Top Questions to Ask a Labrador Retriever Breeder

There are a number of questions you should be asking a Labrador retriever breeder if you are going to consider buying a puppy from them, and you are well within your rights to do so. If they are rude or cagey then you should be suspicious and consider not bothering to buy from them.

Before you even go and see the puppies chat on the phone with the breeder. The first thing to get over is the price. Dog breeders can charge what they like for their puppies. However, if you look around you will see that most breeds are in and around a similar amount, so this is what you should be expecting to hear. A breeder is unlikely to haggle with you. You either want the puppy or not, and saying that this is a pet only rather than a show dog isn't really a fair argument. This does not change the amount of money or the level of care a good breeder will have lavished on each puppy, so really what purpose the puppy will serve its new owner is largely irrelevant. You need to be happy that you will hand over the amount of money that the breeder is asking if you decide you want one of their puppies. It has been known that some breeders will reduce the price slightly if they do not file the paperwork for your pup at the kennel clubs; however, you should wait for this to be offered as most don't.

Secondly, you want to know the health tests that were carried out on both the mother and the father of the puppies, and what you are looking for is that they have had their eyes checked, their hips scored and ideally their thyroid tests done. This should all be evidenced in paperwork when you actually go and see them. There are some breeders that will nod and smile and say yes when actually they haven't done these things, so seeing the paperwork does add weight to the reputable breeder score. The problems that can occur in pedigree dogs are because they are pedigree, and are always bred from generation to generation with pure breed dogs. This can be an excellent thing, but in order to prevent issues such as bad hips a dog shouldn't be put to stud unless it has been checked.

Before you get on to the questions that you should ask about the litter itself, ask the breeder to tell you a bit about themselves as breeders, how long have they been breeding dogs for, what experience have they had etc. There are lots of very good breeders that are new to the field but they should be able to leave you feeling confident that they are dog people who have their animals' best interests at heart and only want the puppies to go to the best loving homes they can find, rather than just be concerned with making the money.

Tim Williams is a labrador retriever enthusiast. He owns and maintains Labrador Retriever Answers, a resource for all labrador retriever lovers and where you can find more important questions to ask labrador retriever breeders and other great lab advice.

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How to Spot an Ethical Labrador Breeder

An ethical Labrador breeder is actually harder to spot than you might first think, as some non-ethical breeders are getting very clever at giving the right appearance when you meet them. However, there are a few clues that will help you decide.

Firstly, what is an ethical breeder and what then is a non-ethical breeder? We are talking really about puppy farming, which is big business and is simply there to make money and has little to no consideration for the dogs in its care, which means that they could be sick or carrying diseases which are passed on to the puppies, which for obvious reasons isn't good. However, any animal cruelty shouldn't be ignored, and the fact that a puppy farm treats its breeding bitches so badly should be enough to put anyone off that actually cares about animals. If every one stops buying their dogs from puppy farms they will be forced out of business leaving only good ethical breeders left, which really is ideal.

An ethical breeder will have no qualms about you visiting their house and looking at the care they are providing for their bitch and her litter, and letting you spend time and ask questions so that you can make an informed decision if this is the right place to buy your new puppy. Remember though that they want the best for their dogs so they are going to be asking questions of you, and you should also be honest with them. If you already have a dog you should make them aware of this, and they may ask you to bring him so that they can make sure it isn't going to show aggression to a new puppy. They are also going to have experience of introducing puppies to dogs so it could be really helpful to you in this respect.

Be honest with the Labrador breeder about the lifestyle you lead, as they are better placed than you to know whether a Labrador could really be happy with this lifestyle. If you work all day and the dog will be shut up for more than 4 hours on a daily basis this really isn't a good breed. Labradors have energy and are very intelligent which means that this much time away from people is going to leave it bored and destructive and then your house can suffer, which means the dog gets told off - and sadly it is your fault.

A Labrador breeder will also be able to provide you with information about the pedigree of your dog, and include information about vaccinations, worming treatments and other important details that you need to know about. This is normally called a puppy pack. This also includes a sample of the food they are using and general information about the welfare of a puppy that you may find very useful. A good breeder may well become a friend and will be delighted to receive updates of the puppy as it grows up. Some also have open days and parties to get their dogs back together again, which is great fun.

Tim Williams is a Labrador retriever enthusiast. He owns and maintains Labrador Retriever Answers, a resource for all Labrador retriever lovers and where you can find more essential advice on choosing an ethical labrador breeder and other great lab advice.

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Choosing the Right Labrador Retriever Breeder

Once you've decided to add a jovial Labrador Retriever to your family, purchasing your puppy from a reputable and responsible breeder is the best way to assure that your puppy will be healthy, have the good temperament you'd expect from a Labrador Retriever and have an appearance as close to the breed standard as possible.

However, before you set out to find a breeder you'll need to decide exactly what you're looking for. Different breeders have different priorities. Some breeders may strive to produce show quality dogs that will excel in conformation dog shows while others are interested in producing puppies that will excel at being great family pets.

With a responsible breeder, every aspect of the breeding and care is important. Each mating is carefully organized and every litter receives the best possible socialization, nutrition and health care. The responsible Labrador retriever breeder also keeps detailed records on each dog including information such as registration papers, pedigree, health record and show record.

Like any other purchase do your homework and shop around. Once you've found a possible breeder you want to work with, ask a lot of questions. Because reputable and responsible Labrador retriever breeders are very particular about to whom they sell pups, your failure to ask questions may signal to the breeder that you're not serious about owning a dog.

Here are a few questions to ask a prospective breeder:

What professional affiliations and activities does he participate in?

How many years has the breeder been active and how many litters has the breeder bred in that time?

Can you meet sire and dam (father and mother) of the litter?

What health care have the puppies received and what post placement support does the breeder offer?

Assuming that the breeder has answered your preliminary questions satisfactorily, if possible, make an appointment to see the puppies, their sire and dam.

Every responsible breeder should welcome this visit because it gives them the opportunity to interview you as well. Be on time for the visit and bring a notepad, pen and any other family members that will be involved in the puppy's life.

Labrador retrievers are naturally very affectionate dogs. How do the puppies act around the breeder? Are they excited to see their beloved caretaker or are they indifferent?

Is the puppy area generally clean? Understand that these are babies and an accident or two is probable at any moment but are there signs of long term neglect? Are the puppies being socialized, do they seem skittish around humans or do they waddle right up to you? As you examine the puppies take note of the puppies' general look and demeanor. Are their coats clean? Are they bright eyed and energetic or do they look sick?

Does the breeder seem interested in how you will manage and raise the puppy or is he simply trying to sell you a dog?

A good Labrador retriever breeder knows his puppies and will probably want some information about you and your family. He may want to know where you plan to keep the dog, why do you want a dog and possibly how much you know about Labs. These questions are not designed to violate your right to privacy but to determine whether the breeders' puppies will fit into your particular situation and home. A good breeder will want to know that you are committed to being a good dog owner and you should be hesitant to continue the deal with a breeder without any concern for where the puppies are going to live.

When seeking a Labrador retriever breeder keep in mind that a responsible breeder is someone who works to improve the breed by breeding only the highest quality dog that he possibly can. Anyone can say that they're a responsible breeder but actions speak louder than words.

If you're looking for a professional, caring, labrador retriever breeder then you should visit http://www.soggyacres.com, for your next canine companion.

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