Structured Development. Documented Results.
You already put real effort into developing your young animals. Whether it's structured neurological stimulation for puppies, imprint training for foals, or handling and socialization for kittens, kids, or lambs, that work matters.
BreederHQ helps you track it, prove it, and share it with buyers. No more paper checklists or spreadsheets.
You already do the work. The tracking is the hard part.
You've built your developmental routines over years of experience. The challenge isn't the protocols themselves, it's keeping track of everything:
- • Paper checklists get lost, wet, or illegible
- • Spreadsheets work until you have multiple groups overlapping
- • Buyers ask what you did, but you have no easy way to show them
- • When an animal misses an exercise, you lose track of what to make up
- • New staff or helpers don't know what was already completed
- • You spend more time tracking than actually doing the exercises
You put in the effort. BreederHQ makes sure there's a record of it.
Industry-Standard Protocols Built-In
BreederHQ includes benchmark protocols for dogs and a custom protocol builder for any species. Assign a protocol to your group and start tracking.
🐕 Dog Protocols (Built-In)
🧠 Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS)
Five exercises performed daily from days 3-16 to improve stress tolerance, cardiovascular performance, and disease resistance.
- • Tactile stimulation
- • Head held erect
- • Head pointed down
- • Supine position
- • Thermal stimulation
👃 Early Scent Introduction (ESI)
Expose puppies to novel scents daily from days 3-16. Develops scent discrimination and confidence with new stimuli.
- • One new scent per day
- • Track reactions (positive/neutral/negative)
- • Build scent exposure library
7️⃣ Rule of 7s
By 7 weeks, puppies should have experienced 7 different surfaces, 7 different locations, 7 different toys, and more.
- • 7 surfaces (grass, concrete, carpet, etc.)
- • 7 locations
- • 7 challenges/obstacles
- • 7 different food containers
📚 More Dog Protocols
Additional built-in programs:
- • Developmental stage programs
- • Enrichment and exposure exercises
- • Startle/recovery exercises
- • Sound desensitization protocols
🐴🐐🐱🐇🐑 Other Species (Custom Protocol Builder)
Published protocol standards vary by species. The Protocol Builder lets you create exactly what your program needs. Here are examples of what breeders are tracking:
🐴 Horses
- • Foal imprint training (first 24-48 hours)
- • Halter breaking and leading
- • Farrier desensitization
- • Trailer loading introduction
- • Grooming and handling milestones
🐐 Goats & 🐑 Sheep
- • Bottle kid/lamb feeding schedules
- • Disbudding and banding timelines
- • Halter training and handling
- • Hoof care introduction
- • Weaning protocols
🐱 Cats
- • Kitten socialization windows
- • Handling and gentling routines
- • Litter training milestones
- • Sound and environment exposure
- • Multi-pet household prep
🐇 Rabbits
- • Handling and gentling protocols
- • Cage and enclosure introduction
- • Nail trim conditioning
- • Socialization with people and sounds
- • Weaning and diet transition
Each protocol includes day-by-day tasks, timing windows, and completion criteria. Use the built-in protocols or build your own for any species.
Build Your Own Protocols
Every program is different. Maybe you've developed your own approach over years of breeding. Maybe you combine elements from multiple systems. Maybe your breed has specific developmental needs.
The Protocol Builder lets you create exactly what your program needs:
Protocol Builder Features
- ✓ Phases: Organize tasks into developmental stages (neonatal, transitional, socialization, etc.)
- ✓ Tasks: Define specific activities with descriptions, timing, and frequency
- ✓ Day ranges: Specify when each task should be performed (e.g., days 3-16)
- ✓ Notes/instructions: Add detailed guidance for each task
- ✓ Drag-and-drop reordering: Easily adjust task sequence
Start from scratch, or clone an existing protocol and modify it. Your custom protocols work exactly like the built-in ones-full tracking, certificates, everything.
Track Every Animal, Every Task
Real life doesn't follow perfect schedules. One offspring might be sick during an exercise. Another might need extra attention. The tracking system handles real-world messiness, whether you're managing a litter of ten or a single foal.
Batch Completion
Completed today's exercises with the whole group? Mark the task done for everyone at once. No need to check individual boxes one by one.
