$555.00
$278.00
(This
does NOT include vet office visit charges or the price of
food
and supplements to get your cocker in optimum health to
consider
breeding)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Stud
Fee
$300.00 and up or pick puppy and a
fee
or free
Shipping
fee(varies) $500.00 (Round trip)-$250.00
or free
Shipped Semen-$300 and
up plus the cost of shipping and extras
Artificial Insemination
from shipped semen-Varies depending on method..$25.00-$500.00
Vet
exam during pregnancy $75.00
$40.00
*some
tests such as ultrasound or bloodwork may be required,
the
prices vary on the type of test required and the vets fees*
Exam
post delivery $75.00
$25.00
Docking
tails/dew claws $5.00- $10.00 PER PUP or more
(TO
BE DONE AT 3 DAYS OF AGE)
6
Week Vet Check $50.00
$20.00
_________________________________________________
sub totals
HIGH
LOW
$1518.00+
$338.00+
_________________________________________________
Other costs and possible
costs
3
sets of shots(4 in avg litter) -$90.00 if you do it yourself..--$125.00
from vet or more
worming
of pups
$15.00--$50.00
Cesearean
Section
$200.00-$450.00+
Formula(for
pups)
$20.00-$80.00
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sub totals $630.00---------------------------$260.00
_________________________________________________
So with the subtotals
added together it COSTS
anywhere
from $598.00 to
$2148.00 +
to responsibly breed a litter of Cocker
Spaniels
This is not including
the time it takes to properly socialize puppies or
the Food to feed them
- double the cost for feeding the female
for the 9 weeks of pregnancy
plus 5 weeks of nursing. Also,Puppies begin eating food at around 4 weeks
of age, and they can really eat a lot!!
An average cocker spaniel
litter is 4 puppies.
Is the cost, the responsibility
and possible
loss of your dog really
worth breeding?
Please
think about this!
SO,
YOU WANT TO BE A BREEDER ....
So you want to be a breeder do you? Good for you! That's what I
am, a breeder. But before you decide to go ahead and breed dogs,
here are a few things you need to know, and a few things you
need to have.
1. You'll need to be willing to clean up vomit, urine, feces,
chewed up couches, ruined shoes, and destroyed garbage cans.
Then you'll need to be willing to do it all over again the next
day, and the next, and the next....
2. You'll need a strong stomach, to be able to stand the stench
of rotting fetuses aborted mid term by your pregnant bitch
you've been waiting two years to breed. You'll need that strong
stomach when you look down on the occasional deformed monster
your bitch gives birth to, and you'll need it when you humanely
destroy that same puppy.
3. You'll need a strong heart to be able to nurture and love
your healthy puppies until they're ready to be sold into the
hands of strangers who may abuse, neglect, starve, beat, or at
best ignore them. You'll need that strong heart when even the
puppies that go to good homes end up run over by accident, or
put down from illness. You'll need it when the tears of those
good owners are pouring their way into your heart.
4. You'll need lots of room to be able to keep bitches in heat
away from stud dogs, stud dogs away from each other, and puppies
away from everything. Don't forget about those last two pups
that you couldn't find homes for, or the rescue dog your breed
club begged you to take in, or the pup from your last litter
that the owners decided just wasn't right for them.
5. You'll need to be able to stand grief and loss. Like the way
you'll feel the first time you lose a bitch during labor, and
realize that it was your decision to breed her that killed her.
You'll need it when you explain to your kids why the miracle of
birth has a dark side as well.
6. You'll need an employer that will understand if you have to
take time off work because your bitch died in labor and you're
tube feeding the new puppies.
..........Wait a minute you're saying by now! Give me a break!
All you breeders are the same. You only tell us the gory stuff,
the stuff intended to scare us off breeding forever. What about
the money? I mean you guys just don't want anyone else to
compete with you.....
Oh yes the money, glad you mentioned it.
7. You'll need money. Lots of it. Probably lots more than you
have, especially if the above mentioned employer didn't turn out
to be so sympathetic after all. Lets do some math shall we? Vet
bills, Cesarean section, stud fees, registrations, shots,
worming, puppy check ups, special diets, whelping gear.... Let's
say an average of $2500 per litter, if nothing complicated
arises. All this must be paid out before the first puppy ever
sells, assuming that they're not all stillborn, in which case
don't forget the cost of autopsies. Even if every puppy in the
litter is show quality (we can all dream after all) and you find
each one a dream home, you're still going to lose about $750 per
litter.
.........Wait! Where are you going? I didn't tell you about show
fees, or handling, or picking the right stud dog, or government
forms, or AKC registrations, or dog runs, or irate neighbours,
or city licenses.......
