Best marketing practice for breeders?

[Fran27]

I actually don't mind when breeders use Internet to host their own website. I wouldn't call it a 'marketing' practice though, as good breeders don't do it for money but to introduce their dogs. Of course what I like best about it is that it's easy to see who is a good breeder and who isn't, but as from what I've seen a big majority of those sites are BYBs anyway, I would be careful of that practice too, at least if you don't have a minimum of information about what to avoid.


Edit: how in the world did my post end up the FIRST post of the thread?

 

[Freddie]

Hi, I was just wondering for all the breeders out there. What are some ways you go about marketing your puppies for sale? I've seen some people sit out on the roads with big signs like (pitbull puppies $500 each) or something. I've seen classifieds on dog magazines and stuff too. Maybe over the internet. What seems to be the most effective way to sell them and how many do you typically sell in lets' say, a week? Does there seem to be alot of demand for puppies?

Sorry if anyone works for an adoption center and is offended by this post, I was just curious.

 

[jess2416]

A responsible breeder shouldnt have to market theirself or their puppies...People would know them by name alone......

 

[Julie]

Word of mouth..............
It should get there before the puppies do.

A good breeder will have puppies "promised" before they enter the world.

 

[jess2416]

Word of mouth..............
It should get there before the puppies do.

A good breeder will have puppies "promised" before they enter the world.

Ditto ^ what she said

 

[fillyone]

Another vote for word of mouth.
Another is at the sport that breed is bred for and at shows. No need to advertise if your dogs take top honors!!

 

[canadianmandy]

Hi, I was just wondering for all the breeders out there. What are some ways you go about marketing your puppies for sale? I've seen some people sit out on the roads with big signs like (pitbull puppies $500 each) or something. I've seen classifieds on dog magazines and stuff too. Maybe over the internet. What seems to be the most effective way to sell them and how many do you typically sell in lets' say, a week? Does there seem to be alot of demand for puppies?

Sorry if anyone works for an adoption center and is offended by this post, I was just curious.

If you carefully reread the post it asks what to do NOW not what you think he/she should have done before hand. Word of mouth is great exept peoples circles are their circles. I would put ads in your local papers.put Signs up in stores. Maybe even an ad at your local pet store. You could also list online at

puppyfind.com

petfinder.com

petshopper.com

nextdaypets.com

be careful with online people screen them well. dont just deal in emails. Over the phone works better. puts them on the spot. Ask for neighbors ## call ask for their vets ### and families ###. Find a good shipping company.

I hope it all goes well for you and that you find great homes for all those puppies.
The worst thing to do is place an ad here. Unless of coarse you are a registered breeder.

Pm me the breed and I will help you find homes.

 

[MomOf7]

I have seen ads in papers from reputable breeders. All doing health certs and choosing good dogs for the best breedings. I believe this is a good thing. Too often the public is uninformed about dogs, or dont know where to find a good breeding.
Word of mouth, internet, newspapers, magazines, ect ect are all good tools if used properly.
Its not the tool that is bad its how its used.

 

[MomOf7]

I only bred every 2 years or so , but when I used a male as a sire there was always a waiting list too .I guess through the years there were over 100 Goldens.... no one advertised and everyone spade or neutered. You have to remember that's over 30 years. Word of mouth is the way to go , plus return puppy wanter's .... Over the years at least a dozen or more went to past owners, their families or friends. I still get calls though I haven't bred for over 10 years. That's why puppy seekers should contact a breed club and ask about litters...good breeders don't advertise.

Do you realize that not all people know about breed clubs? Tools are tools
Yes word of mouth is best! I agree! Not everyone knows how to locate the breeding they want. Or even know about health certs ect...
Its not the tools that are bad its how they are used.

 

[bubbatd]

I only bred every 2 years or so , but when I used a male as a sire there was always a waiting list too .I guess through the years there were over 100 Goldens.... no one advertised and everyone spade or neutered. You have to remember that's over 30 years. Word of mouth is the way to go , plus return puppy wanter's .... Over the years at least a dozen or more went to past owners, their families or friends. I still get calls though I haven't bred for over 10 years. That's why puppy seekers should contact a breed club and ask about litters...good breeders don't advertise.

 

[Julie]

If you carefully reread the post it asks what to do NOW not what you think he/she should have done before hand. Word of mouth is great exept peoples circles are their circles. I would put ads in your local papers.put Signs up in stores. Maybe even an ad at your local pet store. You could also list online at

puppyfind.com

petfinder.com

petshopper.com

nextdaypets.com

be careful with online people screen them well. dont just deal in emails. Over the phone works better. puts them on the spot. Ask for neighbors ## call ask for their vets ### and families ###. Find a good shipping company.

I hope it all goes well for you and that you find great homes for all those puppies.
The worst thing to do is place an ad here. Unless of coarse you are a registered breeder.

Pm me the breed and I will help you find homes.

If you reread the post carefully the OP did not indicate he/she had any pups.
I would also never advertise on the sites listed above. Really nextdaypets ??
Doesn't sound good to me!!
I also did not go back and read previous posts, so maybe you know more??
But still, there are better ways to find homes than advertising on puppymill sites~

 

[rottnpagan]

I don't have much trust in people. Take a look at the world and wonder why would anybody trust anyone, especially on the internet with basically no reprecustions for all the misjustice and lies caked everywhere.

I think that those of us who've been involved in rescue or even in general in the dog world have a bit of a jaded view on people. I tend to be very protective and make CERTAIN the homes any animal I place is going to be the best for that animal, and for that family. I still maintain contact with rescues, and my contract is very specific. Four pages of specific. The application is eight pages.

