What do YOU think it takes to breed/raise a litter of pups?

Question

Going back to this question

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiWJAzV.4pf3VsWA0AInc3bpy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20080821160939AA4zqbI

It makes me wonder what people thinks it takes to raise a litter of pups? Do you think it is just a matter of finding a male/female? Do you think that reputable breeders do NOT put any thought into the mate they find for their dog? For the breed of my choice, I know the breeders spend hours and sometimes YEARS trying to find the right lines of dogs that will mix and complement the fe/male that they have...

Some think that the 'breeders' are making tons of money off of their dogs when in reality they do NOT....Do you know what they go through when they have to make a decision between saving their much loved ***** or the pups? When their girl is struggling to have pups and it could potentially kill her, do you think that they are thinking about the money they are losing????

I am NOT a breeder, but have talked to and meet many breeders. I listened to their heartbreaking stories of the b!tches they have lost (to a C-section/natural birth/other complications) and of the pups they lost and if they had to do it all over again, they wouldn't!

A lot of the cost doesn't include the time the breeders puts into each pup. The socialization, training, feeding, temperament testing...the list is endless.

Don't complain about paying $1500 for a pup until you walk in the breeders shoes and KNOW what it takes to be a good reputable breeder.

Answer 1

I know it takes a lot more than 1500 especially in some breeds, you have to have there eyes/hip/elbows a variety of blood test and that is just before breeding, not to mention the time and effort to find a stud. then the vet bills through the pregnancy, i too am not a breeder but i do know breeders with their regular jobs they barely have enough to make it through, let alone they never make a profit off their pups. And people want to know why they charge so much, and they only breed once a year, so it is not like they have a lot of litters coming that they have to sell.

Answer 2

I think it takes a lot more than my current level of knowledge could provide!

I find it funny (not "ha-ha" funny) that while I have at least 10 times more knowledge (which still is virtually nothing!) than people that come on here asking about breeding , I know that even if I had a champion show-dog, I'm not at the knowledge level to breed; yet these people with poorly bred dogs and zero knowledge of breeding don't have any hesitation whatsoever.

I do understand the important of genetic health testings and such, which is why I had no problems whatsoever paying $1000 for my pet-quality girl. It's worth the extra few hundred dollars up-front to avoid the thousands in vet-bills in the future of getting a dog with genetic health problems. (Not to mention the heart-ache of seeing a pet in pain!)

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Answer 3

It seems easy, but im sure it is very complicated. The puppy I got was 600$. Think how much shots and all of that stuff costs? Over $1000!

He was a man and when we were leaving- he told us these puppies were like childeren to him, then he started crying. Im sure it would be complicated emotionally more than physically.

You would have to take them all to the vet and pay all that money- and some would be runts and die. You would loose money there plus a life!

Answer 4

It takes,

time

money

patience

the will to learn from older breeders

time to properly care for the babies

this list is endless.

I agree with all that you posted you are right on the money

Answer 5

LOTS OF TIME!!!!!!!

Answer 6

i think it takes challenges and patient to raise pups!

i no they r small but tht DOESNT mean that it is easy either!

The most important thing is responsibility! DONT buy it and then throw it!

i am tellin tht if u bought it u r the owner YOU and wut tht may happen to the pup is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY !

Answer 7

"What do YOU think it takes to breed/raise a litter of pups?"-

Far too much for me to handle responsibly! i know my limits....i adopt from shelters, and foster SPCA puppies; and THAT is tough. so i cannot imagine the time, money, and dedication it would take to produce *quality puppies*

any idiot can breed puppies. it takes a very special person to breed healthy, sound, and even tempered pups.

Answer 8

Lots of $...and paper towels...and newspapers...and the patience of a SAINT. People think ONE puppy is a pain when they bring it home, they forget about that until they end up with a litter of SIX puppies!

Answer 9

Well said, Amen :)

Answer 10

I was going to answer that question but Animal art works did it so well.  I would just repeating most of what she said.

Thanks Berner mom for this post!  

Answer 11

You're totally right! Some people just think

"ohh I want puppies just cause they are soooo cuuute and I want money for them when they grow old. Where can I find a stud!"

UGHH puppies take time, now  LITTER takes lots of time! Lots of money, patience, room and a brain!  

Answer 12

Amen.

You know exactly what it takes-- Nerves of steel, the ability to set aside the emotion and do what is RIGHT (in terms of the breeding, in terms of the whelping and in terms of raising pups).

Its being able to calmly say to the vet "Save my b*tch" when the b*tch crashes on the surgical table... and knowing the pups are in there dying while he rescuscitates the b*tch.  

Its knowing, if the b*tch dies, you only did the breeding because you felt she had something important to pass on to the breed.

Its holding your 19 year old daughter in your arms when she collapses emotionally because SHE has been your rock through the whelping.

Its sleepless nights, listening for the b*tch to move because if she gets up and then lies down again she may crush a puppy.  

Its having to tell someone "I'm sorry, I want to sell you a puppy but I don't have one the s*x you want"... and knowing you've lost a good home.  Its having to deal with the idiots who don't understand why they shouldn't get one of your pups because they don't pass the screening.

Its wanting to keep all the pups... and watching them leave with their new owners ... and hoping like heck you did a good enough job placing them.

The cost financially is high.

The cost emotionally is devastating.

Answer 13

I think that it takes TIME, PATIENCE and RESEARCH if you are going to breed and have pups.

My preferred breed is the Border COllie and I WOULD LOVE TO BREED THEM...... BUT....   unless I can find the right pairing (mine are fixed so I would have to get a new "paperd/tested" ***** and I would have to make sure that the bloodlines with thr proposed stud (yes, I have one in mind - the father of one of mine - he is a "working dog", "papered", "tested", etc) are compatible.

I suspect that this is a "pipe dream" on my part....I would love to do it but I am not sure that it will come to fruition....

Oh well....ANyhow, it also takes money....reputable breeders really don't make any money off their dogs..they do it for love and that is what I would do..

No puppy mill/BYB here....that's just c**p!!!

Also, once the pups are born, they need love, socialization and vet care if they are to be healthy.

Thanks for listening.

Answer 14

Thank you for an excellent post!  

Answer 15

i answered on that question...to me people think all it takes is 2 dogs put them together they do the rest. when pups are old enough, then its time to rake in some money...very ignorant people out there.

Answer 16

AGREED 100%...These people just think...Wow, i'm going to get alot of money from doing this...I'll buy a cheap male and buy a cheap female and have them mate. NO, that's not it. They are missing out on everything i can possibly think of. It's not easy and actually most of the time reputable  breeders actually LOSE money. You have to pay for all of the testing and everything else. It simply is a handful and i think that if there are any people who want to breed their dogs they better know what they are doing and researched for months even years about it. That's how we get so many overpopulated animals because of BYB and puppy mills. I just can't take it anymore...people saw aww...the more dogs are dieing in the shelters but i'm going to buy my dog from the pet store since it's cuter. People don't realize that they are supporting that breeder and that they are not saving a life. People need to think before their actions and i think people who are BYBs should getting fined a good penny and possibly go to jail.