HighRoller
05-11-2005, 04:05 PM
Costs in time and money continue to add up. Initial cost of a whelping box (plans are available for building your own) and heat lamp are amortized over several litters – if you can stand the emotional and physical drain of breeding, whelping, and placing multiple litters).
Other costs are
Veterinary attention – and a possible Caesarian delivery – if whelping goes wrong;
Vet visits for vaccinations and worming
A portable exercise pen to keep puppies safe outside the whelping area
Microchip or tattoo
DNA-profiling
Time also adds up, time to clean the whelping box several times a day, socialize the puppies, talk to potential buyers and contact their references, and visit the vet clinic for initial vaccinations or emergency trips with Mom or pups. And it doesn’t end when the pups go to new homes, for buyers frequently need help with housetraining, obedience training, and understanding and coping with normal puppy behavior.
Raising puppies is not as simple as one-two-three. Things can go wrong at any step of the way, so contingencies must be planned and money and time must be available to give the pups the best start at building a bond with a human family, a bond that can last a lifetime.
Consider long & hard if becoming a responsible breeder is a lifelong commitment you are willing to make. Otherwise, DON'T BREED!
Other costs are
Veterinary attention – and a possible Caesarian delivery – if whelping goes wrong;
Vet visits for vaccinations and worming
A portable exercise pen to keep puppies safe outside the whelping area
Microchip or tattoo
DNA-profiling
Time also adds up, time to clean the whelping box several times a day, socialize the puppies, talk to potential buyers and contact their references, and visit the vet clinic for initial vaccinations or emergency trips with Mom or pups. And it doesn’t end when the pups go to new homes, for buyers frequently need help with housetraining, obedience training, and understanding and coping with normal puppy behavior.
Raising puppies is not as simple as one-two-three. Things can go wrong at any step of the way, so contingencies must be planned and money and time must be available to give the pups the best start at building a bond with a human family, a bond that can last a lifetime.
Consider long & hard if becoming a responsible breeder is a lifelong commitment you are willing to make. Otherwise, DON'T BREED!