There are so many ads for labs in the newspaper.

In your opinion, are news paper ads usually BYBs?

(I know the only real way to tell would be calling asking infomrative questions and visiting. Because it seems to be most reputable breeders have very informative and but together websites and do not advertise in news papers.)

That is all.

Around here, I would say virtually 100% of the ads I see in the paper are for BYB'ers.

They don't list (or even do) health clearances, usually both parents are "on site," they will *sometimes* put in something like "champion bloodlines" (which means that there could possibly be a champion a few generations back), and while they are often AKC registered, they are all-too-often CKC registered (which down here means Continental Kennel Club, a puppy-mill registry...though just being AKC registered isn't a stamp of approval, either). They also tend to be less expensive than well-bred puppies...around here, I would say that they run anywhere from $150 a pup at the LOW end up to $650 at the HIGH end.

A reputable breeder around here charges anywhere from $850-2000 for a well-bred puppy whose parents have all of their health clearances, sire often has semen shipped in from out-of-state (to get the best possible mate for their girl, based on what they'd like to improve upon with the breeding), and whose parents have likely obtained at least one conformation or performance title. Reputable breeders around here don't usually advertise in newspapers or magazines and usually have a waiting list. They usually "advertise" a litter through word-of-mouth, their websites, and through the labrador clubs they are usually members of.

My experience too is that most dogs sold through the papers are BYB's. I sold all of mine (9) through word of mouth and referrals from the clubs I belong too. I had no need for running an ad in the paper.

even worse they can be brokers for puppy mills...

It is not uncommon for these brokers to drive to places like the Penn Dutch region and purchase the entire litter from a farmer dirt cheap then sell to pet stores or run ads in the paper. They will have full AKC paperwork too.

I have not looked into the Amish situation recently , perhaps it has been fixed. But the conditions were horrid, fathers breed to their daughters at first cycle and the likes. and the AKC only cares about the profit from the registration... but I have also heard they have cracked down on these practices.

Buy your pup from a reputable breeder in the LRC in your area... You will pay more , wait longer for a pup, but you will avoid some of the issues people seem to have here on this forum... The biggest being a pup from a good breeder will have the correct temperament the Labrador is known for. So many people give up their Lab pups because a BYB or mill produced a dog that is wild and hard to train.

link to find a breeder http://www.thelabradorclub.com/

even worse they can be brokers for puppy mills...

It is not uncommon for these brokers to drive to places like the Penn Dutch region and purchase the entire litter from a farmer dirt cheap then sell to pet stores or run ads in the paper. They will have full AKC paperwork too.

I have not looked into the Amish situation recently , perhaps it has been fixed. But the conditions were horrid, fathers breed to their daughters at first cycle and the likes. and the AKC only cares about the profit from the registration... but I have also heard they have cracked down on these practices.

Buy your pup from a reputable breeder in the LRC in your area... You will pay more , wait longer for a pup, but you will avoid some of the issues people seem to have here on this forum... The biggest being a pup from a good breeder will have the correct temperament the Labrador is known for. So many people give up their Lab pups because a BYB or mill produced a dog that is wild and hard to train.

link to find a breeder http://www.thelabradorclub.com/

Yep, I actually encountered one of these so called brokers before I got Tide. A friend of mine new this lady that had a 12 week old yellow lab she was selling for $400. Now around here that's REALLY cheap for a well bred lab. Of course, at the time, I didn't know that, so I said "what the heck", and went to see the little guy. Pup was cute, but very skittish (which for a lab is not normal), lady was sketchy and said she was selling the pups for a friend. RIGHT! I walked out and didn't even turn around. About a few weeks later this same person had a couple blacks she was selling and every once in a while I’ll look in the classified ads to see her selling even MORE lab pups. Sad! Thank god I waited! :eek:

even worse they can be brokers for puppy mills...

It is not uncommon for these brokers to drive to places like the Penn Dutch region and purchase the entire litter from a farmer dirt cheap then sell to pet stores or run ads in the paper. They will have full AKC paperwork too.

I have not looked into the Amish situation recently , perhaps it has been fixed. But the conditions were horrid, fathers breed to their daughters at first cycle and the likes. and the AKC only cares about the profit from the registration... but I have also heard they have cracked down on these practices.

Buy your pup from a reputable breeder in the LRC in your area... You will pay more , wait longer for a pup, but you will avoid some of the issues people seem to have here on this forum... The biggest being a pup from a good breeder will have the correct temperament the Labrador is known for. So many people give up their Lab pups because a BYB or mill produced a dog that is wild and hard to train.

link to find a breeder http://www.thelabradorclub.com/

I live 20mins from Lancaster, or Pa dutch country. No unfortunatley things are not much better. Laws are going to the senate next week but there is some opposition to them. Ad's with no sundays calls should all be avoided. I believe most if not all ads are from byb's or worse.

No Reputable Breeder has to advertise in the newspaper they sell their pups through word of mouth, referals, on their website and through their breed club.

Stay away from newspaper ads.

Thank You! I was really looking for honest opinions and you all have compeletely confirmed what I was feeling. :D

I just placed 8 of the litter of 9 English Setters I was raising for the breeder of my Logan and I/we never advertised them at all except on the Cobblestone website. We still have a show male available but the breeder is hanging on to him to see how he develops.

I don't know of any reputable English Setter breeders that advertises in the newspaper. If you ever see a newspaper ad for English Setter puppies they are either from BYB's or are field bred dogs.

yup