Individual Tracking
Need to track one animal differently? Each offspring has their own completion record. Perfect for animals with different developmental timelines.
Exception Handling
When an animal misses a task, log it as an exception with a reason. "Blue collar missed Day 5 handling due to vet visit." The system tracks what needs to be made up.
Progress Dashboard
See group-wide and per-animal completion percentages at a glance. Know exactly where each offspring stands in their developmental program.
For helpers and staff: Anyone you authorize can log completions. They see today's tasks, mark them done, and add notes. No confusion about what's been done.
Learn from the Best Breeders
The breeding community thrives on shared knowledge. Community Protocol Sharing lets experienced breeders share what works-and lets everyone benefit.
Share Your Protocols
Developed a protocol that produces exceptional results? Share it with the community. Your protocol gets attributed to you, building your reputation as a knowledgeable breeder.
You control visibility: keep protocols private, share with specific breeders, or publish publicly.
Browse and Import
Find protocols from experienced breeders in your breed or discipline. Filter by species, breed, purpose, and ratings. Import protocols with one click and customize for your program.
Ratings and Reviews
Rate protocols 1-5 stars. Leave reviews about what worked and what didn't. The best protocols rise to the top. New breeders can trust community-vetted approaches.
Export and Backup
Export your protocols to a file. Back them up, share via email, or import into another breeder's account. Your work isn't locked in.
Community sharing is available on Enterprise plans. All other protocol features work on Pro plans.
Show Buyers the Care You've Already Put In
Buyers want to know their animal was raised right. Completion certificates provide documented proof of the developmental work you've done, giving you a way to show it, not just say it.
Certificate of Completion
Each certificate includes:
- ✓ Animal name and identification
- ✓ Protocol name and description
- ✓ Completion date and percentage
- ✓ Breeder name and program
- ✓ Verification code for authenticity checking
Verification Code
BHQ-ENS-2026-XXXX-XXXX For Breeders
- • Differentiate from breeders who don't document development
- • Justify premium pricing with documented care
- • Include in go-home packets alongside health records
For Buyers
- • Verify certificates are authentic, not fabricated
- • Understand exactly what developmental work was done
- • Trust that the breeder invested in early development
Share the Results with Buyers
The work you put into early development deserves to be seen. BreederHQ gives you two ways to share it:
Completion Certificates
When an animal completes a protocol, generate a digital certificate with a verification code. Buyers can verify authenticity online. Include certificates in your go-home documentation to show the care behind every animal.
Builds trust and justifies premium pricing.
Training Protocols in the Buyer Portal
After placement, buyers can access training protocols you assign through their Buyer Portal. They can log their own progress on continued socialization, training milestones, and other activities you recommend.
Keeps the developmental journey going beyond your program.
Temperament and Aptitude Testing
Rearing protocols develop your animals. Temperament testing evaluates them. BreederHQ includes built-in assessments for dogs plus a custom evaluation builder for any species, so you can match every animal to the right home.
🐕 Dog Assessments (Built-In)
Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT)
The industry standard for evaluating puppy temperament. Administered at 49 days (7 weeks), the PAT scores each puppy across 10 standardized tests on a 1-6 scale:
- 1.Social Attraction
- 2.Following
- 3.Restraint
- 4.Social Dominance
- 5.Elevation Dominance
- 6.Retrieving
- 7.Touch Sensitivity
- 8.Sound Sensitivity
- 9.Sight Sensitivity
- 10.Stability
BreederHQ automatically calculates temperament profiles from scores: dominant, outgoing, adaptable, sensitive, or shy. Each profile comes with a placement recommendation and experience level guidance so you know exactly which homes are the best fit.
Gun Dog Aptitude Test
Purpose-built for sporting and hunting dog breeders. Evaluates puppies at 7-10 weeks across 10 field-relevant tests on a 1-5 scale:
- 1.Bird Drive
- 2.Water Entry
- 3.Marking Ability
- 4.Retrieve Desire
- 5.Cooperation
- 6.Wing Reaction
- 7.Sound Sensitivity
- 8.Prey Persistence
- 9.Focus Under Distraction
- 10.Overall Drive
Results are automatically categorized into placement tiers: Field Trial Prospect, Serious Hunter, Casual Hunter, Pet with Hunting Potential, or Companion Home. No more guessing which puppy belongs on a hunting preserve versus a family couch.
