why do purebred dogs cost so much?
In an effort to answer this often asked question I sat down with a piece of paper and my calculator... I must admit I had never done this exercise before; not wanting to focus on the financial aspect of breeding. I knew very well that more money was going out than coming in. Now that the exercise has been done, more people might understand. Passion is not fuelled by reason but by the quest ahead, and this is why I do it, certainly not for the money...
Here is an example of the costs involved in breeding a litter of three puppies, for a bitch that had two litters in her life time. Our bitches have a maximum of three, or exceptionally four litters in their lifetime These expenses do not take into account the price of the bitch, all the care given to her until she is ready to breed, care while she is an active breeding dog, and the care well into her senior years. Nor does it take in account the care for bitches who have not produced any offspring.
EXPENSES:
Very basic health testing: 1110$
Eyes (once a year with an ophthalmologist veterinarian) 130$ x 3 390$
Hips and elbows 320$
Thyroid 200$
OFA certification fees 5 X 40$= 200$
Pre-breeding veterinarian fees: 530$
Pre breeding check-up 120$
Progesterone readings 360$
Vitamins and supplements 50$
Stud services fees: 2200$
Ultrasound to confirm pregnancy: 180$
Pre whelping X-rays to evaluate size, number, and position of puppies: 220$
C-section: 2300$
Puppies related fees: 1145$
Raw diet for eight weeks for three puppies 350$
Pre-departure check-up, vaccines, microchip X 3 330$
Puppies and litter registration 165$
Departure kits X 3 300$
Total of expenses to produce three puppies: 7675$
Now if we look at revenues, the list will be much shorter.
Approximate sale price of one puppy: 2200$ X 3 6600$
Total revenue for producing three puppies: 6600$
Profit or deficit: - 1075$
I realize three puppies is not a big litter; I chose this number to demonstrate the approximate break-even point for a breeder. Then again this is not even close to a true break-even as it does not take in account any of the breeding dog expenses, and there are many, just think of showing, training, grooming and normal health and daily care. Nor does it take into account the health tests and the many pregnancy related fees of an unsuccessful breeding. For example, in the case of a stillborn litter you go through all the above expenses but with absolutely no revenue. These expenses represent the minimum breeders should expect investing in their breeding program; a variety of other health tests could be done to evaluate the breed more thoroughly, such as heart and thyroid tests. The veterinarian fees I pay are much less than those of my breeder friends elsewhere in Canada and the USA, and they were calculated before the huge rise in prices we've witnessed since the beginning of the pandemic. Breeding in a respectful manner is really not about making money. So when speaking with a breeder, passionate about their breed, if you want to avoid making a blunder try not to start the conversation with "How much for your puppies" there is so much more they would love telling you about!
EXPENSES:
Very basic health testing: 1110$
Eyes (once a year with an ophthalmologist veterinarian) 130$ x 3 390$
Hips and elbows 320$
Thyroid 200$
OFA certification fees 5 X 40$= 200$
Pre-breeding veterinarian fees: 530$
Pre breeding check-up 120$
Progesterone readings 360$
Vitamins and supplements 50$
Stud services fees: 2200$
Ultrasound to confirm pregnancy: 180$
Pre whelping X-rays to evaluate size, number, and position of puppies: 220$
C-section: 2300$
Puppies related fees: 1145$
Raw diet for eight weeks for three puppies 350$
Pre-departure check-up, vaccines, microchip X 3 330$
Puppies and litter registration 165$
Departure kits X 3 300$
Total of expenses to produce three puppies: 7675$
Now if we look at revenues, the list will be much shorter.
Approximate sale price of one puppy: 2200$ X 3 6600$
Total revenue for producing three puppies: 6600$
Profit or deficit: - 1075$
I realize three puppies is not a big litter; I chose this number to demonstrate the approximate break-even point for a breeder. Then again this is not even close to a true break-even as it does not take in account any of the breeding dog expenses, and there are many, just think of showing, training, grooming and normal health and daily care. Nor does it take into account the health tests and the many pregnancy related fees of an unsuccessful breeding. For example, in the case of a stillborn litter you go through all the above expenses but with absolutely no revenue. These expenses represent the minimum breeders should expect investing in their breeding program; a variety of other health tests could be done to evaluate the breed more thoroughly, such as heart and thyroid tests. The veterinarian fees I pay are much less than those of my breeder friends elsewhere in Canada and the USA, and they were calculated before the huge rise in prices we've witnessed since the beginning of the pandemic. Breeding in a respectful manner is really not about making money. So when speaking with a breeder, passionate about their breed, if you want to avoid making a blunder try not to start the conversation with "How much for your puppies" there is so much more they would love telling you about!
