Podcast
12 Days of Breeders – 12 – Dakotah and Hunter of Bear Paw Ranch
The 12 Days of Breeders is a series of interviews conducted with members of the Dog Breeder Society who are doing innovative, creative, and inspiring things in their dog breeding business. In each of these interviews we cover challenges each breeder has encountered,...
12 Days of Breeders – 11 – Courtney Guthrie of Desert Canyon K9
The 12 Days of Breeders is a series of interviews conducted with members of the Dog Breeder Society who are doing innovative, creative, and inspiring things in their dog breeding business. In each of these interviews we cover challenges each breeder has encountered,...
12 Days of Breeders – 10 – Shannon Dooley of Howlelujah Miniature Schnauzers
The 12 Days of Breeders is a series of interviews conducted with members of the Dog Breeder Society who are doing innovative, creative, and inspiring things in their dog breeding business. In each of these interviews we cover challenges each breeder has encountered,...
12 Days of Breeders – 09 – Lory Mitchell of Star Studded Bulldogs
The 12 Days of Breeders is a series of interviews conducted with members of the Dog Breeder Society who are doing innovative, creative, and inspiring things in their dog breeding business. In each of these interviews we cover challenges each breeder has encountered,...
12 Days of Breeders – 08 – Kim Crawmer of Prancing Pony Farm Maremmas
The 12 Days of Breeders is a series of interviews conducted with members of the Dog Breeder Society who are doing innovative, creative, and inspiring things in their dog breeding business. In each of these interviews we cover challenges each breeder has encountered,...
12 Days of Breeders – #7 – Jessica Harris of Missouri Dalmatians
The 12 Days of Breeders is a series of interviews conducted with members of the Dog Breeder Society who are doing innovative, creative, and inspiring things in their dog breeding business. In each of these interviews we cover challenges each breeder has encountered,...
12 Days of Breeders – #6 – Bill Collins of Run’n Bear Mini Australian Shepherds
The 12 Days of Breeders is a series of interviews conducted with members of the Dog Breeder Society who are doing innovative, creative, and inspiring things in their dog breeding business. In each of these interviews we cover challenges each breeder has encountered,...
12 Days of Breeders – #5 – Elli Farmer of A + E Bernedoodles
The 12 Days of Breeders is a series of interviews conducted with members of the Dog Breeder Society who are doing innovative, creative, and inspiring things in their dog breeding business. In each of these interviews we cover challenges each breeder has encountered,...
12 Days of Breeders – #4 – Susan Davis of Davis Doodles Australian Labradoodles
The 12 Days of Breeders is a series of interviews conducted with members of the Dog Breeder Society who are doing innovative, creative, and inspiring things in their dog breeding business. In each of these interviews we cover challenges each breeder has encountered,...
12 Days of Breeders – #3 – Cristine Lista of EverSummer Miniature American Shepherds
The 12 Days of Breeders is a series of interviews conducted with members of the Dog Breeder Society who are doing innovative, creative, and inspiring things in their dog breeding business. In each of these interviews we cover challenges each breeder has encountered,...
12 Days of Breeders – #2 – Meghan Whalen of Roo Roo Rat Terriers
The 12 Days of Breeders is a series of interviews conducted with members of the Dog Breeder Society who are doing innovative, creative, and inspiring things in their dog breeding business. In each of these interviews we cover challenges each breeder has encountered,...
12 Days of Breeders – #1 – Tara Schnetz of Waggin’ Tails Ranch Golden Retrievers
The 12 Days of Breeders is a series of interviews conducted with members of the Dog Breeder Society who are doing innovative, creative, and inspiring things in their dog breeding business. In each of these interviews we cover challenges each breeder has encountered,...
#105 – How Does A Blog Fit Into Your Dog Breeding Business Marketing Plan?
As you may know, I work with a lot of breeders on their marketing and web design. A conversation I’m constantly having with them is how to write a blog and where to put it. I often hear them note: “I know I need to be blogging,” but that’s about it; there’s rarely a...
#104 – 4 Dog Breeding Marketing Problems and Their Solutions
Marketing in dog breeding is an evolving world. It’s been fun. I’m enjoying the journey, the ups and the downs. Today I want to share with you four common problems in marketing and the root cause behind them, and, naturally, I’ll give you some solutions. I dive into...
#103 – 5 Things I Wish I Did Sooner In My Dog Breeding Program
You ever look back at your life and think … gosh I wish I did that sooner? I am always reflecting, analyzing, and trying to assess my best moves. What will make the most impact for me right now? What will help me move forward? What will help me have more of the life...
