Hi there, We are just away to go and look at some lab puppies as we've been looking into it for some time, currently we live in Trinidad (down in the Caribbean) and there are not much in way of trustworthy breeders or clubs on the island so was hoping to gain some advice from anyone that has more experience than ourselves... The puppies we are going to see are apparently pure breds, but there are some patches of white on the black pups, atyer doing some research online i believe that this can be common in black labs and may not actually mean anything, but under their chest its quite a large patch... I was hoping you more experienced Lab owners might be able to tell from the photos i've attached to this post whether or not there is a high likelihood of them not being pure breds or if there is no real way to tell? All the pups in the photos are from the same litter... Photos: www.masson.tv/lab-black-2.jpg www.masson.tv/lab-black-3.jpg www.masson.tv/lab-yell-1.jpg www.masson.tv/lab-yell-4.jpg Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated, we leave to go view them in about an hour... Thank in advance Regards SWM
Re: Pure/Well Bred Labs??? Hi there, they dont look pure bred to me! Though of course that does not mean there is anything wrong with them as dogs, I just think there is something other than lab in there as well... Labs crossed with other breeds often make great pets; I had a lab/spaniel cross for nearly 16 years and he was a super dog. Main thing is to make sure the breeder has done the necessary health checks, if they have not, then you would probably be best to steel yourself and walk away. Let us know how you get on!
Re: Pure/Well Bred Labs??? Hello and welcome First of all , I am not a dog snob, I have a well bred black Lab and a good old terrier of indeterminate breed However , I do believe that if you are going to buy a definate breed , then that is what you should expect, not perfection, but within the breed standard . The pups are very cute, arent they always, but in my humble opinion , they are not pure bred Labs . I believe that a very tiny flash of white is acceptable but these pups look to have quite a fair bit of white amongst the black . Is the breeder selling these are pure bred Labs , does the breeder have paperwork to substantiate this and have the parents had all the health checks that are advisable for Lab parents to have ? If it were me and the answer is no to these questions , I would be sadly walking away . However, if the breeder says that they are cross bred and the price reflects this and you dont mind there being something else in their besides Lab , thats fine . Sorry, I dont mean to throw cold water on things, the health checks are so important though , can save heartache later , loads of luck to you, please let us know
Re: Pure/Well Bred Labs??? Hi there, and welcome to the forum It is unusual but not impossible for pedigree black labradors to have white patches, the occurrence of these patches is more common in fox red dogs. You can never be sure of any dog's pedigree just by looking at it, the only way to be certain is by a DNA test. But at least you should ask to see the puppy's registration certificates. They should be registered with the National Kennel Club for your location. I'm afraid I don't know what that is in Trinidad! As Karen has said, what is more important is to ask about the parents health clearances. Both parents must at minimum have certificates showing that their hips scores are in the 'better than average' range. They should also have current clear eye certificates. You can read all about these tests in this article, but they are standard all over the world. If it is not possible to get a puppy from health tested parents in Trinidad, or you decide to go ahead without them (which I don't recommend), then veterinary insurance is probably a really good plan. Good luck with your search! Pippa
Re: Pure/Well Bred Labs??? Thank you all for your advice, much appreciated!! There is not much in way of reputable breeders in Trinidad and the labs are not getting registered or health checked... Sounds dodgy I know, but that's just Trinidad for you... I could ask about the parents health but pretty sure I'll be told what I want to hear... Best I could do is take the puppy to get checked out by the vet, do you think that would be worth it? We are not looking for a show dog, just one that's got the expected temperament and good around kids as we have a baby is in October... it will also be good for an alarm dog and to keep intruders at bay, Trinidad crime rate is quite high! So I guess a "Pure" need is not an absolute necessity?! Basically, I don't want to import, so our options are definatly limited... But if taking the puppy to the vet for health checks, etc would be beneficial it might be our best option... Thanks again for your feedback, any further advice on the above would be great... SWM
Re: Pure/Well Bred Labs??? Hi again, and yes it is probably worth taking the pup to the vet to be checked out before you buy it, if the present owners will agree to that. I understand what you are saying, and that health testing of dogs is not high on the priority list in some parts of the world... At the very least, you should INSIST on seeing the mother dog and if possible the father. You will be able to get a good idea of the nature of the pups from their parents - if the mother is fairly laid back and seems ok with you handling the pups for instance, that is a good start. It's also important to see how the pups have been kept - have they had regular contact with people, are they shy and nervous or do they seem confident, etc. It might be important for you to know that they have had contact with children, for instance. I do understand the difficulty. I almost bought a pup in the UK from an unregistered breeder... He was so cute, I fell in love... but eventually my other half persuaded me to go with a pedigree pup from a registered breeder who had done all the health checks. Now one of my good friends tells me that her nine-year old lab, that she bought from a pet shop (! ) many years ago, is almost blind due to a congenital defect... It's a difficult decision. The puppies do look very sweet and it'll be hard not to choose to take one, particularly if there arent any registered breeders you can go to. In the end it'll be your decision, and you'll love your own dog, even if he/she is not a pure bred lab!
Re: Pure/Well Bred Labs??? Thanks Karen, the breeder told me they have the mother but the father is owned by another breeder... She told me both are pure bred labs, but I think the term is being used loosely... I'm sure she'll let me take it to the vet for health checks, but will give her a call today any confirm... Thanks for the advice, will definatly check those out when we visit later today...
Re: Pure/Well Bred Labs??? Another thought - no matter what the background is for these pups, they are going to be a LOT of work for many months... If you are expecting a baby in October, you really wont have the time needed yourself to look after and train a puppy, unless you have lots of help around. Maybe you'd be better off waiting a while, until your baby is a toddler or even older. Just a thought...
