Reputable breeders DO NOT make money breeding dogs!!!! This is not commonly understood by those looking to purchase a puppy as a companion for their family.

Reputable breeders are "in dogs" because they LOVE the breed. When you talk to them, the love and pride they have in each of their dogs should show. I sometimes talk to pet homes who are upset by the level of screening done by reputable breeders. Please understand that to a reputable breeder, a puppy is not a commodity. A puppy is a living, breathing creature who deserves the very best life we can give him/her. When you buy from a reputable breeder, you are not getting a puppy who has had the minimum of care and socialization, you are getting a puppy who has had the maximum of care and socialization.

Breeding is very expensive, time consuming and heartbreaking to do correctly. Reputable breeders put their heart and soul into each litter. A reputable breeder screens each home carefully. They do this because each puppy is full of emotional investment.

Reputable breeders do not just throw two dogs together to create puppies. They usually plan each breeding in advance and spend months waiting for a female to come into season, another month worrying over whether or not she is pregnant and the next month worrying about the safety of the dam and the puppies. Then, there are two months of puppy raising which requires time off of work and sometimes around the clock care. Reputable breeders put a lot of time and energy into learning the best ways to raise a litter and the best ways to socialize puppies. Reputable breeders are breeding for themselves first and foremost, so each puppy is treated like a future show, agility, obedience prospect.

Above photo courtesy of Calypso English Cocker Spaniels

Having puppies is expensive!! Here is a list of typical costs paid in my area:

Cost to buy the dam: price of a puppy

Hips OFA Certified for the dam: $200.00

CERF exam for dam: $40.00

Optigen Test for dam: $195.00

FN Test for the dam: $95.00

BAER Testing: $50.00 for the dam and per puppy

Pre-breeding exam: $70.00

Progesterone test: $75.00 (often more than one is needed)

Stud fee: Typically the price of a puppy

Shipping fees to fly the dam to the stud dog: $500.00 - $600.00.

Shipping of semen and surgical AI: $600.00 - $700.00

Relaxin Pregnancy test: $60.00

Ultrasound: $150.00

X-Ray to check size and position of puppies: $100.00

Whelping Box: $200.00

Puppy Pen: $200.00

Puppy X-pen: $60.00

Baby scale: $40.00

Heating pad: $25.00

Misc Whelping supplies: $100.00

Vet trip to check dam and dock tails/remove dewclaws after puppies are born: $200.00

Microchips: $50.00 per puppy

Vaccinations/Worming supplies: about $20.00 per puppy

AKC registration, advertising, club dues: Various costs

Here are some emergency expenses:

AI: $300.00

C-section: $700.00 to $2000.00

Emergency vet visit for puppy with diarrhea: $300.00

This does not even list the costs for owning and showing dogs on a regular basis. Even if a breeder is lucky enough to make profit on one litter, there will later be a litter with a single puppy or the daily vet expenses of maintaining multiple dogs which will keep a reputable breeder from ever making a profit. If someone does not have an income other than breeding dogs, they are NOT a reputable breeder. It COSTS money to breed reputably. It is a HOBBY, not a money maker.