a successful dog breeding business. It takes time (and lots of hard work) to build up a good reputation as a breeder of healthy, happy puppies. But if you're up for the challenge, it can definitely be worth it!
Conclusion
Breeding dogs responsibly is an important task that comes with many challenges - but also rewards. If you're thinking about getting into the business of dog breeding, make sure you do your research beforehand and be prepared to commit both time and money into your new venture. With patience and dedication, you can be a successful responsible dog breeder!