The Honest Dog Breeder Podcast

In this 12 Days of Breeders interview, we welcome Andrea Jones of Maple Hill Doodles in Ohio.  A 25-year veteran breeder of Goldendoodles, Cavapoos, and Cavadoodles, Andrea has built her program on advanced, and sometimes unconventional, health protocols. Andrea shares her techniques for holistic management, detailing the logistics of maintaining a non-vaccination protocol for her entire program, underpinned by a raw, species-appropriate diet. Critically, Andrea reveals how she's raised the bar for buyers to solidify her own credibility, demanding a higher standard of commitment from her clientele. This episode is essential listening for any breeder looking to bring more holistic rearing into their program, covering not only her dog management techniques, but also her non-negotiable business rules: maintaining a mandatory financial escrow for emergencies, ensuring all contracts are attorney-reviewed and ironclad, and utilizing rigorous structural health clearances (OFA Hips/Elbows) that go beyond standard genetic testing.

In this 12 Days of Breeders interview, we welcome Bill Wyatt of DubDub Danes in Bentonville, Arkansas. After a career in high-level sales, Bill applies his deep customer service acumen to breeding, expertly guiding buyers so they feel supported, not sold to. Bill shares his lifelong love for Great Danes and gives an honest look at the immense logistics of managing a breeding business for giant dogs, covering everything from the astronomical feed (and poop) to a size-appropriate socialization protocol. You'll learn how he uses professional business standards to structure the entire customer journey and why his experience with Great Danes has made him passionate about temperament in breeding selection. This episode is a great listen for any breeder navigating a niche market or looking to transform their customer relationships.

Today, we dive into the highly specialized world of German Shepherd service dogs with Cynthia Kelly of Regis Regal German Shepherds. Cynthia shares the unique, rigorous process she has developed for raising, training, and placing her dogs, many of whom work with children with autism. She takes intentional breeding and socialization to the next level, enabling her to provide service dogs who have amazing ways of helping people, from providing a sense of safety and security, to preventing elopement of children, to providing life-saving intervention for people with epilepsy and diabetes. Learn about her foundational standards for long-term genetic clearance (focusing on at least eight to ten generations of clear bloodlines) and her unique philosophy on what it takes to create and train a successful service dog. Cynthia proves that with the right lineage and the highest level of foundational work, the potential for these magnificent dogs to serve humans is truly limitless.

For Day 4 of 12 Days of Breeders, we welcome Kari Roach of Choice Paws in Utah. Kari's journey is highly strategic: a former pre-med student, after starting out as a guardian home, she ended up buying an established breeding business program. This rare and successful move allowed her to immediately apply her health science discipline, bringing a rigorous, systems-based approach to her Cavapoo program. You'll learn how Kari made the journey from guardian home to purchasing a breeding business, how she meticulously documents health testing and structure, implements a deep, structured curriculum including ENS and scent work to optimize puppy confidence, and details of her social media strategy to showcase integrity, justify premium pricing, and attract educated buyers. You'll also hear the heart she brings to her dogs, buyers, and guardian families.  If you are ready to stop treating breeding as a hobby and start running a high-caliber program driven by both meticulous standards and genuine passion, this episode is mandatory listening.

For Day 3 of 12 Days of Breeders, we dive into the world of Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs) with Natalie Thurman of Apex Anatolians in Frenchtown, Montana. Natalie's dogs aren't just pets—they are 24/7 protectors tasked with guarding livestock from predators like bears and mountain lions. She is also currently the President of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America (ASDCA). In this powerful episode, Natalie shares the essential difference between breeding for a companion pet and maintaining the innate, independent working temperament required for a true LGD. She provides an expert's look inside the national breed club, discussing the challenges of preserving the breed's functional standard against the pressures of dog show conformation. This interview offers a unique insight into tough ethical questions breeders encounter when they go viral. You will learn the importance of finding a breeder-mentor who emphasizes the whole dog (temperament, health, and working ability) and why blunt, complete honesty with every potential buyer is the only way to ensure successful placement in such a demanding working breed. If you are committed to upholding the function and integrity of a heritage breed, this episode is mandatory listening.  

