What Should You Look for in a Breeder?
For anyone that has done a Google search recently to find their new best friend, it can admittedly be quite overwhelming. When searching for a trusted breeder, there are some non-negotiables that all prospective puppy parents should be looking for.
The first and easiest thing to start with when vetting your list of breeders is to look for health testing. Both Sire & Dam should have health clearances before breeding which include OFA Hips, OFA Elbows, OFA Heart (Echo preferred), OFA/CAER Eyes, & Full Genetic Panels. Evidence of these should either be linked to their website or shared at your request. Cross anyone off your list that is not willing share this with you and always verify clearances before any money is exchanged.
The next thing you can look for is whether the breeder adheres to the Labrador Standard and their dogs show evidence of breed type. Run away from any breeder whose program utilizes dogs that are non-standard DQ colors, Dudley, who carry dilute, or if they breed designer mixes such as doodles. For the untrained eye, if you are specifically looking for a Bench Bred Show Line Labrador (which you may have heard some people use the term English), the easiest place to start is to see if their breeding dogs have Champion pedigrees (and not Champions that only show up several generations back). In addition, often pairings where either the Sire or Dam (or both) have conformation show titles in combination with these champion pedigrees help buyers sift through BYBs to find quality breedings. It should be mentioned though that accomplished show breeders will use untitled sires bred to an untitled dam from time to time. They have an eye for how that dog will improve their current line, they might know that dog's potential even though it has not been campaigned, or that stud may have proven themselves to produce consistently stellar puppies for other breeders. Because of this, do not shy away from a puppy that will be produced from a pairing where neither parent is a show champion. Instead look at the program as a whole. Does the breeder typically breed with the end goal of puppies with show potential? If so, these breeders are always making decisions as an effort to improve the next generation. Remember, you may only be looking for a pet and not a "show dog," but quality pedigrees often yield predictability in the form of structure and the hallmark temperament of the Labrador.
Finally, how are the puppies raised? What do the breeders do to help prepare them for their future homes? How do they support the puppies developmentally? Will they offer support to you once the puppy goes home and as it ages?
The rest comes down to personal preference. Having a website that is professional, has plenty of information, and is updated regularly certainly helps to catch my eye when I search, but not all quality breeders use them (preferring to be "old school" using word of mouth) and certainly plenty of BYB have them (though it does help you to better evaluate and eliminate any breeders that don't pass the vibe test). Social media is a great platform to get to know the breeder, their dogs, and to get a glimpse of where they are raised especially when visits aren't always possible. It also helps people discern between legit breeders and scammers. Again not all quality breeders use them (especially long time breeders who place puppies by word of mouth), choosing to instead post on their personal pages or not at all, which works for them. I try my best to utilize social media as it does help provide a clearer picture for potential puppy buyers. You have to decide what is important to you. Either way, it's always best to ask to see the contract before you send any money. ;)
Remember, never settle for the quick, convenient, or cheap puppy. Be willing to get on a wait list for the right breeder. Below I share how our program is unique to some others you may have encountered. Our goal in breeding is not only health, temperament, and type/structure, but also the assurance that our puppies have been raised so that they will adjust smoothly to their new homes and become biddable, adaptable, loved members of their family. My program as a whole is still young. I am constantly learning, researching, and looking to improve as any breeder should. I am lucky enough to have the support of several respected and successful long time breeders as my mentors. I value their guidance, their friendship, and their willingness to share their expertise and lines with me.
The first and easiest thing to start with when vetting your list of breeders is to look for health testing. Both Sire & Dam should have health clearances before breeding which include OFA Hips, OFA Elbows, OFA Heart (Echo preferred), OFA/CAER Eyes, & Full Genetic Panels. Evidence of these should either be linked to their website or shared at your request. Cross anyone off your list that is not willing share this with you and always verify clearances before any money is exchanged.
The next thing you can look for is whether the breeder adheres to the Labrador Standard and their dogs show evidence of breed type. Run away from any breeder whose program utilizes dogs that are non-standard DQ colors, Dudley, who carry dilute, or if they breed designer mixes such as doodles. For the untrained eye, if you are specifically looking for a Bench Bred Show Line Labrador (which you may have heard some people use the term English), the easiest place to start is to see if their breeding dogs have Champion pedigrees (and not Champions that only show up several generations back). In addition, often pairings where either the Sire or Dam (or both) have conformation show titles in combination with these champion pedigrees help buyers sift through BYBs to find quality breedings. It should be mentioned though that accomplished show breeders will use untitled sires bred to an untitled dam from time to time. They have an eye for how that dog will improve their current line, they might know that dog's potential even though it has not been campaigned, or that stud may have proven themselves to produce consistently stellar puppies for other breeders. Because of this, do not shy away from a puppy that will be produced from a pairing where neither parent is a show champion. Instead look at the program as a whole. Does the breeder typically breed with the end goal of puppies with show potential? If so, these breeders are always making decisions as an effort to improve the next generation. Remember, you may only be looking for a pet and not a "show dog," but quality pedigrees often yield predictability in the form of structure and the hallmark temperament of the Labrador.