#102 – Q&A – Dog & Business Insurance and Discounting Puppies
You want to do things right, you want to take good care of your dogs, and yet you also don’t want to waste your money, and you don’t want to spend unnecessarily. You’re looking for the sweet spot, Isn’t that what we all want in our endeavors? Today we’re going to...
#101 – Should You Have Two Breeds or a Second Size?
Ford Motor Company makes cars, trucks, and SUVs. Bakeries sell bread, bagels, scones, and cookies, while serving coffee. Joanne’s Craft Store sells supplies for crochet, scrapbooking, and sewing, to name a few. When a company, like Joanne, starts with fabric and then...
#100 – How Dog Breeding Has Changed Me
Sometimes the hardest things we’ve been through turn out to be the best things that happened to us. I went to a Dr. Joe Dispenza Conference last summer, and he talks about this inner evolution we can go through. He pointed out how the challenges in our life–the thing...
I-10 – Email Marketing for Dog Breeders with Tori Mistik of Wear Wag Repeat
You've heard you need to have an email newsletter to sell puppies, but "ugh" what does that mean! It's sounds like just ANOTHER thing to add to your plate and a new thing to learn. In today's podcast interview Tori Mistik explains what email marketing is, why it...
#99 – Q&A – Form an LLC? Starting with Stud Dogs? How Many Females? How Do I Start Dog Breeding?
July 31, 2014, I heard a ‘yip’ come from the bedroom. I ran inside and saw Nikki had started to have her puppies on my daughter’s toddler bed, she had pulled off all the sheets, and had her first puppy right on the toddler bed mattress. This little white puppy came...
#98 – 3 Reasons Why Dog Breeders Quit the Industry
Giardia was awful. Losing those puppies was absolutely awful. It was a hard way to get through my first year of breeding. You know what was worse? Parvo. Parvovirus has been by far the worst thing I’ve dealt with in puppies. Watching their little bodies fighting, too...
#97 – How to Write Better Puppy Ads and Website Copy
You ever hang out with a little kid and they ask you a question, so you explain it, and they ask, “Why?” to that answer? So you answer. Then they ask, “Why?” again? It’s so common that we can laugh about it, and I’m betting there’s at least one time in your life when...
#96 – Using the Good, Better, Best Model to Improve Your Dog Breeding Program
You ever get up in the morning, all fired up to make some progress in your breeding program? You slept well, you made some excellent coffee, and you’re ready to get started, ready to make things happen. You sip your coffee, glance out to your dogs, they’re having fun...
#95 – How to Handle Someone Coming After You or Your Program for Breeding or Your Breeding Practices
Has anyone ever tried to hurt your breeding program or come after you? Maybe they make a snide comment about your program or one of your breeding practices. One of the breeders I work with has built a nice Instagram following. She has beautiful dogs and has been...
I-9 – Michelle Stern of Pooch Parenting on Kids & Dogs – Important Considerations for Breeders
Have your buyers ever been frustrated with normal puppy behavior? They might say - "This dog is aggressive," or "I thought you said they were good with kids." These are common complaints that arise from buyers during the first few weeks with their puppies, while...
#94 – How to Break the Cycle of Overwhelm in Dog Breeding
“I’m not sure what to do Julie. I have a thousand things to do in my breeding program. I have puppies to sell. I have pens that need to be built and organized. I have buyers that need things and have questions to answer, and I have no idea how I’m going to find the...
#93 – Q&A – Covering the Cost of Dog Food, Breeding on Antibiotics, Dealing with Animal Control, and DNA Diversity in Litters
Ever wanted to ask me a question? I’m always looking to hear from you because what you ask, where you tell me you’re having struggles, that’s what I design my content around. It’s much more fun when I’m having a conversation with you, instead of just with myself....
#92 – 3 Things Dog Breeders Do Wrong When Talking with Potential Puppy Buyers
You ever talk with buyers and then they sort of ghost you and you’re worried you’ll never hear back? You’re in that place where you are questioning yourself, was it something I said? This happened to me the other day. Recently, in my own breeding program, I’ve seen a...
#91 – The Alternative to Regulation & Licensing for Dog Breeders
Have you seen those DNA tests to see what dog breeds your rescue dog is made of? You know the ones where people get the data and it says a little Chihuahua, a little Beagle, some Great Dane, and 26% super mutt? I think it’s funny how no one stops to think, “Holy cow,...
#90 – Should Dog Breeders be Licensed and Regulated?
I got a pretty nasty email the other day. It happens sometimes. Ironically, it wasn’t from someone who was a diehard adopt-don’t-shop person. Instead, although potentially debatable, it was someone who was trying to breed and hadn’t been able to make money at it....
