A Good Labrador Retriever Breeder: It is not difficult to find Labrador Retriever breeders. In the end, Labradors are one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. However, you need to find a good, reputable breeder of Labrador Retrievers. Health testing their breeding stock, caring for their animals, being picky about who receives their puppies, and answering all your questions with great knowledge are some of the qualities of a great breeder.
Puppy farms and pet stores should be avoided. Their prices may be lower than those of good Labrador Retriever breeders. Let’s find out more.
What makes A Good Labrador Retriever Breeder?
The majority of people are aware that Labrador puppies should not be bought from pet stores or puppy farms. However, there are still a lot of breeders to choose from.
Which Labrador Retriever breeder can you trust?
You may not be able to spot puppy farmers as easily as you think. By looking and acting like the friendly, welcoming people you would want to meet, they succeed. They can be identified by the reasons that they breed from their dogs and by how they treat their pets.
Ask as many questions as you need to. You may feel awkward at first, but a good breeder will welcome your questions. It’s a warning sign if they seem frustrated or uncomfortable that they may have something to hide.
Checklist for Labrador breeders
A good breeder has several defining characteristics.
Breeders of Labrador Retrievers should:
- They take great care of their animals
- And have them tested for health
- As well as be picky about whom they home their puppies with
- Know everything there is to know about Labradors
- And will answer all your questions honestly and completely
- We’re going to introduce you to all the puppies in their litter, and their mom, in the place where they’re being raised
- And provide lifelong support
Let’s take a closer look at each of them.
Great care is taken by good Labrador breeders
A breeder can’t tell you for sure what conditions his Labradors are kept in until you visit him.
In your first phone call or email exchange, you can ask some revealing questions.
1. Determine how many dogs the breeder has
Ideally, a Labrador Retriever breeder will not have so many dogs that they cannot give them individual attention. They will develop a close relationship with each of their animals. You can do this by showing them, working them, or incorporating them into your family life as valued companions.
2. Find out how often they breed from each dog
Each female dog’s litter size and the number of litters she has had. No good breeder will have more than one litter from a Labrador female in any twelve months or more than three litters from a female during her lifetime. Their veterinarian will examine her thoroughly before any pregnancy and make sure she is in perfect condition for carrying a litter.
3. Where do they keep their dogs?
Puppies raised inside their breeder’s home will settle into their new homes more confidently. The rhythm of people coming and going and the sounds of televisions, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and other appliances will be familiar to them.
The dogs used for breeding that are housed in kennels should also spend time in the home every day. Puppies raised in whelping kennels should be brought into the house and supervised outside several times a day.
Health testing is a hallmark of good Labrador Retriever breeders
Breeders should test their breeding animals’ health. The minimum health tests required for Labradors by the USA Labrador Retriever Club and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals Canine Health Information Center (OFA-CHIC) are:
- Hip scoring
- And elbow scoring
- A visual examination
- A DNA test for Exercise Induced Collapse
- And DNA for the dilute coat gene.
The following health tests are optional but recommended
- An examination of the heart
- And DNA tests for Centronuclear Myopathy and prcd-PRA.
Obtain proof of testing
You can verify that these have been carried out over the phone. However, you should also ask to see certificates when you visit. Make sure you have copies of the health tests sent to you by email before you arrive. If they are not forthcoming during your visit, you avoid an awkward situation.
Marks of good Labrador Retriever breeders – smart breeding choices
Good breeders will also consider other factors that could make a mating wise, or unwise, in addition to choosing healthy Labradors.
Breeders will, for instance, make sure their sire and dam are as unrelated as possible. This ensures healthy genetic variation in dogs.
Breeders will tell you the inbreeding coefficient of their litter – the best inbreeding coefficient is less than 5%. The best breeders also consider the temperaments of their sires and dams, and how this impacts the lives their puppies are likely to lead (e.g. as pets or working dogs). In addition, they will take care not to breed from nervous or anxious females who are likely to find mating, pregnancy, and whelping stressful.
Lab breeders: Does pedigree equal quality?
People often write to me and ask how they can find out if their dog is an ‘original Labrador’ or a purebred with a quality pedigree. if you plan to buy a puppy, make sure you do your research carefully and check all the paperwork and certificates.
Breeders of Labrador Retrievers typically specialize in either English Labradors or American Labradors. Before you start searching for local breeders, decide what type of Labrador you want. For help choosing a Labrador, we have compiled a comparison.
Information and aftercare
A good Labrador Retriever breeder offers lifetime support to their puppy buyers. They will answer your questions confidently and provide you with written information sheets on how you can care for your puppy. You will be able to stay in touch with good breeders if they provide convenient contact methods. They will encourage you to feel comfortable asking any questions you have, for as long as you need.
The majority of reputable breeders will also take back a puppy if you’re unable to take care of it at any time in the future. This is often stipulated in their puppy contracts. The best part is that there are a lot of great breeders that offer holiday boarding!
How can I find one of these good breeders for a Labrador puppy?
You can find a good Labrador breeder in several ways. These include puppy ads and breeder ads in newspapers and online. Labrador breed clubs can put you in touch with local Labrador breeders and this is a good place to start your search. There is a Labrador Retriever Club directory of local and regional clubs as well as a breeder directory. Most of these clubs, as well as many breeders, now have their own websites.
First, find the breeder
Finding a breeder beforehand is better than searching for a puppy and checking out the breeder at the same time. The puppies of many good Labrador Retriever breeders are spoken for before they are born. You should make your booking as soon as possible. Some people have to wait for the right puppy, and a good breeder wants to see that you prioritize getting the right dog over the timing.
What about an advertisement for a puppy?
When the time is right to get a puppy, it’s tempting just to type ‘Labrador Retriever puppies near me’ into a search engine. A lot of ads will appear.
Advertisements for puppies are sometimes regarded with great suspicion, but even reputable breeders need to advertise their puppies from time to time. Especially when the litter is very large, or if one of the buyers has to pull out at the last minute. In any case, you should treat any advertisement with some suspicion until the breeder’s credentials have been verified.
Breeders sometimes have websites. It tells you less about their breeding practices than it does about their ability to set up a website, but it may give you an idea of what kind of breeder they are.
Puppy selection
Once you have found a good Labrador breeder, you may be able to select a puppy. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have a choice. At eight weeks old, it is very challenging to predict how each pup will turn out. The fact that all the other pups are spoken for is a good indication that your chosen breeder is in high demand. It is also possible that the breeder feels they know their puppies best and would like to match them with the right homes.
Learn how to spot a bad breeder
It is as important to know how to recognize a good breeder as it is to know how to recognize a bad one. Before you visit your new puppy, make sure you know what to look out for and how to spot a bad breeder. Don’t be afraid to walk away if something doesn’t feel right.
It’s more likely that puppies raised irresponsibly will end up at shelters later on in life – maybe not yours, but you can’t protect every puppy that comes from the same bad breeder.
Finally…
We would love to hear about your perfect-reared puppy when you find it, either in the comments box or over on the forum! Be sure to share your experiences finding reputable Labrador Retriever breeders with us!