I cannot take credit for this idea. It was passed around on Facebook.  I took their worksheet and tweaked it to what we did.  I got tired of hearing people say, “Wow! You get THAT much for a puppy?!?  I should start breeding!!”

Ummmm.  No you shouldn’t.

This is an eye-opener to people who think all breeders make beaucoup money by breeding dogs.  People want quality, healthy, pleasant, pretty dogs with longevity.  BUT, they do not want to pay anything for it.

Whether it is a show potential puppy or a loving pet you are getting, the same love, attention, breeding quality, and expenses are put into it.

This shows a lot, but not all, of the expenses that go into breeding a litter…  when done responsibly.  If a dogue is being sold cheap… do yourself a favor and find out why.

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These are a few of the miscellaneous overhead expenses to get ready for breeding:

$900 – $2000        Genetic Testing on each parent (Heart (Echo), PennHip, DNA, etc.)

$100 – 200            Annual Frozen Semen Storage Fee – Per Stud Collected

$500 – $1500       Whelping Supplies (Whelping Box, Heat Lamp, etc.)

$500 – $2000       Post-Whelp Supplies (Collars, Toys, PlayPen, etc.)

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These fees and expenses come with each and every breeding:

$150 – $200          Consultation Fees with Reproductive Specialist

$1250 – $5000      Stud Fee

$250 – $750          Semen Shipping, depending on how many times semen is shipped

$300 – $1200        Progeterone/LH Testing

$100 – $300          Vaginal Cytology

$200 – $1200        Artificial Insemination or Surgical Insemination

$400 – $500         Ultrasound Pregnancy Confirmation, sometimes done more than once

$1500 – $3000     C-Section

$250 – $1000       Post-Whelp Supplies (PeePads, Baby Wipes, Bottles, etc.)

$500 – $2000       Food Costs (Formula, Kibble/Raw, etc.)

$100 – $200  PER PUPPY!         Vaccinations

$25 – $50  PER PUPPY!             Wormings

$75 – $150  PER PUPPY!           Vet Check-ups/Health Certificate

$35 – $50  PER PUPPY!            Microchipping

$50 – $500           Litter Registration, depending on litter size

Laundry – multiple loads every day!  Soap, Bleach, Odoban, Dryer Sheets.  Wear & tear on the washer & dryer!   The washer and dryer run constantly from when the puppies are 2 weeks of age on!!!

Misc. (Website, Advertising, etc.)

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Hopefully there will be no emergencies like complications from the c-section or a puppy getting sick.  ER visits can be quite costly.

Then there are the weeks of sleep deprivation followed by a few weeks of fun and amazement.

You also have hours of reviewing puppy applicants and interviewing future families and veterinarians.

Then years of worrying how your baby is doing at someone else’s house.

Sean spends hours upon hours researching dog pedigrees and talking to people about dogues to find who would be suitable mates for our girls.  There is a lot of behind the scenes work that goes on to make a nice litter.

Sean & I breed to make a better Dogue de Bordeaux. It is not about the money.  If it were, we would omit most of this list, but we do not.  I do look forward to a day when we can break-even on a litter.  Breeding is expensive and exhausting… if done correctly!

It is NOT a money making venture!  It is a labor of love.  It is also a great challenge to make a dogue that better meets the standard and that lives a longer and healthier life.