#89 – 5 Ways to Prove Your Dog Breeding Program isn’t a Scam
Have you noticed that with the crazy economy many puppy buyers are getting scammed? People are posing as dog breeders, using images they often pull from real dog breeders, and they’re selling the dog and then ghosting the person because there was no dog to sell. It’s...
#88 – 16 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Dog Breeding Program in Under an Hour
Ever look at the clock and realize you don’t have anything specific to do in the next hour? Maybe you’ve taken the dogs out, you’re waiting on taking your kid to his next activity, but you aren’t going to leave for 30 minutes or an hour. Finding time like that kind of...
#87 – Are you Justifying Your Breeding Program?
I remember in the beginning, when someone would ask what I do, back when I first started breeding dogs as a full-time thing, I’d get a look. Sometimes the look was one of confusion, as though I were using dog breeding as a way to look like I had a job, when I was...
#86 – How Do You Market Your Puppies?
Everything is going well. You picked some awesome breeding dogs, you got them on a food you like, they’re healthy. Your family is excited, too, they aren’t sure what to expect, but your family has helped you get a dog room put together. In no time you’ll have puppies!...
#85 – What Does the Dog Breeding Lifestyle Look Like?
Do you remember career planning in high school? They have you take a survey of questions asking what you liked: Do you prefer to work outside or in air conditioning. Do you like being physical or would you prefer to be mostly using a computer? Do you like to travel or...
#84 – What Skills Do You Need to Be a Dog Breeder?
A lot of people schedule a free strategy call with me and want to know if they are good enough to breed dogs–if they have the right skills to do it, or if it would even work. I understand that. I myself wasn’t sure if I was the right person to start dog breeding. I’d...
#83 – The 3 Things You Absolutely Need When Starting a Dog Breeding Business
Have you ever had to move? I really dislike moving. I’ve had my property for over a decade, so I just like the idea of having a place and continuing to develop it and turn it into an ideal home. However, there was a time in my life when I had 16 addresses in 48...
#82 – Is Dog Breeding Profitable?
Recently I was doing some keyword research and I saw that many potential breeders are checking to see if breeding is profitable. This seems to be a big concern, so, naturally, being me, I wanted to discuss it with you. However, I hate leaving you hanging, so the...
#81 – How To Have Confidence In Your Puppy Pricing
Have you ever caught yourself thinking about your pricing? If it’s right or not? Maybe you’re driving down the road and are wondering if you lost that last sale because your price was a bit too high? Maybe you’re wondering if your price is too low? Did they think your...
#80 – 5 Tips to Manage Your Breeding Expenses
I met with my accountant the other day. She’s brilliant. She knows all the little ins and outs of things. She helps me see where I can save extra money, where I can get more credits, and in general, she helps me stay organized. One thing I find interesting about taxes...
#79 – Should You Hire Someone Or Do It Yourself?
Part of the beauty and curse of being a dog breeder is how dynamic it is. How many different hats in breeding there are. Let’s recap these different jobs within breeding that most breeders have to manage. I’ll just name a few: Whelper Poop Scooper and Facility...
#78 – Are You Getting In Your Own Way?
My CPA would always give me that look. “I don’t know why you try and use that software…why don’t you just use Quickbooks? I could help you with Quickbooks. LOOK! I can’t even click on this … in Quickbooks I could click on this thing.” I love my CPA, she’s brilliant,...
#77 – 5 Things You Can Do On Your Phone to Make Your Business Better
I’ll always find it amazing that this tiny gadget, slightly bigger than my hand, can provide me the ways to make so much money with my dog breeding program. There are things I love about cellphones and things I loathe. Do you remember when people used to refer to them...
#76 – How to Create a Better Customer Experience on your Website
“You need a website!” You hear that everywhere. Everyone talks about needing a website, but very few people actually talk about what should be on the website, and even fewer seem to discuss the customer journey and how your website plays a part in it. As the New Year...
#75 – 3 Things to Consider When Planning Your Year of Dog Breeding
Did you get through 2023 thinking it was a whirlwind? It felt like that over here. There were lots of highs and lows, new struggles to overcome, and a new way to play the game. And there were lots of pivots. Bill isn’t the biggest on New Year’s resolutions. For him,...
#74 – Are You Making These 4 Mistakes with Your Puppy Advertisement?
Do you get irritated with shelters and rescues who are able to find a loving home willing to support a dog who is missing a leg, an eye, an ear, and also has severe issues with reactivity or fear? It sounds terrible to say it, but I’m going to say it, sometimes I look...
#73 – The Key to Improving & Managing Your Buyer Relationships
Have you ever got a dog from a shelter or rescue? It’s rare to know the history of the dog, what trauma he endured, what he’s sensitive to, what he loved and no longer has. You spend those first few weeks sort of seeing what happens, does he like these treats or...
