02/21/2026
Worth the watch to ANYONE considering a puppy.
As someone who has bred our dogs, I did not take the first months of those puppies’ lives lightly. My husband probably thought I was a little crazy with how much effort I put into those dogs 😆 but I meant every bit of it. They were exposed to as much as I could possibly expose them to. Kids, different people, new environments, different floor textures, other animals. They were raised with around the clock care by our entire family.
Was it hard? YES. I quickly learned halfway through that breeding dogs is not “easy” and it’s definitely not for just anyone. We couldn’t leave the house for long periods of time. We cleaned and cleaned and cleaned some more. The puppies peed all over everything in my house 😆 because I wasn’t content leaving them in a pen outside all day. I wanted them inside. I wanted them well socialized. I wanted them prepared before they went home.
When I added up all the hours, the work, the vet bills, and the supplies we purchased over those 12 weeks, I realized I made about $30 an hour. Which isn’t bad, but the truth is it wasn’t just me sacrificing. It was our entire family pouring time, work, and love into every single puppy.
Will we do it again? I’m still undecided 😬
The puppies were adorable. My kids learned so many lessons. And I truly believe we helped make 10 families incredibly happy. But it was still a big sacrifice.
All that to say, if you’re thinking about purchasing a puppy, please do your research on the breeder. Yes, parents should have health testing. But just as important, make sure those puppies are well socialized, loved, and intentionally raised during those first critical weeks before you bring them home. I am not knocking breeders who have multiple mama dogs in their care, but I often wonder how in the world it is genuinely possible to fully socialize that many puppies well. It just does not seem humanly possible to give each one the kind of individual exposure and attention they truly need.
The first 12 weeks matter more than people realize. 🐾
