Most breeders don’t need a 30-page business plan. They need one page that answers the questions that decide whether a litter makes money or loses it. Fill this in before your next breeding, keep it where you can see it, and update it after every litter.
1. What you breed and why
Write one or two sentences: the breed, what you’re breeding for (health, temperament, working ability, family pets), and what makes your puppies worth choosing. If you can’t say it in two sentences, buyers won’t be able to repeat it either.
2. Your goals for the next 12 months
- How many litters you plan, and from which dams.
- How many puppies you expect to place.
- What “a good year” means to you: a dollar amount, a waitlist, or simply covering costs and keeping your best dogs.
3. Your real costs per litter
This is where most plans fall apart, because the small costs add up. List your own numbers for each line:
- Health testing and genetic screening for the parents.
- Stud fee or the cost of keeping your own stud.
- Prenatal vet care, ultrasounds or x-rays, and an emergency fund in case of a C-section.
- Food for the dam and the puppies, from late pregnancy until the puppies go home.
- Puppy vet visits, vaccines, deworming, and microchips.
- Registration and paperwork.
- Supplies: whelping box, heat, bedding, cleaning, and going-home kits.
- Advertising, website, and photos.
- Your time. Even if you don’t pay yourself, write down the hours.
Add it up and divide by the number of puppies you realistically expect. That’s your cost per puppy, and your price has to clear it with room to spare for a small litter.
4. Pricing and deposits
Write down your price, what’s included (vet records, food to go home, a health guarantee), your deposit amount, and your refund policy. Put the same terms in your contract so there are no surprises.
5. How you’ll find and screen buyers
- Where buyers will find you: your website, referrals, breed clubs, social media.
- Your application or interview questions.
- Your waitlist rules and how you choose who gets which puppy.
6. Your puppy care and going-home plan
Buyers judge you on the first week at home. Plan what goes home with every puppy (food, feeding schedule, vet records, contract), what you tell the family about feeding and the first vet visit, and when you’ll check in. A planned call on day three catches most food and stomach problems early, before they turn into “your puppy made mine sick.”
7. Records you’ll keep
Keep a simple file for every litter: breeding dates, vet visits, weights, vaccines, who bought which puppy, and notes from your follow-up calls. Good records protect you if a health question comes up later, and they make your next plan easier to write.
8. Rules to check in your area
Licensing, kennel permits, sales tax, and consumer rules for selling animals vary by state, county, and city. Call your county office or check your state agriculture department before you advertise, and talk to an accountant about how to report breeding income.
Copy this one-page template
| Breed and focus | |
| Litters planned (12 months) | |
| Expected puppies placed | |
| Total cost per litter | |
| Cost per puppy | |
| Price, deposit, refund policy | |
| Where buyers find me | |
| Going-home kit and check-in plan | |
| Records I keep | |
| Local rules checked (date) |
Start with the going-home part
Section 6 is the one that shapes your reputation fastest. Our free Puppy Going-Home Checklist covers what to send home, the feeding sheet, and the day-3 check-in, so you can print one for every puppy.
Get the free Puppy Going-Home Checklist
This page is general education for breeders, not legal, tax, or veterinary advice. Check your local rules and talk to a professional about your situation.