#72 – How I Sold Puppies in this Crazy Market –Even the Puppy with One Eye!
As many of you know, my breeding program is called Bear Paw Ranch. I breed German Shorthairs primarily, with a small Rat Terrier program. What you might not know is that I don’t advertise to my buyers that I have a podcast or a business helping other breeders. When I...
#71 – The Key to Capturing Buyers When They’re Looking to Buy
You know what is super frustrating? Having a buyer call, looking for a puppy, and you don’t have one. You know what’s also frustrating? Having no one calling you when you do have puppies. Do you feel that pain? I know it was a pain for me for a long time. It’s a...
#70 – How to Downsize Your Breeding Program & Retain Your Bloodlines
Is the thought of having a giant litter stressing you out? Normally these are exciting things, all those puppies, all those options for buyers to pick from, but it can feel a bit stressful if your waitlist isn’t what it usually is. If you feel a little PTSD from the...
#69 – Ethical Breeding & The Economy…how are they related and unrelated
In the last episode we discussed the idea of pausing your breeding program, what that might mean, what is happening in the economy, not just in the dog breeding market, but also in the economy as a whole. Recently there has been a little confusion in the world of dog...
#68 – Pause Your Breeding Program?
There’s been a lot of talk recently about pausing your breeding program. As if you can simply push a button on the remote of life and make living things pause, yet I digress, I think they made that into a movie with Adam Sandler, right? Well, I wanted to chime in on...
#67 – Are You Accidentally Sabotaging Your Dog Breeding Program?
As the market is normalizing, the supply of dogs is still slightly in excess of demand, buyers have lots of options, and breeders are having to work a little harder. Many breeders are feeling stressed and wondering…should I quit dog breeding? Before I dive into that,...
#66 – How to Gain Traction In Your Breeding Program When You’ve Lost It
The market has been difficult recently. There are less people looking for puppies than there were a year ago and a lot of the buyers think the market is saturated with inventory, so they think it’s a buyer’s market and they should get a deal. While I can see and...
#65 – Are Your Breeding Problems Perspective Problems?
Back when I was teaching aviation, one of the items in our instructor handbook addressed helping students work with and manage stress. The one that always stuck out to me was “Change Your Perspective.” I remember the picture in the book, it was a landscape and it was...
#64 – Dog Breeder Insecurities – and What To Do About it?
Recently I had a breeder steal a Dog Breeder Society Badge, edit someone’s kennel name off it, and put her own. If you aren’t familiar, I host the Dog Breeder Society, it is the spin off community from my podcast and coaching programs, where I create MasterClasses...
#63 – Maintaining Boundaries with Buyers
Your phone pings… you glance down… your chest deflates with a sigh… oh yeah, it’s that buyer again. You know the one I’m talking about, they think because they bought a puppy they can chat your ear off about anything and everything whenever they please? It’s really...
#62 – How to Prevent Your Breeding Program From Taking Over your Life
Can I confess? I hate dealing with dogs before 9 am. I like to get up a few hours before the kids and just have a little time to myself or just with Bill. I do my best writing in the morning, I like to make my bulletproof coffee, and I like to watch the birds in my...
#61 – 5 Contract Clauses That Make Me Cringe
I thought about titling this episode: How many people can Julie piss off in one episode…but I feel like I’d be doing you a disservice if I pretended this stuff wasn’t an issue. Contracts are so much more than liability protection especially when it comes to your...
#60 – What Makes an Honest Dog Breeder?
What makes an honest dog breeder? I wish I could tell you it was three females, two studs, you’d breed four litters with each female, retire her, health test your dogs, have a contract, and it would be perfect—but that wouldn’t be honest of me, it’s not the truth. Dog...
#59 – Should You Quit Dog Breeding?
When I was in my first year of breeding and lost eight puppies to giardia, I questioned if I should quit breeding, if I was worthy of being a dog breeder. It’s natural to go through the thoughts of quitting, to reflect and ask yourself if this is what you really want...
#58 – The Key to Selling Puppies in the Changing Market
As the puppy market is normalizing, you have to ask yourself, how am I going to grow, or at least sustain, in this changing market? The answer is customer service. This year customer service is going to be the most important thing you can you can do to keep your...
#57 – Can You Leave Your Dogs For a Family Emergency?
Recently I had one of the scariest days of my life. Bill called me and said he was driving himself to the Emergency Department because he had no idea what was happening, but he didn’t feel right, and was in a lot of pain. Now, if you ever met Bill, you’d know he’s the...
