I have a 3 year old bitch and would like so advice on breeding her (what would be involed and cost)

Paulty, you haven't given us enough information for us to be able to advise you properly, so my response is going to be very very basic.

1. - is she KC registered?   If she is, are her papers endorsed "not for breeding"?   If she isn't KC registered, or if her registration is endorsed, then you would be unable to register puppies.

2.   - if she is KC registered and not endorsed, have you spoken to her breeder?   Does she feel that she is a good example of the breed, and breeding from her would be good for the breed?   

3.   - have you shown her/worked her with any success?

4.    Has she been hip and elbow scored (with a low score)?   Eye-tested?    Had any other health tests as advocated by the Weimaraner Breed Society?   If not, you should arrange for these now.   It's not enough for a vet to say "oh she's a nice girl, she should have good puppies"!

As you see, it isn't as straightforward as it might first seem.    If the answers to 2, 3 and 4 are yes, then you should be researching the pedigrees/lines of prospective studs with your breeder, who would be the best person to advise you.    If you haven't had her hip and elbow scored, then that will cost you in the region of £200 (is only done once in a lifetime).   Eye tests are carried out annually (around £20-30) and I really am not sure of the costs of any other health tests required for Weims, but the Breed Society would be able to give you an idea.

I would also strongly advise you to buy a copy of "The Book of the Bitch" which goes in great detail into the basics of whelping.

If you do mate her, then the stud fee is generally the equivalent of the price of a puppy - which is generally paid upfront on the mating.
You will need a whelping pen, your bitch will need additional feeding, you should arrange for at least 2 weeks off work, in order that someone can be with the bitch and puppies 24/7 for a couple of weeks (to make sure mum doesn't lie on puppies & suffocate them).  

At the end of the day, if you are lucky enough to get through a whelping without the necessity of extra vet visits (vet should check over bitch and puppies in the first couple of days) - you will need wormer for mum and pups, puppy food, etc etc etc - you might break even!

If you are unlucky enough to need a ceasarian, then you could well be out of pocket!

Margot

Why do you want to breed from her?  Has she been hip scored and received average or below average results?  Do you show her?  If you don't show her, how do you know if she meets the breed standard and is worth breeding from?  Do you work her?  Are you a member of the breed clubs? 

maybe more importanltly- do you have good homes lined up for all the puppies -maybe 10 or more!

Are you willing to take puppies back no matter what the age they are?

ok i dont want to come down on you and i mean this in the most nicest helpful way but while she is at a perfect breeding age you havent learnt anything. You should have spent the last three year knowing the ins and outs of breeding the way a male dog works the way a bitch works been to shows to meet with other breeders see what the breed standard is and find ways you can improve on the breed. If you want to breed because you want your girl to have cute puppies or you think you will make money it is the wrong reasons to breed pregnant, whelping girls and pups are very very very hard work there are many sleepless nights if you work away from home you will need to be able to take a couple of days of atleast to be there for the whelp and the first few days of the pups make sure mum bonds and is caring for them if she doesnt care for them then you will have even more time off because you will need to hand rear. All of this is very costly and when you have to take time off it can really put a strain on yourself or family if you have one which is another point if you have children where will you put the bitch so she is out of harms way and little hands who want to continuosly pat and pick up newborn pups.
answer yourself these wuestions if you cant say yes to atleast these then you should not be breeing right now

has you girl had all health test that the breed needs ?

do you have a safe place away from harms way for mum and pups (no other animals no children no visitors complete quiet) ?

are you financial able to cop with the expenses of unforeseen whelping problems vet checks for mum and pups extra feed and all medicines pups and mum will need ?

can you take time of work anywhere up to 5-6 weeks if needed ?

can you emotionally handle caring for pups and mum or losing one or both very very possible and very very heartbreaking ?

will you take back and keep any puppies who have health problems ?

will you find responsible homes with good families for your pups ? and  i dont mean posting an ad in a paper or anything having people come on the day the pups are old enough to leave and speaking with them for a few miniutes before letting them pick and leave with a pup that is not the responsible way to do it

and a very important one is you girl at peak physical health she needs to be and if she isnt you should never breed from her ?

if you cant atleast say yes to these questions you shouldnt breed there are many more questions but you have to atleast be able to say yes to all of these ?

And to add to everything else, you'd need to consider whether the puppies will be docked or not, and if they are to be docked, you need to join the Council of Docked Breeds in order to find a vet that will agree to do it.