Cost of mongrels is staggering.

sheramber

illustrated what her dogs had cost her over a year

some who were not suitable and has spent large amounts on these dog's welfare. Her dogs who have had a couple of litters or acted as studs are not discarded, but kept as much loved pets.



A breeder will charge all her costs as expenses but in reality she would be feeding her dog and getting medical treatment as pet owners do.
He/she will include the costs of all the dogs, not just the one's she is breeding from that year.

The money from the sale of puppies is a gain-even of it is covering the costs all pet owners have to pay.

teddysmum

sheramber wrote: »

illustrated what her dogs had cost her over a year

some who were not suitable and has spent large amounts on these dog's welfare. Her dogs who have had a couple of litters or acted as studs are not discarded, but kept as much loved pets.



A breeder will charge all her costs as expenses but in reality she would be feeding her dog and getting medical treatment as pet owners do.
He/she will include the costs of all the dogs, not just the one's she is breeding from that year.

The money from the sale of puppies is a gain-even of it is covering the costs all pet owners have to pay.

There is certainly profit with breeds which have litters of 8 or more puppies, but some breeds very rarely have even 5 and singletons are quite common. These low numbers still require a pre-breeding test on both parents (good breeders do this to reduce the chance of infection), health care during gestation and a post natal checkup. Also, any emergency birthing costs the same , even for one puppy or even total loss.


You cannot generalise to cover every situation. Some breeders profit and some do not; just like some people who do up old cars make a large sum ,while others can never recoup what they pay out in cash and time, but their reward is in the achievement.

Person_one

There are breeders who genuinely do it just for the love of the breed and are really sensible and responsible and put the dogs' (and the future dogs of that breeds') health and happiness first and foremost.

Unfortunately, they're a minority. There are far far more lazy backyard breeders wanting to make easy money, people who are just ignorant and don't know or really care how to do things properly and carefully, and of course professional show breeders who turn a blind eye to the genetic problems they're storing up for the future. Not to mention the puppy farms, which is where a huge percentage of bought puppies in this country start their lives, even if the owners don't realise.

sheramber

Puppies are priced to cover costs.

If a breed normally has one or only a few puppies the cost of these puppies will reflect that.
.Hence breeds who sell for £800 and much more each.

Yes, one litter may be loss making due to expenses but some of these expenses will be non recurring as once done they will not be repeated.

A stud dog will bring on money from stud fees.

Why would somebody continue in a business that lost them money every year just to sell puppies to someone out of the goodness of their heart?

Overall, there will be a profit.

GwylimT

My cousin breeds weinararners, she has a maximum of one litter per year, she didn't have a litter this year. She makes a loss on her puppies, is she passed on the cost of health testing, stud fees, vet care, food, insurance, time off work, vaccination, worming, flea treatment, neutering for pup no one would buy them as they would be far too expensive.

There are other indirect costs as well such as show fees that bring in customers as the parent has won best in show etc. Then in her litter where mum struggled as a pup was breech so a c-section was required in the early hours of the morning.

She breeds because she enjoys it, breeding costs her money, it most certainly doesn't bring a profit.

I have never had a rescue dog as I like to raise dogs from puppies, having children and a job has prevented me from adopting a puppy from all of the rescues we have visited.

My parents bought a lab a few years ago, their first lab who wasn't a rescue dad. The rescues decided my dad who has over 50 years of lab experience, a keen runner who is home all day and used to train dogs for agility wasn't a suitable owner. If people want more of us to buy rescue dogs maybe we shoul stop supporting their bonkers criteria.