How to Start a Breeding Business

The basics to beginning breeding businesses are the same for all animals.

It is almost inevitable for animal lovers to think about breeding at least once. Sadly, many breeders start out and quickly find that breeding isn't what they thought it would be. They often make little to no profit for many years, spend thousands of dollars in vet bills, and soon, sleeping through the night becomes as unheard of for them as it is for new parents. However, if approached in the right way, with the right frame of mind, a breeding business can unfold into a wonderful experience.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Healthy female
• Healthy male
• Breeder friendly veterinarian
• Prenatal vitamins
• Medical histories
• Lineage

1. Choose the type of animal you would like to breed. Things to consider when making this decision are the size of the animal, the amount of space you have available, your knowledge on the particular species and the number of veterinarians near you who have experience with your chosen species, both during and after birth.

2. Obtain a healthy, friendly female. Be sure you have a copy of her lineage and medical records. You may purchase a male or find a stud belonging to someone else to breed with your female.

3. Take your female (and male, if you have one of your own) to see a vet before the first attempt at mating takes place. Tell your vet you intend to breed your animal so she will know what to look at and what tests to run. Do not breed your animal without receiving the okay from your veterinarian, and remember to ask your vet about prenatal vitamins.

4. Allow your female and male to mate when your female is in heat. Depending on the species you are breeding, this may take anywhere from a few hours, to overnight.

5. Take your female to the vet for prenatal checkups. Ask your vet how often your animal should be seen during the pregnancy and how long after delivery she and her babies should be seen. Stick to the schedule he gives you. The health of your animals (including their unborn babies) are the most important part of starting a breeding business.

6. Be present during the delivery of the babies. Keep track of the order they are born, how much they move, and how alert they seem. In some species, the mother may become too tired to care for all her offspring during labor, especially if she is giving birth to a large litter. Be prepared to step in and help her by cleaning off the babies' faces, stimulating them to breathe and helping them nurse. (See Warnings.)

7. Look for new homes long before the babies are weaned and ready to go. Advertise in local newspapers, put up fliers in pet stores and veterinary offices and have your friends and family spread the word. You may have a hard time finding homes until your reputation as a good breeder has been set.

Tips & Warnings

• Word of mouth will bring most of your customers to you. Stay friendly to all potential customers, even those who do not end up purchasing from you, to get your good reputation out there.

• While you are starting out, it may be easier to find studs to breed your female with rather than to purchase your own male to avoid over breeding your female and to give you more time to devote to your pregnant female and her future offspring without neglecting the male.

• Whether you purchase a male or use a stud service, be sure to have copies of his lineage and medical history as well.

• Some small animals such as hamsters will cannibalize their young if you handle them. If you are breeding an animal that is prone to doing this, do not help at all during the birth.

• Over breeding can be harmful for females, and result in unhealthy babies and early death of your female. Give her plenty of time between mating to recover.

References

• My Small Biz: How to Start a Dog Breeding Business
• Pet Business Central: Breed Dogs for Fun and Profit
• Breedlist: Before You Breed