“I have done a lot with proceeds of this business. I have bought land, built houses, a home and much more. I don’t regret venturing into this business,” he reveals. “In spite of my job being regarded as an odd job, it has been the right one for me.”
His current stock of breeds includes Rotweiller, Dobermann Pinscher, Chihuahua, German Shepherd, Matis Dog, Japanese Spitz, Mastiff and Great Dane imported from South Africa recently. His love affair with dogs has seen him interact with influential people in the society including President Uhuru Kenyatta’s family, former Othaya MP Mary Wambui and senior police officers.
His venture is not without a few challenges, though. He says training kits are hard to come by. The best quality kits, he says costs no less than Ksh300,000 each and are rare to find in Kenya, forcing him to improvise. He sells puppies aged three months to three years, at which time prices depend on whether or not the dog is trained.
“The lowest amount we fetch is Sh30,000 for a puppy. In stock I have a Boer bull (a large cross-breed of the Mastiff and indigenous African dogs), which weighs 75 kilograms and is selling at Ksh1.5 million,” Mr Githogori says. His market ranges across the country, East Africa, and Europe. “The initial dog was bought at Sh1.5 million by an Australian who heard about my profession, though I was reluctant to sell it as it was the best breed,” he says.
The biggest challenge is to feed the dogs as the puppies require almost Ksh30,000 per month. “The puppies feed on eggs, milk and liver. To get those, I rear milk goats and hens.” The animals also get vaccination to protect them from diseases such as Parvo Virus and rabies.
The dogs are trained how to track, sniff and guard. Though Mr Githogori is not professionally trained on dog rearing, he has diverse knowledge, being a frequent user of the internet. He also buys research materials and books, which has helped him to breed and train the best dogs around.
“I challenge young people to embrace entrepreneurship as their income source. Follow your passion and you will not regret,” says the 42-year-old. He urges young people to take up any available job opportunity and desist from waiting for white collar jobs.
“I always say, no money is labeled dogs-breeding, plumbing, sewer cleaning, doctor or architect. We all have diverse opportunities which we ought to carefully explore,” he advises.
