So You Want To Be A Breeder or Think They Are Too Expensive?

Let’s start with what is involved in breeding these wonderful dogs and remember if no one bred them there would be none of these wonderful dogs left to welcome into your family! They are the most unique, drama with a side of sass and the most character that will melt your heart. Once you had a bulldog it is a love you will never forget. Everyone will tell you they are worth every penny they spent.

Before a reputable breeder will breed, they are on the hunt for the perfect English Bulldog puppy. One with great health, pedigree, structure, and temperament. This itself is a timely chore and costly. For a good future dam,  you are looking between $4,000 to $10K+. Same if you want the stud. You have the cost to DNA test, health test and make sure they get vet checked. These are important steps that require time and money, before you buy, so you make sure they grow up to be a quality male or female. You cannot just go out and purchase any ole bulldog and breed them. THIS is where you run into lots of possible health issues that keep getting passed on. Unfortunately, this does happen, but it is up to YOU as a buyer to support bad breeders or support the good. Ask questions! Lots of questions! Because it is not always you get what you pay for in this area. Some breeders “KNOW” what they have, and some do not. By doing your own fact checking and testing if they fail to do it first, you might find the perfect pup and not spend a ton of money. In the breeding world I learned very quick that prices are all over the place and the best is not always the most expensive.

Now that you found “the one” that we think is perfect and raise her till she is about two and on her second or third heat cycle. Yes, you heard me almost TWO years before you can think about having puppies. This is not a get rich quick scheme, but some think it is. A true breeder is passionate about their bulldogs, they are family, and only want the best for them and their offspring. You must plan out your contracts of what you will and won't do and how you are going to handle issues that will arise. Shit happens so have a plan and a backup plan.

All plans are made around heat dates, whelp dates, puppies going to their new homes and vet dates. Gone are the days of just getting up and going to family events or holiday outings. If you have kids, only one of you might get to go to their games or school events and the other stays home with the dogs. If your plate is already full, breeding might not be in the cards for you just yet. Have a plan and know what you are signing up for.

Finally, the time has come where she is about 8 to 10 days into her cycle and now, we go to the vet to get her progesterone level checked. They draw blood and send this out to the lab or do it in office. This test tells us where she is in her cycle and if she is ovulating. This test runs between $75.00 to $120.00 each time, but if the number is too low it must be repeated. Sometimes 3 or 4 times, do the math $$$$. 

If you do not own your own stud, by this time you should have researched months in advance and found a few you like. You will want to know their all about their health, pedigree, and DNA. Most good stud owners will have all this when you ask. Be cautious of those that talk a great game but can’t produce the documents you are looking for. When you breed, health is the priority, then you need to think of what colors will the pups be if you mix the two. There are some very desirable colors out there. Are you a strictly standard color breeder or do you like the more exotic? What price range are you wanting to be in? Are you looking for more wrinkles, structure, or size? These are all questions you need to ask when looking for the perfect male to go with your perfect female. Have a backup planned in case something happens to your first choice. Females will not stay in heat while you start searching again. Have their numbers on speed dial.

Stud service runs anywhere from $500.00 to $2,000 on average, although some pedigrees or colors can be even more pricey. Some might even want a puppy back option, where you do not have to spend any out-of-pocket money for the stud, but they get first or second pick of litter to either sell or keep.  This might save you money in the long run, but you might lose money from the sale if you don’t have a big litter. Read their contract, so there are no surprises. It is common knowledge that bulldogs should NOT be breed naturally, because of the risk overheating that can lead to death. Off to the vet again! AI or artificial insemination can be done a few ways if you are, or the stud owner is experienced in AI you can do at home and can be done more than once. There may or may not be an extra charge for this on top of their stud fee. Make sure you check. If not, the vet can do it or they can do what they call surgical AI, this technique involves a general anesthetic and surgery. An incision is made into the abdomen and the semen is then injected directly into the uterine horns. This can cost between $450 to $800 on average. Ask your vet.

While you are waiting to find out if the breeding took and she is officially pregnant. You need to stock up on all your whelping supplies. If this is your first time the amount spent will be astounding, but if you buy quality supplies they will last a long time. Don’t cheap out when it comes to English bulldog puppies. They can go from good to in distress in moments. The first two weeks are critical. First you need to make sure they have their own area where mom can feed and take care of them and they need an area away from mom because bulldogs should NEVER be left along with the mother for the first two weeks, without supervision. They are not the most graceful dog and could accidentally sit, step, or lay on one. That could be a fast trip to the emergency vet and a hefty bill or worse a dead puppy. JUST DON’T. A whelping box for mom with pups and a separate box or ICU unit is great for when they are away from mom. These things can run around $100 to $600 depending on what you need. They need heat! Bulldogs can not regulate their body temps for the first two weeks. Remember momma's inner core temp is around 101 degrees, so you want the box or wherever they are to be around 85 to 95 degrees at least for the first two weeks. Get a heat lamp or a source of heat for that area with a thermometer to keep it regulated. 

