Your passion for animals can intersect nicely with business if you want to make a living from it. Many people often keep their passions as a hobby or side interest. If you love animals and want to make it your life work that also pays the bills, then you should be looking into becoming a breeder.

There are many people that are very passionate about certain breeds of dog and actively seek out breeders to buy them from. If you can tap into that then there is a good chance that you can make a nice living from something that you love to do. 

In this article, we will go over how to make this unique business idea a reality so you can be more satisfied with your career. 

Know your Breed

Understanding what the breed is all about is fundamental to being a breeder. There are a lot of things that you have to understand so you can find your market and to avoid some breeding mistakes that can happen. For instance, some breeds can have health problems from over breeding so you have to be aware of what they might be. 

If you are hitting a wall when it comes to researching some of the problems a certain breed might have then contact a vet like Paoli Vetcare to ask what they know about it. You may be surprised and decide to find a different breed to raise and sell.

Find your Market

Before settling on a breed, you can find your market and then work with the breed that will give you the most success.

For instance, you can start with who you think is going to be your ideal customer, figure out what they are looking for and then breed accordingly. If you live in an urban area, then people are certainly going to be looking for breeds that are ideal for small spaces. Or, if the area is known for hunting, then breeding a certain hunting dog variety is going to work well.

This will have people looking for you because you’ve specialized in a way that takes market conditions into consideration.

Try to Get Pre Orders

Having cash up front is one of the biggest barriers to starting a dog breeding operation. It costs a lot in food, lodging and vet expenses to operate. Which is why getting cash up front can be a good way to make sure that you have enough money to operate.

The way to do this is preorders. Have people pay for a pup before they are even born so you already have the cash in hand to use for your expenses.

Get Licensed

Make sure to understand all of the local ordinances required to have before you get started. In many areas you will need to be a licensed breeder to be able to operate. Your facilities will also need to undergo inspections to stay within the legal guidelines. 

Trust is a major factor when people are about to spend thousands of dollars on a dog and they want to be sure that you have the proper qualifications. Even if your state or jurisdiction doesn’t require any formal certifications, you should look into some that you can be proud to display. This will gain trust on the part of your potential customers. 

Even aside from certifications, you should look into forming a club for the breed in your area with the AKC to make sure that you have some representation for your breed in your area. 

Get Educated

You may understand your preferred breed inside and out, but the business may not be as clear to you. This is why it pays off to go to dog breeder school and learn the ins and outs of the industry. 

Look for a school that is state approved for where you plan to operate. This also adds to the trust factor when it comes to your clients and customers. Some are held online and others in person, but expect the courses to last several weeks.

You’ll also develop a network of other breeders and people connected to the industry. Once you are on your own then drawing from these peers will do a lot to help you navigate the waters within the industry. 

Write a Business Plan

Even if you have no plans to seek out any financing, you still need to have a business plan written out. Though they are often pitches to secure loans or investors, they are actually much more than that.

Think of your business plan as a road map that will give you a step by step guide to use to get to where you want your business to end up. It will contain all our ideas on what sets your business apart from others, how you plan to make money and where the areas of growth will be as you progress through the various stages of your business. 

It pays to refer to your business plan occasionally as you advance from one stage to the next so you can stay on track and not lose sight of your business vision.

Be a Part of the Community

Being a part of the community where you do business is a good idea on a lot of fronts. First, you will make your community a better place by being active in it. You can use your business connections to advance certain municipal ideas to make the town more business friendly and it can also help people in their lives by improving the civic atmosphere.

Then, it will also help your business by putting you in a positive light by your neighbors who may also end up as customers in the process. Do things like volunteer for charities that take place in your town. Volunteer your time to help other entrepreneurs in your area and even sponsor some of the kids sports teams. 

People love to support organizations that do good for their community so this is a win win situation for everybody. 

SHARE THIS POST