Do you love dogs? Do you want to make money out of your passion for dogs? Are you interested in starting a dog breeding business from home? If your answer to any of the questions above is yes, then read on as i share with you a sample business plan on how to start your own dog breeding business from home.
Dogs are sometimes referred to as man’s best friend and it is a well known fact that almost every household own a dog. Now there are several reasons why people keep dogs at home and one of such reasons is for companion purposes. Yes, most people love to have dogs as pets while others keep dogs for security purposes.
Now regardless of the type of dogs you want to breed for sale, there is surely a market for it. If you are interested in breeding pet dogs such as the Hoodle Poodle, Chihuahua, etc; there is a market for it especially for women. And if you choose to breed guard dogs, such as German shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Pit Bulls, etc; there is equally a market for it. With the rapidly increasing rate of crime worldwide, the demand for dogs is only bound to skyrocket.
Secondly, there is no market boundary for dogs. So whether you reside in the United States, U.K, Canada, Nigeria, Kenya, India, etc; you can do this business even from your home. Another positive fact about this business is that you can tap into the global market by putting your business on the web and exporting to the countries of your customers, based on demand.
So now that you have seen the potentials of starting a dog breeding business, below is the exact steps to starting your own dog breeding business from home.
1. Are you really prepared to breed dogs for profit?
Yes, i believe this is the first question you should ask yourself. One of the reasons this question is important is because you are dealing with an animal for a business, which can prove quite challenging in the beginning. In fact, if you don’t love dogs, this business might proof a challenge to you and if perhaps you love dogs so much, then you might also find it difficult to sell your dogs because of the emotional bond between you and the dogs. I think i am talking from personal experience here.
Also, you should note that dogs have that ‘scent’-which should be okay with you. And since you have decided to breed them, then you should be willing to handle the mating and birthing of your dogs which can be ‘cumbersome and somewhat irritating’ if you really know what I mean.
In general, if you do not mind your dog sleeping by your side in bed and you will not have problem with the licking all over your faces, then you will be okay at the very least.
2. Decide what type of dogs you want to breed
Dogs have a wide variety of roles, duties and significance to man. I doubt if you will be able to satisfy all the niches within the dog business. Now you can either choose to breed pet dogs or security dogs; the choice is absolutely yours. But you must bear in mind that the way pet dogs are handled and trained is quite different from the way security dogs are trained. Also, the type of dogs you breed should be determined by your environment and market demand.
3. Note the requirements to start a dog breeding business
The third step to starting a dog breeding business is to find out if there are certain restrictions, rules or laws covering dogs within your environment or region. Now if the law says you are free to breed or own dogs, you will also need to ascertain if it is possible to breed dogs in your neighborhood. This is important to avoid getting sued by your neighbors for breach of peace and for constituting public nuisance.
4. Research and Study
Now this is where the pain of this business starts. To succeed as a dog breeder, it is very much important that you have the knowledge of different breeds of dogs, their genetics, history, characters, pedigrees and temperament.
Moreover, you should also be told about the proper health care, mating and breeding techniques of dogs. These are so many resources that are out there especially on the web but the real question is: will you be patient and committed enough to learn?
Now assuming that all the steps listed above have been followed judiciously, that now bring us to the main question of the day: how will you start the business?
Technically, the first thing you should do is to take decision of the specific breed that you want to concentrate on. Once you have decided that, you can then proceed to the next step.
5. Research the market for chosen breed
So get started, you need to study the market for that breed. How much is it in the market? Who is purchasing them? How popular and important is it compared to other breeds? etc. Who are your customers? Who are your competitors? How resistant are your breeds to diseases and climate conditions in your area? Can your chosen breed be sourced locally or would you have to import them? These are examples of some of the questions you must find answers to.
6. Compute your finances
The next step is to have your finances prepared. Get enough capital not only for buying one or two dogs, but most essentially, a budget for the dog food, veterinary care, vaccines, etc. Also consider the expenses that you will encounter during registration of your dog, your business name and marketing.
What could be your potential income from breeding dogs? Now it is difficult to give specific amounts but you can do some moderate projections and estimate. When you sell puppies, you can recover your expenses of buying and caring with three or four puppies but this estimate is based on the breed. If you have a rare color or a champion breed, selling one or two puppies can fetch you good profits.
You can also earn additional income by the provision of study services. In fact, the expense of caring for your male dog can be up holed by this. If your dog has a nice record of successful mating, more dog owners will like to have your dog copulate with theirs and you can earn constant dividends from it. This is why writing a business plan is very important, even if it is a one-page plan. So that you can prepare adequately for the unexpected.
7. Create space in your home for your pups
Based on the breed you would be buying, you should be able to create space to accommodate at least two dogs at the beginning and if possible, a space for a puppy nursery. You must also make plans ahead because your puppies are definitely going to grow into full-fledged dogs.
8. Purchase your dogs
Finally, you can then proceed to purchase the dogs, if you do not have any already. Most of those who explore the business of dog breeding normally begin with their own pets.
9. Cover yourself legally
If you are just beginning in business as a dog breeder, then you can easily do it as a freelance endeavor. But when your kennel begins to grow after some time, it will be a plus if you can get it registered it as a business. However, from the very beginning, you should have and properly file the veterinary records of your dogs, especially the shots it already had. And most essentially, get your dog’s registration papers details. If a dog has no paper yet, or if it gets lost – then its selling value will greatly decrease.
In conclusion, i want you to know that there are a lot of dog breeders and lovers out there that are breeding dogs just for fun and for the love of it. You can make friends with them learn from them. Most of them who are into the business are good in terms of giving out dog breeding steps freely.
Another good rule of thumb in the dog breeding business is to join dog clubs and attend dog shows / events. This way, you will learn more about the dog industry and network with other successful dog owners. As a final note, i want you to know that the dog breeding business is a fun or hobby-business. It can be stressful at times but all the same, dog rearing can be financially and emotionally rewarding.
