Hi to everyone this is my first post. I must start by saying i think this is the best Labrador site on the net. My question is quite simple (i think). After much deliberation i have decided to buy a Labrador. Initially it was between a Cocker spaniel and Labrador. Can anyone point me in the direction of a working Labrador breeder. I have been in contact with several what i call world class breeders but they do not have any puppies at the moment. I would like a black dog from working parents and of course it must come with all the medical checks that we desire. I intent to train myself with the help of local training classes in/near Doncaster. Im looking now so that the dog will be ready to go shooting with me in October 2015 One last question why is it that Labradors today are as big as donkeys, i havent seen a small to medium one in a long time. Im quite prepared to travel 250 to 300 miles. The puppies from the world class breeders where in the region of £900, im prepared to pay that for the right dog. Any help would be appreciated Thank you
Re: Working Labrador puppy Hi and welcome! I'm just about to collect my new puppy which I found via the Kennel Club Website. They have a list of breeders and those that currently have puppies. Hope that helps!
Re: Working Labrador puppy Wecome!! Quite a few of the working line labs on the forum I would consider to be small or medium If you have a trainer and training class in mind it might be worth attending and asking people about their dogs and the breeders?... We were lucky and found our dog through fortuitous circumstances but we checked on all the health tests as you plan to.
Re: Working Labrador puppy Welcome from me and my donkey sized Lab Sam and petite rescue Millie . I would tend to ask around at local gundog clubs , Vets etc .
Re: Working Labrador puppy Welcome to the forum There are some great kennels in the north of England so you are well placed, and I doubt if you will have to travel more than 100 miles. Check out Drakeshead, Kipperidge, Brocklebank and Levenghyl. Ask each of them for lists of nice bitches that their stud dogs have visited, and for the name of one more local breeder. Rinse and repeat You should be able to find a litter without too much trouble. Watch out for bitch health tests, these kennels will usually test their stud dogs, but some working kennels will allow their dogs to mate an untested bitch. Good luck
Re: Working Labrador puppy Hi I've sent you a PM as I didn't want to name individual breeders on a public forum - don't know how you feel about personal recommendations of named breeders Pippa? I avoided it anyway but details are in the PM and hope it helps
Re: Working Labrador puppy I don't have a problem with people recommending a good breeder, but you have made me think I should make it clear that the kennels I mentioned above are simply well known working kennels, and I am not recommending them in any way as I have not purchased a puppy, nor had any dealings with those kennels myself. Moreover, I am well aware that many working kennels fall short of best practice when it comes to health testing So PLEASE people, remember to ask lots of questions and verify health test results. An impressive list of field trial wins won't help you if your dog is struck down with hip dysplasia.
Re: Working Labrador puppy Hi Baretta, we have an awesome working girl. I have sent you a PM about her
Re: Working Labrador puppy It took me months to find my breeder and several emails and visits. I started googling Field line Labrador breeders. I spent hours looking at pedigrees until I started to make connections and see familiar pedigree names; also look out for FT CH on their pedigrees as this shows Field Trial Champs. Look at the galleries on the breeders web sites too, as this will give you an indication of size etc. Best of luck and enjoy the journey!
Re: Working Labrador puppy Welcome to the Forum from Holly (18 month yellow Lab) and me. The Kennel Club site is a good place to start as it has a very comprehensive list of breeders. It lets you see litters that have been announced, and lets you register for emails when new litters are announced. Our experience was that it took several months to find the right dog, but patience payed off as Holly is an absolute treasure!
Re: Working Labrador puppy It took me ages too. I visited places to look at pups and came away - VERY hard to do. But I wanted a pup who had been born and brought up in a kitchen with all going on around them. So I rejected two simply because they were in kennels. I think it paid off - Tatze is such a confident girl, nothing phases her Make sure ALL health tests for both parents are clear too. Enjoy your search - it's soooo exciting!
Re: Working Labrador puppy Thank you to everyone who responded. Well its taken me months of searching but finally ive found my ideal dog. Health scores are out of this world. Brought up in ideal surroundings. Couldnt have hoped for more. Its a shame all breeders are not up to there standards. All being well i should collect him in about 5 weeks. Once settled in i will post some photos. This site will be invaluable in the coming months. Once again thank you to everyone especially Lochan
Re: Working Labrador puppy Thats great news. I'm really looking forward to the pictures. What type of Lab did you decide on?
Re: Working Labrador puppy Marvellous news, I hope he is everything you want in a pup. And photos please!
Re: Working Labrador puppy Oh my goodness it seems like everyone is getting a puppy right about now!! I so wish I was taking this journey again! But not for at least another year, gotta get Penny sorted out first and I want her to mature a bit more!
