Litter costs

[Shady Grove Beagles]

Newt
As I stated when I first posted this topic ,I know there are a lot of variables involved relating to the cost of a litter.
I too have used studs belonging to very close friends and they either were willing to let me breed for nothing or wanted a pup for themselves= no cost. I knew their male and they knew my female;where they'd been,how they were kept,breeding history,etc. and did not require a brucellosis test=no cost.Most of these breedings were to males owned by my regular hunting buddies who live local so gas was not a factor and most of them will feed me lunch for free if I show up around that time= no cost.I have to depend on other's males when I want to get a female bred as I don't keep male dogs.
I like the carpet in the whelping box for when they are first born and for those first 3 weeks when the bitch is cleaning up everything the pups put out.But once I start feeding them puppy chow and begin to wean them they are like little crap machines and I change out the shavings about every couple of days and even then I think the box gets rank and damp.
I don't feed the most expensive pup chow available to my litters and each to his own but I am not going to use Old Roy...... I do feed my bitch pup chow for the 2 weeks before she whelps.
As far as vaccine goes.Both the Co-Op and TSC are now selling their 6 way vaccines [don't carry the 5 way anymore ] Solo Jec or Spectra for $9.99 a dose and their 9 way for $11.99 a dose.Last time I looked in any of the vet.cataloges that I get they were selling single dose for about $2.00 cheaper and for a brick of name brand ie Fort Dodge,Pfizer,Durvet,Boehringer the quoted price was closer to $150.00.I did see a quoted price for a 25 dose brick of $99.99 by Pfizer [5 way]. I prefer the 6 way that also protects against Corona virus But, then I'd pay $25.00 for next day air shipping which is the only way I'd go with vaccine living here in Tn. except maybe in the months of Jan. and Feb.
As far as "chasing star of the month stud dogs", that makes me chuckle.
In the 22 years since I got out of coon dogs and back to beagles this was the 13'th litter I've raised in that time.I would be MORE than willing to bet that most folks have never heard of the studs I've used.Five of those males were their first time breedings.I used them because I knew the dogs and their backgrounds VERY well and was confident to make the cross with high expectations.One of the males was a Grand Rabbit Champion and winner of the Tn.State ,Ms.State and HOY Runnerup that I raised and sold as a pup.I bred to him 3 times and a son of his once and always got nice pups.He was never at public stud and I don't know if anyone else ever bred to him.
I have bred to two Canadian Field Champions that had exactly what I was looking for in performance and family background.Both of these dogs were known and recognized in Canada but were very little known here in the U.S. FT.CH. Filmore's Northern Sly was used 13 years ago and the results were very satisfying.This most recent litter I used Canadian FT.CH. Threejays Jack's Fly Man.Another hound with a good reputation north of the border through his performance,pedigree and breeder Jack Blum although pretty much an unknown by most here in the states.Fly Man sired a very nice litter for me that has pups now at 4 months old that are starting for their owners.
Guess the point I was trying to make is that my choice of stud has little to nothing to do with his name recognition or internet status......it has to do with what I think will cross well with my particular female.
I'm willing to pay all the associated costs and travel if that's what it takes to get what I want but if the dog I want lives 10 miles away and is owned by a buddy that's cool too.