Working-Dog Role Suitability Analysis
For breeders producing working dogs, BreederHQ goes beyond basic temperament profiles. After a PAT is scored, the system automatically evaluates each puppy's suitability for six working-dog roles:
K9 / Protection
Military Working Dog
Guide Dog
Therapy Dog
Search & Rescue
Detection
Each role gets a suitability score with specific strengths and concerns so you can match animals to the right homes and working environments.
🐴🐐🐱🐇🐑 Other Species (Custom Evaluations)
Standardized temperament tests for non-dog species are less common, but many breeders have their own evaluation criteria. The Protocol Builder lets you create custom assessment frameworks for any species:
- • Horses: Evaluate halter manners, trailer loading readiness, farrier tolerance, ground manners
- • Goats/Sheep: Rate handling ease, herd behavior, show ring readiness, milking temperament
- • Cats: Assess sociability, handling tolerance, multi-pet compatibility, activity level
- • Rabbits: Evaluate handling tolerance, cage behavior, sociability with people and other rabbits
Custom evaluations work just like the built-in tests: scored results, radar charts, buyer portal integration, and completion tracking.
Assessment Tools
Score Radar Charts
Visual radar charts show each animal's profile at a glance. Built-in and custom assessments get their own chart type with category breakdowns. Quickly spot patterns across any evaluation criteria.
Sibling Comparison
Compare two animals side-by-side with overlapping radar charts. See score-by-score differences with a delta column. For PAT assessments, the comparison also shows each animal's top working-dog role.
Buyer Portal Integration
Choose which assessment results to share with buyers. When enabled, buyers see radar charts, interpretations, and placement recommendations directly in their portal.
Assessment History
Track multiple assessments over time. Run different evaluations at different ages for the same animal. All results are stored and accessible from the rearing tab.
You already know your animals. Assessment tools help you show buyers why a specific animal is the right fit for their home, barn, or program.
Built for Breeders Who:
- ✓ Already do structured developmental work with their young animals
- ✓ Want to show buyers the care they invest
- ✓ Produce working animals, show prospects, or performance animals
- ✓ Have helpers who need clear daily task lists
- ✓ Want to match offspring to the right homes based on temperament
- ✓ Value structured early development for any species
You Might Not Need This If:
- • You don't do structured developmental programs
- • Your groups are small and tracking is simple
- • Your buyers don't ask about early development
- • You're not interested in temperament testing
Even then, if you want to start using protocols, BreederHQ makes it easy to begin.
Give Every Animal the Best Start
Structured development. Documented care. Happier buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are rearing protocols?
Rearing protocols are structured developmental programs for young animals. They include exercises, socialization activities, and handling routines designed to produce well-adjusted, confident animals. Examples range from ENS and ESI for puppies to foal imprinting for horses, bottle kid schedules for goats, and kitten socialization programs for cats.
What benchmark protocols are included?
BreederHQ includes industry-standard protocols like ENS, ESI, Rule of 7s, and developmental stage programs for dogs. For other species, you can build custom protocols using the Protocol Builder or import community-shared protocols from breeders in your species.
Can I create my own custom protocols?
Yes. The Protocol Builder lets you create custom protocols with your own phases, tasks, and timing. You can start from scratch or modify existing protocols to match your program's approach.
How does per-animal tracking work?
Each offspring gets individual progress tracking. You can mark tasks complete for the whole group at once (batch completion) or track exceptions for individuals who missed or could not complete specific exercises.
How do completion certificates work?
When an animal completes a protocol, you can generate a digital certificate documenting their developmental program. Certificates include a verification code buyers can use to confirm authenticity. Great for demonstrating the care that went into raising each animal.
What temperament and aptitude tests are available?
BreederHQ includes the Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT) for general temperament evaluation, the Gun Dog Aptitude Test for sporting dog evaluation, and Working-Dog Role Suitability analysis. For other species, you can create custom evaluation frameworks using the Protocol Builder.
Can buyers see assessment results?
Yes. You control which results are shared. When you mark an assessment as buyer-visible, it appears in the Buyer Portal with radar charts, interpretations, and placement recommendations. Buyers can see the data that helps them understand their animal before going home.