Getting a Labrador puppy? ...in a world where everyone thinks they should breed the family pet and the Labrador market is *flooded*, here are some do's and don'ts of reputable breeders and picking puppies.
Reputable breeders DO...
-Only breed approved colors by the national breed club (black, chocolate, and yellow in Labradors, NEVER EVER silver, charcoal, or champagne. Chocolate can be dark or light, and yellow can be white to fox red.)
-Only breed purebred dogs, NEVER doodles etc.
-Only breed registered dogs - the AKC, CKC (Canadian Kennel Club), UKC, and FCI are reputable registries.
-Only breed dogs tested for common health diseases. In Labradors, hips and elbows by OFA certification, eyes by CAER certification, and genetic testing for EIC, CNM are basic standard of care, so to speak. Don't EVER buy a pup whose parents don't have health clearances! Genetic testing for PRA, RD/OSD, and an echocardiogram by a cardiologist are also strongly recommended.
-Only breed dogs that have proven performance ability or excellent structure as demonstrated through competitions. These include obedience, hunt tests or field trials, agility, conformation, etc. At minimum one PARENT (not grandparent, or 6th generation ancestor) should be titled in competition. (And a "Canine Good Citizen certificate" does NOT indicate a dog is breeding quality - I can put a CGC on a dog in 2-3 weeks. Woohoo.)
-Pick breeding stock that is right for their dog, not the most convenient. The right stud dog may be on the other side of the country, or died 20 years ago.
-Have goals for each litter, reasons they picked each parent, and be able to explain what they expect the breeding to produce and why.
-Give at least a 24 month health guarantee for the common orthopedic/eye diseases. If parents are tested for genetic disorders, there is no need for a guarantee against EIC, CNM, PRA, RD/OSD, etc.
-Are always willing to take their pups back at any age for any reason if the owner cannot keep them.
Reputable breeders DON'T...
-Breed "dilute" colors such as silver, charcoal, or champagne. Every breed has some fad that poor quality breeders are making money on and reputable breeders hate... in Labradors it is the dilute dogs. They are not considered purebred even if registered (long story - Google "silver Labradors" and the "Kellogg kennel"), and commonly have health problems and temperament problems.
-Breed dogs that are not purebred.
-Breed dogs that are not registered.
-Breed dogs that do not have health clearances ("But the vet said they're healthy!" is NOT a clearance.)
-Breed dogs that do not compete (how do you expect that breeder to know what the pups will grow up to look/act like and whether they'll be good for your family?).
-Try to tell everyone that their puppies are PERFECT for them and any job they want the pups to do. There are huge type and drive variations within the Labrador breed... and often huge variations in what each potential buyer wants/needs. A breeder who thinks their dogs can do anything and they're perfect for everyone is either clueless or deliberately deceiving potential buyers in order to make a sale.
-Let puppies go to their new homes before 7-8 weeks.
-Give a "one year" health guarantee - final OFA hip/elbow clearances cannot be done before 24 months, so this guarantee is not long enough.
Things that don't matter...
-Pups raised with ____ (name the popular program of choice at the moment)
-Pups evaluated by _____ (name the popular evaluation program at the moment).
-Microchipped (this is nice but not essential)
-Dewclaws removed (some breeders do, some don't, I find people who run certain venues have preferences e.g. agility/SAR want them on, field events want them off. On or off is NOT a mark of a good or bad breeder.)
-Whether the breeder is willing to ship pups or sell sight unseen.
-Whether the pups live in the house or outside.
-Cost (expect to spend 800-2000 for a quality pup, but there are plenty of "backyard breeders" that sell for that also).
-If the breeder owns both sire and dam (most good breeders don't own the sire).
-Where the breeder wants to meet you (some won't let strangers to their home).
All puppies should be...
-Vaccinated for distemper and parvo between 6 and 8 weeks.
-Dewormed at least once (preferably at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks).
-Vet checked before going to their new homes.
-At least 8 weeks of age before going home.
-Exposed to new people and a variety of things - toys, birds, water, obstacles, etc are common choices.
-Clean, friendly, and appear proportional (indicating they've been fed enough).
Unless you WANT a puppy with training/temperament problems, don't buy if the pup(s) or parent(s) are fearful - all Lab pups should be friendly!
Unless you WANT a puppy with potential health problems, always ask for verification of health clearances, or use the sire and dam's registered name to look them up on the OFA website. If they haven't been checked, don't buy! There are sooooo many litters out there and all puppies are cute. Remember you'll have that pup for the next 10-15 years.