There are two main models: upfront cost (you pay a fee at the time your dogs mate) and pick-of-the-litter (the stud’s owner chooses a puppy from the litter once born). There are pros and cons to each.
- In the upfront cost model, you take on more financial risk. Nature is unpredictable – and there’s no guarantee the pregnancy will take. It’s very possible that you could pay the fee and then end up without any puppies. Assuming the pregnancy takes, however, this option could also be the most cost-effective (depending on how you price your puppies).
- With pick-of-the-litter, you might pay a minimal fee up front to lock-in the agreement. Once the puppies are born, the stud’s owner can then opt for pick of the litter (a puppy of their choice) or a cash amount equivalent to one puppy sold.
We went with the upfront cost model which, in our case, meant $1,000 to the breeder with the stud we picked. We had already run the numbers and knew we’d be looking to sell our puppies for around $2,000 (on average). That meant that even if it took two sessions (at $1,000 each) in order to get a successful pregnancy, we would at least break even. We were fortunate, and the pregnancy took beautifully with Scout in a healthy condition.
*Make sure you get the stud lined up in advance of her heat cycle, so you can do all the necessary planning. Some breeders will have playdates where both parties meet and monitor the entire process. Others will have “sleepovers” where the female spends a few days at the home of the male dog’s owner.