# Big Question- How Do You Become A Breeder?



## GSDLover2000 (Jul 9, 2013)

I want to do a lot!! I have so many interests... it actually bugs me because I can't grow up and be them all. I love acting, home design, gardening, animals, writing, art, and a few more I can't remember. I keep thinking over and over again at night what I want to be when I grow up, and I think I have finally narrowed it down. I would not be in it for the money, or the business, I would be in it for my deep love for animals. I want to become a veterinarian! I have always been hesitant about it because I don't think I could handle putting an animal down, I would probably have a mental break down after doing it for the 2nd or 3rd time. Maybe even the first! But I think it would just be so fulfilling. Well, the true point of this is on the side I would want to be a dog breeder. Not some backyard breeder who sells the pups high priced, and breeds females 3 times a year, but a legit one. I would LOVE to purchase a 10 acre lot somewhere in Washington state or central/southern california, and build from the ground up a breeding "business". Now this will NEVER happen until I am much much much older, but I would like to get an idea of what it takes to become a breeder. I know you should know a lot about the genetics and health of the certain breed, I read somewhere you should be familiar with veterinary practice to some degree, and of course, love animals!!  Other than that I don't really know how I would go about starting one. I would love to know step by step detail. Where do the dogs come from? How do you accumulate more to breed. Expenses. Rights. Permission. AKC registration, ETC. Thanks!! 

Noah


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Breeding shouldn't be considered a business...it is more of an art that takes years of knowledge to do it properly. 

Anyone can purchase kennels, dogs and set up shop. Doesn't make it right though.

The love of breeding should come from the love of doing right by the breed and producing excellent representations of the breed. 
Showing, working, titling your own dogs is a time consuming passion. *Time consuming* and I doubt those that do it right are living off the profits of their puppies.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

I tell you with all the GSD's in kill shelters in CA there are already TONS of people breeding out there.

Your 'job' should be to locate a 'responsible' breeder and start to apprentice with them. Learning all the dogs and lineage and genetics and diseases and and and .... it a huge 'job' in itself, so having a person you admire and is doing it right mentoring you is the way to go.

Remember to refer to ---> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/welcome-gsd-faqs-first-time-owner/162231-how-find-puppy.html when looking for the best to learn from.


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## MrsFergione (Jul 7, 2013)

I agree with Maggie as that is what I am doing. I am also very interested in breeding and I have sought out a breeder where we will be moving to next May and she has become my mentor. We have spoken at lengths and constantly about man aspects and once we move up there I will actually be helping her and learning hands on. I highly suggest you do that as well because you will also get a chance to see breeding first hand and decide if it actually is still an interest.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

I think the trick is to first get a dog that you don't ever plan on breeding. Join your local GSDCA chapter, and start training/showing in the venue that interests you or best compliments/fits your dog. Going to trials, all breed shows, and more importantly specialty shows will open your eyes to the whole world of dogs and what your chosen breed has to offer. I'll assume that you're talking about breeding GSDs, and so I would really push you towards seeing everything this breed has to offer. Don't sit online and get pushed around by already biased people that have developed their opinions.

Learn about Schutzhund, AKC Obedience, AKC conformation shows, SV style conformation shows, UKC conformation shows, and all the other venues that are available. Start to understand why each "line" looks the way it does, and what each venue looks for in order to succeed. Understand why people breed the way they do and what their goals are. After that, you'll be able to make the decision on what you want to breed for, what venue interests you, and what in your opinion is the correct GSD.

When you get into it, start training, learning, making those connections within the breed, you'll find a good mentor, someone to provide you with a breeding bitch. After you "prove" your love for the breed to someone, and the fact that you are interested in showing/trialing and are committed to it, someone will offer you co-ownership, or the rights to their "pick" pup. You'll get that one, then breed, keep pups back that you think you'll use again, and so a kennel begins.

Try not to form strong opinions before you get true, real life experience with the dogs. Don't go out and about screaming about how this line is sub-par and that line is the greatest. You'll end up putting your foot in your mouth to the wrong people. And as someone that breeds, you really shouldn't have to put down what other people are doing. Just worry about what you're doing and know its better than what's out there.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Stay in school, don't do drugs, be respectful.


