What to Look For When Buying a Labrador Puppy

These past few months, you may have been drooling over adorable puppy photos over on Facebook and Instagram, even became a loyal follower of their social media accounts. Perhaps you may have even done some more research and discovered that those cute pups belong to America’s Most Popular Dog Breed.

With this cuteness overload, you are now thinking of buying a Labrador Retriever puppy.

What you don’t know is that buying a Labrador – or any other dog breed for that matter – entails a lengthy process. Remember that you are not buying a toy. You are buying a living being, whose growth, training, and care will be your responsibility for the length of its life.

Have no clue on what to look for when buying a Labrador puppy? Let us enumerate the steps.

STEP 1: Determine the Labrador puppy that you want to have.

Figuring out the Labrador puppy that you want is not as easy as it looks. You need to determine your reason for buying a pup in the first place. Do you want a gorgeous Labrador that you can flaunt in dog shows? Do you want a competitive dog that can participate in field trials? Or maybe you just want a loyal and dedicated pet for the whole family?

Knowing the type of Labrador you want is important because it will give you an idea of its overall temperament and if it matches your lifestyle, and help you in finding the right breeder.

Aside from type, you should also determine the color of the Lab puppy that you want to own. Labrador experts have observed that the three main colors of the breed also present with different levels of intelligence and temperament.

STEP 2: Come up with a list of reputable Labrador breeders

Now that you know the type of Labrador that you want, the next step is to look for reputable breeders in your area. If you are looking for pedigreed dogs, the best place to start is The Labrador Retriever Club, Inc. The Club has a search directory for club-registered breeders. If you have no particular breeder in mind, scroll down to the bottom of the directory for the breeder listings by state, last name, and kennel name.

Each breeder also lists down the activities that their Labs are noted for, such as Hunting Tests, Field Trials, Tracking, Obedience, Rally, Hunting, Companions, Conformation, Service/Therapy, and Rescue. This list helps you to further narrow down your choice for a Labrador type.

STEP 3: Contact the breeder.

Having come up with your list, the next step is to contact the breeder through email or phone. Make sure that you have your notes on the Labrador puppy you are interested in as well as the questions that you would want to ask the breeder.

Some good initial questions that you can ask are the following:

1) Do you have a litter of puppies available?

2) If not, are you planning to have another litter of puppies soon?

3) Have your stud dogs been recently mated to good bitches?

4) Do you have a stud dog or a litter of puppies that you can recommend to me?

5) If you don’t have a litter of puppies at present, can you recommend me to another breeder that does?

Most breeders would have all the puppies reserved for early buyers before they are even born. If there is a new litter on the way, you can book an early reservation for a puppy as well.

You can also request for photos of their kennel and their dogs/puppies, so you can have an idea of their establishment and the care that they give to their dogs.

STEP 4: Visit the breeder.

Once you have determined the breeders that have puppies available, schedule an on-site visit with them. Check out the stud dog and bitch and verify their credentials. If the stud mated with a bitch outside the kennel, consider tracking them down. Contact owners of these dogs’ puppies to find out their present state of health.

The reason why you need to see the parents is that their temperaments can be passed on to their puppies. A good example is the “World’s Worst Dog” Marley. In his book Marley & Me, author Josh Grogan revealed that Marley’s mother was quiet and laid back, but Marley acquired the temperament of his boisterous, hyperactive dad.

STEP 5: Check credentials.

Aside from knowing the credentials of the breeder, you also need to check out the credentials of the stud dog and bitch. It must be mentioned that the term “pedigree” only confirms the ancestry of the Labrador. The three main standards that you should keep in mind are temperament, ability, and especially health.

When it comes to health, both parents should possess the following health certificates:

A Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) certificated dated within the past year that the dog is free from eye diseases
An Orthopedic Foundation of America (OFA) or PennHip certificate that the dog has normal hips
An Orthopedic Foundation of America (OFA) certificate that the dog has normal elbows
An Optigen testing certificate that the dog is free from inherited progressive blindness.

In addition, at least one parent should have undergone:

DNA testing that they are Normal or Clear of Exercise-Induced Collapse (EIC), a neuromuscular disease that commonly affects Labs.

STEP 6: Prepare to be assessed by the breeder.

Reputable and responsible breeders would like to be sure that their puppies will go to good homes. In most cases, they will also interview you, asking questions on why you have chosen to get a Lab, the type of Lab that you are interested in, and the readiness of your home and family to take in a puppy.

Some breeders may choose to visit your home and talk with family members. They may also offer recommendations to ensure the best living environment for their puppies.

STEP 6: Choosing Your Puppy

Many breeders will select a puppy for you based on their interview with you. However, if you are given free rein to choose a puppy, these are the things you should take note of:

A healthy Lab should be solid and well-proportioned. Thin puppies with visible ribs may be signs of malnutrition or illness.
Inspect the coat, which should be soft and luxurious. There should be no bald patches.
Check out the puppy’s bottom. It should be clean with no signs of diarrhea or white flaky matter (which is indicative of tapeworms).
Make sure that the puppy’s eyes are clear and bright.
The puppy’s mouth should be even with good jaw alignment. Its gums should be a healthy bright pink.
The ears should be clean with no signs of infection, inflammation, or discharge.
Observe the puppy while moving. It should be walking or running around with no limping or lameness.

These steps will help ensure that you will be buying the Labrador puppy that you are looking for.

SOURCES:

1) AKC Most Popular Dog Breeds https://www.akc.org/most-popular-breeds/

2) Labrador Retrievers: What’s Good About ‘Em, What’s Bad About ‘Em https://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/labradorretrievers.html

3) 8 Steps to Buying a Labrador Puppy https://www.thelabradorsite.com/8-steps-to-buying-a-healthy-labrador-puppy/

4) Different Types of Labrador – Which Is Right For You? https://www.thelabradorsite.com/types-of-labrador/

5) Are Labs Good Family Dogs? https://www.thelabradorsite.com/are-labs-good-family-dogs/

6) The Labrador Retriever Club, Inc. https://thelabradorclub.com/

7) The Labrador Retriever Club Breeders Directory https://thelabradorclub.com/breeders-rescue-groups/breeders-directory/find-a-breeder/

8) Marley & Me https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marley_%26_Me

9) Health Screening for Labrador Diseases https://www.thelabradorsite.com/health-screening-for-labrador-diseases/

10) Tips for Buying a Labrador Puppy