Raising a litter of puppies can be a rewarding and sometimes profitable experience…that is, until you find yourself stuck with a litter of 6 month old pups.   That’s the moment in time when you begin to question your sanity and wonder where to go from here.  Sometimes this will force a breeder to underprice their pups, or place them in a less than desirable homes, perhaps even give them away out of sheer desperation.  In the worst-case scenario, the pups may even wind up in a shelter as a last-ditch resort. Anyone who has raised a litter knows the longer you hold them, the more money you lose in the process.

The good news is, this scenario is completely avoidable with some judicious planning.  There is much work to be done ahead of time, long before you make that decision to send Jack and Jill on their honeymoon.  Breeding is not for the faint of heart! There are many things that can go wrong, but the one thing that is almost always avoidable is “getting stuck with a litter”.

One of the things I have learned over the years is that a breeder needs to establish a solid client base before making the commitment to have a litter. I like to have at least 4-5 deposits before I even commit to producing a litter.  This will eliminate a huge amount of stress right from the start so you can focus your attention on mom and the pups.  So, how can you build a client base?  Well, there are several ways of marketing your product on the internet nowadays.  We have a multitude of social media platforms to choose from, Instagram, Facebook, Ticktock, and Twitter.  Remember, pictures are worth a thousand words!  Just posting pictures or videos of your farm animals interacting with your dogs can be a really good way to attract attention.  Another tool I found to be very useful is having a webpage solely devoted to your Maremmas. Even if you are not a computer geek, there are some pretty simple and inexpensive website design programs available that are very user friendly.  Or you can hire it done professionally.  The only drawback to that is when you need to make changes, you will have to rely on a third party to edit your website.

One of the most important assets you have in selling your puppies is reputation.  This comes only with time, patience, honesty and integrity.  I’ve been raising and breeding Maremma’s for 20 years, and the biggest lesson I have learned is, do whatever you need to in order to please the customer.  If a pup is not working out for a client and they have tried everything you’ve suggested, assist them in rehoming or take it back, and offer them another at no charge.  I have only had to do this once in 20 years, and I truly believe people will not “give up” until you do.  If your customer is not happy with the pup you sold them, do everything in your power to make it right. I sold a pup two years ago that developed Masticatory Muscle Myositis, a rare immune mediated disease that affects the dog’s facial muscles, specifically those used for chewing.  Not only did I refund her money for the dog, I also paid for her next pup which she purchased from a different breeder.  Did I lose money on this pup? Absolutely. Could I have told this buyer that her two year guarantee was no longer valid? Yes.  Did I maintain my integrity as a breeder? Yes.  One unhappy customer can do a lot of damage to your reputation, especially with social media and google reviews being so popular.  It takes time and sometimes sacrifices to build a good reputation as a breeder.  This is where patience plays a part. Start small and work hard to build lasting relationships with your clients.

The relationship you build with your clients should be a lifelong commitment.  Part of your responsibility as a breeder is to walk alongside new owners and help trouble shoot problems that arise along the way.  If you want to establish a solid client base, you must be a good mentor.  This means answering emails when you would rather be sitting and watching the game.  And being prompt in responding to inquiries. If you get an email today, and wait three days to respond, you’ve missed your window of opportunity.  The buyer will move down the list to the next breeder.  In my experience, serious buyers will reach out 6 months to a year before they are ready for a puppy.  Oftentimes these will be owners of an aging Maremma, and they are trying to get ahead of the game before their elderly dog phases out.  These folks are always willing to place a deposit on a pup 6 months ahead if you take the time to build a relationship with them.  Chances are, you will learn a lot about their situation and likely develop a lasting friendship that may even lead to future sales.

Lastly, I want to talk a little bit about offering Limited vs. Full registration.  I’m sure there are breeders who would disagree with me, but I always sell my pups with limited registration, with the option to purchase full registration after 18 months of age.  I don’t believe any pup can be accurately evaluated for “breeding quality” at 8, 12 or even 16 weeks of age.  There are simply too many factors to consider.  For example, how long did it take before the pup could be left alone with the stock?  Did they struggle with play chasing or other adolescent behaviors?  How does the dog respond to a potential threat?  How does the dog interact with children and strangers?  Any resource guarding? How well does the dog conform to the breed standard?

I see no real benefit to offering breeding rights until the pup is fully matured and able to be fairly evaluated. In my contract, I also require the owner to screen for Hip Dysplasia since this is known to be hereditary.  The way I look at it, I have spent years working to develop and refine the traits that I believe represent the best of this breed. Why would I want to sacrifice all that and just let anyone breed my offspring without discretion?

In a nutshell, judicious breeding plays an imperative role in the survival of the Maremma Sheepdog and its inherent traits.  It can also be a profitable addition to a small family farm. But it does require careful planning and time spent mentoring prospective owners, as well as new owners. Start advertising long before the litter is born and spend time talking to potential buyers.  Lastly, never underestimate the power of good photographs.   Take the time to get good profile pictures of the parents or videos with livestock, post them on social media, and tell folks about your plans to breed. Think of it as the courtship before the honeymoon.

 

Colleen Williams,
Stoneybrook Maremmas