I haven’t earned any money from breeding.
Many readers know I am a breeder of Border Terriers. It’s hard to believe, but I haven’t made any money from dog breeding. Here’s a detailed list of expenses and income that I’ve made from dog breeding, as was accurate at the end of my 2012 litter. I am posting this just to illustrate the price of ethical breeding from someone who partakes in a number of dog shows and have the best interests of the breed at heart.
Our first litter, born in 2010.
Breeding Related Expenses
Purchasing Clover: $1000
Purchasing Chip: $7500
Dog shows: $4765.50
Dog memberships (to Dogs SA/ANKC affiliated clubs): $954.75
First Litter
Stud fee: My dog (no fee)
Ultrasound: $55
Puppy check up: $55
Worming products: $43.45
Clover check ups: $98+ $55
Vaccinations and chips: $180
Puppy hernia check up: $55
Total expenses for first litter: $541.45
Second litter
Stud fee: $1000
Progesterone tests to determine AI: $600
Pre AI antibiotics: $22.15
Semen storage and transport expenses: $740
AI: $410
Pregnancy x-rays: $172
Progesterone tests to determine C-section: $171.24
C-section: $784.30
Total expenses for second litter: $3899.69
Third litter
Stud fee: $800
Ultrasound: $75
Flight for bitch: $90
Post birth vet check: $59
Chips and vax: $360
Worming suspension: $44
Flea and worm treatment: $131.70
Total expense for third litter: $1384
TOTAL BREEDING EXPENSES: $5825.14
TOTAL OTHER EXPENSES: $14,220.25
TOTAL EXPENSES: $20,045.39
INCOME:
Stud fees from Chip: $5600
Puppies from first litter: $1500
Puppies from second litter: $0
Puppies from third litter: $7800
TOTAL INCOME: $14,900
Net position from first litter: $958.55
Net position from second litter: -$3899.69
Net position from third litter: $6416
Net position from all litters: $3474.86
TOTAL EXPENSES: $20,045.39
TOTAL LOSS: $5145.39
I don’t need a medal or praise. I have beautiful dogs that I love in my house and life that I wouldn’t have without this breeding program, so I am in no means bitter about the financial loss I have made. This is purely an illustrative post to attempt to demonstrate that my hobby is not profit-minded.
There is a lot of reasons to breed a litter – money isn’t one of them.
Further reading: