Hey, Good to see you! Sigh, it's hard to see our friends on here getting older. A previous member's dog died not so long ago and she was debating what the right time would be to get a new pup or get to know some breeders and asked the same questions about contacting breeders. BTW, they'll be picking up a new puppy in the next couple of weeks! Rather than repeat stuff, I'll put the link to that thread because several people responded. It's exciting to contemplate getting a new family member. Good luck with your search.
https://www.lab-retriever.net/board/...d-morning.html