Looking for a Labrador Retriever pup?

[Newf]

With all the folks asking on here for lab breeders I thought I would put together some info that maybe can help a few folks....


No matter what dog breed you are looking for, health should be a primary consideration. With purebred dogs we know that some health problems can be genetic and good breeders often have testing done to check for various issues. Hips, Eyes(CERF), Elbows and Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC) are probably the most common. Some breeders now also test for: CNM ( Centronuclear Myopathy) and PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy). When talking with prospective breeders Don’t be afraid to ask to see copies of the certifications and even check into the certifications in national databases.

Above all be honest with any breeder on what you are looking for in a dog. Don’t tell the breeder you want a “fire breather” if you are on your first dog, or maybe even your second. It could very well be a recipe for disaster for both you and the the dog. They generally know their lines and the traits of the parents which may tend to pop up in their pups. Another thing you can check for is repeat litters. This is often a sign that the first litter of pups turned out well and the breeder decided to repeat it. It also can’t hurt to ask for references from other puppy buyers/owners from those litters. Some other things that may or may not be useful to inquire about are allergies, vocalization, aggression, and longevity in the lines.

Now with all that said we are talking genetics here, so anything is possible, but what we are trying to do is stack the odds in our favour as best as we can!

Another thing that always throws a reg flag for me is breeders that try to market “designer” colours. If these ads promoting various shades don’t send you running, extra due diligence should be exercised with any of these breeders…Labs come in 3 Colours only! Black, Yellow, and Chocolate. These are the colours that are recognized by the Canadian and American Kennel Clubs.

If you are looking for a hunting dog, try to focus on hunting lines, in your research you may find the names of dogs often have initials before or after their name, these are “Titles” that a dog has earned by entering various events. They can be:

Canadian Field Trial Titles (CKC)
JFTR - Junior Field Trial Retriever
QFTR - Qualified Field Trial Retriever
CFC - Canadian Field Champion
CAFC - Canadian Amateur Field Champion
AFTCH - Amateur Field Trial Champion
FTCH - Field Trial Champion
NFTCH - Field Trial Champion
NAFTCH - Amateur Field Trial Champion

US Field Trial Titles (AKC)
QAA - Qualified All Age
AFC - Amateur Field Champion
FC - Field champion,
NFC - National Field Champion
NAFC - National Amateur Field Champion

Hunt Test Titles
JH - Junior Hunter (AKC, CKC)
SH - Senior Hunter (AKC, CKC)
MH - Master Hunter (AKC, CKC)
GMH - Grand Master Hunter (CKC)
NMH - National Master Hunter (CKC)
MNH - Master National Hunter (AKC)

SR - Started Retriever (NAHRA)
WR - Working Retriever (NAHRA)
MHR - Master Hunting Retriever (NAHRA)
GMHR - Grand Master Hunting Retriever (NAHRA)

Hunting Titles
WC - Working Certificate (CKC)
WCI - Working Certificate Intermediate (CKC)
WCX - Working Certificate Excellent (CKC)

For those that don’t know, Field trials are like the Olympics of the dog games for hunting retrievers and Hunt Tests can be compared to graduating from high school or college (Meet the standard)
These titles indicate the dogs have been capable of doing the work required to achieve a title, which in turn indicates the dogs have the desire and natural abilities as well as trainability/intelligence.

With that said the “Hunting Titles” WC/WCI/WCX and to some degree the "Hunt Test Titles" JH/SR are entry level titles and may not indicate strong hunting instincts

Keep in mind many of these breeders may have a wait list for a pup, so be patient. But also don’t rule out checking south of the border as importing a pup is relatively painless, it may cost a few extra bucks but it opens up a whole bunch of more options. If you do got that route, you can check out:

Watermark Retrievers in Texas

There are lots of breeders out there

After you get your new pup, if you are planning to train it yourself, you may want to check into some of the following materials they offer step by step instruction to help get you and your new companion on the right track:

Total Retriever Training By Mike Lardy
Smartwork by Evan Graham
Training a Retriever Puppy by Bill Hillmann

While these are a little pricy, whether you plan to try running field trials or hunt tests or just want a good hunting dog they are a worthwhile investment.


There are a couple local retriever clubs in the Calgary and Edmonton areas that are full of folks that might be willing to help you train your dog. (Not train for you)
Check out:

Wild Rose Hunting Retriever Club in Calgary
Alberta Clipper Hunting Retriever Association in Edmonton

Hope this information helps.

[wwbirds]

Very nicely done Mike, you nailed it!

[threeforthree]

Great write up, breeders should breed ONLY to better the breed.. my biggest concern to date is to make sure MOM and DAD are CLEAR of EIC

[roper1]

Thank you for taking the time to put pen to paper. Well thought out & written, Thanks for sharing!!!

[Bganz]

This is amazing! The Mrs and I have been wanting to get a dog for years but timing just hasn't worked yet but hopefully soon. And of course we've decided on the lab. Theres so many breeders and different information out there and this really helps, so thank you very much.

There's one thing I've really noticed and maybe you or someone could shed some light on this. I've looked at many different breeders and upcoming litters, and it seems quite often the sire has many achievements, but the female dog has zero, (or close to it) . Do people believe that the hunting/training ability of the sire only matters?

[Sneeze]

Originally Posted by threeforthree

biggest concern to date is to make sure MOM and DAD are CLEAR of EIC

Wanted to clear this post up -

You want to make sure that at least ONE of the parents are EIC clear.

Completely fine to have a Carrier bred to an Clear. It will really reduce your selections if you are looking for a clear/clear pairing.

Its the carrier/carrier, affected/carrier or the affected/affected pairings you must stay away from. Do not settle for anything less then documentation from a lab on both the parents. Breeder will say "ya ya ya, its all good" and it won't be.

[threeforthree]

The only way we are going to help the eic problem is to eliminAte carriers as well
As infected dogs....yes, our choices get smaller but you breed to better the breed.

[Sneeze]

Originally Posted by threeforthree

The only way we are going to help the eic problem is to eliminAte carriers as well
As infected dogs....yes, our choices get smaller but you breed to better the breed.

Lean Mac was a carrier.

[threeforthree]

Originally Posted by Sneeze

Lean Mac was a carrier.

Great dog ,,that he sired 137 FCs,AFCs,CFCs, or CAFCs, its a line that my dogs come from that are clear from EIC,its a personal issue with me after seeing a infected dog ,,running on only the front legs,back legs dragging, and the will to get that bird is crazy..that was I think the best dog i ever seen work,,we are our worst enemy...there is and will be someone out there that will breed, because of interested in making more money..There is 1000~s of clear dogs out there and we can rid the world of this horrible Disease in 10 years.