The Honest Dog Breeder Podcast

Struggling with Instagram? Having a hard time figuring out what to post? You'll love this episode! Elli does a mini training on her best tips and tricks for Instagram, what's she's doing, how it's working, and ways you can dabble with these techniques to better your Instagram reach and conversion.

Susan started her own bloodlines of Australian Labradoodles nearly two decades ago! She built her program from the bottom up and has amazing dogs today because of it! She shares her story, her ups and downs, how she got started and what she loves. She also explains her method of explaining temperament, drive, personality, and activity level in a way that truly helps her buyers understand. You'll love learning from her experience and story.

Cristine recently fulfilled a dream she's had for over 30 years, breeding her first litter. Learn how she prepared and planned for this or the last few years and how the process went. How she prepped to get ready for whelping and what to do when you feel unsure. She shares how she loves showing dogs and how she was able to build a network of supportive people to help her while she is a mom and has a career. She also shares how she prepared to market these puppies over the past year and how that helped her in this process and what she'd recommend for new breeders.

How would you breed if you're blind? Meghan is an incredible breeder, she has a heart of gold and she shares her story of how she breeds without using sight and how it might actually make her a better breeder! She also shares service dog training and helps you understand things you can look for early on with your puppies to better understand them on an individual level. You'll love all the wonderful insight into breeding without your eyes in this episode.

Tara has built her program from the bottom up! She started with livestock showmanship and her love for her dog and decided breeding Goldens was her path forward. She has built a wonderful program and discusses how she's selling her puppies and how she was able to overcome the Covid craze and continually sell pups with little effort. If you're a new breeder looking for inspiration or want to learn how she's tackled marketing in an easy-to-manage way, you'll love this episode!

This holiday season, I'm thrilled to bring you something truly special—welcome to the 12 Days of Breeders 2024! Over the next 12 episodes, we're spotlighting breeders from all walks of life—different breeds, styles, locations, and experience levels. These aren't just incredible breeders; they're also members of the Dog Breeder Society, and they're here to share their stories, insights, tips and tricks. You'll hear from: 🐾 Breeders just getting started on their journeys, 🐾 Breeders who've spent decades honing their craft, 🐾 And everyone in between—each with a unique perspective on raising healthy, happy dogs that bring joy to families. They'll be sharing: ✨ Tips and tricks they've learned along the way, ✨ Advice they'd give to others stepping into breeding, ✨ And what's kept them inspired through the ups and downs of this amazing work. It's the perfect way to reflect, learn, and celebrate the joys of breeding during this season of giving. So whether you're sipping a mocha by the fire, tackling a mountain of puppy pens, or planning out what 2025 has in store for your breeding program, join me for The 12 Days of Breeders 2024. Thank you for celebrating this incredible community and all the amazing dogs they bring into the world. Happy holidays, and I'll see you there!

Everyone says you need a blog, but how do you incorporate it into your dog breeding business marketing plan? That's exactly what we'll discuss in this episode: if you need a blog and where it fits into your marketing plan.

Recently I posted on my Instagram stories a poll about what was the biggest marketing struggle people were facing with their dog breeding business. These were the four options and their respective percentage of votes: - 35% voted the buyers didn't want to pay their price - 32% voted not enough people were contacting them - 21% said they didn't know where to advertise - and 11% said the wrong people were contacting them Let's dive into these problems, discuss what they mean, and what your options are for solutions.

Want to save yourself the pain and heartache? In this episode I discuss five things that, looking back, I wish I had done sooner. Many of them would've made dog breeding easier, more enjoyable, with less overwhelm, and more income! I'd love to know, which one speaks to you most? Email Me and let me know! Learn more about: HoneyBook The Dog Breeder Society Get the Lock Screen Download

In this Q&A Podcast we discuss some things to consider when thinking about getting business insurance as well as insurance for individual dogs. We'll also discuss discounting puppies and if it's a good tactic for selling leftover dogs. I'd love to help you along your journey and see you inside the Dog Breeder Society!

Ever wonder if it makes sense to diversify? Many breeders take the opportunity to diversify into a second breed or size. In this episode we'll discuss this tactic and when it is and isn't beneficial. Learn more about the Dog Breeder Society! Want to learn how to get started in dog breeding?

Ever wonder the long-term impact on you from dog breeding? In this episode I dive into how dog breeding has changed me. I talk about the way it showed me areas in my life I needed to change and how I came out of some of the struggles that made me feel like I was drowning. I hope you enjoy! Want to book a free 30-min stragety session to ask me anything and get my assistance with your program? Schedule a free call here!