In this 12 Days of Breeders interview, we welcome McKenze Ocampo of Twilight Doodles in Dallas, Texas to share the experience and expertise she's used to build a thriving breeding business. McKenze discusses the daily discipline, continuous education, and fierce personal drive that has helped her build Twilight Doodles. You'll learn how she created a unique and authentic brand identity that sets her program apart, establishing immediate professionalism from day one. Crucially, McKenze reveals the power of her detailed record-keeping system, which provides non-stop, transparent support to her buyers. Plus, hear her powerful challenge: "If you are unteachable, maybe that's the time to stop doing something." If you're ready to master the business side of breeding without sacrificing passion, this episode is a blueprint for scaling success.

In this first episode in our 2025 12 Day of Breeders, we talk to AKC Breeder of Merit, Kim McGuirk of Newbliss Chicago Lagotto, who built explosive business success by focusing on radical customer service and smart delegation. Kim shares the secret to her longevity: building an incredible community of owners through fun bi-annual social events, and the brilliant management strategy she uses to prevent burnout—including a puppy socialization hack using high school and college students on a shift spreadsheet! You'll learn how Kim's anti-snob approach to treating clients with respect attracted buyers fed up with poor communication elsewhere, and why the Lagotto Romagnolo is the ultimate purebred alternative to a Goldendoodle. If you're ready to pivot from stress to success, this episode is mandatory listening.

Breeders are some of the toughest people out there—but grit alone won't move you out of burnout. In this episode, I reveal the small hack that shifts you from survival mode into intentional growth mode. You'll learn how to feel real progress, how to stop moving the goalposts on yourself, and how to make better decisions with less emotional load. This one mindset shift has changed how I run my program… and it can change yours too.

In this episode, I discuss my own personal year of dog breeding, what worked, what didn't go so well, and how I plan to change things going forward, plus how you can use my insights to start evaluating your own program.  I also cover new updates for the Honest Dog Breeder Society and give you a sneak peek at all the exciting things I'm working on for 2026.  

Feeling overwhelmed? Can't seem to catch a break? Your program feels more like herding cats rather than breeding dogs? It happens to us all! In this episode we'll go over the two kinds of breeders, which one you are, how to transition if you're not happy about which one you are, and how immersing yourself in a solid community of intentional breeders can give you the edge you've been looking for. Learn more about the community here: honestdogbreeder.com/community

Ever sold a puppy to a buyer and regretted it? Many things can happen when working with the general public and dogs, sometimes we get it wrong. In this episode we'll discuss what can happen to make it go wrong and help you determine which of these situations makes you a bad breeder and what you can do about it.  Looking for a community of breeders who will support you through the good and the bad? Join the Dog Breeder Society, the only place where breeders genuinely support each other in all aspects of their business. We have everyone from new breeders to seasoned breeders who have been breeding for decades.  Learn more at honestdogbreeder.com/dogbreedersociety

Puppy buyers are changing, they're asking for more from us, and they have new boxes they want us to check before buying. There's also a dark side of this movement that has buyers publicly coming after breeders. Today I'll talk about what they're doing, what to do if you're a victim, and how you can adapt your program so you're serving this new evolution of puppy buyers. 

Discounting older puppies is tempting. Discounting is what stores do as the seasons change. They'll have sales for summer clothes as summer comes to an end. Yet, does it work for puppies? The answer? Well, sometimes, but not usually.  In this episode I'll discuss the problems with discounting your older puppies, when it makes sense, when it doesn't, and if you do decide to discount a puppy, how to handle offering a discount in a way that is best for you, your buyers, and your dogs.

Parvo was one of the most stressful challenges I faced as a breeder—until I found NeoPar. In this episode, I share my journey and how NeoPar has worked for me to protect puppies against parvo at a very young age, even before they leave for their new homes. Because it bypasses maternal immunity, it gives puppies protection right when they need it most, and it's one of the few things that lets me sleep better at night knowing they're safe. This isn't a sponsored episode—it's simply my story and the solution that finally gave me peace of mind.

Ever wonder how to plan and budget for your facility upgrades? In this episode I'll share my best tips and tricks for facility upgrades, whether its the little stuff while you're just getting started, an intermediate DIY project or room remodel, or a large exterior facility. I'll also give you some guidelines for how to plan the budgeting for it and when to invest in a facility so that you aren't waiting too long, but in a way that doesn't capsize your finances either--no one wants to be "forced" to produce so many dogs. 

Over the last few episodes we've discussed ways to build a financial future, whether or not it includes dogs. In this episode we'll discuss whether your should invest in your facilities, so you can grow your breeding business, or whether you should invest in your future. I'll give you all the criteria you should review and answer to make the best decision for your business, your future, and your family!

