selling dogs

[up-hunter]

I was asked an interesting question by a fellow dog owner this weekend and it's one i couldn't answer and i wondering what you guys would do.

If you were breeding dog responsible not a puppy mill or anything like that maybe 2 litters a year, but you wanted to make sure you could sell the dogs, you wanted no pups left over, and you weren't in love with one breed or another, what breed would you become a breeder of that would have the best chance of selling all pups for a decent price.

I couldn't answer this when he asked me just because there are to many variable but i was wonder what breed you guys think sell the best?

[kninebirddog]

I would reconsider why I was breeding
BUT
If you want to just sell puppies and not hvae any unsold then little lapdogs that have no other purpose then be a pet and sell them cheap for 20 bucks in front of walmart or the local corner store

impluse buyer with some screaming imp of a child or children will come along and to shut the child up will buy the pup and you'll never see them again more then likely and you won't have to care what happens once the get in their car on down the road then when the pup gets to be a pain that same caring soul will dump the dog out in the boonies to become a nusiance to neaighborhood or worse some fighting pitbulls toy or some coyotes dinner

[JakeDD]

up - sorry, but reading this really made me cringe. I know this isn't the answer you're looking for, but my reply would've been to tell the guy not to waste his time breeding at all. IMO, he'd be in it for all the wrong reasons. If he has no breed of choice and has no real vested interest in the outcome of the breedings, he's simply looking to make a few bucks.

Some questions I throw at people when they ask me if they should breed their dogs:
1) how well do you honestly know your breed?
2) how well do you truly know your dog(s) and his/her abilities/traits?
3) objectively speaking, does your dog(s) have something to offer the gene pool?
4) what are the strengths/weaknesses of your dog?
5) what stud/bitch would compliment those strengths/weaknesses?
6) are you prepared to be involved and work with your puppy buyers for many years to come?

There's already enough backyard breeders just throwing any 2 dogs together for a quick buck in this country.

[vzkennels]

UH I personally find the question DISGUSTING instead of INTERESTING.

[Greg Jennings]

Come on, folks. Constructive engagement.....

Greg J.

[wems2371]

I suppose whatever the fad dog is at the moment. What is it anyway? I am out of the loop. Guessing it's a cross between one little ankle biter and another little ankle biter :roll: and probably fits in one of those dog purses.

I think loving the breed AND responsible breeder go hand-in-hand. Denise

[Don]

I was asked an interesting question by a fellow dog owner this weekend and it's one i couldn't answer and i wondering what you guys would do.

If you were breeding dog responsible not a puppy mill or anything like that maybe 2 litters a year, but you wanted to make sure you could sell the dogs, you wanted no pups left over, and you weren't in love with one breed or another, what breed would you become a breeder of that would have the best chance of selling all pups for a decent price.

I couldn't answer this when he asked me just because there are to many variable but i was wonder what breed you guys think sell the best?

That does sound like breeding simply to make money. What I could see here is that the guy finds he can sell all he can produce so what he does is find a way to produce more. This is not much different than deciding what to grow in your garden that will sell well in your produce stand.

[ezzy333]

Have never had a problem selling toy terriers. And to answer the questions asked as to why would you breed them, my answer would be because people want them. And if I am going to breed and sell them I would like to make some money but I realize it wouldn't be much. Wether I am improving the breed is not a question I would even worry about since the breed is fine just the way it is and that is why so many people want them. They fill a need that many families have.

Ezzy

[Ruffshooter]

In my eyes the whole purpose for breeding is that you have dogs that you feel better the breed and experience of the owner. You need to know your breed inside and out. You need to love the breed you have. You need to have something worthy of passing on, to contribute. The other reason is you have a couple of great dogs that you enjoy and wish to have more like them when they retire or pass on. Other wise he is just trying to make money. He would be a minor puppy mill. IMHO.

[3Britts]

I am going to have to agree with those opinions raised so far. I think that you should have your friend take care of a new litter for about a week before answering his/her questions about breeding. If you don't love the breed, you are less likely to want to continue after cleaning up after a litter.

That being said, find a breed you love and have buyers ready before you breed. That way you know that you won't have any puppies left over.

