Labrador Retriever Dogs Blog

There are many ways to acquire a new dog and some methods are definitely better than others. Puppy mills, pet stores, shelters and dog breeders are the most common sources of new pets for most people. Carefully examine the nature of each of these venues before buying a dog.

Puppy Mills

The term "puppy mill" refers to any breeding facility that breeds dog for profit only. Very little attention is paid to the animals and breed standards are not held to. In the worst of the puppy mills, dogs are stacked up in cages, are underfed and given very little medical care. The dogs are continually bred, heat cycle after heat cycle, giving the female dog little or no time to recover before she is impregnated once again. The conditions under which these dogs are kept and bred often produce dogs with minor to major behavioral and medical problems. Not all puppy mills are large facilities.

Even the "backyard breeder" who breeds dogs only for profit and not for the benefit of the breed is considered by many to be a puppy mill. The prices you'll pay to a puppy mill may be less than what you would have paid for a dog from a reputable breeder, but you may end up paying more in the long run anyway. Dogs from puppy mills are usually plagued with medical problems (resulting from a lack of proper medical care and malnutrition) that require an excessive amount of medical exams, shots and medication.

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Breed no guarantee of puppy’s disposition
Toronto Star, Canada - Dec 22, 2007

A: Breed is probably the biggest red herring a pet owner can fall for. Dogs that are purebred are registered with an organization such as the Canadian Kennel Club. A purebred dog is part of a group that should reflect specific characteristics. Unfortunately, “should” is a very loose and imprecise concept.

Let’s say you are considering a Labrador retriever. Out of 1,000, maybe a third are exactly what a retriever should be, having a soft mouth and gentle disposition. Another third is similar to the breed standard but a little off. The final third will be completely wrong when it comes to temperament.

If you buy a dog based on breed alone, you might get lucky. Or you could wind up with unexpected issues.

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Before you go hunting for a family pet you want to make sure that you know exactly what kind of dog you are looking for. It is important to know what kind of Labrador you want in order to find the right Labrador breeder. There are several things you should keep in mind if you are considering making a Labrador your pet, breeding is one of them.

Once you have researched and studied about Labradors, and you have decided that you want to make one part of your family life, you will then need to find a good breeder. There are several things you should consider when you are looking for Labrador breeders. Remember that a breeder is only as good as his knowledge. You want one that will be able to answer all your questions concerning your pet to be. So, do your research about the different types of Labrador dogs so that you are sure you are asking the right questions. Be sure that when you are talking to breeders and asking questions that the they are able to answer your questions correctly. They should be able to give your valuable information.

An important point to consider is to be wary of Labrador breeders who don’t ask you questions. Dog breeders should be screening the people who are buying puppies from them. Good dog breeders are as interested in who their puppies will belong to as you are in getting the right puppy for you and your family. So if he doesn’t ask you about where you live, how you plan to raise the puppy, and things that like, it’s probably not a good idea to buy a dog from them. Make sure that the breeder that you pick is taking an interest in you as a potential owner because that means that they are also interested in where this puppy will go.

By asking questions of Labrador breeders, you will get a good idea about how much they care for their own dogs and how knowledgeable they are about Labrador dogs in general. This will give you an idea as to what kind of puppy you might be taking home.

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