# The cost of breeding/raising a litter.



## Vizslak (19 April 2012)

Its a subject raised many times on here, amongst breeders and also to people considering breeding 'just one litter' etc. 
Out of interest for myself and for you guys I decided that this litter I would keep an as near to complete as possible record of the cost involved with breeding and raising the pups. 
The list is already extensive and I havnt subtotalled it up yet but thought I would get these first costs listed and then add to it again in a few weeks and again when the puppies have left to save me typing for hours doing it all at once! The pups were 2 weeks old yesterday, there are a lot of costs to come yet! 
I havnt added things like extra electricity and vast amounts of washing, although valid extra costs it would be a nightmare to work out. Nor have I counted purchasing and feeding/keeping the bitch as MOST of us would ordinarily incur those costs regardless of whether having a litter or not.
I hope you find it interesting, I also hope that at some point in the future good old google will lead someone to this thread and put them off breeding a needless litter! Some costs listed aren't 'essential' but they do tend to be the cheaper costs! Also be aware that as I have bred litters before a lot of items were already here and didnt need purchasing this time. Anyway here goes!
Hip scoring bitch at 12 months - around £100, I forget exact figure, + Sending plates to BVA £47 (my breed only require hip scoring, other breeds requiring more testing will obviously incur further cost) 
Pre mating swabs- £75
Fuel to take bitch to stud- £60
Stud fee- £800
Re registering my kennel name- £70 (same cost as a new registration)
Changing bitches name to include my kennel name- £15 (non essential obviously!) 
Donation to breed club welfare in order for the club to hold detail of my upcoming litter- £15
Scan at 28days- £35 (cheap for a vets and no consult fee included as had other dogs in at same time for vaccinations) 
Vet bed for whelping box x2- £30 
Whelping box -£0 (my friend made it for me, if buying one you can expect around £100 to make one the materials cost around £30)
Lino for the bottom of whelping box- £30
Tin of lactol- £15 (feeding bottles and other supplies already here) 
Heat pad- £22 (proper bargain off ebay brand new, usually around £35-40) 
Whelping collars- £2 (non essential but in breed that look all alike it makes identifying at a glance and being 100% sure who is who when tracking weights etc much easier)
Arden grange puppy/junior 15kg food- £35 (breeders rate, second sack likely to be needed, bitch been on this food since 2 weeks prior to whelping) 
Second scan- £20 (local scanner, wouldnt usually rescan but bitch so small there was concern for a singleton litter, if that was case wanted vet alerted to be on hand for c sec etc. So this was a peace of mind scan!) 
THEN THE PUPPIES ARRIVED! No vets fees incurred during whelping although an inexperienced person at whelping may well have tripped to or called a vet between puppies 2 and 3 and probably had oxytocin administered, she slowed right up and it required every trick in the book to get things moving again, was on the verge of calling for oxytocin as we drew close to 3hrs between pups. May also be of note that puppy number 4 burst sack before exiting and required swift help to remove, in inexperienced hands he could well have been a 'loss'. 5 healthy pups one puppy unviable, did not require euthanasia. 
Dew claw removal @ 2 days and wormer for when 2 weeks- £57.26
Emergency trip at 2am (just me not the pups!) into RSPCA bristol hospital to buy electrolytes off them as my vet had run out (pups with the runs) £10 + £5 donation for being lovely and opening up for me at 2am! 
Miss reds eye, infection under closed eye, emergency trip to vet on sunday, anti bs, anti b ointment, eye flushed and drained -£136.19 (a relatively common occurance days before eyes open, first time experienced it in one of my own. Can count this type of fee as a standard cost to be expected incurred sometime in first weeks, it was actually quite a cheap problem on this occasion) 
So there we have the vague costs so far, could add a fair bit of fuel to and from vets etc to that! 
Will update again in a few weeks.


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## Fools Motto (19 April 2012)

Putting like that - it does add up massively!

When my old bitch had a litter, it was planned but it was not a pedigree mating. 
Stud dog owner was happy to use him in lue of pick of the litter. I did have to travel to said dog though - twice.
Didn't bother with scans. In hindsight, it wasn't the best thing to avoid as she ended up with 12 pups!! 
Made my own whelping box, borrowed a heat lamp and used straw as bedding.
Sadly occurred a HUGE vets bill as poor bitch needed a C-sec.. Pup 1 = dead, pup 2 also dead but was already suffering from rigamortis (sp?) so was therefore blocking the way for all the other pups. All in all, we lost 6 pups, had 6 healthy pups.
Weaning went well, but obviously had to pay for extra food for them.
All went to lovely 'vetted' homes, (we kept one, she is now 14!)

