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  1. #1
    Puppy Reelist's Avatar
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    The (near) future

    Hello all!

    Thanks for reading. I recently became a forum member. I do have a question I need help with so please offer your knowledge and opinions!

    We’ve had an AKC registered Lab but lost him about 5 yrs ago at 12. He was amazing with our kids. That’s why we’re looking at labs again. This time around with our grandchildren!

    I have recently retired and so are thinking about re-upping the lab connection :-)

    Our lab was a family pet - I don’t hunt- but do fish and hike. We’re a very outdoor oriented family.

    I am trying to learn more about Labs this time around. We were very very happy with our last lab but want to honor the pup and the breed even more this time around.

    So my question is - what should I look for in the sire and dam’s lineages? How would a breeder choose a pup for us? Obviously for us retrieving skills aren’t primary.

    I don’t understand the lineage charts I’ve seen and possibly I shouldn’t put much reliance on lineage as long as the parents have one!

    Thanks Mark

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  3. #2
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    I wouldn't worry too much about the pedigree/lineage. Find a breeder that does something with their dogs...shows, hunts, obedience--that shows a dedication to the breed, not just someone breeding pets to make money. Find a breeder that does all the clearances required for the breed--there are more tests now than when you got your dog years ago. The key is that a breeder that may Show their dogs is breeding for their next generation, so it gives you that added security that a pet puppy out of that litter is raised with the same care.

    This is the Lab Club in Oregon. I would start there. Member Breeders

  4. #3
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    Hi Mark and welcome to the board!

    First, sorry for the loss of your Lab, I know it was a while ago, but I'm sure not a day goes by that you don't miss him.

    Simply put Labs come in two basic types, show Labs and field Labs. We could start a whole debate (and have had some here) on which is better and why. Show Labs tend to be a bit shorter and thicker, field labs taller and pretty lean. You can also find a whole lot in between these two "types". Personally I'm a bit old school, I want a Lab that looks like a Lab is supposed to look, and works like a Lab is supposed to work. The show type Labs tend to be a bit more on the calm side, although they can still be a real handful as puppies. Field type Labs tend to have a lot of drive and energy. Again these are gross generalizations, so YMMV.

    We don't discuss or recommend breeders on this forum, just one of the rules. In general when you are looking at breeders and pedigrees the first (and I think most important) is to make sure the breeder is do ALL appropriate clearances on the dogs they breed. There are a number of common problems in Labs and you want to make sure the dogs are clear. You can check this link which will give you some info on this. Clearances For Labs This list is a few years old, so I'm not sure if it's up to date, so maybe one of the breeders here can comment.

    If you do a google search you should be able to find info for local Labrador clubs that should provide you with a good starting point in your search for a breeder.

    I know there are few members here from your area, Mighty Thor come to mind. She has a very nice 3-4 year old male name THOR, and recently added a puppy named Barley who is just over 4 months old. Her dogs are very much what it sounds like you are looking for. Once you get your post count up you can send her an instant message and she may be able to give you some breeder info for your area.

    Good luck in your search and please feel free to ask questions, there are a lot of really good, knowledgeable people here!

  5. #4
    Senior Dog MightyThor's Avatar
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    Welcome! The points made above are great, and it sounds like you're looking for the kind of lab I have. We're not into formal showing, hunting, or obedience but we still wanted a dog with the classic lab personality that would be just as happy hanging out with us all day on trail, or cuddling up as a couch potato. Most important qualities when we were looking for our dogs were health clearances and even temperaments, and most breeders who care about doing those responsibly also do something with their dogs. So just because *you* aren't planning on doing those things it doesn't mean you shouldn't find a breeder who does. They'll be raising litters to find their next pup and and can help match you to the pet puppy that best matches your lifestyle.

    We got both our boys from breeders and brought them home at 8 weeks old. Our older boy, Thor, is from a breeder in California - we got him before we moved to Oregon. We found our 4 month old, Barley, through a breeder here in Oregon after doing a lot of research. I started with the lab club that JenC linked to above, reaching out to a few breeders after researching their dogs. The local ones I reached out to were all small with either no plans for litters or long waiting lists, but they were all willing to recommend and connect me with the breeder who we ended up working with.

    -img_5980-jpg

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  7. #5
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    My mutts and I say "welcome!"

  8. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by MightyThor View Post
    Welcome! The points made above are great, and it sounds like you're looking for the kind of lab I have. We're not into formal showing, hunting, or obedience but we still wanted a dog with the classic lab personality that would be just as happy hanging out with us all day on trail, or cuddling up as a couch potato. Most important qualities when we were looking for our dogs were health clearances and even temperaments, and most breeders who care about doing those responsibly also do something with their dogs. So just because *you* aren't planning on doing those things it doesn't mean you shouldn't find a breeder who does. They'll be raising litters to find their next pup and and can help match you to the pet puppy that best matches your lifestyle.

