Ive heard some say that the larger Verein Deutsch-Drahthaar breeders are more interested in profit than high standards. What do you think about this statement?
A – By standards of other registries, even the most prolific VDD kennels are tiny in comparison. We know of no VDD breeders that produce more than four or five litters per year, and none do that consistently. The last time we calculated, some years back, we found that we would have had to have been charging about $1,100 per pup when the going rate was $800 or under, just to break even. Since pups rarely cost more than what the breeder lays out up front (and often much less), we doubt that profit is the motive. Of course, those who breed only incidental to their gun dog ownership, and don’t go through large numbers of dogs to select only the best for breeding, might make a “profit” if they consider feed, vet care, test entry costs and so on as hunting expenses that they would incur whether they bred or not.