You've heard you need to have an email newsletter to sell puppies, but "ugh" what does that mean! It's sounds like just ANOTHER thing to add to your plate and a new thing to learn. In today's podcast Interview Tori explains what email marketing is, why it works, and how to implement it into your current marketing. I hope this interview will demystify it this marketing task and make it easier for you to implement! If you'd like to learn more about ConvertKit or Email Marketing with Tori, check out the Dog Breeder Society.

Ask me questions! I love to hear from you! In this episode we discuss four questions from listeners: When you should form an LLC? - From Sean How many females you should have? - From Lisa How do you start breeding? - From Giovanna I got a male, can I still run a breeding program? - From Charles You can always email me at [email protected] to send me questions for the podcast! You can learn more on how to start a dog breeding business. Want to learn more about the Dog Breeder Society?

It's nice to know the cause of problems before they become problems. If you know what something will lead to–in this case, quitting dog breeding–then you can head it off before it becomes a problem. In this episode this we discuss the three reasons dog breeders quit the industry and some common symptoms and what leads to it. I also give you some insight on how to pivot and take a different path if you want to continue breeding. Everything I teach is inside the Dog Breeder Society, it's like the podcast, only very focused and detailed in a step-by-step way. Ready to take your breeding program to the next level?

Want to know my secret formula for writing better puppy ads and website copy? It's probably simpler than you think, but does it ever work!! In this episode I'll give you my 3-Step Formula for writing better puppy ads, website copy, and truly anything else you'll need to write. There is nothing slimy or trickster about it, but it hits your buyers right where it counts. If you want to download the free cheat sheet to help you with these steps, check out the show notes. Want to learn more about Breeder Copy Hub? It's a monthly subscription with social media and email newsletter templates make specifically for Dog Breeders. Better yet? Breeder Copy Hub can be purchased on its own, but you get it free as a member of the Dog Breeder Society. Enjoy!

Ever wonder where to stop improving one thing in your program and when to start on the next? How much improvement is enough and what can wait? In this episode we discuss how to use the Good-Better-Best Model to improve your dog breeding program. Want to join the Dog Breeder Society? We'd love to have you!

What do you do when someone comes after you publicly on your social media? One of the breeders I work with has built a nice Instagram following. She has beautiful dogs and has been moving forward in breeding her dog, who is 14 months. She made the announcement on her Instagram that she was planning on breeding and a trainer went in her comments and began to ask questions about when her dog was born, and this trainer claimed, that without a doubt, she was a backyard breeder because she couldn't have done hips until she was two years old. She tried to explain that she had used preliminary testing and that her dog had passed with flying colors, but the trainer wanted nothing to do with it, it wasn't open for discussion, the trainer made her statement and claimed that she had to say something because it was saving dogs from being in shelters. In today's episode we'll discuss the different ways you can manage a situation like this as well as how to determine which path to taken in the given situation.

You guys are in for a treat! A good treat like the soft and chewy ones, not the milk bones that'll break your teeth. Today you get to hear my interview with Michelle Stern of Pooch Parenting. Michelle is incredible! She has the heart of a teacher and a love for breeders, dogs, and their owners. Don't miss the end where Michelle talks about her affiliate program for breeders that helps give you, the breeder, the tools to properly prepare buyers with children how to live with kids and pups together … it sounds cute, but we know it's … shall we call it a lot? Anyways, enjoy the episode! You can learn more about Michelle's affiliate program on my site at honestdogbreeder.com, under recommended tools. Lastly, this is the first lesson in a masterclass that Michelle and I recorded together on Kids & Puppies and how to handle the complications that can arise, everything from preparing and vetting buyers, to helping to figure out a solution when things don't go as planned or are harder than were anticipated. Get Michelle's Free Support Document for Breeders working with kids and puppies (scroll down to Pooch Parenting).

Feeling overwhelmed with all the things you have to do as a dog breeder? You're not alone! This is very common. In this episode we discuss consistency, what gets in the way of consistency, and how to break the cycle of overwhelm. I'll give you lots of examples from my life and how I made these necessary changes in my own life and breeding program. Need help making these tasks simpler? The Dog Breeder Society is full of MasterClasses designed to help you build a better, more efficient breeding program.

We're trying something new! A Q&A! I've been collecting questions off the website for months, people write in their questions for me to answer on the podcast. This is our first Q&A episode. Inside are four questions asked by listeners. Want to submit your own question? Go to any podcast episode at and look in the right column (or the bottom of the page on mobile).

Are you guilty of doing one of these? It happens to all of us. In this episode I discuss three common things breeders do when trying to sell puppies that backfires and loses the sale. I also give you some alternatives to contemplate to have a better success rate in selling. Want to learn more about selling your dogs? Check out the Dog Breeder Society! We have many masterclasses to help you learn more about breeding, marketing your breeding business, and how to run it profitably, so you can give your dogs the best possible care!

