GRAYHAVEN BOSTONS

The Facts About Responsible Breeding



Suggested Reading

"The Official Book of the Boston Terrier" By Muriel P. Lee

"The Boston Terrier" By Vincent G. Perry

"The Boston Terrier: An American Original" By M. & B. Staley

"Boston Terriers: The Early Years" By Cathy J. Flamholtz



Why do QUALITY purebred puppies cost so much?

That is a valid question, especially for families with tight budgets who are contemplating the addition of a
purebred dog to the family.

First off, when it comes to dogs, you must throw out the old adage: "You get what you pay for;" because that is
not always true when it comes to purebred dogs. Example: If you look at the "purebred" dogs available at a
typical pet store you will see prices ranging anywhere from $500-$1,200 and up. In our area, pet store
(PUPPY MILL!!) Bostons are priced right at $1,200; which, by the way, is just under the price of a very good
quality, show-prospect male puppy! Does that mean you are getting $1,200 worth of quality dog? No!! Most
likely it means you are getting a puppy of very questionable pedigree, compromised health, with no early
handling by loving people, and little or no veterinary care. These puppies have spent their first weeks of life
in wire cages. Most will end up with many medical and behavioral problems as a result of such inhumane
treatment. Often, pet store puppies are taken from their mothers before they are even six weeks old, some
much earlier, and trucked across the country. Even though it is illegal to ship puppies under eight weeks
old, many, many ex-pet store employees report puppies coming into the stores that don't even have teeth
yet...which means they are under four-five weeks old!! Be aware: Puppies treated this way do not grow into
strong, well-adapted family companions! In truth, these dogs comprise the majority of the purebreds found in
animal shelters and rescue groups. Please steer clear of pet shop puppies! "Saving" one from a pet shop simply
clears the cage for another, and sends the message to puppy mill breeders that there is a demand for their
"goods." IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHERE PET STORE PUPPIES COME FROM,
SIMPLY DO A WEB SEARCH ON "PUPPY MILLS." SADLY, YOU WILL LEARN MORE THAN YOU EVER WANTED
TO KNOW!

"Backyard breeders" typically are people who have decided that breeding dogs is easy money...and they are
right...if one breeds dogs the way they do, with no regard for breed improvement, genetics, or proper care!
Backyard breeders sell their puppies for much less than pet stores and Reputable Breeders. This is because,
for the most part, they are breeding dogs that are substandard when compared to the AKC Breed Standard for
that breed. Usually, a backyard breeder is breeding solely for profit, with no attempt to improve his/her
chosen breed. The majority of these breeders happily mate their bitches over and over again, with no
recuperation period between litters. Also, most backyard breeders do not bother to have their dogs tested to
rule out hereditary or contagious diseases and disorders. Yes, their dogs are cheaper, but buying one is a bit
like gambling: You just cannot be certain what you're going to end-up with. In addition, the majority of
backyard breeders are quick to distance themselves from the puppies they sell. If one of their sold pups
develops any sort of problem, the new owner is typically "left hanging," with phone calls ignored, and a pile of
veterinary bills to pay.

Next, you have the serious Breeders or "Fanciers" of a given breed. These people love their chosen breed!!
Their breeding females are only bred a limited number of times, and typically (though not always) are given a
year to rest between litters. This type of Breeder is breeding dogs to improve upon a specific bloodline and to
preserve the integrity of the entire breed. Also, they want new dogs for their personal use (conformation
showing, obedience work, agility work, tracking, lure coursing, field trials, therapy work, etc.). These
Breeders truly care about their dogs and the puppies they produce, and typically go to great lengths to
ensure that their dogs are sound, healthy, beautiful examples of their breed...and that each dog produced
closely conforms to the written AKC Breed Standard. Fanciers sell dogs/puppies for several reasons:

1. Because a pup isn't "show quality;" which does not mean a pup is "defective!" It can simply mean that a
puppy has incorrect markings, ears that aren't placed high or low enough, a tail that is too long, or teeth that
aren't perfectly aligned.

2. To help finance the show careers of the Breeder's "top" dogs.

3. To make room for new dogs that may better improve the Breeder's bloodlines.

4. To place retired show or breeding dogs into family homes where they can be the one and only "star!"

Click here to visit the BOSTON TERRIER CLUB OF AMERICA and see the Boston Terrier breed standard. The
BTCA website is a great resource for anyone with an interest (or love for!) in Boston Terriers. You will remain
at GrayHaven Bostons' site, but will be able to navigate the BTCA site as well. Click here to visit the
AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB website, where there is a great deal of wonderful information about Bostons,
breeders, and choosing the right dog for you and your family. Again, you will remain at our website, but will
be able to navigate through the AKC site as well.

When a true Fancier decides to breed a litter of puppies, it is a serious undertaking! Many, many times a
Fancier is lucky to break even; forget making a profit! At best, a Fancier hopes to produce a suitable puppy for
his/her own purposes, instead of having to go searching for one to buy.

