Consider a Cash Crop
Dog raising can be the source of many a smile... and a pretty good income too. A boot strap business
May/June 1972
By Dorothy Lockard
It was once the custom for newlyweds to receive a milk cow as a wedding gift. Bossy then supplied the couple with a reliable source of nourishment and some pocket money until they got themselves established in a life of their own.
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One mother I know, though, has put a new twist into that old tradition . . . she presented each of her married daughters with a proven bitch—a registered female dog who's already whelped at least one good litter of puppies—in place of the old milk cow. The dogs gave those new families the initial source of income they needed, and have since continued to provide them with both much-desired extra money and loving companionship.
If you're in need of some supplemental earnings, you might also think seriously about acquiring a canine cash crop for yourself.
My husband and I raise Cocker Spaniels. The dogs pay for our Christmas, vacations and dinner out now and again. They also add welcome padding to our savings account and—when our breadwinner was laid off last year—the Cockers helped us over the rough spots unemployment checks couldn't quite smooth out.
Another couple I know saw a Miniature Schnauzer and liked it. They went to a few dog shows and introduced themselves to the lady who seemed to be winning most of the ribbons with that breed. The couple bought a Schnauzer from the woman and the dog made them over $1,000 a year clear profit for six years.
Encouraged, the couple—Ben and Annette—got into dog breeding on a somewhat bigger scale . . . but not too big. They never owned a stud dog and never raised a puppy. The most Schnauzers they ever had on hand for an extended period were three bitches (the proper term, legally and technically, for a female dog). Ben and Annette never advertised a dog for sale . . : but they did sell those Schnauzers and put all the "puppy money" in the bank for the education of their two daughters. One of those daughters has toured Europe and South America and is now working on her Masters. The second is in college . . . with no sign of the dog money running out.
Jay, a Navy veteran, has also done well with a Miniature Schnauzer. When he was home on leave for Christmas '68, his mother told him, "You have three more years in the Service. Buy a good dog for me to raise and I'll send you all the money she makes above expenses."
It was a deal. Little Gretchen, bought by Jay for $150, had $775 worth of puppies four months later. Before Jay's Navy hitch was up, the dog had produced litters worth over $2,000. Gretchen kept Jay in plane fare home, bought all his Christmas presents and helped him through many a financial emergency. She's his ace in the hole now that he's home and unemployed.
Golden agers Charley and Gladys—who live on Social Security—use puppy money to pay their taxes and finance an annual trip to Florida.
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