Originally Posted by yorkiegold

Stud owner fixes the fee. Stud dog owner approves the bitches. If you want the stud, you pay what they ask, get the genetic/health testing they require and sign whatever they ask you to sign.

Some people are breeding to make money and they'll breed to whatever's handy rather than paying a fair price to breed to a finished champion. It can cost $3,000 and up to finish a dog yourself and the sky's the limit if you hire a professional handler and campaign the dog nationally. The owner of a finished champion deserves every penny they get. Even though you may be able to get a champion sire with a 90% red pedigree (for what that's worth) for $650, I would rather pay more for the one that's producing champions, has years of careful health screening behind it, etc. Many serious breeders will ship their bitches half way across the continent to get the stud that's a perfect fit for their bitch regardless of what percent of the pedigree is red. I know Rottweiler champions that command $1,500 for a stud fee and no one blinks an eye.

But to the original poster's point, it can be a hassle to breed, your male will be nearly impossible to housetrain after breeding, even though you may decide to neuter him. Don't settle for less than you think it's worth to you personally. It's traditional (and recommended) for the bitch to come to the stud dog. Depending on travel distance issues, you may be required to keep the bitch over a period of several days. If one or the other is injured during the process (unlikely, but with a maiden bitch and virgin stud your chances go up) you will be responsible for getting whatever medical attention is needed. You would be responsible for keeping the bitch from being bred or hurt by any other male dog during this time which means Fort Knox security. Your boy will lose his tiny little mind for the 3-5 days time period the breeding will cover.

So don't do it for less than what it's worth to you. I don't care if you're overcharging for what you have or offering the bargain of the century, set the price that makes it worth the hassle to you. If the bitch owner doesn't like it, tell them to go find another stud.

CJ

Originally Posted by txshopper73

What Kimberly and Pat posted are similar and make sense. I didn't know the champion dog sperm was so reasonably priced. I assumed that for champion sperm, it would be in the thousands. With the stud that I'm planning on using, she charges pick of litter which is the going rate of $1000. Maybe it's just the part of the country I'm in, but males right now in Houston are going between $600-800 and females are $800-1200.

Originally Posted by sylvan

Don't get discouraged so quickly, every one of us was a newbie once too. You have to start somewhere. It is admirable that you are asking questions and trying to do the right thing. It is nice to want to help people get yorkies for their grandchildren, but you are just scraping the tip of the iceberg here with possible problems and that really isn't a sound reason to breed your dog. Unfortunately Yorkies are a tough breed to raise, lots of hazards, more to learn all the time. My stud boys do have issues that not everyone would want to deal with in a pet, so there is that to consider. I would say, if you seriously want to begin breeding, spend some more time learning everything you can about them and save up to buy some really terrific specimens, that you will be proud to produce quality pups with. Keep your Harley as the Team mascot and enjoy him as a terrific pet.

Originally Posted by txshopper73

females will generally always be higher because they "can" (not "should") be bred and therefore, you can make your money back on them. You really have to shop around and ask around too to find a good, reputable breeder.

Originally Posted by HisNameIsHarley

I would NEVER even consider charging anywhere near 1000 dollars for a stud fee or even consider paying for one either. Like I said before to everyone their own but personally I find that to be outrageous. Champion or no champion I don't believe it should cost that much. I appriciate everyones help on here. It's obvious that I'm a newbie and want all the help I can get. I am excited that someone is interested in breeding w/ my baby but I have a lot of reserved and worried feelings about it too. I don't want him to totally change just bc I breed him and I'm afraid of his personality and behavior turning upside down. For every new post I get on this thread I'm getting pushed farther and farther into the direction of never breeding him. I feel like such a loser bc I don't even understand what everyone means by "red in the pedigree".. I guess I'm just not ready for such a commitment. I'm lost. :cry:

Originally Posted by HisNameIsHarley

I'm just stumped as to how to ask around.. I know my breeders but that's only one..

Originally Posted by txshopper73

Another thing you should do is have the potential bitch checked by a vet to see if they are carrying any STDs. Bitches that have been studded out to many males have the potential to have STDs which can eventually sterilize your male. :thumbdown

Originally Posted by HisNameIsHarley

Ok, how about I go get Harley's sperm analyzed by the vet to find out if his 'swimmers' are A-ok and are capable of producing? See, I know that almost everyone has said not to use a newbie bitch w/ a newbie stud but I would think it would be alright on my part if I had my vet check on his 'swimmers' and if she said they were ok and the bitch produced no puppies we could be sure the proble wasn't w/ my male. Even if he checked out to be ok and they bred but she produced no puppies (and I got paid anyway) I am certain that I would still give them a freebie anyway. But maybe that's just me.

So is it wrong or right to charge the amount you paid for your male as the stud fee?

Originally Posted by feminvstr

Cj I dont understand you arguing a point that is a fact here. There are two local kennels I have use of their champion studs (proven and tested) and that have sired several champions!!!!! why would you assume these kennels are not testing their studs, paying the same amount for finishing their AKC and why are you dismissing the pedigree if you think the championship is so vital to a breeding program...you make no sense!

You state many serious breeders ship their bitches as do many serious breeder have flown in AI which is far less stress on the bitch and 90% effective in a breeding.

A champion is a champion is a champion if he is in the top 20 in the country then perhaps they can command the higher dollar but a AKC champion doesnt mean his sperm is gold!!

Finally why would you make a statement that some breeders breed to what ever is handy IT IS NOT a GUARANTEE a Champion sire will produce even one potential champion in a breeding. Ill bet more than a few AKC champions are a product of a non champion sire and dam breeding through out the country.

Originally Posted by txshopper73

Something that makes absolutely NO sense. You (YorkieGold) are expected (expecting) to pay $1000 + for stud services but yet you sell your pups for $1000? This is why I questioned about your lines. With prices like that, I'm going to have to assume that you don't breed champion pups? :confused: