Loves animals. People who can persevere in taking care of animals on a daily basis, as it is essential. A person who has a sense of responsibility, as this is a job that involves taking care of life.

Breeders breed, raise, and sell well-bred dogs and cats. The process of breeding, giving birth, health care (rearing), and transferring the animals is followed until healthy puppies and kittens are delivered to their owners through pet stores. They have extensive knowledge of animal ecology and pedigrees, and also act as midwives to ensure that mother dogs and cats give birth safely. While checking on the health of the newborn puppies and kittens, she takes care of them frequently, feeding them, taking care of their waste, and observing their daily activities. The breeder is responsible for raising the animals for a minimum of 56 days after birth, whether the animals are transferred directly to their owners or sold to pet stores.

Breeding and raising dogs and cats is not like mass-producing goods; it requires a lot of love and care. Since it is not a business that can be developed on a large scale, most breeders are sole proprietors. It is difficult to work for a large company as a salaried worker for a long time, so if you want to become a breeder, you should plan from the beginning to become independent in the future.

Breeders do not need any special qualifications such as national certifications. However, it is difficult for a layperson with no knowledge of animals or pets to suddenly start working as a breeder. Qualifications that are useful for those who wish to become breeders include "certified pet dog breeder," "certified trainer," "certified home animal caretaker," "certified veterinary nurse," "certified pet animal caretaker," and "trimmer," to name a few. There are not many vocational schools that specialize in training breeders, so choosing a school that facilitates the acquisition of these qualifications is a shortcut to becoming a full-fledged breeder.

After gaining experience as a breeder's assistant or in a company, a person who wishes to start his/her own business must apply for registration as a "Type 1 Animal Handling Business" with the competent prefectural government (or government-designated city). At this time, it is important to note that a "responsible person for animal handling" must be appointed at the newly opened facility. There is no such qualification, but any one of the following four qualifications or experience is sufficient to call oneself an "animal handling manager". It is OK as long as the person who intends to become independent meets the requirements for an "Animal Handling Manager," and in many cases, the person who actually notifies the "Type 1 Animal Handling Business" also serves as the "Animal Handling Manager.
The four requirements are as follows
(1) Veterinarian
(2) Pet animal nurse
(iii) Passed an examination of a professional association or other organization, and have at least 6 months of work experience under a Type 1 animal handling business operator.
(iv) Graduated from a university or vocational school for veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing, animal husbandry, etc., and have at least six months of work experience under a Type 1 animal handling business.
The examinations for (3) include the "pet dog keeper manager" and "certified trainer" recognized by the Japan Kennel Club, the "domestic animal keeper" recognized by the National Pet Association, the "pet animal care manager" recognized by the Japan Pet Owners' Association, and the "trimmer" recognized by the All Japan Animal Specialty Education Association. There are numerous organizations and qualifications recognized by the Ministry of the Environment. There are also certification examinations recognized by local governments.

The pet boom in Japan continues with dogs and cats, with popular species changing. Currently, small indoor dogs and cats that can be kept in condominiums and apartments are popular. The number of small animal pets, not limited to dogs and cats, is also increasing. The job of breeder is promising in the future, but there is no shortage of malicious breeders and pet stores that take advantage of the boom to overbreed puppies and kittens and keep them in poor conditions or kill them when they are unsold. Therefore, in 2022, breeders and pet stores will be obliged to install microchips in dogs and cats they sell and to register their information. In addition, in recent years, more and more pets are being sold via the Internet. Some breeders transfer pets directly only to trusted owners and share information with them afterwards to watch their pets grow up together. Only breeders who are able to respond to these new approaches and watch over their animals with love and care will be in demand in the future.

The average annual income ranges from 3.43 to 3.89 million yen. Income varies depending on the rarity and popularity of the animals as well as the number of animals handled.

It is difficult to take a long vacation because of the daily care required for a living animal. When attending a birth, for example, you will be with the animal all night long. When you have just started your own business and are working alone, you should be prepared to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Assistants under active breeders, companies, pet stores, etc.

It's a chart that shows at a glance the main routes to getting a job as a breeder!