She told me, “If I don't sell 20 puppies this month, I'll go under.” It was a wake-up call—and not just for her. In this episode, I'm sharing real ways to turn your dog breeding profits into long-term financial stability, so you're never stuck breeding out of survival. Whether you stay in the game or eventually want to take a step back, this one's all about building options. Don't forget to grab the cheat sheet at honestdogbreeder.com/115!

One of the biggest mistakes I see breeders make is that they finally get some momentum—puppies are selling, income is flowing—and instead of using that money to create peace or freedom down the line, they burn it.  You might be investing all of that money in your breeding program, but as important as it is to reinvest in your program, it's also incredibly important to invest in your future. In this episode, I'm so excited to share with you how to capitalize on your breeding program when it's in its heyday—when your dogs are popular, you've got lots of buyers, a good price, and your enthusiasm is high.

I asked myself this question recently when I realized I'd back-to-back (and overlapping) litters starting on January 31st of this year had been a little too much for my bandwidth.  While there are easy calcuations to determine how many puppies you need to sell, and litters you need to have, to reach a financial target, and I've got a formula to help you calculate that - you can get it at https://honestdogbreeder.com/litters. But money isn't the only factor you need to consider when determining how many litters are right for you.  In this episode I dive into the other questions you need to be asking yourself as you determine how many litters you should have!

In this Q&A we have 5 questions I've been asked recently on the website. I'll go into brief detail on what to consider with each question and what do to about it. If you want to submit your own questions for Q&A, send me a message at julie@honestdogbreeder.com.  Thank you!

Ever feel like you're pouring money into marketing but not getting results? In this episode, we dig into the top marketing money leaks breeders face—from the trap of paid advertising to websites that repel more than they attract. I'll walk you through common mistakes that quietly drain your budget and energy, plus how to take the heavy lifting off your plate so your efforts actually move the needle. Whether you're just starting out or tightening things up, this episode will help you stop wasting money and finally get your marketing working for you—not against you. Sign up for the early bird special discount for Breeding Marketing Mastery: honestdogbreeder.com/earlybird

This is the second part of our three part series about common money leaks that breeders have. This episode covers hiring people. I'll share my own experiences hiring people, what some of the best methods are for being successful with employees, when a good time is, and common errors that end up capsizing profit and making things worse. I have a cheatsheet for you to use that will help you dive into all the things you should think about prior to hiring someone.  

This episode is the first in a 3-part series where we discuss the ins and outs of where I see breeders losing money. This episode approaches the practical side of owning dogs and stud service and where the sweet spot is.  Stay tuned for the second part where we discuss the ins and outs of how to pay people in a way that helps you take better care of your dogs and makes you more money, without killing your profit margins. And the third part, where we discuss marketing and how to have it make you money.  Want to learn more? We discuss deep dives into the breeding business each month with a masterclass released each month inside the Dog Breeder Society. Watch the on-demand courses, learn from seasoned breeders in the discussion boards, and ask Julie questions on the live calls twice a month! Learn more about the Dog Breeder Society. 

In this episode we are joined by Kerry Howell, a professional dog photographer. She shares some tips and tricks on better dog photography as well as when you should consider hiring a professional photographer for your breeding business. You'll love Kerry's simple and easy approach that makes this process a lot less painful and easier to accomplish.  This is the first lesson of a masterclass on better photography that dives deeper into Kerry's professional photography tips! Get the whole masterclass included with your membership to the Dog Breeder Society.

Want to do more social media, but you're not sure where to start? We've got you covered. In today's episode, Julie & Kate discuss Breeder Copy Hub, what it is, how it works, and how you can use it to make a streamlined plan for your social media. Learn more about social media, tips and tricks, and how to incorporate Breeder Copy Hub into your plan. 

It seems logical: more puppies means more money, right? In working with many breeders, it's clear that there is much more to the story of increasing your profit in your breeding program. So the answer to the question of "will more puppies make more money?" is it depends. In this episode we discuss the compounding complexity of scale and the options for how to increase profit in your breeding business, the honest and smart way.  This is part of a larger masterclass I've released with a Google Sheet that you can adjust and play with to gain insight into where you can increase profit and how puppy numbers will play into this. Checkout the Course!

NJ Shelsby is a business coach and she is a master of efficiency. She loves to strike the balance between enjoying life and having a successful business. As a business coach she helps people regain their time, while tackling what they need to do. NJ challenged me to think differently about my processes and her advice propelled me into a much more efficient end of 2024. You'll love her tips and tricks and I bet you could implement a few today!

