REARING A LITTER OF PUPPIES
Some think breeding is a good way to make some easy money. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Done correctly, breeding is rarely a money making exercise and if there are any problems at all it can be a financial disaster.
A general breakdown of the average cost of breeding a litter and what you get for your money when buying a well bred puppy based on a litter of five puppies.
Most of the costs would be the same even for one or two puppies and even none at all.
If it is your first litter, it is highly recommended that you read the Book of Bitch
which many breeders say is their 'Bible'.
| Stud fee (plus fuel costs to get to stud dog) |
£500 upwards
(some stud fees are thousands |
| Scanning to check if bitch in whelp |
£30 upwards
(£140 at vets) |
| Additional food costs for dam |
£150 |
| Whelping box |
£450 |
Heat pad
or
Heat lamp |
£50 |
| Thermometer |
£10 |
| After paying stud fee and buying whelping box etc, the bitch may have missed and/or have pyometra with no puppies - cost of pyometra (if emergency in middle of night the cost would be more) |
£1200 |
| Additional electricity to cover heating |
£30 |
| Nutri drops |
£15 |
| C Section (if necessary) |
£1500 |
| Puppy milk if no milk from dam |
£25 per tin |
| Puppy Food - average litter of five puppies would require 3 large bags |
£150 |
| Sundry puppy food - goats milk, eggs, rice pudding and meat |
£100 |
| Wormer |
£50 |
| Vet beds (5 metre roll) |
£150 |
| Puppy pads (5 packs) |
£100 |
| Large puppy Pen to keep puppies safe and contained within the house once weaned |
£150 |
| Additional Puppy Pen for outdoors if summer litter |
£150 |
| Microchipping at £20 each puppy |
£100 |
| Kennel club registration at £15 each puppy |
£75 |
| Kennel Club affix £70 for initial registration and £20 per annum thereafter |
|
Conservative average spend £2000+
(excluding any additional vet fees to cover C section, Pyometra, vet check for puppies, fuel costs, time off work etc)
Useful links
THINKING OF BREEDING.COM
Kennel Club
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