# The cost of breeding?



## JSR (Jan 2, 2009)

Just out of interest from comments on another thread. If people are not wanting to share I'll understand but I'd be very interested, plus I'm sure it will discourage/encourage potential breeders, if people would give a rough idea of what costs are expected. What makes some breeds more expensive to breed than others? What expense would be needed for the unexpected? Why are the prices of dogs so expensive now compared to years ago...and is this a good thing?

I only see the 'cheap' side of breeding, we get a dog into the rescue in pup and aside from if there are complications the cost implication to the rescue is minimal, obviously the issue we have is how to rehome them afterwards and the after care cost (ensuring they are neutuered or providing the funds to the new owners to assist with it). But obviously other breeders don't have those costs to consider.


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## pickle (Mar 24, 2008)

Sometimes the cost of breeding is not only financial. Worse still is losing your beloved bitch and/or the puppies, that is something that hits hardest...... your heart not your pocket.


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## carebear (Jun 10, 2009)

i am taking my dog to the stud this weekend, i have a 6 hour journy ahead of me. 
accomodation 
fuel 
tests
stud fee 
this is already £830. 
and this is just to start.


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

carebear said:


> i am taking my dog to the stud this weekend, i have a 6 hour journy ahead of me.
> accomodation
> fuel
> tests
> ...


Out of interest, is your dog a purebreed and are you breeding with another purebreed or they crosses? Presume purebreed for you to travel that far but just curious !


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## archielee (Jan 30, 2009)

Zippstar said:


> Out of interest, is your dog a purebreed and are you breeding with another purebreed or they crosses? Presume purebreed for you to travel that far but just curious !


Yes she is and yes she will be, she's has an Alaskan Klee Kai


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## comfortcreature (Oct 11, 2008)

I posted these costs (for a mutt litter) on the "this is a joke" thread, but I'll repeat them here.

The breeder I got my mix from heart/eye and patella tested both parents, and as well took hip x-rays (she breeds on from a small mix so that is very much over and above). I understand bargain prices can be found in the UK, but here the yearly heart/eye cost for each dog is $190 - at a group event. If you have to go seperately to an office by appointment (as I have done voluntarily with my 5 year old to give my breeder the feedback as I was contracted to do) it is at least $100 more. Knees are $60 and hip x-rays are $200+, and I believe those are one time tests.

So as I see it, for the three pups she produced (she is breeding a line down for favorable qualities from a beloved girl from years ago - my background was with working breeders so this is a type of breeding I understand.)

knees for parents $ 120
hips $ 400
heart/eyes $ 380
puppy shots - for three $ 450 (2 sets at $75 x 3)
puppy knee/eye check at vets before leaving ?????? (It was done for mine so there must be a price)
worming $ 15
Total $1365 - divided by three that is ~$450 per pup. I think that is ~$225 UK pounds.

This is without considering the price for the parents, price of scanning the bitch (which was done), and probably numerous incidentals and doesn't account for any complications. 

I have read the reply that these are Canadian prices. I believe if you halve them you come up with approximate UK prices.

BTW, my pup from her was for free - as she incurs all the costs but doesn't inform of that until you contract and allow a home visit. 

CC


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

archielee said:


> Yes she is and yes she will be, she's has an Alaskan Klee Kai


She's gorgeous


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## archielee (Jan 30, 2009)

Zippstar said:


> She's gorgeous


She is isnt she, i have a litter of 4 6 week old klee kais at the mo, they are so much fun


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

archielee said:


> She is isnt she, i have a litter of 4 6 week old klee kais at the mo, they are so much fun


You're braver than me - 4 puppies ! Hehe! I have an elderly lab and a teenage lab - that's bad enough (especially the teenager - he's going through that stroppy phase that I thought only humans went through )

What's her name?


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## archielee (Jan 30, 2009)

I have one of them too lol, i have Ronnie Lyla Yogi and 4 puppies a full house


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## Oenoke (Oct 17, 2009)

I have a litter (4) of 6 weeks 3 day old Border Collie puppies. These are the costs I have entailed so far.