 

[canadianmandy]

If you reread the post carefully the OP did not indicate he/she had any pups.
I would also never advertise on the sites listed above. Really nextdaypets ??
Doesn't sound good to me!!
I also did not go back and read previous posts, so maybe you know more??
But still, there are better ways to find homes than advertising on puppymill sites~

Umm he/she asked how to sell them in say a week! why would he do that unless maybe he had some and or knows someone who does.. or he would not have implied he did. I sense a war coming but its not necessary. Next day pets is an ok spot. There are alot of "responsible" breeders there selling registered pups that are not even born. you just dont like next day pets b/c they allow the selling of mix breed pups. And all this puppymill business. Your breeding clubs are just as bad. The inbreeding and continous litters and the advertizing and so on is just as bad as any online site. Do you know the true meaning of puppymills?

 

[tempura tantrum]

My breeder advertises purely by word of mouth. Her dogs are multiple BISS, Group, and Westminster BOB/BOS winners. She's currently the top Shiba breeder in the country, and one of the founders of the breed in the US. She doesn't NEED to advertise. Waiting lists for her puppies are generally several *years* long.

I would steer as far away as possible from any "breeder" that advertised on a site like petfinder. Personal websites don't bother me as much, but I want to see working animals with titles, references, and health checks. Furthermore, I would never buy a dog from a person I hadn't met in person. I want to meet the dogs, see the facilities, etc.

As a future breeder I feel it is my DUTY to be mistrustful of people. When you are sending your babies to new homes is NOT the time to have a sunshine, rainbows, candy canes and lollipops view of the world. There are vile and cunning people out there who know *just* what to say to separate you from a puppy, who have absolutely no intention in loving that animal as a family member, and every intention of reselling the dog to research facilities, BYBs, or petshops.

Maybe it's sad to you, but I would much rather be looking for the bad in people to prevent such a situation, rather than blindly trust people I've never met in my life. (E-mail conversations do not count). Point blank- I will never sell to anyone I haven't met face to face.

I've worked with enough rescues, talked to enough devestated breeders to realize that this is part of being a responsible breeder.

 

[Zoom]

People or companies that indiscriminetly pump out litter after litter in the name of profit with little to regard for the quality of the dogs produces. That's what a puppymill is.

Online brokers such as Nextdaypets.com are just as bad, as there is NOTHING to keep irresponsible, irreputable, abusive people or labratories from buying those dogs. You hit a button, give an address to ship the dogs off to and poof. You have a dog. That's not an OK place. No reputable person would EVER list their litters or dogs for sale on a mass website such as that.

 

[bubbatd]

I really don't believe any pups should come into this world without 90% homes lined up !! Yes, you may get more $$$ on line, but the right homes are more important. I personally feel that the INTERNET is going to ruin a lot of breeds. I agree it's great for rescue etc. I'm pulling this out of my right ear... but I'll say 4 out of 5 will be a bad deal in pure breds and designer dogs. It's easy to breed, some are easy whelps...it's from there on that make healthy, well socialized pups. One litter alone takes at least 8 hours a day, Are these breeders doing this ??? To me what I've seen , they're cranking them out , not doing the best for the pups and are at their computers racking people in. I've NEVER seen a line I know from AKC winners on line advertising .

 

[bubbatd]

Canadian ... I disagree ,with our Golden Retriever club here... they will only post carefully screened breeders who have have all testing done on their dogs and know they aren't BYBs,

 

[Julie]

Umm he/she asked how to sell them in say a week! why would he do that unless maybe he had some and or knows someone who does.. or he would not have implied he did. I sense a war coming but its not necessary. Next day pets is an ok spot. There are alot of "responsible" breeders there selling registered pups that are not even born. you just dont like next day pets b/c they allow the selling of mix breed pups. And all this puppymill business. Your breeding clubs are just as bad. The inbreeding and continous litters and the advertizing and so on is just as bad as any online site. Do you know the true meaning of puppymills?

Umm reread the OP. The OP didn't ask how to sell them in a week, he/she asked "how many do you sell in say a week?".

NextDay pets is not an okay spot. !!!

And please do not put words in my mouth!!! I never even mentioned a mixed breed anything.

Again another addition to my posts , I do not belong........(never have, never will) to a "breeding club"

And YOU my child will never know the true meaning of a puppy mill until you have..........with your own hands rescued the dogs and puppies that sit in their own urine and feces, in small cages their entire lives. Don't even go there.

 

[canadianmandy]

People or companies that indiscriminetly pump out litter after litter in the name of profit with little to regard for the quality of the dogs produces. That's what a puppymill is.

Online brokers such as Nextdaypets.com are just as bad, as there is NOTHING to keep irresponsible, irreputable, abusive people or labratories from buying those dogs. You hit a button, give an address to ship the dogs off to and poof. You have a dog. That's not an OK place. No reputable person would EVER list their litters or dogs for sale on a mass website such as that.

Your definition is so true yet it can be implied to any breeder. Um yes there is a way to keep the bad from the good its called researching the people who want to adopt. sign contracts. and no you do not just hit a buttun and the dog gets shipped. I Know I will be shot for this but I have put a puppy for adoption there and I have found the most excelent home for her.once again it dependes on the seller. A responsible person will follow through and do their research. It is now not aloud to list whole litters there. You can only list individuals. Dont blame a website b/c of irrisponsible breeders.

 

[Zoom]

It must be nice to be that naive.