What Are The Cost in Raising A Litter?

​As we prepare to welcome a new litter, I wanted to share a behind-the-scenes look of our costs and steps involved in ethical dog breeding. There’s a lot of misinformation out there about what goes into breeding, so we thought this might give you a better idea of the true financial and time commitment we invest in our puppies.

1. Pre-Breeding Costs

The first two years are full of normal dog cost while your puppy is growing. You have the cost of buy the dog, vet care, monthly prevention, insurance, training, grooming, titles, etc. Then you have extensive health tests to complete prior to breeding to ensure both the female and male dogs are in top condition. This includes genetic testing, OFA certifications, and other health screenings.

*Example of OFA Hip Testing*

The next biggest costs at this stage are related to the breeding process itself. We are lucky to work with an amazing board-certified Theriogenologist which is a vet who specializes in reproduction. They help guide us through every step, ensuring the health and safety of both the mother and the puppies. The breeding process itself involves several costs:

• Pre-breeding exams
• Bloodwork
• Multiple progesterone tests to determine the optimal timing
• Insemination costs
• Ultrasounds and X-rays

2. The Importance of Progesterone Testing

Progesterone testing is a key part of the breeding process. It helps us pinpoint the exact date of ovulation, which means we can breed the female at the most fertile time. This reduces the need for multiple breedings and helps ensure a higher success rate. It also gives us a reliable due date for the puppies. We start progesterone testing around day 5-7 of heat cycle and repeat around every 2 days until the female ovulates.

If a C-section is needed later, the vet will want to know if progesterone testing was done to ensure the puppies are full-term. Without progesterone testing, we’d be guessing when the female ovulated, which could lead to complications.

3. Stud Fees and Inseminations

Using outside studs can be a significant cost — we usually budget between $2,500 and $5,000. This includes the stud fee, collection and prep costs, and shipping fees if the stud is out of state. We choose insemination with out reproductive vet over natural breeding, which is quicker and safer for both dogs. It also allows us to evaluate the semen before insemination to make sure it’s concentration and motility is adequate, which is crucial when you're investing thousands in a breeding.

4. Pregnancy and Whelping Preparation

Once pregnancy is confirmed via ultrasound, the next few weeks are spent preparing for the puppies’ arrival. This involves:

• Prenatal care for the mother
• Preparing the whelping space
• Stocking up on supplies

While we can reuse a lot of the supplies from previous litters, there are always recurring costs for things that need to be replaced each litter.

5. Pre-Birth Checkups

About a week before the birth, the mother gets a final checkup, which includes an X-ray to confirm the number of puppies. This is crucial for several reasons:

• It helps us gauge whether the mother is healthy enough for a natural birth.
• It allows us to anticipate complications (e.g., if there’s a risk of a C-section or stalled labor).

So what have we spent so far for this litter? 

This is Remi’s retirement litter so we thankfully already have most of her whelping supplies on hand. By the time this litter is born we will have invested over $6,000. This covers: 

• Stud fees & shipping 
• Veterinary costs
• Whelping supply restock
• Prenatal care
• Dog mom food & Supplements

We have currently spent $6,095.26 on this litter and we still have some time until they are born.
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6. What’s Next?
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Stay tuned for updates on the costs and work that goes into raising these puppies once they’re born! From health checks and vaccinations to socialization and finding their forever homes, it’s a big investment of time and resources.
Breeding isn’t just about bringing puppies into the world; it’s about doing it responsibly, ethically, and with the utmost care for both the mother and her puppies. The costs may seem high, but the rewards of seeing healthy, happy puppies go to loving homes make it all worthwhile.