#56 – When Is It a Good Time to Add Guardian Homes?
I get this question asked a LOT…everyone wants to use guardian homes because it seems like a great way to grow your program without having all the extra work that comes with managing more dogs, it also seems like it would give the breeding dog a higher quality of life...
#I-8 – Matt Beisner, the Zen Dog & Dog Impossible – On Trainers and Dog Breeders & Genetic Coercion
We are so lucky to have Matt Beisner on today, from The Zen Dog & the show Dog: Impossible. We discuss a lot of topics where trainers and breeders collide, discussing the market, what people want and where the dog fits in. We discuss genetic coercion–are we...
#I-7 – Tori Mistik, Wear Wag Repeat – Where New Petpreneurs Struggle
Tori Mistik of Wear Wag Repeat is a business coach for Petpreneurs. She works with business owners of all pet industries and even has a community for those wanting to grow their businesses. Tori has seen it all, in today’s episode she discusses where lots of new...
#I-6 – Michele Taylor, Taylormade Miniature Golden Retrievers – on Guardian Homes & Puppy Raising Families
Hello Honest Dog Breeders! Today we are so lucky to have Michele Taylor of Taylormade Miniature Golden Retrievers. Michele and her husband have 8 beautiful children and an amazing dog breeding program. Through a unique housing restriction Michele had to get creative...
#I-5 – Kate Hesse – Mental & Emotional Hygiene Coach –on burnout & taking care of yourself as a breeder
Is dog breeding burning you out? The stress of breeding ebbs and flows and we can certainly make it easier on ourselves, but are you just tired or are you at a point of burnout? In this episode we discuss burnout in dog breeding, how to recognize it, if it’s a signal...
#55 – How to Sell Leftover Puppies
It happens. A litter is born, whether the market is a little wonky, you haven’t quite gotten your name out there like you wanted, or life happened and you plum forgot to really get out there with your advertising…and here you are, puppies are 6, 8, or maybe 10 or 12...
#54 – My Current Kennel –what I love and hate
As you know, it took me a long time to get the facilities that really made a difference in my breeding program. I didn’t have everything how I wanted it when I first started out. An overview of my kennel The facility I have now has made a great improvement, but it...
#53 – What does it mean to be an Honest Dog Breeder?
I received an email from a man who is starting out his journey in dog breeding. He had been given an exciting opportunity to start a breeding program, his uncle had a dog that had never been picked up, and he couldn’t get ahold of the owner. The dog was a great base...
#52 – Recession Proofing Your Breeding Program
Have you felt it? The market has been shifting, it’s like that feeling in the air when summer turns to fall and it smells a little different. If you’ve been watching the economy, fuel prices, and the price of dining at your favorite restaurant you might be wondering...
#I-4 – Michelle Klump, Outwest Bassets, in Arizona – facility design & marketing to your ideal puppy buyer
Hello Honest Dog Breeders! Today we are so lucky to have Michelle Klump of Outwest Bassets, in Arizona. Michelle has a brilliant business mind and a loving heart. She always wanted a Basset, but found she wasn’t able to easily find what she was looking for. It sparked...
#51 – Getting Started with Temperament & Drive Testing
As breeders, many buyers are looking to us to help them figure out what dog will be the best fit for them. Which puppy will fit their needs? They want the Goldilocks puppy, the one who isn’t too much, nor not enough, the one that is just right…but how do we start...
#I-3 – Jody Moffett, DVM on new puppy buyers, breeders and veterinarians, and how temperament affects vet care
In this episode, I have Dr. Jody Moffett, my favorite veterinarian of all time, she’s simply the best and has put up with me for over 8 years, helping me solve problems with giardia, being patient with all my questions, and entertaining all my wild breeding musings. I...
#50 – 3 Unexpected Life Lessons from Dog Breeding
Before we get started, I wanted to thank you, thank you for being with me for 50 episodes! When I started this journey about 25% of me thought that I would be that one weirdo dog breeder in the corner that everyone rolled their eyes at. Thankfully, I found out I’m not...
#49 – Coat Condition: What Your Dog’s Coat Says About His Health
There is no better way to enjoy a movie than with popcorn on one side and your dog laying on the other, his head on your lap, giving you two hours to feel that luscious coat. It’s a therapy for me to run my hands over a dog’s coat, almost a hidden life secret. As...
#48 – Techniques to Improve Your Goals & Efficiency in Your Dog Breeding Program
You know where I used to fail at my goals? I would write them up, plan them out, but then never stop back to check on progress and see how things were going or assess if I needed to pivot and alter my course of action. Can you believe the year is already half over?...
