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Dog and Cat Breeders Pricing and Costs

Fully assess the costs involved in starting a dog or cat breeding business

By Beth Shumate
Dog and cat breeders have many budgetary considerations in setting up their businesses. While raising dogs or cats to sell may seem a fun and relatively simple business, it takes much more than just having a few pets and deciding to allow them to breed.

Dog and cat breeders pricing and costs involves not only setting up the kennel area and making sure you have adequate nutritional supplies, but it also requires you to follow proper legal guidelines. Depending on the size and scope of your business, you may also need or choose to buy special health supplies cat and dog breeders need. Once you've determined the type of dog or cat to breed but before you get your first breeding animals from a reputable breeder, you should consider the following things:

1. Determine costs involved in securing the proper local and state licenses needed to establish a cat or dog breeder business.

2. Decide on the type of kennels or cages you need to help you determine your dog and cat breeder business budget.

3. Consider the costs of health and nutrition supplies you need for your cat or dog breeding business.

 

Price the required local and state licenses needed to establish a cat or dog breeding business

The laws in your city and state will determine how much you'll need to pay for licensing. You can start by asking other local dog breeders or local cat breeders about the licenses they needed to get started, then by contacting the proper city, county or state offices to secure those licenses.
Try: Cities and counties provide cat and dog breeders online access to license fees and the forms they need, such as the PDF application from the City of Wichita, Kansas, which charges $50 annually to be a licensed dog breeder in that city. To access the PDF, scroll down and click on "Dog Breeder License." Dog registration fees for kennel operators can run around $40 or $50, depending on the number of dogs and depending on the city, such as those shown from Cache County, Utah. Also consider kennel license fees like those assessed by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, which can start at $75 for fewer than 50 dogs to about $750 if selling more than 500 dogs a year. Kennel licenses for selling animals out of state could be higher, which in Pennsylvania run from $375 to $1,050.

Choose the type of kennels or cages you need for your dog and cat breeder business

The kennels and cages you choose for your dog or cat breeding business will depend entirely on the breed of animal you'll be selling. You may want to consider both indoor and outdoor accommodations for your animals, based on the space you have, the climate in which you live and where you plan to show your animals to prospective buyers.
Try: WholesaleKennelSupply.com carries dog crates of all sizes starting at around $40 each and cats' stacking crates or entire fiberglass cage banks that cost as much as $1,700. Kennel Deck carries sanitary flooring, which starts at $35 per section, to raise dogs off the ground and to provide warmth and air circulation. If showing or exercising your pets outside, Kenneldeck.com also offers shade kennel covers for $60 and up, depending on size.

Determine pricing of special health supplies you need for your dog or cat breeding business

Cat and dog breeders needing to perform artificial insemination on their animals will need to kits for semen collection and insertion. Also, many breeders choose to perform their own animals' vaccinations. You can find the special supplies needed for both duties online.
Try: Exodus Breeders carries artificial insemination kits for around $3 each, depending on the size and breed of dog or individual kit parts like insemination pipettes in packs of 10 for about $10 and tubes of lubricant for about $2 each. Jeffers carries vaccination kits for dogs and cats for about $45 each, rabies vaccines at about $64 for a box of 10 vials and feline leukemia vaccines for about $70 for 10 doses or $330 for 50 doses.

 

  • Responsible cat and dog breeders will probably wish to carry kennel insurance. Ask your insurance agent for rates, as these will vary widely based on your locale and the size and value of your business.

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