Saddle Rock Kennels

We as preservation breeders get asked this a lot or sometimes accused of "robbing" people in our pricing and they can easily buy a $1200 AKC registered Golden or $400 purebred Jack Russell with such and such AND breeding rights.

For every breed there is a breed standard. This basically is a soft "blue-print" on what the dog should present itself like. A Golden Retriever should be golden in color, have a soft expression, feathered in their undercarriage, be gentle with children, eager to please anyone with a cookie, and expresses the enjoyment of playing a good game of fetch.

 Without these guidelines our Golden Retriever may end up looking more like an awkward blonde greyhound that shakes at the site of water and runs from the sound of a rifle.

Within this mindset we find a breeder willing to work with us as an extended part of their family and showing their work in the ring or in the field. We pay them their asking price ($3000-$5000) and start raising a beautiful puppy to aid their confidence and feed their ambition.

We spend roughly $400 a show to show their worth to judges, peers, onlookers. This can take anywhere from $5,000-40,000. Pay professional handlers to professionally present your dog the best way possible.

We health test our dogs which pending breed can range $300-$2500 per dog. If they fail, we have now lost any money we have in the dog and pet out to a home where their health needs are more suitable to a lifestyle.

We pet out if the temperament doesn't match the standard of personality that is written. 

We pay for progesterone tests ($100) which can be 1-4x before breeding, ultrasounds ($80), x-rays (120), semen shipment ($500), stud cost ($2000-$4000), females extra food from nursing, extra supplements, bedding, heat pads, puppy collars, puppy chews, puppy toys, puppy food, go home bags for new owners ($100-$200 EACH bag), microchipping, vet exam, and vaccinations per puppy. 

This is if ALL goes well and no cesarian is needed ($1500-$4000), puppy milk replacer, bottles, neonate puppy supplements. We are also risking our momma dogs and by this time of breeding we have gained as much knowledge to do this safely and this IS NOT a last-minute choice to breed this girl.

Now... we have to be with this litter from zero to three (sometimes four) weeks to be sure all are healthy, and mother dog doesn't accidently step on them or lay down on one. To be sure they are warm and being fed. This means we DO NOT go to work.  We lose that paycheck. Some breeders may have the help of a significant other to help pay other bills or maybe give you a break to sleep.

Because breeding is expensive, and a lot of the general public don't feel either it's worth the extra work to compete a dog or they just want easy money... we as the breeder do not offer breeding rights in MOST cases. It is our job to preserve this breed and make better versions of our breed. We want the puppies to be nicer than their parents and those puppies' puppies to be nicer than them.

Registration papers are an amazing tool. They allow us to look back on dogs, contact breeders and ask questions on lines outside our knowledge. We can see what type of lines are breeding into (hunting, tracking, show, agility, obedience etc.) it allows us to look up health records that are recorded in OFA database or JRTCA Health Registry. Papers are ONLY as good as the dogs on them. The paper itself holds no value to a dog being worthy of breeding or not.

Click HERE for Golden Retriever breed standard.

Click HERE for Jack Russell Terrier breed standard.