[Elroy's Bandit]

While I am not a breeder, I probably am not "qualified" to comment on breeding or what a breeders reasons could/would be. I will say this
1) A breeder does what he or she does because of a genuine love of what they are doing and the breed itself, I assume.I believe it's a labor of love. It's all about the dog's and being true to a particular breed.
With that said:
2) I don't think breeders that are doing it for the right reasons (see #1) make all that much money when it is all said and done! It seems to me that what goes in prior to and after the litter is born is really nothing more than "a little something for the time". And the ones who this scenario fits.....they are probably the ones doing it for the right reasons. This is just my opinion.
Bill L.

[LEGLIFTER]

U H:

As soon as I saw the title to the post I knew there would be allot of views and responses. As soon as I read it, I knew your friend would get flamed. I usually try to be positive and constructive in my responses, so the best I can do is to say based on the way the information given your friend should most positively have a soft padded wall constructed around him. It truly smacks of irresponsibility.

[Mike50]

Sounds like the beginning of a puppy mill to me? He's not going to test or trial these dogs or any of the pups?

[natetnc]

it would be hard to turn profits consistently in that situation. here are some possible issues i see.

1) not willing to keep pups around - he will discount them decreasing profits
2) saturated market - a lot of pups these days are bought locally unless demand is very high, with a lot of litters he better have multiple breeds or switch them often or he will run out of buyers
3) quality - starting up this operation with quality dogs could get expensive, maintaining it could be even worse
4) if he doesn't know that labs have been the #1 top selling dog for decades he should look into another profession

[up-hunter]

There is a reason i didn't answer him and it's because i didn't think he should be a breeder. I don't think he is going to breed and i really hope he doesn't.

also he isn't really my friend i barely no the man, so please don't judge me for posting this.

I was just wondering what you guys thought, and i got the answers i figured i would get.

[ncpointers]

I will leave the breeding to those that know what they are doing. Here is what has happened to me with a backyard breeding. I own a dog that people consistantly say "I really like that dog, please let me know if you ever breed him and I will get a puppy." Well, I did breed him to a pleasure gyp that I have and like a lot. There were three people that kept their word. All the others have disappeared. Now I have four english pointer pups that I am trying to find good homes for. I will never raise another litter. I will buy my pups from those better educated than I.

[tommyboy72]

I am no breeder or trialer either just a plain old guy that likes to hunt but it seems to me the most popular breeds of hunting dogs on this site are English Pointers, English Setters and GSP's. I agree totally with what everyone else is saying but am just making an observation based on what I have seen and also the popularity of the dogs in my area.

[TrueBlu Shorthairs]

There are those who breed who make somewhat of a living from doing it. However, I saw an Animal Cops one night, the woman had around 150 dogs, down in Houston, she said, she was just about to start making a profit. Seems about right. I have yet to make as much as a nickel on litters I have had in the last 10 years, only 5 or 6 litters. With one female needing a C-Section, one only having three and one dying, stud fees, wanting to keep several to see how they worked out as trial prospects, training, running them to prove their abilities, hunting them, I am somewhere around $100,000 in the hole. Don't know, don't care. ANYONE who breeds with the goal of making money is lost IMHO. Any dog that is bred should have proven himself/herself, the breeder should know the breed and his own animals, he should know tendencies, he should be committed to his breed of choice, he should be breeding to better the breed and for no other reason.

There is no minor puppy mill, just puppy mills. Just point out the real costs of breeding and I would tend to believe this person would be dissuaded from breeding.

[Razor]

Doddles are right up this ally. This describes theses dogs perfectly.

[pinebrookkennel]

while we are on the subject of doddes. I saw a add in the local paper for RARE aussie doddles, $ 2000. I have some rare grass I'd be willing to give away if someone wants to cut it every week. WOW.

Jered

[jackmcmanus21]

I am no breeder or trialer either just a plain old guy that likes to hunt but it seems to me the most popular breeds of hunting dogs on this site are English Pointers, English Setters and GSP's. I agree totally with what everyone else is saying but am just making an observation based on what I have seen and also the popularity of the dogs in my area.

I'd agree with the Pointer/Setter/GSP statement....they're the most popular in the circle of people I know as well

[tommyboy72]

Pinebrook I know some people who would take that rare grass if it were smokable. haha