Finally, how are the puppies raised? What do the breeders do to help prepare them for their future homes? How do they support the puppies developmentally? Will they offer support to you once the puppy goes home and as it ages?
The rest comes down to personal preference. Having a website that is professional, has plenty of information, and is updated regularly certainly helps to catch my eye when I search, but not all quality breeders use them (preferring to be "old school" using word of mouth) and certainly plenty of BYB have them (though it does help you to better evaluate and eliminate any breeders that don't pass the vibe test). Social media is a great platform to get to know the breeder, their dogs, and to get a glimpse of where they are raised especially when visits aren't always possible. It also helps people discern between legit breeders and scammers. Again not all quality breeders use them (especially long time breeders who place puppies by word of mouth), choosing to instead post on their personal pages or not at all, which works for them. I try my best to utilize social media as it does help provide a clearer picture for potential puppy buyers. You have to decide what is important to you. Either way, it's always best to ask to see the contract before you send any money. ;)
Remember, never settle for the quick, convenient, or cheap puppy. Be willing to get on a wait list for the right breeder. Below I share how our program is unique to some others you may have encountered. Our goal in breeding is not only health, temperament, and type/structure, but also the assurance that our puppies have been raised so that they will adjust smoothly to their new homes and become biddable, adaptable, loved members of their family. My program as a whole is still young. I am constantly learning, researching, and looking to improve as any breeder should. I am lucky enough to have the support of several respected and successful long time breeders as my mentors. I value their guidance, their friendship, and their willingness to share their expertise and lines with me.
We Focus on Transparency
We try our best to ensure that those looking into our program get the full picture and can get to know us and our dogs through our webpage and Facebook page. This is why we display full AKC names, pedigrees, links to clearances, upcoming breedings, as well as frequent pictures and updates. When you reach out for information, we share full details on how we place puppies, pricing, what is included, and our upcoming plans. We are happy to answer any questions that you might have. We communicate regularly with our wait list to try to keep them updated. Social media allows us to post frequently about our dogs so that you can get to know their personalities and see our home. When we have a litter of puppies, I try to document everything, often daily. Outsiders are able to see not only the environment where they are raised, but also the vast amount of work and love we put into caring for them. It is important to us that when you are researching our program that you feel comfortable moving forward. We also want those that are currently waiting anxiously for one of our puppies to feel like they too are on this journey with us. I'm also happy to refer buyers to other breeders that may have availability when we do not. These are breeders whose programs I respect and share my same values.
We Focus on Health
A healthy puppy starts with healthy parents. When a breeder touts that their dogs are health checked or health tested, be sure to ask specifically what tests have been completed and don't be afraid to ask for official documentation. You should expect that any sire AND dam, prior to breeding, have obtained at least Hip, Elbow, Heart (Echo preferred), and Eye clearances as well as a full genetic panel and be willing to share those with you. "Vet checked" is not enough because a simple exam will not reveal what issues lie under the surface that could be passed on to any puppies that they produce.
Every single dam AND sire that is used in our program has been fully health tested going beyond the basic breed recommendations from AKC. Only dogs that have had passing clearances for OFA Hips, OFA Elbows, OFA Heart Echocardiograms, & (OFA) CAER Eyes will be considered for breeding. In addition, all dogs are genetically tested to ensure that no puppies are affected with any genetic diseases. Part of that genetic testing also includes testing for the dilute gene to ensure that none of our dogs carry dilute, nor will be breed to a dog that carries it. Dilute is not naturally occurring in the Labrador and goes against the breed standard. In addition, non-standard colors like silver have increased health (often skin related & alopecia) and behavioral (hyper & anxiety) concerns. Labradors only come in 3 acceptable colors. Black, chocolate, and yellow (shades ranging from light cream to fox red). The proper documentation is linked under each breeding dog to make it easier for you to verify information. Any dog unable to pass their clearances are removed from our program.
Please read more about this on our page "Why Should Breeders Heath Test?"
Below are examples of what the OFA clearance certificates look like.
We watermark them with our kennel name, along with all of our pictures, to keep scammers from using them.
