*2008 basic stud fee is $1200.00 CAD based on live cover or local artificial insemination and full payment at time of breeding. Partial payment option is available - see our Stud Contract. Frozen semen is basic stud fee + all incurred actual charges (veterinary collection, transport, etc). See below for approximate fresh chilled semen costs. PRE-APPROVED BITCHES ONLY. See our Stud Contract.
Contact us by email to discuss the possibility of booking a breeding to one of our fine stud dogs, or telephone 705-932-2559.
 A Few Words on Stud Fees
They say Quality doesn't cost, it pays - and that pearl of wisdom has most definitely stood the test of time. Weekend after weekend we watch masses of eagar breeder/exhibitors of various breeds gathering at dog shows with mediocre dogs - spending veritable fortunes in search of that blue ribbon. They happily pay per day $25.00 entry fees; $100.00 for hotel room; $10.00 - $100.00+ in gasoline; and the list goes on for the best bait, new show outfits, perhaps the services of a professional handler ... Often these same people, given the choice between two stud dogs of differing quality and fees, will select the stud whose service carries the lowest price tag, or the one that is most conveniently accessible. It's a strange and almost epidemic phenomena - this penny-wise (stud fees), pound-foolish (show expenses) mentality.
Of course there ARE no situtions these days where only two sires would be available to a bitch, but hopefully I've made my point, but in case I haven't here it is ... "Once the sperm and egg unite a dog's genetic potential is sealed FOREVER. From that moment on the excellent care, nutrition, training, grooming, and praying to the Gods can only augment and maximize a dogs winning qualities to the extent that it's genes allow. In other words, the MOST control over the eventual quality of the dogs we own and show lays in that initial decision to use a particular sire with a particular bitch because potential is forever sealed and capped at conception."
Stud fees tend to vary regionally, differ widely from breed to breed, and between Canada and the US, with Canada's rates not nearly keeping up with the US - but inevitably of course they must in order to reflect the cost of importing those genes into this Country to to keep pace with general inflation seen in all consumer circles. It is generally held that the price of a stud service should be that of a show quality puppy - but we rarely see fees that high in the Samoyed breed. With 8-10 week old show quality puppies selling in the US for, on average, $1000.00 - $1500.00 US ... a $950.00 US stud fee from a quality dog is a gift. Very low stud fees tend to attract all and sundry - and in the Stud Dog Arena anyone seeking to attract "volume" of bitches with a low fee, had better be prepared for a lot of poor quality puppies showing up in the rings with their stud's name attached to them. Definitely NOT good advertising for the boy-dog. Very high stud fees definitely cut down on the number of breeders looking to use a stud - but also tends to attract the most serious, who 'hopefully' also have the best bitches.
There has to be some middle ground however, where reasonably priced stud fees are available to good bitches. When you eliminate the inevitable few that are "way out there" on the high/low ends, you find that fees only vary at most by a few hundred dollars between the worst and best studs, and not always are the best studs the highest priced. One weekend at the dog show losing with a poor specimen can rack up more expenses than an entire stud fee, and this should always be remembered for those who breed and play to win. A paltry few hundred dollars difference in a stud fee is nothing compared to the money hole created by trying to finish or Special average to poor dogs. Did we mention that it costs the same to feed, vaccinate, train, groom and generally just 'raise' a mediocre dog as it does a great one?
If you just want to breed white dogs and think that win or lose showing is fun, then you probably abandoned this lecture long ago. But for those who seek quality, let me remind you that the RIGHT choice of sire (and that's not necessarily one of ours, btw) for your bitch is the single most important decision affecting your future success as a breeder in the dog world, after the selection of the bitch herself. Even the highest priced quality studs are an ENORMOUS BARGAIN in the big scheme of things when you look at where else we happily dribble away vast sums of money in the name of this crazy, beloved sport of ours.
 Why Do We Do It?
Here at Vanderbilt we don't stud our dogs to get rich - the same way we don't breed puppies to that end either. We are driven by a goal of advancing and improving the breed - and one way in which this is done is by dissemination of high quality genes to quality, committed fanciers. Of course there must be some value assigned to any service because of the costs that go into allowing it to be offered it in the first place. It should also be recognized that those with great love and apptitude for dog breeding are not necessarily the wealthiest. How many talented breeders give up following the typical enormous losses usually exacted by the rules of the fancy before they have had a chance to impact the breed? I contend that more intelligent, talented people would turn their hand to dog breeding if the balance sheet held a little less red. Perhaps THAT would serve dogdom better over the longterm?
Here, we love boys and maintain quite a few of them - but this involves a huge commitment as anyone with stud dogs will know. We feel we have imported into Canada some of the best genes available anywhere, and have spared no expense to prove these dogs via competitive events and normal genetic testing. It would be unfair to those who provided us with genes in the first place to undercut them in stud fees - and yet we are sometimes asked to. We put a great deal of effort into providing excellent service at our end, we know our rates are well within the US average for the bloodlines involved. This does not mean that one of our sires are necessarily the right choice for your bitch, and we'd be the first to tell you if we thought a particular mating to be unwise for ANY reason. The goal is always QUALITY and what is best for the future of the breed.
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