Costs & Gear

Buying Semen

Stud fees and the cost of frozen semen in our breed run about the same as the cost of a puppy, which is in the $2,500 – $3,500 range.

Shipping Frozen Semen

Because semen must be kept at cryogenic temperatures, shipping it overnight can be expensive. I just didn’t realize quite HOW expensive, however. I had heard that it could cost about $600 – $700 to ship, but no one mentioned that this was only the carrier’s fee. Our shipping was $690 via Fed Ex First Overnight.

There was also a

  • $150 semen preparation fee,
  • $125 tank rental, and
  • $180 for return shipping on the tank

The total was nearer to $1,200 than to $700 — and that shocked me.

Veterinary Expenses

We also did 4 progesterone tests (one Friday & then one on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of the next day) and those ran $120+ each. We did a complete blood panel and urinalysis (which they aspirated from her bladder with a needle, since she was in season, and a urine sample collected the old-fashioned way would have been contaminated). That annual exam with bloodwork, UA, and vaccinations was north of $300.

The surgical insemination was $300 (which was starting to sound very reasonable to us!), though there were a few additional fees related to anesthesia and pain meds. She was boarded for two nights because we didn’t know whether the surgery would need to be early in the morning or late in the afternoon (turned out to be late, so she got 2 nights of a spa vacay!). Our bill for the insemination, boarding, and 2 (of 4) progesterone tests was just over $600.

Veterinary Supplies

We have some antibiotics, oxytocin, and fluids in case we need them for the delivery.

Start Up Costs

Whelping Boxes

We bought two used Jonart whelping boxes (long story why we got two) — one is 30″ x 30″ and the other is 36″ x 36″ — both have whelping pen extensions — and each was $600. Both were delivered to me at the same dog show in Perry, GA!

The Jonart boxes are at the high end of the market and are incredibly sturdy. Wooden boxes can hold bacteria, so avoid them.

Whelping Box Liners

I bought a variety of liners and pads to see what works best:

A DryMate Whelping Box Liner:

I like this for the very bottom layer (between the box and the floor).

Two small Durawhelp pads:

These seem to have an off-gassing smell for a few days after unwrapping, so air them out well. Otherwise, I really like them and think they are comparable to vet bedding / vet fleece.
I really like the Dura-Whelp pad so far!

Improvia Whelping pads (2 pack of 36″ x 41″) = $40

These are . . . just larger washable pads & seem . . . fine.

ProFleece

Profleece Ultimate (in pink, obviously) — 2 pieces:

This stuff is phenomenal, and the girls love it! It’s also great for crate bedding.

Forceps

Whelping Towels

Disposable Pads for Whelping

Rectal Thermometer

Deelee Catheter

Bulb Syringe

Nail Trimming for Bebes

Headband with light and magnification:

Tiny Toes Grinders

Play Gym

I built a play gym myself with 1/2″ PVC and eight corner pieces:

  • $20 for eight corner pieces and
  • $10 for two 1/2″ pvc pieces (my first cube was a 12″ cube)
  • $4 for a bag of toys at Goodwill
  • $6 for plastic links
Each straight piece is cut to 12″ long. You need 12 straight pieces and eight 3-way corners.

Heating Pad

This heating pad is pricey at $50, but it has an option for the warmth to stay on.

These are the best underpads / washable pee pads for house training (and we use them for crate pads and whelping box pads, too!) We like both the larger (34″ x 36″) and also the narrower (23″ x 36″) pads.

PuppyWarmer Incubator & O2 Concentrator

I agonized over purchasing this as the investment is substantial, and I had access to borrow one. My breeder pointed out that if you can save a single puppy, it will have been worth it.