Health tests for bitch including travel (hip score, DNA test TNS, CEA, CL, eye test PRA, glaucoma) £500
stud fee inc travel to and from stud dog a few times £470
kennel name (affix) £70
relaxin blood test £20
scan free (I work at a vet)
wormer for mum (from day 40 - 2 days post whelp) and pups (2, 5 & 8 weeks) £80
puppy pen £25
Welping box free (made by the factory manager where my mum works)
Bits and bobs (thermometer, bottle, scissors, stethoscope, disinfectant, gloves, welpi, dopram-v) £85
Extra food for bitch and puppy food £55
TNS test puppies (because my bitch is a carrier, used clear stud dog) £250
BAER hearing test for puppies inc travel £150
eye test for puppies £60
KC reg £50

I am selling 3 of the pups total £1300 and keeping 1 (in essence costing me £515, more than I'm selling 1 of the other pups for).

I had found out that an emergency c-section was anything between £1200 - £2000 depending on the time of day (regular vet - emergency out of hours vet), luckily the birth went well.

I'll add to this if I think of anything I've forgotten or any other expense I have over the next week and a half before they go to their new homes.


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## dimkaz (Jul 27, 2009)

posted my answer on the other thread

sorry
best
D


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## carebear (Jun 10, 2009)

i think if your breeding properly then yes it can cost a fortune, and you wont always get all of your money back, but it the pleasure of creating perfect heathy pups that is priceless. i cant wait for all of the stress and pleasure.


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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

Oh Blimey - where to start?

Hip and elbow scoring - £300 (but costs can run up as high as £600 including BVA Fees dependent on vet) - I also do a 180 mile round trip for the vet I use
Annual eye tests - £50 per dog
DNA Testing for PRA - £120
DNA Testing for CNM - £50
Pre-mates incl blood tests - £200
Last Stud Fee - £450 - (including 2 x 300 mile round trips to use the dog)
Scan to confirm pregnancy - £70
Whelping Box - £200
Puppy runs - £100
Around £800 to £1000 on food (incl Lactol and fresh foods to supplement puppy food)
Worming - £80
KC registration - £12 per pup
Microchipping per pup - £20
Odds and ends - £50


That's basic costs on an average litter of 8 of £2,600

That's a general list if things go smoothly - and doesn't take into consideration the possibility of an out of hours C-section or buying / breeding the bitch in the first place.


It also doesn't take into consideration 24/7 Heating if in the depths of winter (or 24/7 cooling in the height of summer)
24/7 washing machine and tumble dryer for 8 weeks

My bill for my first winter litter was £700 more than normal for the quarter  


====================

My last litter all ended up with KC and had to stay an extra week - and it cost me around £300 to £400 in vets bills  I also had to pay for vet intervention during whelping - but no C-section - another £120 or so.

All in all, I forked out around £3,500 all told and got £2,750 in Puppy sales and I kept one puppy (as I wouldn't be breeding otherwise) 

===================

As somone above mentioned, ultimately, your hope is that the bitch, and puppies come through safely - I still struggle with nurturing a non-thriving pup only to have it die in your arms


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## medicare (Dec 8, 2010)

swarthy you given all info about this topic.. thanks


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## moboyd (Sep 29, 2009)

here was my breakdown.

Cost of breeding my litter,

Willows health checks, hips xrays and sending to be examined approx £100.00.
"general anesthesia £50.00. " 
Eyes tested…..4x25 =	£100.00.
Stud fee	£800.00. So before even breeding costs are already………………………………………..1,050.00.
After mating.
Scan £40.00. 
Litter box made for me wood materials and labour £100.00.
Heatlamp£30.00.
Vetcheck £30.00.
Suppliments £30.00.
CalD £40.00. 
Puppy formula for Willow few tubs @ £22 =£66.00.
Puppies now born. X6.
Vet check£30.00
Vaccinations (total course) £42 each £252.00 and worming for 6 = £300. inc vacc.
Microbotic for when ps got bad runs, include vet check £62.00.
K.c. registrations x 6 approx…….£90.00.
Personalised pedigrees printed on cheap by friends they also got 5 gen KC peds….£30.00.
Food for Willow and pups willow fed them til they were 6 weeks………………………..
I kept them til they were 12 weeks old £60.00.
Vet bed bought full roll so there was some for each pup to take home £180.00.
Toys and sundries easily £100.00.