Lara Marek is a coach for life and business, but she noticed something ... when people stopped working with her, they were unable to maintain their momentum. She found that there were underlying stories they held subconsciously that got in the way of success. She found she was able to give her clients long-term success through hypnosis, helping them to discard the underlying stories sabotagin their success. Learn what these stories look like, how to spot them, and see if hypnosis might work for you!

Danielle McGeough is a wealth of knowledge! With her wide array of experience in various industries, she's been helping people get more done for years!  In this interview Danielle explains her RISE Ritual. Here's a quick snippet:  "One of my favorite ways to teach people to press pause is to create something called a RISE Ritual Method. And RISE stands for reflect, intentional planning, sensory activation, and embodying your new story. And this doesn't have to take incredibly long. "In fact, I think that you can create a ritual that's 15 minutes. So you start out by thinking about, 'What state am I in?'  And then, 'What state do I want to transition to?' And you name the transition that you want to create. And then from there, you go, 'Okay, what's a question I could ask myself, a reflection that I could engage in, that would help me move from one state to the next?' "From there, you can intentionally plan. A really quick way would it just to go, 'If there were three things that I could do today, that at the end of the day, I would feel fulfilled, I would know that I had given my best in my business, or at home, or both, right? What would those three things be?' And you name those and you write them down."

The dog breeding industry did a lot of normalizing in 2023, things are getting back to normal, but there have been changes. In this episode I discuss plans for the new year, how the economy is influencing dog breeding, and where I think it's all going so you can be prepared.  Plus I've started a YouTube Channel where you can watch these episodes on recorded video check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/@jswan (I'd love it if you subscribed!)

Today you get to meet my very own, my kids: Dakotah & Hunter, they're 12 and 10 and they've been a part of dog breeding pretty much their whole lives. Today they share life from their perspective in living with a dog breeding program and being a part of it. They share what they love, what they hate, and how they help.  I hope you enjoy breeding from a kids' perspective!

Meet a friend of mine, Courtney Guthrie! She's been a breeder for many years, breeding primarily German Shepherds as working dogs. In this episode Courtney and I discuss the cultural differences of different breeds. Courtney shares some wonderful training tips to help with older puppies and just training in general, things that are easy to do throughout the day, but that really turn great returns. She also discusses co-owns, the good and the bad and what she recommends.

Shannon comes to us from Perth, Australia! She shares her journey in breeding over the last few decades, how the passion was brewing, but sometimes had to wait. She shares how she imported dogs from all over the world and what breeding and show is like in Australia! You'll love this enjoyable journey and how she made it all come together!

Lory shares it all! She tells about her journey into breeding, what it's like raising Bulldogs (it's a lot more work than my GSPs!), and she breaks some of the misconceptions people have about Bulldogs and health concerns. As a canine nutritionist, she shares her journey and process with raw feeding and the benefits she's seen! She also shares about her turf experience and what she recommends. Lastly, she shares WONDERFUL information about marketing, how she does her email newsletter, how her website plays into it, and how she's gotten clever with some Facebook Groups. You'll love learning all the magic from Lory!

Breeding Livestock Guardian Dogs is a whole other world of breeding! Kim talks about the dynamics of breeding farm dogs and how people often think that they should breed them just because they breed other livestock, like sheep or chickens. She dabbles into how she's been able to increase her price and educate buyers so they understand what they are getting and why her breeding produces a better farm dog. She further dives into how she is using a Facebook group, her website, and her email newsletter to get more attention for her breeding program and sell more dogs. 

Jessica went from being fired from the Humane Society to being on Fire with her Dalmatian breeding program. You'll get to hear her incredible stories as an animal control officer and then hear what it was like working for the Humane Society where she was eventually fired. She has built an incredible breeding program and it's changed her life–especially as a mom who gets to spend more time with her kids and do more with them because of the lifestyle breeding provides. You'll love learning about her breeding program, her thoughts on studying genetics to create the dogs you really want, and her thoughts on working with other breeders. 

Bill and his wife Alice recently built a beautiful facility for their breeding program. Bill is a flooring contractor and he shares what he did with designing and constructing his building to make clean up a dream! He also shares how he applied business principles from his contracting business to dog breeding and how it has placed their program a cut above. You'll enjoy hearing how they delegate tasks and work together to create a great breeding program.

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:

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 julie@honestdogbreeder.com 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?