#I-2 – Beth Berkobien – Aggression, Temperament, Drive, and Loving the Growl
In this episode we have Beth Berkobien of Rehab Your Rescue in Dallas Texas, Beth works primarily with anxiety and aggression in dogs. She has been a wonderful help to me in my own situation with our dog Cinch, a charming cattle dog, and I am so lucky to have met...
#47 – 3 Ways to Use Your Brand to Build Your Breeding Business
Do you have a favorite drink at Starbucks? Sometimes I feel a stress release just walking in, knowing I’m going to have a nice cup of coffee. I know what I’m getting, I know the taste I’m looking for, and Starbucks creates the experience for me every time I take a sip...
#I-1 – Branding with Drew Dzwonkowski
My brother is a master with design and in today’s interview we discuss branding. If you aren’t familiar, branding is the feeling customers get when they associate with your business. In order to attract the right ideal puppy buyers and build trust with them, you want...
#46 – Guardian Homes & Co-Owns –When you should and shouldn’t use them
You hear the terms tossed around all the time: guardian homes and co-owns, but what are they really? What’s the difference? More importantly, WHEN should you use them in your program? First let’s do a brief breakdown of the differences between guardian homes and...
#45 – The 5 Steps to Fixing Your Breeding Program
It’s that moment when you start to feel your blood boil, the frustration coming over you in a wave of heat. You want to scream, punch something, run away from it all. But you can’t, this is your mess, and you need to deal with it. You take a deep breath…maybe a...
#44 – The 4 Pillars of Dog Breeding–where to put your focus?
When I first started planning the Honest Dog Breeder business, I knew I needed to organize the content in a way that was searchable. I knew that if I could help you figure out what part of your breeding business needed more focus, then I could more easily provide you...
#43 – What to Do About a Defective Puppy
It’s a beauty and a curse that we work with live animals. On the one hand, wow is it amazing, new life being created and born. Yet on the other hand, with live animals, there’s always the potential for something to be wrong. It isn’t always a birth defect, although...
#42 – What’s Holding You Back in Your Dog Breeding Program?
You know what’s embarrassing? I have no idea how to workout. The thought of creating a workout plan is paralyzing to me. I feel overwhelmed by options, yet I feel obligated to do it right, or else why do it?! I had no idea where to start, and what’s worse? I played...
#41 – My 3 Biggest Regrets in Dog Breeding
We all have regrets. Times in our lives when we made decisions with limited knowledge or impulsively. Times in our lives where if we have only known a little more, we could’ve saved ourselves a lot of pain and suffering. I recently heard that pain is the thing that...
#40 – 6 Buyer Red Flags –and how to handle them
You know what’s one of the worst feelings in dog breeding? Selling a dog to the wrong family. And what makes that worse? Knowing that it’s okay enough they’ll keep the dog and take care of him, but it’s not a good enough fit where the dog brings them joy. It’s just...
#39 – Should you Sell a dog to grieving buyers?
The first time we talked, she started to cry over the phone, struggling to get each word out. It had only been five days since her 5-year-old GSP had unexpectedly died. He had been fine the previous day and then he was gone the next evening, an unknown organ failure....
#38 – 5 Side Hustles that Complement Dog Breeding
As your dog breeding business grows you’ll find yourself in a weird limbo: you have enough dogs, litters whelping, and things to manage that having a full-time job would be hard to manage without sacrificing care to the dogs, BUT you aren’t exactly making enough money...
#37 – How to Handle An Oops Litter
It was a Tuesday afternoon and the weather was just starting to get warm. I was in the middle of cooking dinner and was carrying the dripping spatula over to the sink, using my left hand to prevent the spaghetti sauce from dripping on my floor. That’s when I saw it....
#36 – The Purpose of the Puppy Pack
Don’t you love getting little care packages? I secretly didn’t mind going to the dentist as a kid because not only did you get a sticker when you were done, but you got a little care package. I always got a super basic toothbrush, but I got to pick the sparkling...
#35 – The 7 Best People to Marry as a Dog Breeders
I remember going through my divorce thinking, who in the world is going to date somebody with so many dogs? I knew it wouldn’t be easy to find a mate — I’m a little picky — but more so, I knew I needed to find someone who could love me and my dogs. When I first met...
#34 – Diminishing Immunity…are your puppies susceptible?
The first time I heard how vaccines worked I thought it was a miracle. With only a quick prick you could get immunity to something that otherwise could kill you. I was blown away. I wish it were as simple as it sounded in health class so many years ago. In case it’s...
#33 – Losing a Puppy –and what to do about it
People often wonder what it feels like to breeders when we lose puppies. After consulting with hundreds of breeders I think it is fair to say that it is one of the hardest things we have to deal with, if not the hardest. Of course the first feeling is grief for losing...