Some other items you should have on hand are an oxygen concentrator and humidifier; pee pads, blankets, I personally like shower mats because of the griping on the back and easy to wash; feeding tubes in case they need help, syringes for administering food, meds and separate ones for water enemas if they have problems pooping. Baby wipes to keep them clean and help them poop; something to weigh them with; food bowels and whole goat milk if momma is not producing her own; cleaning supplies because you are always cleaning something; lots of laundry soap; and anything else you can think of with puppies. 

Now that you are fairly sure she is pregnant, it is time to schedule a vet appointment for an ultrasound or x-ray. These tests run about $100.00 to $150.00. If you want to know how many puppies, you might want to wait until day 50 or more. The vet will then gauge the time when you want to start coming in for a reverse progesterone test to see when she is ready to deliver. Remember these test cost around $75.00 to $120.00 each time. If the number is not right, you might need to retest in a day or two, more $$. You try to get her to day 63, and you want to have a rectal thermometer to check for signs of labor.

When the vet confirms she is ready we schedule her c/section. Yep, bulldogs need a c/section they should not whelp on their own, because of all the health risks to the mother and puppies. This should be the last major expense; this will range from $500.00 to $1800.00. Please make sure your vet is experienced in this breed. That number could go higher if there is an emergency, or you need to go to an emergency vet. Always have a backup plan and extra money. 

The big day is here time to go in and have some puppies. We have anxiously awaited this day. Time to make sure you have your box or ICU unit, heat, blankets for momma to lay on and the pups for their ride home. Crank up the heat, they must be kept warm. Temperature is an especially crucial factor. Plug in the heat lamp also. This means utility bills go up. It is also the start of a whole new life for you for the next few weeks.

It is time to prepare yourself for some tiring weeks ahead. Hopefully, you have the help of a spouse or friend that can give you a break and take over when you need it. You bring the babies home and place them on mom nipples sitting there the whole time making sure everyone is latching on and getting full bellies and once there done get your baby wipes ready it is time to make the pups go potty. Yes, you must stimulate them to potty. Never fails that you will be covered in poop and urine, do not wear anything nice. Now it is time to put the puppies to bed in their little basket away from mom and make sure it is heated. You have two hours before you start this process again. This is the time to clean up, eat yourself, take a shower or grab your pillow and blanket to get a nap, close by of course, to keep an eye out for trouble.

Puppies are not even 24 hours old, and we already have a load of blankets to do! Every day we are going through more and more blankets and mats before you know it, you are washing 2-3 loads a day. As we all know not even laundry soap is cheap anymore, we must add the softener for soft blankets for the new babies and a tad of Borax and/or vinegar in the wash to kill any germs or smells. Puppies cannot leave their mother until they are at least 8 weeks to 10 weeks old. That is two full months of cleaning, washing, and caring for your pups. Playing with them is the bonus we all wait for. 

Around two weeks the puppies start opening their eyes and getting more active. Once puppies hit three weeks, we start doing our feedings every 3 to 4 hours. At five weeks puppies are finally sleeping through the night, and you will know if they change their minds. Around four to five weeks we start introducing puppy mush in between feedings and slowly weaning them off the mom. You want to use a premium quality puppy food. More expenses on way! We want to get them to the vet for a six-week checkup; vaccinated, microchipped, and dewormed if needed. 

Meantime you need to start looking for qualified homes for your pups. LOTS of time online promoting your litter, talking to people, finding out if they are good enough for your puppy. All the while still cleaning and feeding. You are worn out and running on fumes but trust me a good breeder will never sell a puppy to just anyone with money. I want to know who you are, where you live and how will you take care of this amazing puppy that I spent sleepless nights taking care of and fell in love with. You can have all the money in the world and if you are a shitty person to the people and animals around you. NOPE sorry, not selling to you. I will keep all my puppies or give them away to someone I feel is qualified before I sell to someone, I feel is not responsible enough to take care of them or will use them in a poor manner. 

Finally, you have the expense of registering your litter, advertising, photographing, and meeting with prospective buyers. Going over contracts, taking deposits, praying your home does not smell like pee or poop when you invite strangers over to see the pups. Having a good security system in case there is an issue with possible theft. I would not try it here, if you catch my drift. Momma bear will not tolerate a thief.

So, after all the expenses and time put into this beautiful hand raised breed the price is not so expensive after all ...Is it? 

“I am a Breeder, I am not cruel, dumb, uncaring, money hungry or greedy. I take immense pride and responsibility for every life I bring into this world and ensure it goes to a wonderful, loving, and perfect home, an extension of the same love and care they received while in my own home. I am not raking in money while sitting on my butt. Every penny I make I earn through blood, sweat, hard work and tears and most gets reinvested back into my program. My greatest joy is a healthy puppy and a wonderful home. The cards of thank you and the pictures of my puppies with their new families are the fringe benefits of my efforts. I am an animal lover, taxi driver, nanny, photographer, veterinarian, custodian, consultant, mentor, student, therapist, customer service representative, marketer and PROUDLY I AM A BREEDER!” unknown