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## Smithie86 (Jan 9, 2001)

This is an excellent observation. 



martemchik said:


> Try not to form strong opinions before you get true, real life experience with the dogs. Don't go out and about screaming about how this line is sub-par and that line is the greatest. You'll end up putting your foot in your mouth to the wrong people. And as someone that breeds, you really shouldn't have to put down what other people are doing. Just worry about what you're doing and know its better than what's out there.






onyx'girl said:


> Breeding shouldn't be considered a business...it is more of an art that takes years of knowledge to do it properly.
> 
> Anyone can purchase kennels, dogs and set up shop. Doesn't make it right though.
> 
> ...


Very true. Verify claims of expertise in breeding, training and handling....


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

Decide what style of GSD you want. Buy a male to train and trial or show. Prove to the group you want to be part of that you belong there. then buy the best bitch you can.

And remember that dogs are expensive.


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## GSDLover2000 (Jul 9, 2013)

onyx'girl said:


> *Breeding shouldn't be considered a business*...it is more of an art that takes years of knowledge to do it properly.
> 
> Anyone can purchase kennels, dogs and set up shop. Doesn't make it right though.
> 
> ...


Yes. That is why I put air quotes around the word... I didn't know how else to say it. I also said I want to do it right, not like a puppy mill, and, well I said it about being a vet, but I would do it for my love of animals not for any amount of money.


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## GSDLover2000 (Jul 9, 2013)

Sunflowers said:


> Stay in school, don't do drugs, be respectful.


Words to live by...


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

Dog breeding is not a viable career option. It will not even be a potentially viable career option until about 40 years into actually doing it, and even then it's not likely to make you nearly enough 'profit' to live on. Do NOT focus your future on it as such. Entertain it as an expensive and furiously passionate hobby.

In the meantime, orient your schooling towards a career that will allow you to earn enough money to do what you want to do (be involved with dogs) and give you enough flexibility and time to engage in the activities you want to be engaged in (showing, trialing, etc). Before you jump into pre-vet, volunteer at an animal hospital. Stick with it for over a year before you commit.

And keep asking questions and surrounding yourself with all the knowledgeable people you can. Always use your ears before your mouth and never badmouth a breeder, no matter your experience. It can come back and bite you (personal experience).


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## Merciel (Apr 25, 2013)

marbury said:


> In the meantime, orient your schooling towards a career that will allow you to earn enough money to do what you want to do (be involved with dogs) and give you enough flexibility and time to engage in the activities you want to be engaged in (showing, trialing, etc). Before you jump into pre-vet, volunteer at an animal hospital. Stick with it for over a year before you commit.


This is really great advice.

It's easy to say "I don't need money" before you start doing it. Once you actually start writing all those checks for classes and entry fees, and buying the training equipment, and spending major $$$ on gas to haul your furballs to everywhere they need to go... you need money. You need a _lot_ of money. 

And you need time and flexibility, too. I count myself lucky that I have as much freedom to trial as I do. If I want to take off a random Wednesday or Friday to drive halfway across the state for a dog competition, I can. It's generally not a problem. A _lot_ of people don't get to do that.

If you really want to be able to pursue your passions in life, the holy trifecta is time, money, and freedom.


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## argo daisynina dvora (Oct 22, 2011)

Good breed stock cost lots of money. They need a title, if you can't than you need to buy a dog already trained and titled. That's big money. Than you need the correct match on drive, two great dogs don't necessary make good pups. If you want a great dog than buy one but don't look into breeding until you have trained and titled your first dog.


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## Blitzkrieg1 (Jul 31, 2012)

Buy a dog, work the dog, title and compete with the dog. Forget trying to impress people on the internet, impress people on the field and they will buy your dogs.

Fyi: Any kind of breeding involves death at some point, if you cant handle this stick with being a buyer.


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## Suka (Apr 9, 2004)

Another breeder concern must also be "how do I find the right owners for the puppies?"


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