#32 – The Tension Between Breeders & Veterinarians –and what to do about it
A buyer once emailed me about her new puppy who had a bladder infection. She had completed one course of antibiotics, yet the very next day she again tested positive for an infection. Her vet told her that the dog would probably always have these bladder infections...
#31 – Should You Own Your Own Studs?
The first goats I ever bought were a tiny little female doeling and a Nanny goat who was bred. I drove four hours to get these goats and thought I would put them in the back of my mid-size SUV. I had a water resistant liner in the back and thought it would be fine. I...
#30 – 3 Criteria for Selecting Your Breed
If I had to start breeding all over again, I would change some things. Looking back, I’m not so sure I would’ve chosen German Shorthairs as my breed. But that’s all history now. It’s my main breed, and I will have them so long as I breed. If I sound a little funny...
#29 – What’s the Deal with Doodles?
Dogs are a lot like vehicles: they say something about you. If a guy buys a Rottweiler he’s showing he’s tough, strong, and not to be messed with, but Poodles…well…the stereotypical impression of Poodles is that they are high maintenance, have the personality of the...
#28 – How to Maintain Integrity in Your Program
Your reputation is built on your breeding decisions, good or bad. We obviously want a good reputation, but, ironically, I’ve seen a fair amount of breeders care about their reputation, but then make decisions that directly contradict it. For example, I’ve seen...
#27 – Planning Your Year of Dog Breeding
Most people overestimate what they can do in a day and underestimate what they can do in a year. Building a dog breeding business takes time, but it can be done more efficiently-not necessarily more quickly-by planning it out and chipping away at it a little bit each...
#26 – A Letter to Buyers Who Buy from Us Honest Breeders
Thanks for joining me for a special episode. Normally my podcast is written for breeders, but today, I have a love note for all the wonderful owners out there who have chosen to buy a dog from an honest breeder. Today’s episode is for you, I want to share with you all...
#25 – Are Your Puppy Applications Working Against You?
I was in a Facebook group the other day and a breeder made a comment that she gave up on puppy applications, she no longer has an application form people fill out on her website, she felt that having a form on her website gave too much information on what she was...
#24 – The 3 Reasons Dog Breeders Breed
When you breed dogs, people often ask you why you breed, it’s sort of funny, people don’t usually ask farmers why they are farmers, nor do they ask engineers why they are engineers. Yet, people always want to know why breeders breed. I think some of this comes from...
#23 – Is An Aggressive or Sustainment Program Right For You?
Depending on your breeding goals, your initial or current breeding stock will either be very close to what you are trying to achieve in your breeding program, or they will be very far away from what you’re trying to achieve. When what you want is already in your...
#22 – Why You Need to Build a Bloodline
An English guy is driving with a Polish guy as his passenger, when he decides to pull over because he suspects that his turn signal may not be working. He asks the Polish guy if he doesn’t mind stepping out of the car to check the lights while he tests them. The...
#21 – What does ‘Breed to Improve the Breed’ Really Mean?
Breed to Improve the Breed. Any time a new breeder asks about breeding in a Facebook Group you see this phrase littering the comments. People throw this out there like it actually means something at face value. I remember calling a woman at the German Shorthaired...
#20 – My Origins Story – How I Became a Dog Breeder
I’m a sucker for origin stories. I loved watching how Iron Man went from the arrogant genius to the hero, willing to risk himself for the greater good. I loved watching the son become a man as he was running from the mob with his hitman father in Road to Perdition. I...
#19 – What You Need to Start Dog Breeding
In its simplest form, you need a pregnant female and nature will take its course. Isn’t that the beautiful thing about pregnancy? You can’t stop it, nor speed it up. I remember being pregnant with my daughter thinking will it ever end? But you can’t stop it, nor speed...
#18 – The 6 Criteria For Selecting Your Breeder Dogs
Selecting Breeding Stock is the main component of shaping your program and it will make or break it. It is a large part of what sets successful breeders apart from not-so-successful breeders. Having a great Ideal Customer is important because it gives you direction,...
#17 – What Getting a Dog Returned Says about Your Dog Breeding Program
I remember the first time I got a returned dog. I felt like such a failure. I had never surrendered a dog before in my life and, as a breeder, the idea of them surrendering a dog made me feel like there was something wrong with the dog I bred. My creation wasn’t good...
#16 – Is Your Price Point Attracting the Wrong buyers?
Let’s not lie here, pricing of puppies is very exciting. I know we are breeding to make these incredible dogs, but pricing is where people financially thank you for what you’ve breed. Let’s get the guilt trip over with. We all have met people that loathe dog breeders,...