That is my sole experience, would I do it again? - no way. That experience of losing those pups has put me off for life.
I'd be the first in line to 'rescue' a pup if and when the next time allows. If I had my way, I may be tempted to get a whippet from a reputable breeder - that is the only pedigree I'd want!


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## ChesnutsRoasting (19 April 2012)

I've just bred a crossbreed (two "a la mode" breeds). I own the bitch, a friend owns the dog. Didn't bother to research health tests etc, our dogs have always been fit and healthy. Friend didn't charge a stud fee, wants pick of the litter, so thats one gone anyway! I just let nature take its course and knew the bitch was in pup when her waistline went. Didn't bother with scans, cos I wanted to be surprised. Anyhoo, she started to act a bit odd and it was about nine weeks I think from when she was mated, so I assumed things were happening. One popped out, then another and at the end seven pups - result! I didn't have to anything, I videoed some of and will stick it on Youtube later. TBH, don't know what all the fuss is about..............................

ETA (Disclaimer - THIS POST IS COMPLETE FICTION)


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## Vizslak (19 April 2012)

LOL BS...yes...maybe I should have said breeding and raising a litter PROPERLY.


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## superpony (19 April 2012)

Blazingsaddles you had me there for a second!! Thank you vizslak v useful info


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## Dobiegirl (19 April 2012)

BS I couldnt believe what I was reading and then the penny dropped.


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## CAYLA (20 April 2012)

2 free rescue dogs and bang em together, no tests, no scan, chuck em outside in a crate, leave her to feed them till they are atleast six weeks and ready to sell...no vaccines or wormer, sell them with a fantastical name and then change me telephone numb incase they wanna bring any back.


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## Oenoke (20 April 2012)

This was the cost of breeding the 1 litter I've bred.

Health tests for bitch including travel (hip score, DNA test TNS, CEA, CL, eye test PRA, glaucoma) £500
stud fee inc travel to and from stud dog a few times £470
kennel name (affix) £70
relaxin blood test £20
scan free (I work at a vet)
wormer for mum (from day 40 - 2 days post whelp) and pups (2, 5 & 8 weeks) £80
puppy pen £25
Welping box free (made by the factory manager where my mum works)
Bits and bobs (thermometer, bottle, scissors, stethoscope, disinfectant, gloves, welpi, dopram-v) £85
Extra food for bitch and puppy food £55
TNS test puppies (because my bitch is a carrier, used clear stud dog) £250
BAER hearing test for puppies inc travel £150
eye test for puppies £60
KC reg £50
1st Vacc £90

I sold 2 puppies for £450 each, kept 1 and gave 1 to a friend

so lost about £1200, ok I kept a pup, even if I'd sold all the pups I would have still lost about £300


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## lexiedhb (20 April 2012)

I asked this on another forum and folk got all defensive. Eventually one did a break down and i was shock to see that if done properly there is NO money to be made.

You have also forgotten the costs of showing/working/training said dog so that people can see that they have a track record and so will want the pups.


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## s4sugar (20 April 2012)

I haven't had a litter (of puppies) for thirteen years but always worked on five puppies to break even on the litter costs - not counting keep for dam, showing, time off work etc. - just the extra costs of having a litter if nothing went wrong. A 2am. c-section to deliver the 9th pup that was not moving along soon wiped out any chance of a profit.

Vizlak - you forgot puppy registrations. Not significant at £13 each when taken as part of the puppy price but it adds up when you have to pay it out.


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## Vizslak (20 April 2012)

I havnt done them yet s4s, this is a breakdown of costs to date, registrations, vax, chips will be on later costings.


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## Vizslak (20 April 2012)

Very true lexie, I wouldnt even want to start working out whats been spent on her show career over the years though, frightening!


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## mollichop (20 April 2012)

Very interesting to see it broken down like that - thanks.

Wish I could print it off and hand it out to all the numptys that I meet on walks who talk about "just wanting 1 litter off her as she'd make a great mum" or "my boyfriend wants us to breed a litter as this type are going for good money" 

It seems to be rife at the moment!


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## Inthemud (20 April 2012)

Really interesting thread.


