Looking in All the Wrong Places
Because Labs are so popular, many people breed them just to make a fast buck. Sure, it's easy to get a Lab from these people, but the thing to consider is that you get what you pay for. These breeders usually don't start out with high-quality Labs, and they don't do the pedigree searches and health screening that hobby breeders do. With this in mind, here are some places to avoid when looking for that perfect Lab pup.
Just because a dog is registered with the AKC or another association doesn't guarantee that he's of high quality. Registries provide documentation based on what the breeder tells them, so take time to find a breeder whom you feel answers all your questions honestly.
The Lab Next Door
Not every breeder is a hobby breeder knowledgeable about and committed to the Labrador breed. So-called “backyard breeders” are usually pet owners looking to get a little money back on the purchase price of their dog. They're often unfamiliar with a breed's health problems and don't do any health checks before mating the dog with another that may or may not have health or temperament problems. They usually advertise their pups in the newspaper, unlike hobby breeders, who often have a waiting list before they ever breed a litter. Tipoffs that someone is a backyard breeder include use of the word “thoroughbred” to describe the pups (instead of purebred), failure to screen buyers carefully, or letting the pups go before seven or eight weeks of age.
Run of the Mill
Commercial breeders, often referred to as puppy mills, produce puppies on a large scale and wholesale them to pet stores. Their pups are not raised in the home but in kennels, which may or may not be well kept. Because the numbers of pups they produce is so great, these breeders are not able to give the dogs much human attention during their early formative weeks, when they should be learning to love people.
How much does a Lab puppy cost?
Whether you buy from a hobby breeder, a backyard breeder, or a pet store, you can expect to pay anywhere from $400 to $800 for your Lab puppy. The price can vary depending on what part of the country you're in, whether you're buying a male or female, and whether you want a pet-quality or show-quality dog.
Commercial breeders don't usually sell directly to the public, although there are some exceptions. These people may also have three or more breeds and always have litters available. Hobby breeders breed once a year or sometimes only once every two years. Their goal is to improve the breed, not to make money. If any breeder can't show proof of involvement with the breed — Labrador Retriever Club membership, conformation and field championships on their breeding stock, health screening for the breed's genetic problems — walk away. Puppy millers and backyard breeders don't do these things.
How Much Is That Puppy in the Window?
Without a doubt, a pet store is the most convenient place to find a Lab puppy, but perhaps it's not the best place. At a pet store, you can't meet the parents or other relatives, and you have no way of knowing the conditions in which the pup was raised, or whether the parents were screened for health problems. However, it's not necessarily always bad to get a Lab from a pet store. Some pet supply stores don't sell pups themselves, but instead team up with a local animal shelter or breed rescue group to offer pets for adoption. This is a win-win situation. Pups get the visibility from being on display, and the adoption group can still screen adopters before letting the pup go.
