Breeding rare kinds of dogs is a lucrative venture for this entrepreneur

Posted at 2:09 pm September 12, 2011

Tags: Games and Hobbies, Pets

SHARE YOUR STORIES

Got a similar Story? Share it here

See list of businesses related to Games and Hobbies

See list of articles related to Pets

By Anna Valmero

TAGUIG CITY, METRO MANILA— Dog lover Perry Punla did not set out to become breeder but his love for keeping dogs as pets, and eventually breeding them to produce quality canine, made him one of the top breeders in the metro.

“When I was younger, I always keep a pet dog and that was the time we call aspins (asong Pinoy) as askal (asong kalye),” Perry recalls.

“Then when I was working, I started buying different breeds and then I thought of breeding them to produce quality dogs to keep at home. When the pack steadily grew, we started selling pups or young adults to cover up costs.”

At home, he keeps a pack of over 20 dogs, including his newly-acquired Giant Alaskan Malamute named Coco, to Rottweilers, American pitbulls, Chow-chows, Labrador Retrievers and a cuddly Pekinese. He makes sure to personally walk each of his dogs for exercise.

Coco, now at four-months-old, is one of the “most expensive” dogs in his pack, says Perry.

“I acquired Coco from a friend who was a breeder of Malamutes for 70,000 pesos. When I saw Coco’s parents, I really fell in love with them and seeing how handsome they are and their good temperament even with kids, I immediately asked the breeder to reserve one of the pups for me. It was a long wait but worth it after seeing Coco.”

He often walks Coco around Bonifacio High Street during weekends. There are only a handful of top breeders of Alaskan Malamute (which looks like a bigger Siberian husky) in the country but the growing demand for handsome wolf-like domestic dogs and their market pricing made it sensible to invest in one, according to Perry.

Keeping a dog is a relatively expensive hobby especially for regular grooming for those with long or puffy coats, and sometimes, keeping them in an air-conditioned room during hot summer days. This is the reason it makes sense for serious dog lovers to be breeders as well because you can maintain a pack and have a lucrative home-based business.

For example, Perry keeps three female Labradors. When they produce a litter of six to ten puppies, they can be sold for 12,000 to 15,000 pesos, which helps cover food, registry and veterinary costs plus profits.

It does not mean, however, that one has to convert his pets into puppy mills because it would also put the bloodline and the litter in peril. “You must love dogs first and foremost because you must be passionate to maintain their health,” says Perry.

For starters, he says that breeders should not mate dogs with bad temper or crossbreed dogs with mixed lineage “to avoid tampering with nature and creating dogs with bad temperament.”

It also makes sense to ensure that the dams and sires for breeding are registered with kennel clubs such as the Philippine Canine Club Inc. because reputable breeders should provide the correct papers and medical records for each puppy. A record with PCCI for example ensures good price value for your dog than one without a record.

The registry record also ensures that a dog is purebred with identifying red or green marks and sometimes, it also requires dogs to pass the evaluation for a genetic defect in the breed to ensure health.

Aside from providing love and food for dogs, it should be the responsibility of dog breeders to have a huge backyard where they can run around and socialize. But walking is important to maintain the relationship between a human and dog, and to release their energy since dogs naturally travel in search for food.

Perry advises dog buyers to see first the parents of the puppy and check their temper and general look. One must also research well about the behavior and temperament of each breed.

“Dogs make for loyal and good companions. You are never lonely when you have a dog. As for me, they always make me feel young,” Perry says.

For interested parties, you may contact Perry Punla via email at perry.punla@yahoo.com