Dog Breeder
What will I be doing ?
If you enjoy dogs, raising and selling them may be the perfect home business for you. It can be both demanding and rewarding. Dog breeders raise dogs for specific functions, such as for show or for pets. A few breeders do both, selecting breeding stock and pups based on the breed standards and the temperament of the animals.
What will I need to start ?
To successfully breed dogs you must know a lot about them. You must also love them. However, many breeders find that building a business arround dogs can sometimes strain the relationship and make them less fun. So knowing your own limits can help you learn whether this is the best home business for you.
You must develop an extensive knowledge of your product: dogs. Join local and national kennel clubs, begin building your reference library, talk with other breeders, start gathering equipment and tools and find out who your customers will be. The space required, number, size and type of kennel units, breeding equipment and other factors depend on what type of dog you’re breeding, typical size, whether you are breeding show or family dogs and how much of their health needs (shots, etc.) you manage yourself. The AKC and breed associations can help you with specific requirements.
Who will my customers be ?
You will have many types of customers from which to choose, depending on the breed and type of dog you are raising. In fact, if you are showing your breed, one of your customers will be you. Other customers include individuals who want to have a dog for show or companionship, associations that train dogs for the handicapped, and pet stores who will sell dogs directly to the public.
How much should I charge ?
Because breeding dogs is a labor of love for so many people, competition is high and profit hard to get. If your investment of time requires that you sell a dog for $750, how can you compete with a hobbyist offering a similar animal for $250 ? You can’t. Instead, you must find breeds that appeal to those who know the difference in quality of animals and who are willing to pay for that difference.
In general, dog breeders price dogs by the quality and use of the animal. A show-quality dog may get a price of $800 to $1,000 while a family pet from the same litter may go under $500. The investment is the same, but the use is different.
How much will I make ?
Dog breeders may take years to develop skills in selection and reputation as a quality breeder before they make much money. Once established, a breeder can sell $25,000 to $75,000 in dogs a year, keeping about half the money and spending the rest on overhead expenses.
How can I get started ?
the dog business, like every other, is one of supply and demand. If there is a greater supply than demand for a specific breed, prices go down, and vice versa. So look to breeds that aren’t in great supply locally, but are coming into demand. In fact, breeders work hard to develop demand by promoting their breed. So can you.
Of course, read magazines like Dog Fancy and join organizations like the American Kennel Club (AKC) for additional resources.
The SIC code for dog breeders is 0752-07.
From the book of Dan Ramsey, Title : 101 Best Home Businesses, CAREER PRESS, 3 Tice Road, P.O. Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417, 1-800-CAREER-1, 201-848-0310 (NJ and outside U.S.), FAX : 201-848-1727
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