If regulation and licensing doesn't work, then what's the solution? How can we change things for the better? How to we mitigate puppy mills and accidentally bred dogs? In this episode I discuss my vision for how we can solve this problem and honest breeders are a big part of the solution. Learn more about the Dog Breeder Society

Would regulation and licensing help the dog breeding industry? Would it protect buyers and stop puppy mills? The jury is still out, but I'd like to chime in with my thoughts on licensing and regulation, why people want it and how it might work and where there would be struggles. In the next episode, Part 2 of this discussion, I will give my thoughts on a better, more lasting solution (and you're part of it!).

Frustrating isn't it? Puppy buyers get scammed and then they question you, worried you're a scam! In today's episode we discuss five ways to prove that your dog breeding program isn't a scam.

It's nice to have a list of quick things you can do to get some benefit in your program. Here are 16 things you can do in under an hour to get some traction in your breeding program. Learn more about Breeder Copy Hub or the Dog Breeder Society

Often we feel we need to justify our breeding program, the fact that we are dog breeders, and dog breeding as a whole. This concept often has breeders collecting certificates and badges, sheepishly mentioning they're a breeder, and sometimes it has us judging other breeders. In this episode we discuss justifying your breeding program and why we feel the need to do it.

Marketing puppies in your dog breeding program is something that stumps a lot of breeders. In this episode we discuss the ways you can market puppies. Where you should start your marketing efforts and how to put it all together. We discuss everything from the ideal puppy buyer, branding, websites, email social media, and brokerage sites. Learn more about getting started in breeding, the Dog Breeder Society, Breeder Copy Hub, and all things honest breeding at honestdogbreeder.com.

Interested in breeding dogs, but aren't sure if you'll like the lifestyle? It's a good question! In this episode I discuss what the day-to-day life of a dog breeder is, the good and the bad, where you'll love it, and where you might get hung up. I also discuss how much time I spend on various tasks within my breeding program each week and month, as well as some of the start up time investment. Learn more about Breeder Copy Hub or the Dog Breeder Society.

A lot of people schedule a free strategy call with me and want to know if they are good enough to breed dogs–if they have the right skills to do it, or if it would even work. I understand that. I myself wasn't sure if I was the right person to start dog breeding. I'd love to share the skills you need to have in order to be a dog breeder, but, before I do, let me tell you a few things that might be deal breakers for you. In this episode we discuss the skills you need to breed dogs, what technical skills and personal skills you need. You don't need all these skills to start, no breeder has all of them when they start. I hope you consider joining the Dog Breeder Society, where I teach you all my tips and tricks to running a successful breeding business. Thank you! Julie Swan

Want to know what you really need to start? Here's my no fluff answer. The three things that are necessary, everything else is negotiable. Get the Roadmap to a Successful Breeding Program

It's the number one question asked when starting dog breeding. "Is it profitable?" is a great question and a very important one. In this episode we discuss the common misunderstandings about the industry and it's profitability, which is also inseparable from ethics and being an honest breeder. Ready for the answer you've all been waiting for? Learn more about breeding honestly inside the Dog Breeder Society, a safe, educational community of supportive breeders.

Have you ever caught yourself thinking about your pricing? If it's right or not? Maybe you're driving down the road and are wondering if you lost that last sale because your price was a bit too high? Maybe you're wondering if your price is too low? Did they think your dogs were good enough? Pricing is something that I work with all the time, not just with coaching clients, but with my own breeding program and products. What's interesting is that, all in all, pricing is a fluid thing, it's something that needs to be evaluated and tossed around on the regular. What's more interesting is that confidence often plays into it. It plays into how your pricing is conveyed. I'm not going to deep-dive into how to practice your tone and voice, but just for fun, listen to these two sentences and tell me which sounds more confident.

Does the idea of bookkeeping and organizing your receipts and expenses make you want to pull your hair out? You're not alone! Sometimes the hardest part of bookkeeping is getting the flow and system down so you know what you're doing. In this episode I share 5 tips that have helped me organize my dog breeding expenses and create a system that's easy to manage and gives me the information I need to review my breeding business as well as do my taxes.

I've been a DIYer most of my life. It's been great for a lot of things, especially when I was broke. However, there are so many hats in dog breeding, that it probably makes sense to delegate some of the tasks. In this episode we discuss how you can sort out what you should do yourself and when you should hire someone. How to figure out your area of genius and what to do with the things that don't exactly fall into that area of genius. Want to learn more about the Breeder Copy Hub?