Every single dam AND sire that is used in our program has been fully health tested going beyond the basic breed recommendations from AKC. Only dogs that have had passing clearances for OFA Hips, OFA Elbows, OFA Heart Echocardiograms, & (OFA) CAER Eyes will be considered for breeding. In addition, all dogs are genetically tested to ensure that no puppies are affected with any genetic diseases. Part of that genetic testing also includes testing for the dilute gene to ensure that none of our dogs carry dilute, nor will be breed to a dog that carries it. Dilute is not naturally occurring in the Labrador and goes against the breed standard. In addition, non-standard colors like silver have increased health (often skin related & alopecia) and behavioral (hyper & anxiety) concerns. Labradors only come in 3 acceptable colors. Black, chocolate, and yellow (shades ranging from light cream to fox red). The proper documentation is linked under each breeding dog to make it easier for you to verify information. Any dog unable to pass their clearances are removed from our program.
Please read more about this on our page "Why Should Breeders Heath Test?"
Below are examples of what the OFA clearance certificates look like.
We watermark them with our kennel name, along with all of our pictures, to keep scammers from using them.
We Focus on Pedigrees & The Labrador Standard
With every breeding that we plan, we look to the Labrador Standard as our road map and make decisions that will improve the next generation as our ultimate goal is to find our next show prospect. Most studs that we use are Champions and Grand Champions which have proven themselves in the conformation show ring to be stellar examples of the breed and all have impressive pedigrees. Breeding is more than just throwing two dogs together based on convenience.
While most people looking for their new best friend are not necessarily looking for a show prospect, it is important to remember that the "look" that many hope to find is often only achieved by careful selections in breeding from foundations that exude breed type such as with titled show dogs. While no dog is perfect, if we look at the specific dog and their lineage we can find minor areas that we'd like to improve on such as topline, bone, coat, etc. and by selecting a well-balanced stud that is strong in those areas, we hope to produce better than the previous generation. Many of the boys that we have selected or plan to use in the future are ones that take my breath away when I look at them. They have type and presence. I feel lucky to be able to use them in my program.
While most people looking for their new best friend are not necessarily looking for a show prospect, it is important to remember that the "look" that many hope to find is often only achieved by careful selections in breeding from foundations that exude breed type such as with titled show dogs. While no dog is perfect, if we look at the specific dog and their lineage we can find minor areas that we'd like to improve on such as topline, bone, coat, etc. and by selecting a well-balanced stud that is strong in those areas, we hope to produce better than the previous generation. Many of the boys that we have selected or plan to use in the future are ones that take my breath away when I look at them. They have type and presence. I feel lucky to be able to use them in my program.
We Focus on Only the Best Homes
Puppy prices are not negotiable and most are spoken for by our waiting list well before they are born. We do not however base our puppy placement on first come, first served. While your name can be "penciled in" on our waiting list, we require any potential buyers to complete an extensive application so that we can get to know you better and make sure that it is the right fit. This application opens up the opportunity for follow-up conversations and clarifying questions. If you are looking for a puppy to take home right now, we probably will not have anything for you. Because there is sometimes a wait, it also allows us to have more time to get to know where our puppies will be going and to feel comfortable that they will be well cared for. In addition, we keep in contact with our buyers and get frequent updates on how they are doing. And as always, we require that dogs we've placed be returned to us should their owners no longer be able or willing to take care of them.
We Focus on Early Experiences
Our goal is to set up puppies up for success not only in their new homes, but also well into the future as they mature and develop. The more that we can do here at an early age, the easier we feel it will be when they transition from our home to yours, making for a smoother and less stressful experience for everyone involved. Additionally, because we keep the number of dogs in our program smaller, it allows us to provide more individualized attention to litters when they arrive.
From Days 3 - 16, each puppy is exposed to Early Neurological Stimulation. http://www.esmondrott.com/rearing.htm
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Every puppy, starting at 2 weeks old begins to have their nails trimmed regularly with the use of a dremel. This helps to not only keep nails trimmed to protect the mother's belly while puppies are nursing, but early exposure helps to take the fear out of nail time.
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Every puppy experiences car rides both short and long. They learn that the car is a place that is great for catching up on a good nap. Starting this experience early and keeping up with it when the puppy goes home helps to avoid anxiety in the car and motion sickness.