Here is a conservative accounting of what it takes for a Reputable
Breeder to produce a typical Boston litter:

Initial purchase price of bitch= $1,000 - $2,500+

Registration & Pedigree= $35

Microchipping (vet + chip registration)= $65

CERF (vet + CERF fees)= $40 per year

OFA (vet + OFA fees)= $50 - $200 per year

BAER (neurologist + OFA submission fees)= $45 - $215 one time only

Pre-breeding exam + blood tests= $40 - $100

Stud fee= $350 - $700+

Vitamins & Supplements= $35

Exams and X-ray/sonogram= $80 - $175

FUNDS SPENT BEFORE A LITTER IS EVEN BORN = $1,740 - $4,065+

Now, it's time for the litter to be born!

Caesarean section= $500 - $2,000

Litter registration= $25 + $2 per puppy

Vet exams, dew claw removal, vaccinations, and de-worming= $170 - $450

Register each puppy + pedigree= $35 per puppy

FUNDS SPENT ONCE PUPPIES ARE BORN= $732 -$2,598+

TOTAL SPENT= $2,472 - $6,663+

If a litter has 4 puppies and the breeder decides to keep 1 for him/herself, that leaves 3 puppies to sell; let's
say for $800 each. That brings the breeder a mere $2,400 after having spent up to (or more than!) $5,000.

You can see there is a possible profit, all depending upon the size of the litter. Nothing is ever certain;
however, and Boston Terriers often have only 1, 2 or 3 puppies. They also have a somewhat higher neo-natal
mortality rate than other popular breeds. So, depending on the actual costs and number of puppies that
survive, a good breeder can easily experience a net loss of well over $3,000... & if there are no surviving
puppies, it is a huge financial catastrophe for the Reputable Breeder. Worse than the actual monetary loss, it
can cause a whole breeding program to screech to a heartbreaking halt, with no puppies with which to carry
out much anticipated showing &/or obedience training.

* NOTE * Please keep in mind that I didn't figure in all the "regular" costs (annual vet visits, food, toys, etc.) of
owning a dog! I only added the costs related to obtaining and breeding one female Boston Terrier. If a
Fancier is showing, training, or trialling a dog, you can add up to $40 per show, $140 per training class, &
$70 per trial to that tally! Plus, fees paid to handlers & trainers, all the equipment & travel costs associated
with each activity, & time away from home/work.  It can cost anywhere between $1,000 - $15,000 to
complete an AKC Championship on just one dog, with the owner doing the handling.  If a professional
handler is desired, the costs can easily nearly double.

Being serious about raising & breeding QUALITY dogs is a huge financial undertaking. As you are searching
for a Breeder from whom to purchase your new puppy, please keep these numbers in mind. Remember that a
good Breeder isn't necessarily trying to "make out big" by selling puppies at a high price...Usually, he is only
trying to recoup a very small portion of the costs associated with the effort to produce a litter that he will be
proud to have his name on!

If you are presently looking to buy a puppy, please think carefully about how much you can comfortably
spend for a dog; it may be that saving for a few months will enable you to purchase a better quality dog.
Seriously consider the kind of dog you want to share your life with for the next decade or longer. If you want
a better assurance that your dog will live a long, healthy life, don't scrimp now!  The money you think you're
saving by buying that $300 puppy from the free-ad newspaper may be later poured into costly veterinary care
in a losing attempt to correct the effects of poor breeding by greedy, ignorant breeders.

FOR MORE INFO ON WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A BREEDER AND A BOSTON PUPPY, CLICK HERE TO VISIT
"SHOWBOSTONS.COM"

Best of luck to you!!





Remember: This website & all content are owned by Carlene Gray & GrayHaven Bostons     Copyright 2006 CDG
> Boston Byte <
Well-bred
Bostons are born
with very short
tails, or not much
tail at all.
It is unacceptable
to dock a
Boston's tail.
A show dog can
be disqualified &
excused from a
show ring for this.
> Boston Byte <
Pet store (puppy mill) & back-yard bred Bostons are
prone to a host of defects & disorders.  A few examples
are:
Juvenile cataracts, dislocating kneecaps, hip/elbow
dysplasia, "cherry eye," long tails, heart abnormalities,
deafness, allergies, demodectic mange, thyroid disease,
separation anxiety, housebreaking difficulties, &
behavioral issues (often including aggression).
> Boston Byte <
Bostons are divided into three distinct
weight classes:
1. Under 15 pounds
2. 15 pounds -to- under 20 pounds
3. 20 pounds -to- "not to exceed" 25 pounds
PUPPY MILLS
>Boston Byte Continued<
Reputable Breeders ALSO produce
puppies with problems, but at a much
LOWER rate of incidence.  And a
Reputable Breeder doesn't DISAPPEAR
once a problem APPEARS.
>Boston Byte<
Economists & dog care experts are in
agreement that the AVERAGE cost of
owning a small-medium sized dog is
about $1,000.00 per year...  A
Reputable Breeder NEVER gets ahead
of the costs associated with
high-quality care.  Keep that in mind!