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## MurphysMinder (20 April 2012)

Really good thread, though I try not to actually work out how much it all costs.  I agree with you re not including normal food costs for the bitch, but I don't know about Flora but Evie has more than trebled her food intake since pups were born, I've got through a frightening amount of food. Plus I've just ordered second 15kg bag of fish4puppies for little uns.mine  are being tattooed next week at £7 per pup plus £20 litter registration fee.  And of course mustn't forget the vast amounts of disinfectant needed to mop the floor now they are running round the house .


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## Vizslak (20 April 2012)

Yea Flora is eating vast amounts but shes on the puppy food at the moment and will be until after they are weaned so covered in the costings. Oh yes, disenfectant, washing powder, kitchen towel etc etc, they are all valid extras that I havnt included!
ETS I am finding it interesting myself to keep record, its not something I have done before....scary, but interesting!


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## CAYLA (20 April 2012)

MurphysMinder said:



			Really good thread, though I try not to actually work out how much it all costs.  I agree with you re not including normal food costs for the bitch, but I don't know about Flora but Evie has more than trebled her food intake since pups were born, I've got through a frightening amount of food. Plus I've just ordered second 15kg bag of fish4puppies for little uns.mine  are being tattooed next week at £7 per pup plus £20 litter registration fee.  And of course mustn't forget the vast amounts of disinfectant needed to mop the floor now they are running round the house .
		
Click to expand...

Lest not forget the puppy guides, even though I ordered you not to donate


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## Vizslak (20 April 2012)

need some too please!


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## CAYLA (20 April 2012)

Send me ya email again then.


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## MurphysMinder (20 April 2012)

Oh yes forgot £500 donation for puppy guides


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## CAYLA (20 April 2012)

MurphysMinder said:



			Oh yes forgot £500 donation for puppy guides 

Click to expand...


I had to keep me piss in when I read that, it excited me

vizzy will be pushing thats s hit out she found so hard to pass b4, shock is always good for constipation u know


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## dingle12 (20 April 2012)

Very interesting, think you should do up some kind of poster or info pack and send out to vets or rescues maybe this will shock people ( back street not you lot  ) into not breeding.


LMFAO cayla somethings never change


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## MurphysMinder (20 April 2012)

Aw sorry cayla, had I had rare krazy kolors that I'd sold for s grand each the donation would def have been £500


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## CAYLA (20 April 2012)

MurphysMinder said:



			Aw sorry cayla, had I had rare krazy kolors that I'd sold for s grand each the donation would def have been £500 

Click to expand...


Well I did think you where being daft when you never put her to a poodle, German shoodle.......next time think it through MM, never mind colour, u went with the wrong breed man...I tell thee


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## MurphysMinder (20 April 2012)

Duh should have come to you for breeding advice! Sorry viz, ruining your serious thread.


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## Vizslak (21 April 2012)

LOL you two, pack it in! Cayla, you have it, dont be a spazz.....do I have to go through it for typos!?


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## Vizslak (20 May 2012)

Thought I would do a quick update on this thread, puppies are now 6 and a half weeks, 

Registrations with kc @ £13 per pup - £65
Another sack of puppy food - £35
Toys and chews - £15-£20 ish
Microchips @ £10 per pup (BARGAIN!) - £50 

ets they were wormed again at 5 weeks but still original batch of wormer so no extra cost yet, next worming at 8 weeks I may need more plus frontline which I have in but will cost for anyway. 

Think thats it for the minute, will update again


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## Vizslak (2 June 2012)

right lets finish this thread off then....
3rd sack of food £35
1st vaccs at £26.40 per pup - £132
I frontlined yesterday but havnt costed I have no idea how much a bottle of frontline even is tbh and I had some here so only used a bit from a big bottle. 
Who wants to total that little lot up then?!!


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## Vizslak (2 June 2012)

£1839.45 plus all those extra little bits and bobs that mount up significantly but are impossible to cost, extra fuel for vets visits etc ......  expensive little blighters eh!!


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## 4x4 (5 August 2012)

And if you have working dogs you also have to pay around £20 per puppy for docking too!


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## Vizslak (5 August 2012)

these are workers some are also destined for the show ring too though so not docked.... my vet doesnt charge anything like 20 quid a pup though and would have been done with the dew claws.


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## 4x4 (6 August 2012)

Last time it was £20 per puppy tails/dew claws plus compulsory micro-chip is extra. This vet is a good few miles away so have to count the cost of diesel in too.  Then people say 'will you take an offer' - no I will not.


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