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House breaking is started at around 3 weeks old in the form of litter training. Puppies learn that there is a particular place where they should go potty and learn to keep their pen clean. By 5+ weeks, puppies become fairly consistent with the litter pan having very few accidents. Outside potty time is introduced around 4 - 5 weeks and although puppies still have the litter pan for times in between, potty breaks outside in the grass are started on a schedule including wake-up time in the morning, lunch time, around 3 - 4 pm, dinner time, late night before bed, and after every meal. While puppies will not come home completely house broken and will still have occasional accidents (especially if you are not monitoring them to watch for signs while they are loose), it make the process much easier at home. In addition, most families have shared (and it is also my experience with the puppies I have retained) that they have had practically zero accidents in their crates.
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Puppies begin to spend time in the crate starting at about 5 weeks old. First they are crated with a buddy for short periods of time and gradually move to individual crating and a longer time frame several times a day. At around 5 - 6 weeks, most meals are fed in the crate so that puppies look forward to their time in there and I can ensure that everyone is getting enough to eat. While this does not always prevent every puppy from fussing or crying when they begin crating at home, puppies seem to adjust faster and most are very compliant about crating right from the start (including all the puppies we have retained).
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For the first 8 weeks of our puppies lives, they are immersed in sensory experiences to support their development, encourage appropriate responses to stimuli, and build confidence. Our puppies are exposed to different surfaces and textures (sand, grass, cement, pea gravel, dirt, blankets, newspaper, plastic, carpet as well as wet surfaces on any given day, etc.) and sounds (right from the start we expose puppies to sounds through a speaker starting with soft music and working toward other forms of music, nature sounds, thunder, gun shots, fireworks, farm animals, city sounds, sirens, etc). Puppies play on wobble boards, bridges, kiddie pools filled with water, and slides in their play yard. They are outside while we do use construction tools and mow the lawn. Puppies participate in age appropriate socialization while adhering to our biosecurity protocol to meet new people (children, adults, facial hair, hats, masks, sunglasses, etc.) and animals (dogs, chickens, pigs, etc.).
From Days 3 - 16, each puppy is exposed to Early Neurological Stimulation. http://www.esmondrott.com/rearing.htm
*
Every puppy, starting at 2 weeks old begins to have their nails trimmed regularly with the use of a dremel. This helps to not only keep nails trimmed to protect the mother's belly while puppies are nursing, but early exposure helps to take the fear out of nail time.
*
Every puppy experiences car rides both short and long. They learn that the car is a place that is great for catching up on a good nap. Starting this experience early and keeping up with it when the puppy goes home helps to avoid anxiety in the car and motion sickness.
*
House breaking is started at around 3 weeks old in the form of litter training. Puppies learn that there is a particular place where they should go potty and learn to keep their pen clean. By 5+ weeks, puppies become fairly consistent with the litter pan having very few accidents. Outside potty time is introduced around 4 - 5 weeks and although puppies still have the litter pan for times in between, potty breaks outside in the grass are started on a schedule including wake-up time in the morning, lunch time, around 3 - 4 pm, dinner time, late night before bed, and after every meal. While puppies will not come home completely house broken and will still have occasional accidents (especially if you are not monitoring them to watch for signs while they are loose), it make the process much easier at home. In addition, most families have shared (and it is also my experience with the puppies I have retained) that they have had practically zero accidents in their crates.
*
Puppies begin to spend time in the crate starting at about 5 weeks old. First they are crated with a buddy for short periods of time and gradually move to individual crating and a longer time frame several times a day. At around 5 - 6 weeks, most meals are fed in the crate so that puppies look forward to their time in there and I can ensure that everyone is getting enough to eat. While this does not always prevent every puppy from fussing or crying when they begin crating at home, puppies seem to adjust faster and most are very compliant about crating right from the start (including all the puppies we have retained).
*
For the first 8 weeks of our puppies lives, they are immersed in sensory experiences to support their development, encourage appropriate responses to stimuli, and build confidence. Our puppies are exposed to different surfaces and textures (sand, grass, cement, pea gravel, dirt, blankets, newspaper, plastic, carpet as well as wet surfaces on any given day, etc.) and sounds (right from the start we expose puppies to sounds through a speaker starting with soft music and working toward other forms of music, nature sounds, thunder, gun shots, fireworks, farm animals, city sounds, sirens, etc). Puppies play on wobble boards, bridges, kiddie pools filled with water, and slides in their play yard. They are outside while we do use construction tools and mow the lawn. Puppies participate in age appropriate socialization while adhering to our biosecurity protocol to meet new people (children, adults, facial hair, hats, masks, sunglasses, etc.) and animals (dogs, chickens, pigs, etc.).