Puppy packs including 1 months supply of frozen meat/toys/bedding
Printed history of their lines including photographs/training books/leads
Collar/bowls all good quality. supply of worming tablets/supplements/
Etc and much more lets say £75 each max = £450.00. 
Total out going £2,688.00.

Sold 4 puppies kept 2 puppies sold at 850 each so 4 x £850 =…………………..£3,400.00.
Total income at this point £712.00.	
Less refunds to each puppy on neutering and speying as per my contract. 
And on production of proof from vet (all done now) 4 x 100 £400.00. bal left over at this point £312.00.
less gift vouchers towards training school 4x£20 £80.00. 
Bal at this point £232.00.
so from breeding this litter, and after sleeping downstairs with mum and pups for 12 weeks my "income" was £27.84 per week, that's not taking out for many sundries that I have not included. Or the expense showing my bitch on a regular basis, petrol expenses getting to the shows, etc.

2nd litter.
X rays already done and hip so remove that from costs.
further eye tests so up to date by the time of breeding £30.00

Stud fee £800.00.
Scans x 3 due to complications £120.00.
Vet checks approx 5 = £150.00.
Suppliments same as above £30.00.
Cal D £40.00. 
Puppy formula for Willow and pups £40.00. 
Special food for willow x 2 = £80.00.
Emergency C section during night kept over night and the next day £1,200.00
Pups arrived *lost 3*. 4 living.
Litter box previous one got damaged £100.00.
Discovery play pen, will be used as garden fence at later date £500.00.
Vaccination (total course) x4and worming =£220.00.
KC registrations x 4 =£60.00. 
Vet bed again bought full roll so pups could take a few pieces £180.00.
Toys and sundries easily £100.00.
Pups stayed with me til 12 weeks old so food for them and willow £60.00
Puppy packs including 1 months supply of frozen meat/toys/bedding.
Printed history of their lines including photographs/training books/leads.
Collar/bowls all good quality. supply of worming tablets/supplements/.
Etc and much more lets say £75max each =£225.00
Money set aside for contributing to spay/neuter 3x £50.00. =£150.00.

total paid out £4,085.00

Sold 3 pups kept one 3 x £850 =(2,550.00). 
Loss on breeding this litter and near death of my girl (£1,535.00). 
so from breeding this litter, and after sleeping downstairs with mum and pups for 12 weeks my "income" was a* LOSS OF *£127.91 per week, that's not including for many sundries that I have not put on the list. Or the expense showing my bitch on a regular basis, petrol expenses getting to the shows, etc. I class myself as an ethical breeder.

Mo

sorry its all a bit out of line


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## archielee (Jan 30, 2009)

It just go to show if you do it all right you end up with a loss, and if your lucky you brake even.... i breed for the love of it... too keep a pup and to better the breed


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## Jess2308 (May 12, 2009)

For my pug litters:

Stud fee: Anywhere between £600 and £1200
Health testing: Spine/heart/eyes approx £250
Whelping box/Kit: Approx £150 (most of it is reusable with the next litter)
Scans: £30
Worming: Approx £20
Feeding pups and mum through pregnancy and raising the litter: approx £100
Registering the pups: £12 per pup


And i've probably missed some stuff but thats all i can think of right now. The only thing that changes for the labs is the different stud fee and health test requirements.


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## Bijou (Aug 26, 2009)

...as well as all of the above there's the cost of importing new bloodlines or taking your bitch abroad to be mated ( as many of us do in my breed ) importing my last bitch cost well over £3000 and taking a bitch to Italy to be mated cost over £1800 once I'd factored in the stud fees, hotel costs and petrol - ( plus we had no resulting pups as the bitch reabsorbed ! ) 

Breeding properly is not cheap and what little profit you do make gets swallowed up with the costs of keeping the dogs.


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## Starlite (Sep 9, 2009)

A feckin lot! 
Have at LEAST £1000 put by beofre you even contemplate.

Costs will soar if you decide to use AI or travel abroad to a stud which alot of people do. Pet Passports, fuel, tme off work. . . the list is endless

Why do we do it again? :lol:


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