There is a curse to being the most popular breed of dog in America. That means there are a lot of Labrador Retrievers that are being bred for money at the initial sale without any thought as how good a potential pet they will make. You can help avoid these so-called Labrador Retriever breeders by asking them some questions about how they do business and what they expect for from a Lab owner.
Although you will think up many more questions depending on your unique home situation, these are the three main questions you need to ask. Always ask when you can visit the kennels, meet the parents, see the contract and meet the breeder. The first two will quickly let you know if you are dealing with a puppy mill owner. Since you can't legally shoot the puppy mill owner, you can at least not give them any money.
You should always be able to visit the kennel or home of the Labrador Retriever breeder you have in mind before putting any money down. Some breeders will have outside kennels - some will not. All good Labrador Retriever breeders will be extremely proud to show off their dogs to you, especially the mother and father of your potential puppy. You are visiting a home, so some places will normally be off limits to visitors.
Take a good sniff when you are at the kennels. It should smell okay, perhaps be a bit musty, but should not smell overpoweringly like decaying meat or like dog poop. Labrador Retrievers need exercise and so should not be kept in crates all day - especially stacked crates. It is okay if they live in outdoor kennels with runs. You need to see how the dogs react and if they are clean and perky. This is a good indication that your puppy will be raised in a good environment.
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.
If there is no contract, then you should not have anything to do with this so-called Labrador Retriever breeder. There should be health certificates of the parents to see, including hip dysplasia scores as well as a contract.
A contract also can help eliminate a lot of future headaches. It should list what the breed is responsible to provide and what they are not. They might even have clauses such as you having to go to them first if you are no longer able to keep the adult dog.
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.
Although you will think up many more questions depending on your unique home situation, these are the three main questions you need to ask. Always ask when you can visit the kennels, meet the parents, see the contract and meet the breeder. The first two will quickly let you know if you are dealing with a puppy mill owner. Since you can't legally shoot the puppy mill owner, you can at least not give them any money.
You should always be able to visit the kennel or home of the Labrador Retriever breeder you have in mind before putting any money down. Some breeders will have outside kennels - some will not. All good Labrador Retriever breeders will be extremely proud to show off their dogs to you, especially the mother and father of your potential puppy. You are visiting a home, so some places will normally be off limits to visitors.
Take a good sniff when you are at the kennels. It should smell okay, perhaps be a bit musty, but should not smell overpoweringly like decaying meat or like dog poop. Labrador Retrievers need exercise and so should not be kept in crates all day - especially stacked crates. It is okay if they live in outdoor kennels with runs. You need to see how the dogs react and if they are clean and perky. This is a good indication that your puppy will be raised in a good environment.
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.
If there is no contract, then you should not have anything to do with this so-called Labrador Retriever breeder. There should be health certificates of the parents to see, including hip dysplasia scores as well as a contract.
A contract also can help eliminate a lot of future headaches. It should list what the breed is responsible to provide and what they are not. They might even have clauses such as you having to go to them first if you are no longer able to keep the adult dog.
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.
About the Author:
About the author: Brooke Sunderland is an avid lover of the Labrador and owns a popular website that can teach you how to have a happy, healthy and well behaved Labrador. Among other topics at this website, you will find out more about Labrador Breeder Questions plus a whole lot more.
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