We Focus on Supporting Our Salty Duck Families
Before you are required to send the non-refundable service fee to reserve a puppy, we forward the contract for you to review. We want to make sure that you understand our expectations as well as what assurances are and are not included before you send any money. While the items in the contract are not negotiable, this allows you to ask clarifying questions about any items listed in the agreement to better understand them before making a full commitment and so that there are no unexpected surprises or expectations on pick-up day for either party involved.
Several weeks before puppies go home, we email a shopping list with suggested items for puppy including both details about each item (and why we recommend it) and direct clickable links where they can be found. This allows you to shop before your puppy comes home and provides ample time for all items to be delivered and set up before your puppy arrives.
On pick-up day, we set time aside time for each family to individually go over the contract line by line and sign to be sure that all parties understand what is expected from the agreement. We show you how to dremel your puppy's nails and how you can tell when the nail is short enough. We provide a folder with all documentation and a scanned copy of the signed contract will be emailed in the next several days for your records. In addition, we send home a comprehensive guide detailing everything regarding your puppy and its care. It includes information on the deworming schedule your puppy was on, vaccinations they received, their current feeding routines/servings and predicted future changes, micro-chip information, and AKC Registration info. In addition, we include advice on spay & neuter (and suggestions for caring for your pet while they are still intact), tips on housebreaking & crating, as well as advice on ear cleaning and nail dremeling. All information comes with applicable links to studies, articles, and additional resources.
Puppies are micro-chipped with a fully paid subscription before going home. Once they have been placed in their new homes, we take care of transferring each of our puppies from our name to yours. We just ask to remain on as a secondary contact.
All puppies will be placed on Limited (No Breeding Rights) AKC Registration after they are placed in their new homes. Rather than having you fill out forms and pay for the registration fee yourself, we prefer to take care of that step for you to make sure that every puppy is registered correctly.
Once you take home a puppy from us, you will be invited to join our "Salty Duck Labradors Families" Facebook Group. This is a private group for you to share your pictures, ask questions, connect to others that also own one of our puppies, and where we try to post educational resources we've found and videos that we've created to guide our families with their dogs.
Please know that we have spent countless hours loving on these puppies with busy days and sleepless nights preparing them for their new homes. We want nothing more than for our puppies to be loved, happy, and well cared for. For that very reason, please know that we are here at all times to answer any question through all stages of your pet's life. No matter how prepared you feel to bring this new bundle home and enjoy him or her, you are going to inevitably have questions or need advice. Please do not feel like you are bothering us by reaching out. We have extensive experience, but we also have connections with a wide-network of professionals as well.
Several weeks before puppies go home, we email a shopping list with suggested items for puppy including both details about each item (and why we recommend it) and direct clickable links where they can be found. This allows you to shop before your puppy comes home and provides ample time for all items to be delivered and set up before your puppy arrives.
On pick-up day, we set time aside time for each family to individually go over the contract line by line and sign to be sure that all parties understand what is expected from the agreement. We show you how to dremel your puppy's nails and how you can tell when the nail is short enough. We provide a folder with all documentation and a scanned copy of the signed contract will be emailed in the next several days for your records. In addition, we send home a comprehensive guide detailing everything regarding your puppy and its care. It includes information on the deworming schedule your puppy was on, vaccinations they received, their current feeding routines/servings and predicted future changes, micro-chip information, and AKC Registration info. In addition, we include advice on spay & neuter (and suggestions for caring for your pet while they are still intact), tips on housebreaking & crating, as well as advice on ear cleaning and nail dremeling. All information comes with applicable links to studies, articles, and additional resources.
Puppies are micro-chipped with a fully paid subscription before going home. Once they have been placed in their new homes, we take care of transferring each of our puppies from our name to yours. We just ask to remain on as a secondary contact.
All puppies will be placed on Limited (No Breeding Rights) AKC Registration after they are placed in their new homes. Rather than having you fill out forms and pay for the registration fee yourself, we prefer to take care of that step for you to make sure that every puppy is registered correctly.
Once you take home a puppy from us, you will be invited to join our "Salty Duck Labradors Families" Facebook Group. This is a private group for you to share your pictures, ask questions, connect to others that also own one of our puppies, and where we try to post educational resources we've found and videos that we've created to guide our families with their dogs.
Please know that we have spent countless hours loving on these puppies with busy days and sleepless nights preparing them for their new homes. We want nothing more than for our puppies to be loved, happy, and well cared for. For that very reason, please know that we are here at all times to answer any question through all stages of your pet's life. No matter how prepared you feel to bring this new bundle home and enjoy him or her, you are going to inevitably have questions or need advice. Please do not feel like you are bothering us by reaching out. We have extensive experience, but we also have connections with a wide-network of professionals as well.