What To Consider When Choosing A Labrador Retriever Breeder
Finding a dog breed that suits your personality and your family dynamic can be a challenge. Some dog breeds continue to be very popular and labs are a good example of this. Because they are so popular, finding a Labrador retriever breeder isn't difficult but you do need to be careful to get a healthy dog that suits your family dynamic. Here is what you need to know.
Labs were originally hunting dogs although now the majority of dogs tend to be family companions. Retrievers were expected to jump into water or other conditions and bring back game that a hunter had shot with a gun or bow. Because of this, they have specific physical characteristics that have been bred into them over generations.
Some breeders continue to focus on producing puppies that are designed for hunting. Others have more of an interest in producing puppies that are designed more to be family companions rather than hunting companions. They may care less about how strong a swimmer a particular dog is or how much it wants to swim and bring back game or birds. You may be happier if you find a breeder that wants the same thing for their dog as you do.
Keep in mind that these dogs can have some serious health conditions and careful breeding can help to ensure healthier puppies. Hip dysplasia happens when a dog's hip joints fail to form properly. Large dogs like labs can often have this condition. If you want to make sure that your pup is less likely to have hip dysplasia, make sure you discuss this with a breeder and find out how they ensure healthy pups.
Socializing a puppy is important and it doesn't start when you pick it up. Much of what a dog learns is actually imprinted early on when the baby is still with its mother and its litter mates. You may want to find out how long a dog will stay with its mother. The longer it stays the happier it will be and this can translate to being easier to train once you bring it home.
Keep in mind that not every breeder will have puppies available all the time. If a particular kennel has more than one breeding female they may have puppies more often but it's not a bad thing to have to wait for puppies. Females produce healthier puppies if they have a break between litters and you may be further ahead to wait for a puppy than go with a breeder who wears out their dogs.
Meeting the puppies may seem unnecessary but it is actually very important. Finding a litter close enough that you can meet them is a bonus. Some will have personalities that you do not like or may be too dominant or submissive for you. If you cannot get to meet the pups in person, you might want to watch videos of them in order to see how they interact with their litter mates or with the humans they come in contact with.
Kennel clubs will often have the names of potential breeders for you to check out. You might also want to talk to local veterinary hospitals and shelters in order to find out the names of breeders that they recommend. It is also important to find out who to stay away from especially if there is someone who is producing unhealthy puppies or pups that have significant behavioral issues.
Labs were originally hunting dogs although now the majority of dogs tend to be family companions. Retrievers were expected to jump into water or other conditions and bring back game that a hunter had shot with a gun or bow. Because of this, they have specific physical characteristics that have been bred into them over generations.
Some breeders continue to focus on producing puppies that are designed for hunting. Others have more of an interest in producing puppies that are designed more to be family companions rather than hunting companions. They may care less about how strong a swimmer a particular dog is or how much it wants to swim and bring back game or birds. You may be happier if you find a breeder that wants the same thing for their dog as you do.
Keep in mind that these dogs can have some serious health conditions and careful breeding can help to ensure healthier puppies. Hip dysplasia happens when a dog's hip joints fail to form properly. Large dogs like labs can often have this condition. If you want to make sure that your pup is less likely to have hip dysplasia, make sure you discuss this with a breeder and find out how they ensure healthy pups.
Socializing a puppy is important and it doesn't start when you pick it up. Much of what a dog learns is actually imprinted early on when the baby is still with its mother and its litter mates. You may want to find out how long a dog will stay with its mother. The longer it stays the happier it will be and this can translate to being easier to train once you bring it home.
Keep in mind that not every breeder will have puppies available all the time. If a particular kennel has more than one breeding female they may have puppies more often but it's not a bad thing to have to wait for puppies. Females produce healthier puppies if they have a break between litters and you may be further ahead to wait for a puppy than go with a breeder who wears out their dogs.
Meeting the puppies may seem unnecessary but it is actually very important. Finding a litter close enough that you can meet them is a bonus. Some will have personalities that you do not like or may be too dominant or submissive for you. If you cannot get to meet the pups in person, you might want to watch videos of them in order to see how they interact with their litter mates or with the humans they come in contact with.
Kennel clubs will often have the names of potential breeders for you to check out. You might also want to talk to local veterinary hospitals and shelters in order to find out the names of breeders that they recommend. It is also important to find out who to stay away from especially if there is someone who is producing unhealthy puppies or pups that have significant behavioral issues.
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