LD Articles

You need to ask your prospective Labrador Retriever breeder a lot more questions other than how much they cost. Because Labs are the most popular breed in North America, there are (sadly) many people who breed Labs for quantity rather than quality. With a pre-written list of questions for your Labrador breeder, you can help avoid those breeders that shouldn’t be within a mile of a puppy.

The most important questions when can I come look at the kennel, what kind of contract do you require and what do you look for in a new puppy owner. If you don’t have time to ask a lot of questions (say, if you are at a dog show), then at least try to slip in those three. The answers you get will tell you most of what you need to know about what kind of breeder your future Lab puppy will be like.

You can tell a lot by what a Labrador Retriever breeder is like when you visit their home and kennel. Are they messy? Did they even remember you were coming? And does the place stink of dog poop? The place should be reasonably clean, smell okay and the dogs should appear clean, happy and friendly. It is normal to see some living outside most of the time in covered kennels. If you don’t like what you see and smell, move on.

You also need to ask what the breeder considers a good home for one of his or her puppies. If they don’t seem to care, then they certainly do not care about dogs. They are just after your money. A good Labrador Retriever breeder will go on and on about they kind of owner he or she wishes all Lab puppies could go to. They will also quiz you about your store of Labrador information to see if you are anywhere close to being their idea of a good Lab owner.

Although there are no certainties in the dog world, you can greatly reduce your chances of getting a raw deal and a sickly puppy by obtaining certain paperwork from the Labrador Retriever breeders.

You need to see the health certificates of both of the puppy’s parents, especially their hip dysplasia scores. If the breeder doesn’t know what you are talking about, say goodbye. Hip dysplasia is the most common ailment among Labs and is carried by genes.

Great Labrador Retriever breeders will give you all the paperwork before you even ask for it. They will also start quizzing you about what you expect in a dog and your store of Labrador Retriever information. Good breeders will always give preference to those with Lab experience.

Expect to have to provide a letter of character reference from your veterinarian and to have your home checked out. The breeder should love his or her puppies more than money.