I made things difficult for myself for over a decade. I was in my own way. In this episode I reflect on how I got in my own way and how it affected my breeding program. I give you tips to see how you might also be in your own way, what it looks like, and how to step out of your own way! Spoiler alert: you're a big part of me getting out of my own way! Thank you!

Ever stuck in line at the post office and think you're wasting time? I do. In this episode I discuss 5 things you can do on your phone that make it easier to manage your breeding program. Most of them you can do in line at the post office!

Everyone says you need a website, but very few people actually talk about what they means, what it looks like! In today's episode we'll discuss websites and how to approach the layout and design of your website to better communicate with your buyers.

In this podcast I discuss three things to consider when planning your new year of dog breeding and also I share a personal reflection on my own breeding program, what went well, what didn't go so well, and some of my plans to make things better going forward this year. Have you heard about the Breeder Copy Hub? It's a dog-breeder-specific content planner we release monthly! It's available to member of the Dog Breeder Society or can be purchased separately.

Recently I've been talking with a lot of breeders who are struggling to sell puppies, I've seen some constant themes creating difficulties in their marketing. In this episode I discuss 4 mistakes I see breeders making over and over again in their marketing. We've released a new masterclass inside the Dog Breeder Society that helps you integrate stories into their marketing for better results.

Part of selling yourself as a breeder, beyond the quality of your dogs, is selling your knowledge and support. When buyers feel supported, they are better able to provide and take care of their dog, when that happens the relationship between the dog and the buyer improves and a beautiful bond is formed. The buyer will think the dog is just amazing—and while the dog is amazing—a big part of that success story is that you, the breeder, set the situation up for success.

During the normalizing of the market I found myself flush with puppies, Pepper had a giant litter and I had WAY more puppies than usual–with a waitlist of very few. This episode is about all the shifts I made after getting complacent with my marketing and how it helped me sell my puppies, including the puppy who was born with one eye.

In this episode we discuss the dilemma of buyers calling when you don't have puppies, and no buyers calling when you do. I discuss some techniques for what to say to buyers, and then give my ultimate solution to help you with this.

The final installment in this series...let's discuss practical ways to downsize a breeding program that doesn't take you out of the game, doesn't kill the bloodlines you've worked hard to create, and yet allows you to reduce the number of puppies you're producing and the stress that can go with marketing during reduced demand. There's a cheatsheet for this episode at honestdogbreeder.com/70 You can join the Dog Breeder Society at honestdogbreeder.com/dogbreedersociety

This episode is the second installment to our three-part series on the changing market, whether you should pause your breeding, if you're being ethical, and the upcoming, how to downsize your program, while retaining your bloodlines. Here we discuss what ethical and unethical dog breeding is, and then we dive into how the economy and supply & demand play into that ethics. There's a cheatsheet that goes with this episode! I hope you enjoy!

Breeders are whispering about pausing their programs. Does that make sense? I'll discuss my thoughts on the pausing, if it's right for you, or even the industry. I'll also discuss three elements of the dog breeding market and economics that are playing into the current dog breeding situation. This is part of a 3-part series which includes the next episode on the difference between ethical and unethical breeding and also how that relates–or doesn't–with supply and demand econimics.

The dog breeding market is still normalizing, supply is greater than demand, and many breeders are contemplating quitting, but I see so many brilliant breeders sabotaging their breeding program because of this one thing they're doing...I'll explain what it is and how you can work with it to stop it from ruining the beautiful program you've built!

It happens to us all, things are going good then this happens, then that happens, and, all of a sudden, we feel like we've lost our traction. Don't worry, it happens to us all. Today's episodes are all about techniques for geting the traction back in your business when you feel like you've lost it. Interested in the Ideal Puppy Buyer Cohorts? Apply here!

In this episode I discuss how every problems can work to our benefit, especially in this normalizing market. I'll discuss some perspective shifts and how to better write your marketing copy to speak to your buyers. Interested in the Ideal Puppy Buyer Cohort? Join the Waitlist!

Every breeder I've ever spoken with has some insecurities in their breeding program, it's natural. Yet sometimes breeders take that insecurity and use it to fuel them to forfeit their integrity, giving breeders a bad name and hurting their program and reputation. This episode discusses a breeder whose insecurity led her to fraudulently place a badge on her website, not understanding how much it showed her lack of integrity. I'll give you an alternative, a way to use your insecurity as a guide to help you focus on your program and make it better. I also made you a worksheet with examples to help you sort through these pain points. You can get it in the show notes here. Need some helping working through the pain points? Schedule a Strategy Session with me, Julie Swan, I set aside 4 hours every week for these video chats specifically.