So, you want to be a BREEDER? You think breeding boxer dogs might be a fun way to make some money?

The breeding of boxer dogs is a labor of love, an effort involving, not the investment of capital, but the investment of your very soul. My out of pocket pre-breeding expense is often well over $1,000 by the time I have accomplished the health testing my conscience dictates, the progesterone testing common sense dictates and the stud fee my breeding program dictates. IF the breeding is successful, I will happily accept the quantity of pups that God and my bitch gives me. I have made it possible for this/these pup or pups to be born, and they are my responsibility. It doesn’t matter if they are flashy or plain, show prospects or pets, white, brindle or fawn. They are my responsibility whether they are healthy, hare-lipped or still born. I will praise God for those that live and cry for those less fortunate. I will spend the first three nights sleeping alongside the whelping box and the next three weeks hovering; and after all is said and done, the best one, the one I could “sell” for the most money, I will keep or give away. How do you place a value on that kind of commitment?

We’d had four litters before we invested in a whelping box. Prior to that we used a Big Bird kiddy pool lined with faux-lambskin. We use lots of clean towels, a heating pad and a heat lamp in the winter. You need to have bottles and formula on hand for emergencies and tubing equipment (just in case you have a very weak pup). You should surely be prepared (in an emergency) to feed those pups every two to four hours. What if you lose the mother during the birth? What if she has no milk?

On the rare occasion we come out a few dollars ahead, those dollars will be spent on more health testing. Heaven forbid any should be left over to help with handling and dog show expense! And let’s not forget veterinary expense! Life-threatening or routine; ten days or ten years; they need a doctor, they go to the doctor. They are, after all, my children.

Last, but not least, and absolutely the most difficult aspect of breeding is finding homes for these children. Not that it’s difficult to find potential purchasers for the little darlings; no need to advertise. Folks find you either through your local breed club or your National breed club or via the internet or word of mouth. In some mysterious way you find yourself spending hours on the telephone screening potential buyers. How to choose; how to know that you have the perfect family for your perfect puppy? You never can know for certain. At least the lucky few chosen to offer their home to one of my pups, will know that anything that could be done has been done to give that pup it’s best chance with life. Boxer breeding is not for everyone!