    We got both our boys from breeders and brought them home at 8 weeks old. Our older boy, Thor, is from a breeder in California - we got him before we moved to Oregon. We found our 4 month old, Barley, through a breeder here in Oregon after doing a lot of research. I started with the lab club that JenC linked to above, reaching out to a few breeders after researching their dogs. The local ones I reached out to were all small with either no plans for litters or long waiting lists, but they were all willing to recommend and connect me with the breeder who we ended up working with.

    -img_5980-jpg
    Thanks MightyThor! Beautiful boys there.

    Think you’re right, just cause I don’t show our dog doesn’t mean a breeder that doesn’t won’t be a good match.

    Sounds like the health tests are the key. I too felt that’d be the place to start.

    Thanks all, I’m going to go to a Rose City Labrador Club event in a couple of weeks and see where it takes me!

    Mark

  9. #7
    Senior Dog Shelley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Reelist View Post
    Thanks MightyThor! Beautiful boys there.

    Think you’re right, just cause I don’t show our dog doesn’t mean a breeder that doesn’t won’t be a good match.

    Sounds like the health tests are the key. I too felt that’d be the place to start.

    Thanks all, I’m going to go to a Rose City Labrador Club event in a couple of weeks and see where it takes me!

    Mark
    Are you going to the Rose City Labrador Retriever Club show at Champoeg state park July 12th, 13th and 14th? I would normally be attending this show, but I have 3 week old puppies right now. This will be an excellent opportunity to meet breeders and look at their Labradors they are exhibiting.

    If you go, please feel free to talk to breeders about potential litters they have planned, but be watchful of whether they are about to enter the show ring or not, as that can be a stressful time. If you see someone grooming their dog, playing with young dogs, or sitting at their set up, strike up a conversation with them, and tell them you are looking for a well bred, nice companion dog to add to your family. I know most breeders there would be happy to steer you to a nice litter, or answer any questions you may have. I wish I were going so I could meet you there.

    The CHIC (Canine Health Information Center) health clearance recommendations are a good place to start, but I would make an echocardiogram, as well as the Prcd-PRA exam to the list mandatory. Canine Health Information Center: CHIC Information
    If you have any questions about the tests, please ask and we can explain them.

  10. #8
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    If you want to, feel free to reach out to me. I am in the Portland-metro area, a long-time member of the club, was on the board and was their newsletter editor for several years. I know most of the members, who are primarily breeders. My two current dogs are from club breeders. The specialty can be a good place to watch and talk to breeders as it's a pretty relaxed atmosphere unlike a big all breed show. Frankly, the club is very, very picky about the breeders they list on their site, so you really can't go wrong with any of them. Of course, there are always outliers, so you'll want to ask around before making a commitment. There used to be a puppy coordinator volunteer, where a member of the public can call or email that person and she would steer you to club breeders she thinks would be a good fit, either to get on a list or to talk to about a litter of puppies that are not all spoken for either because someone changed their mind or there were more puppies than expected. I was new to the area and called and they knew of a club breeder who had a puppy because that breeder's god-parent broke a hip and had to pass on the puppy. I would suggest looking around the site to see if that person is still there. Either way, if you email a couple breeders, they are usually pretty happy to steer you in the right direction if they know of a pup or a if they are not the best fit for your needs.

  11. #9
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Welcome to the board. Lots of good said already so I will just add, LOVE your name, Reelist. Labs like to fish you know. They're great at jumping into water and bringing things back, or trying to. This will be wonderful for your fishing, NOT. So be sure to attend training classes.
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  12. #10
    Senior Dog MightyThor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shelley View Post
    Are you going to the Rose City Labrador Retriever Club show at Champoeg state park July 12th, 13th and 14th? I would normally be attending this show, but I have 3 week old puppies right now. This will be an excellent opportunity to meet breeders and look at their Labradors they are exhibiting.

    If you go, please feel free to talk to breeders about potential litters they have planned, but be watchful of whether they are about to enter the show ring or not, as that can be a stressful time. If you see someone grooming their dog, playing with young dogs, or sitting at their set up, strike up a conversation with them, and tell them you are looking for a well bred, nice companion dog to add to your family. I know most breeders there would be happy to steer you to a nice litter, or answer any questions you may have. I wish I were going so I could meet you there.

    The CHIC (Canine Health Information Center) health clearance recommendations are a good place to start, but I would make an echocardiogram, as well as the Prcd-PRA exam to the list mandatory. Canine Health Information Center: CHIC Information
    If you have any questions about the tests, please ask and we can explain them.
    Not to derail the thread too much, but what is the etiquette around bringing dogs (non competing?) to these kind of events? I've never attended one, but Barley is a natural and smart as a whip at obedience and I hope to keep going with classes and maybe do events in the future. If I can get over there I'd love to watch and see how the whole thing is run, but it would also be nice to get him in that environment at a young age if I might compete with him in the future. But I certainly don't want to distract or be a nuisance!

 



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