Any legit dog breeders here?

[TX_92_Notch]

So we just finished selling our first round of Great Pyrenees puppies. It was our dog's first litter (we own both parents). We bought these dogs as livestock guardians but figure why not let them have a few litters and then get him or her fixed (or not?). The GP's live outside with our goats and chickens. They're not registered or anything, just run-of-the mill GP's. Still, selling 6 pups for $300 each was nice for adding a little cash back to the hobby fund.

We said goodbye to our Golden Retriever, Ivan, in March of 2019 and we're finally ready to get another Golden. My wife sends me a link to a breeder earlier and the puppies are $3,000 each. She sends another link and they're $2,200 each. These are quite obviously high pedigree dogs, but I paid $350 for Ivan in 2003 so I'm a bit sticker shocked.

Having said all that, it has me seriously considering buying a couple of high pedigree dogs and breeding them instead of buying one 'budget' dog from craigslist and getting it fixed.

We're on 8 acres. We raise goats and chickens and, more recently, Great Pyrenees. We love giving our kids the experiences that come with 'livestock' and figure adding dogs to the mix could be quite the win in more ways than one (awesome family pets + potential for solid side money). Especially if the caliber of dogs could fetch $2,000+ per puppy.

If you're still reading, have any of you ever legitimately bred dogs? I'm doing research to see what all is involved in being a legit breeder, not some back yard hack trying to sell overpriced inbred puppies.

[Mysticcobrakilla]

I’m no breeder but I can advise, High end dogs are high end for a reason. Takes money to make money. Investing in solid pedigrees is hard to do with a certainty your pups will be valuable. I spent way too much time finding my GSD pup this last year, and learned way too much on why breeders of serious dogs charge what they do.


As much as I love me a golden retriever. The market is way over saturated right now. That’s gonna be a tough way to go. GSP’s, poodle pointers and a few other bird dogs may be a better way.

[TX_92_Notch]

I’m no breeder but I can advise, High end dogs are high end for a reason. Takes money to make money. Investing in solid pedigrees is hard to do with a certainty your pups will be valuable. I spent way too much time finding my GSD pup this last year, and learned way too much on why breeders of serious dogs charge what they do.

I know there's more to it than just buying two or more expensive dogs and letting them get after it. Hence the question.

It's hard not to be interested when you see a picture of 11 puppies, each with a $2,000 to $3,000 price tag on their head.

[Mysticcobrakilla]

I know there's more to it than just buying two or more expensive dogs and letting them get after it. Hence the question.

It's hard not to be interested when you see a picture of 11 puppies, each with a $2,000 to $3,000 price tag on their head.

100% agreed. Just my opinion. Buy a few really good specimens (not retarded high end) and breed them at will. Make solid money without getting into the really stupid shit. The amount of money for me to buy the breeding rights to my own pup is just retarded and that’s not even thinking about the hoops I’d have to jump through just to have the chance at buying breeding rights.


At the end of the day. Getting into the big end of breeding is expensive and not exactly a hobby.

[TX_92_Notch]

100% agreed. Just my opinion. Buy a few really good specimens (not retarded high end) and breed them at will. Make solid money without getting into the really stupid shit. The amount of money for me to buy the breeding rights to my own pup is just retarded and that’s not even thinking about the hoops I’d have to jump through just to have the chance at buying breeding rights.


At the end of the day. Getting into the big end of breeding is expensive and not exactly a hobby.

The breeder that was in the $2,200 price range added a $2,000 fee if you intend to use the pup for breeding. My wife asked "how would they know?" and I didn't have an answer for that. I assume some sort of registration block with the AKC so you couldn't register pups for a dog you didn't buy breeding rights for?

[Mysticcobrakilla]

The breeder that was in the $2,200 price range added a $2,000 fee if you intend to use the pup for breeding. My wife asked "how would they know?" and I didn't have an answer for that. I assume some sort of registration block with the AKC so you couldn't register pups for a dog you didn't buy breeding rights for?

Yes. The second you try to register the pups you get sued. Now you can breed with an big *. But the pups won’t be worth Jack shit to the general buyer. Me personally. If dad was awesome, mom was awesome. I’m fine with that. Not many people spending $2k or more on a puppy is not. It’s one thing to sell one or two puppies that way, the other 6-8 or whatever is not.


The amount of legal documents I signed for my asshat is unreal.

[Rafa]

Luckily for me, breeder I got my Ridgeback from does not have any stipulations of me breeding mine. I just don't know if I want to or not yet. He just turned 1 year on the 7th. He's registered and all. Only thing he requires, is if I need to sell him or give him away, that I need to contact him 1st. To do it right, is quite the process from what I gathered when I was looking for my dog. I paid what I thought was high, but actually he was on the lower end of breeders. I have seen them up in 3k range. Many of them won't even let you pick them. They will interview you and then decide which one is best for you. It's crazy. Breeder I got mine from will not let you get near them or play with them. Can only see them from distance and/or pictures he has. I actually picked by photo and talked to him for awhile about temperament/attitude of pup I was wanting. Does not want random folks coming near them of fear of them transmitting parvo, or any other disease. So far, I have no regrets. Awesome dog. He is pretty stubborn, but that's the breed I got. haha

[Strychnine]

Luckily for me, breeder I got my Ridgeback from does not have any stipulations of me breeding mine. I just don't know if I want to or not yet. He just turned 1 year on the 7th. He's registered and all. Only thing he requires, is if I need to sell him or give him away, that I need to contact him 1st. To do it right, is quite the process from what I gathered when I was looking for my dog. I paid what I thought was high, but actually he was on the lower end of breeders. I have seen them up in 3k range. Many of them won't even let you pick them. They will interview you and then decide which one is best for you. It's crazy. Breeder I got mine from will not let you get near them or play with them. Can only see them from distance and/or pictures he has. I actually picked by photo and talked to him for awhile about temperament/attitude of pup I was wanting. Does not want random folks coming near them of fear of them transmitting parvo, or any other disease. So far, I have no regrets. Awesome dog. He is pretty stubborn, but that's the breed I got. haha

I miss my ridgeback We lost him to bone cancer that spread to his lungs also when he was only 6 yrs old. Will you PM your person's info?