#15 – Is Your Dog Breeding Program a Burden to Your Loved Ones?
It was mid afternoon on a crisp March day, down here, in Arizona. Just two days earlier, I had installed a toilet and, well, needless to say, based on the flooding, it would appear that a future career as a plumber was not in the cards for me. Bill walked into my...
#14 – 5 Reasons Your Dog Breeding Program Isn’t Making Money
Honestly, there are better ways to make money than dog breeding, especially alternatives that don’t involve as much poop. However, if you’re a breeder at heart, you do it because you love it, poop and all. Just because we love the dogs and all they are, doesn’t mean...
#13 – Should You Breed Back-to-Back
Should you breed back-to-back? Sometimes it feels like you have to be careful whispering that phrase out loud. The breeder police squad will come over and harass you for not caring about your dogs. But is that really the truth? Is breeding back-to-back bad? You might...
#12 – Dog Breeding Full-Time V. Part-Time, What’s Best for You?
What’s Better for You, Breeding Part-Time or Full-Time? I know there are a lot of people out there who think you can’t breed full-time, while I’ve heard other people say it’s impossible to only breed part-time. From experience, I can say you can do either. So here are...
#11 – Are Titles Necessary for a Successful Breeding Program?
I wish I had a dollar for every time a new breeder jumped into a Facebook Group and asked what they needed to do to start breeding. Invariably you’ll see multiple comments that say, “you need to health test, wait until two years to breed, and title your dog before...
#10 – What Defines Your Success as a Dog Breeder?
There is no black and white definition of success. Ask a few people what their definition of success in life is and you’ll get all sorts of answers, some will say being happy, some will say a good marriage, some will say children who make it to 18 (I did throw myself...
#09 – The Secrets to Successful Puppy Deposits
I was in this breeder group on Facebook one time and this breeder who had been breeding for years came on and said she had called 85 of the 360 people on her waitlist before finding 6 buyers for the puppies she just had. My mind was blown. Who wants to spend the time...
#08 – Should Dog Breeders Make Money?
I’m not sure where the whole idea of breeders making money meaning they were cutting corners came about. It is really odd if you think about it. Take cattle ranchers for example, they breed cows every year, they raise the babies, then sell them at 16 months of age to...
#05 – Why You Need a Website
#1 – It looks professional and it isn’t busy and will allow you to create a better first impression Have you noticed how the world is turning into a “gig economy”? There are tons of new ways to make money part time doing all sorts of things with businesses like...
#06 – Why You Need to Build Quality Relationships with Your Buyers
I remember when I was super new at breeding, I was terrible at testing temperament and aligning that with my buyers. I just didn’t understand it, didn’t know there could be that much variation in my dogs, and I didn’t have a way to assess the dogs and the buyers....
#07 – Should You Let Your Buyers Pick a Pup Based on Color?
A new buyer calls, interested in getting a puppy, and so you ask, “what are you looking for in a dog?” And instead of describing the lifestyle they lead and want to incorporate a dog into, they spout off a certain color, then, sometimes it gets worse, and they go into...
#01 – Why The World Needs More Honest Dog Breeders
I’m sure you’ve seen the #adoptdontshop hashtag. Maybe you’ve discussed your desire to breed with some friends and they gave you a look that suggested you were about to take a job on the black market. There is no denying that there are a lot of dogs that make it to...
#02 – The Difference Between Honest Dog Breeders, Backyard Breeders, & Puppy Mills
When I first started breeding people sometimes asked if I was a backyard breeder my response was always, “I breed exclusively in my front yard.” which was usually followed by a laugh—although sometimes it was that awkward blank stare. Let me first distinguish why I...
#03 – The Single Biggest Mistake Most Breeders Make –and how to avoid it!
The number one reason that people have issues with their dog is because the dog is misaligned with the lifestyle that it has to live in. How do we fix that? Well, what if instead of trying to find the perfect dog for your lifestyle, you selected the breeder that bred...
#04 – Where the Adopt-Don’t-Shop Movement Has it Wrong
I was lonely and I wanted a dog to fix that. Detroit has an incredible adoption event at the Detroit Zoo just as the summer is kicking off and I made up my mind. I was getting a dog. My man had left for Afghanistan and I was needy, clingy, and this poor dog took the...
Treating Giardia Naturally in Dogs – MOOM – Magic Oregano Oil Mix
MOOM: Magic Oregano Oil Mix - the simple cure for giardia The Quick Background Story If you are in dire need of a solution right now for giardia and coccidia use the button to jump to the MOOM recipe. About a year and a half into my breeding journey, I had 3 litters...