How do I become a dog breeder in Texas? Here’s What to Do Next

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A licensed breeder may not engage in false, misleading, or deceptive advertising; Each advertisement must conspicuously include the facility license number in a font clearly distinguishable from the background. For purposes of this section, a website and any offer to sell is considered advertising. 16 Tex. Admin. Code §91.71.

Dog and cat breeders in Texas are required to be licensed. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) is the regulatory body responsible for the licensure and enforcement of Texas breeders.

Pre-license inspections are required for certain dog and/or cat breeder establishments that do not hold a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Class A animal dealer’s license. The inspection is to ensure your facility is in compliance with state laws prior to obtaining your license. To help you pass inspection, the TDLR provides this Pre-License Inspection Checklist.

Responsibilities of Licensee-Onsite Availability of Law and Rules: A licensed breeder must maintain a copy of the Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 802 and rules adopted by the TDLR regulating licensed breeders. 16 Tex. Admin. Code §91.73.

If you are a licensed dog or cat breeder in Texas, and the TDLR notifies you of a filed complaint or pending investigation, then your license may be in jeopardy. It’s important to take allegations of violations or misconduct seriously from the start and to act quickly to mount a defense against the allegations. You do not want to face the licensing board alone. You need an experienced professional license defense attorney by your side, to advocate for your rights and protect your license.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

The startup costs for a dog breeding business can be substantial, although they’re controllable. Business owners must have a facility for their dogs, purchase female dogs, buy a male dog or pay a stud fee, have food for their dogs and pay for their puppies’ shots and tests. Most dog breeding businesses are located in rural areas, in order to keep facility costs minimal.

Additionally, a dog breeding business should be registered with the AKC, and each litter ought to be registered with the club. Registering a business is $100, and litter registrations are $25 plus $2 per puppy. Here is a full list of the AKC’s fee schedule.

Other startup costs include licensing and insurance fees.

Business owners who want to keep their costs as low as possible can begin by breeding just one female dog. Starting out with just one dog keeps feeding costs, veterinary costs for puppies and AKC litter registration fees minimal. A single dog can also usually be housed in a home without building any special facilities. As puppies are sold, the proceeds can be reinvested in the business to grow it.

The ongoing expenses for a dog breeding business include purchasing food for dogs, veterinary costs for puppies and mothers, and AKC registration fees. Each litter must be tested by a veterinarian and should be registered with the AKC.

A dog breeding business makes money by selling the puppies they birth and raise.

Dog breeding businesses have two ideal customers. Dog lovers who are enthusiastic about a specific breed and have discretionary income are often willing (and able) to pay a premium for a well-bred dog in their favorite breed.

Pet stores can provide a more stable revenue stream, even though they may not pay as much as an individual. Many pet stores, however, prefer to work with rescue agencies and offer adoptions, and are moving away from reselling puppies purchased from breeders.

A dog breeding business may charge anywhere from $500 to $3,000 for each puppy. Where a puppy falls within this price range usually depends on the pedigree of the puppy’s parents and how much care the breeder puts into breeding their dogs. Responsible breeders, for instance, won’t breed dogs who have behavioral problems or genetic health issues. Breeders must be able to cover the potential costs of having such a dog.

How much a dog breeding business can make depends on the quality of its dogs and how many litters it breeds in a year. A high-end breeder may have just four litters a year, but sell their dogs for $2,500 each. If each litter had six dogs, the business would have an annual revenue of $60,000. A low-budget breeder who doesnt have the same quality of dogs may only sell theirs for $800 each. To make the same amount, they’d need more than 12 litters of six dogs each.

A dog breeding business can increase its revenue by entering dogs in shows and winning. This not only adds prestige to the business, but it also lets the business breed award-winning dogs that will have puppies with better pedigrees.

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Dog Breeding Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your states business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability.
  • Its very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

    How to become a Dog Breeder & Quit your 9-5!