How do you know you are buying from a Responsible Labrador Retriever Breeder?
Looking for some of the following things will help you ascertain whether the breeder is someone you can trust or a puppy factory that you want to stay away from.
1-Are they knowledgeable about the potential genetic problems in Labradors? They should be able to explain to you what those concerns are and provide documentation that the parents are free from any of those defects. Certifications could be from OFA, PENN HIP, CAER, and various labs like Optigen who test for the various possible genetic problems.
2-They should shows you records for the veterinary visits for the puppy. And explain the puppies’ medical history and what vaccinations your new puppy will need in the future.
3-A Lab Breeder who breeds other types of dogs as well may be a warning sign of a puppy factory but not necessarily. Someone that only breeds one or two types, and is familiar with “breed standards” is a sign of a quality breeder. A breeder who specializes in one breed will likely know more about the specific breed and do a better job at it.
4-The breeder should be able to produce documentation of official titles for the parents of the puppies or pedigrees for the parents outlining show or working titles in the pedigree. This will indicate that the breeder is trying to “breed up” and improve the breed vs someone who is just trying to get random puppies.
5-Be sure the ask the breeder if you can meet and spend a little time with the parents or at minimum the mother of your new Lab Puppy. If you can not this is a bad sign. This breeder is not being transparent and may be hiding the the parent because of bad health or other issues that they don’t want you to see.
6-Feeds high quality “premium” brand food. This is a sign that the breeder cares for his animals and is willing to put money into his animals. Premium dog food is not cheap!
7-A Breeder of Labrador Retrievers should be willing to stand behind there puppies and provide you with a written contract and health guarantee.
8-The breeder should also not insist that you must use a specific veterinarian but rather should encourage that you to take your puppy to any vet of your choosing to get alternate examinations done to verify its health.
9-The breeder should be interested and require you to answer at minimum a few basic questions in order to ascertain whether or not the puppy will be well taken care of. Such as previous pet experience, Will it be an indoor or outdoor pet, Size of yard to run in etc.
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