[Rafa]

I miss my ridgeback We lost him to bone cancer that spread to his lungs also when he was only 6 yrs old. Will you PM your person's info?

Wow, didn't know how he passed. Sorry to hear

I actually got him from person you got yours from. hahaha

sent you pm...

[Strychnine]

Wow, didn't know how he passed. Sorry to hear

I actually got him from person you got yours from. hahaha

sent you pm...

Just saw your PM. Yeah, it was shitty
I was over in Europe and my wife called (morning here, evening there) and said he'd hurt his leg playing with some other dogs and she took him to the vet.. who then said he needed to see a specialist for x-rays... long story short, while I was in Helsinki she found that he had bone cancer in 3 legs that had also moved to his lungs. I came home, got another week or two with him, and that was it
The breeder did say that when we're ready again he'd "take care of us"... he felt like shit - a few of Watson's siblings all got taken out by cancer around the same age.

I still miss that fucker.

[TX_92_Notch]

As much as I love me a golden retriever. The market is way over saturated right now. That’s gonna be a tough way to go. GSP’s, poodle pointers and a few other bird dogs may be a better way.

It's the 3rd most popular breed in the US per the AKC. Yet if you get online and search breeders, the vast majority have no puppies available. That may change at the "run of the mill" level but there are countless mid-level or high end breeders with long waiting lists and steep prices.

[Stangs 4 Life]

We raised 3 litters of "pet quality" registered golden retrievers around 10 years ago. Each puppy sold for $300. Things have really changed pricewise and the related technology commonly used by breeders.

Raising puppies can be really hard work depending on how much effort you commit to in preparing them for a home. I personally didn't feel it was right to ask that much money if I didn't at least try. They left my home partially crate trained/house broken, easy to bathe and familiar with cats.

Had I known better then, they would have been sold for a lot more.

Since that set of dogs have now passed, my wife and I decided to get a few more. Imagine my shock when a $300 dog is now at least $1200. We found one at that price point and learned by 4mo that he had a genetic defect. We had him neutered the next week when we paid for the surgery to fix his cherry eye. Lesson learned, we didn't spend enough up front.

We had to sign a contract for a female we bought 4 months ago. She is genetically guaranteed (full refund) and we have rights to breed her. Price $2000. I am already working on her training and it would be awesome if she could go bird hunting with me next September. If I choose to breed her it will be with a genetically verified sire as regards to bloodline and defects.

It sounds like you are on the right track relative to how I might do it again. Keep researching and you will probably have your next litter in a couple years.

[Mysticcobrakilla]

It's the 3rd most popular breed in the US per the AKC. Yet if you get online and search breeders, the vast majority have no puppies available. That may change at the "run of the mill" level but there are countless mid-level or high end breeders with long waiting lists and steep prices.

More buyers than supply. What happens to the quality of supply when that happens?

Sorry, I’m on the pups/breed side.

[TX_92_Notch]

Any legit dog breeders here?

We raised 3 litters of "pet quality" registered golden retrievers around 10 years ago. Each puppy sold for $300. Things have really changed pricewise and the related technology commonly used by breeders.

Raising puppies can be really hard work depending on how much effort you commit to in preparing them for a home. I personally didn't feel it was right to ask that much money if I didn't at least try. They left my home partially crate trained/house broken, easy to bathe and familiar with cats.

Had I known better then, they would have been sold for a lot more.

Since that set of dogs have now passed, my wife and I decided to get a few more. Imagine my shock when a $300 dog is now at least $1200. We found one at that price point and learned by 4mo that he had a genetic defect. We had him neutered the next week when we paid for the surgery to fix his cherry eye. Lesson learned, we didn't spend enough up front.

We had to sign a contract for a female we bought 4 months ago. She is genetically guaranteed (full refund) and we have rights to breed her. Price $2000. I am already working on her training and it would be awesome if she could go bird hunting with me next September. If I choose to breed her it will be with a genetically verified sire as regards to bloodline and defects.

It sounds like you are on the right track relative to how I might do it again. Keep researching and you will probably have your next litter in a couple years.

Thanks for the lengthy reply. We’re definitely getting a Golden simply because we are ready for another family pet. We’re both intrigued by the idea of raising Goldens but we want to go into it with our eyes wide open.

Ive thought several times about how bad it would be to pay good money for a dog and then find out the dog is not suitable for breeding. My last Golden had severe skin allergies and I had him fixed because I didn’t want that passed on. I had no real intentions of breeding him, but got him fixed to be sure.

[TX_92_Notch]

More buyers than supply. What happens to the quality of supply when that happens?

Sorry, I’m on the pups/breed side.

I don’t think that was a dig but I’m with you. If we do this, it would be with the intent of improving / maintaining the quality of the breed, not running a puppy mill just trying to make a buck. Like everyone else on here, money is not an issue and isn’t the reason behind this. If we are going to breed dogs, I would quite likely aim for “upper middle class” quality. Not run of the mill but not $3,000 puppies either.

We fell in love with Goldens after spending 16 years with an amazing Golden male in the house. After this first litter of Great Pyrenees puppies (outside dogs), the idea of the enjoying a litter of Goldens once in a while is enticing.