With over 70 million homeless pets estimated to be living in the United States alone, knowing how to start a dog breeding business goes beyond just the basic economics of the concept. You’ve got to compete with millions of other animals in shelters and many people are naturally leery of dog breeders until they establish a good reputation.
If you are willing to put in some significant resources to get this business venture off of the ground, however, you may just take your love for dogs and turn it into a viable entrepreneurial effort. You will need to make sure there is enough money on hand for proper veterinarian care, licensing when necessary, and capital on hand for things like food and water access.
Once you have that all lined up and ready to go, you’ll be able to follow these additional steps to guide your new dog breeding business to a place where success can be found.
1. Select the Breed That You’ll Want to Focus Upon.
Different breeds of dogs have different requirements for care. If you don’t already have a particular breed in mind, then you’ll want to look through some of the various associations and their information to determine which one would be a good fit for you. Take some time, speak with other breeders to get a feel for the work, and then you will be able to proceed.
2. Be Aware of Local Law Requirements.
Some communities may require you to have a special permit to hold more than just a handful of dogs at your property. You may need to apply for a specific business license as well. You may be required to register as a kennel, which may also include special insuring requirements. If you are within city limits, then special zoning permissions may need to be issued for your business as well. Never assume that you can just start your business on your property because it is something that you want to do.
3. Obtain Your Regular Business License.
If you plan on selling any of the dogs that you will be breeding, then you’re going to need a regular business license to conduct a sale. This applies even if you need to obtain a special business license in some fields as well. Any permits that are required, insurance requirements, and other business needs will need to be proven at the time you apply for the business license.
4. Insurance Requirements Can be Extensive.
You’re going to need more than just general liability insurance when you want to start a dog breeding business. Because you’ll essentially be operating a kennel, you’ll need a specific policy that will cover medical costs for ill dogs, coverage for potential dog attacks and bites, plus have riders to your homeowner’s policy for the business as necessary to cover all possibilities.
5. Think About the Structure of Your Breeding Business.
Are you going to invest in just female dogs for your breeding business? Male dogs that you can send out to other breeders? Or do you want to invest in a mix of genders to do everything in-house? Male dogs are often paid for their services, but you won’t have the chance to raise puppies and turn them into show champions if that’s your business structure.
6. Make Sure Your Animals Meet Breed Standards.
Every recognized breed also has a recognized standard that must be met for an animal to be desired for breeding. Mature dogs that have won shows are the most desired for breeding, which means they command top dollar. Select only the animals that meet the recognized standards to have the highest levels of success for your business.
7. Looks Aren’t the Only Thing to Consider.
Dogs tend to pass down their personality attributes to their puppies. Don’t breed animals just on looks alone. You’ll need to look for healthy, complimentary pairs that are rather even-tempered to achieved the best possible results. If you are only investing in one gender, then you may need to seek out a breeding partner to generate some revenues.
Knowing how to start a dog breeding business ultimately means taking the time to care for each animal as if they were the only dog you owned. Make sure you have contracts in place for sales or breeding agreements and you will be ready to start a business that you are truly passionate about.
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