National Puppy Day 2025 is on Friday, March 21, 2025: How do breeders come up with a price for a puppy?

Friday, March 21, 2025 is National Puppy Day 2025. National Puppy Day: A Celebration of Cuteness National Puppy Day,

I ask the national median price for dogs of the pedigree I am working with and the quality I am working with. So, I don't ask the highest or the lowest.

I put thousands of dollars into my dogs in health testing and raising my dogs. I put countless hours of time into selecting the best stud for my b*tch and innumerable hours into whelping and raising my pups. I make sure my pups have 24 hour care for the first crucial weeks.

I don't make money selling puppies. I'm about $3600 behind on my last litter... and there's no guarantee I might come out ahead on my next litter.

Price for a healthy litter (not including the price of the dam):

Health tests (OFA, CERF, vWD, cardiac & thyroid, Optigen for PRA) - $430

Pre-pregnancy check up ~ $80

Brucellosis test ~ $60

Stud Fee ~ $1800

Travel to/from stud ~ $840 (1200 miles away, 2 nights hotel and gas when it was $4.20 a gallon)

Increased food ~ $200 ($1 a lb... 60 days gestation + 60 days milk production)

Mid-pregnancy check up $80 (I didn't ultra sound or it would have been another $150)

Whelping box - $120 (6ft x 4 ft x 2 ft with door)

Fleece blankets (8 replacements to add to the dozen I have) $32

Towels (6 to add to the 10 I have) $24

Other supplies (gloves, lube, floss, paper collars, oxytocin) $45

exam and X-ray to determine # of pups $100

We're up to $3811 and there are no pups yet....

I flew my daughter in (summer break from college) to watch pups for 3 weeks so they didn't get squished $320 (a bargain since I'd have had to pay a petsitter $200 a week!!)

Website update (gotta sell the pups) $120

Pups arrive!!

Vet check for dam/pups - $60

dew claws $7 per foot x 28 feet = $196

Puppy formula $12

puppy food $200 (large breed dogs)

Puppy toys $30

(luckily I already owned a couple of puppy pens - $200)

5 days off work $1120 (2 for breeding, 2 for whelping pups, 1 because I hadn't had any sleep in ten days) - I'm a contract worker and don't get vacation.

Advertising - $75

Puppy shots - 7 *18 = $126 (included 6 week check up)

wormer $20

Increased electricity (space heater) laundry, laundry soap, gas to/from vet etc... $100 (3 loads of laundry / day - clean pups are easier to house train)

Newspaper (I don't usually subscribe but I like it to line the pen under the blankets) $20

Puppy potty pads $120 (4 cases at $30/case)

Registration - $40

Total: $6,758

Now, none of this talks about the time put into pedigree research, showing the dog, the cost of the dog, maintaining the dog etc... its just basic responsible breeder costs and it also doesn't take into account the possibility of emergency services ( basic run to the ER vet for oxytocin = $500, c-section $1000-$1800)

It also doesn't take into account the 3 weeks my daughter spent watching pups when I was asleep or at work, the time my partner and son took off work to allow my daughter to sleep or the time any of us took actually working with/raising pups.

And, of course, it doesn't take into account the 100+ applications I screened for the 4 pups that I sold out of the litter nor the time I spent talking to about 2 dozen people to come up with 10 people to "interview" for those 4 pups.

4 pups x $1800 = $6400

1 pup went as the stud fee so that brings my "cost" down to $4958 and 2 pups stayed with me (one to train as a service dog, one as a next generation b*tch to possibly breed if the star align correctly)

In summary - I "made" $1442 on the litter... all of which I got to pay self employment tax on (oh jeepers... I forgot to add in the $$ for the accountant who does my tax returns for my big money making business!!!)

And don't forget.. this doesn't include the costs of housing the dogs I have (fencing, food, equipment) or the normal vet costs or the price of showing the dogs... this is just the BREEDING part.

Somehow.. I think I can make money a lot easier doing almost ANYTHING else.

How much does a German Shepherd puppy cost?

I received mine free, it was 1 day from being put down and was about a year old. Had some health problems and it ran about 200 to get her health again. That was 13months ago now Kate is certified with the National Narcotics Detection Dog Association and does her job very well. Has all the features of a GSD and is about 80lbs. I couldn't be happier. AKC anywhere from 200 to 2,000, no papers 25 to 500, really have to look at the pup and if you can the parents. Papers if you want to compete if not why? Good luck.

I really need a good puppy name!?

Ok first off, CONGRATS!! Yesterday was national puppy day and seriously puppies are probably my favorite things that have ever walked this planet. Lol:)

I think Leo and Chase are way cute!! Chase I think is cuter though:)) I also LOVEEE the name Uno:) omg its the cutest I can't even handle it haha good luck and congrats!!