Comparison
BreedBloom vs Spreadsheets for Dog Breeders
Updated September 6, 2026 · 6 min read · By the BreedBloom team
Most breeders start on a spreadsheet, and for one litter a year with a handful of dogs it can be enough. This page is about the point where it stops being enough, and what you actually gain by moving.
Where spreadsheets are fine
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One or two litters a year, all dogs in one household, one person keeping records.
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Simple finance totals for tax time.
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You are comfortable maintaining formulas and backups yourself.
Where they break
Task
Spreadsheet
BreedBloom
Puppy weights
One tab per litter, manual % change, chart rebuilt each time
Per-puppy AM/PM entries, litter chart, stall/loss flags automatically
Litter timeline
Dates typed by hand from the breeding date
Ultrasound, X-ray, temperature, ENS/ESI, deworming and vaccine tasks generated from the ovulation date
Waitlist and families
A list with notes; deposits tracked separately; updates by email
Applications, screening, deposits, assignment and updates in one family record with a portal
Contracts
Word template, emailed, signed copy in a folder somewhere
Sent from a template per puppy, e-signed, filed on the puppy and family
Health testing
Numbers typed into a cell; certificates in a drawer
Results with dates on the dog; copies in every go-home packet
Multiple people
Version conflicts, "which file is current?"
One up-to-date record on every device; Pro includes 3 people (you plus a Co-breeder or helpers), each with their own login
Phone use at the whelping box
Painful
Built for it
The real difference
A spreadsheet holds cells. A breeding program is relationships: this weight belongs to this puppy, from this litter, out of this dam, going to this family under this contract. The moment you need to answer a question across those links, the spreadsheet becomes archaeology.
What switching involves
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Add your current dogs once; litters and puppies are created from the breeding record.
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Historic weights can be entered per puppy; most breeders bring the current litter and leave the archive in the spreadsheet.
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Export your waitlist, applications, finance records, activity log and dog and litter reports as CSV at any time.
Cost
Spreadsheets are free, and BreedBloom is free for up to 3 dogs and one active litter. Above that, Pro is $30 a month, or $300 a year. The honest question is not the fee but whether the hours you spend maintaining tabs are worth more than that.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free breeding record spreadsheet?
Many exist, and BreedBloom's Free plan covers the same ground for up to 3 dogs and one active litter without the maintenance.
Can I import my spreadsheet into BreedBloom?
There is no spreadsheet import yet. You add your dogs once, litters and puppies are created from breeding records, and historic weights can be entered per puppy.
Can I export my data from BreedBloom?
Yes. Your waitlist, applications, finance records, activity log and dog and litter reports export as CSV at any time.
Run your program on BreedBloom
Dogs, litters, puppy weights, ENS/ESI tasks, waitlists, contracts and go-home packets in one connected record, with a family portal built in. Free for up to 3 dogs.
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