Labrador Breeder
A Labrador breeder should have the best interest of the puppies at heart and they will ask you lots of questions, which you need to be prepared to answer. A Labrador is a big dog, so don’t be surprised if they are reluctant to sell you a pup if you live in a high rise flat and work all day leaving the dog shut in, and rightly so – this wouldn’t be a good choice for you to be making, so there is little point getting upset about it. They are just doing their job.
However, if you have a decent size house and someone is around for most of the day, the puppy will get regular exercise, be well loved and cared for, then a good Labrador breeder will be more than happy to sell you a puppy. You also have the right to ask questions of them, and again you shouldn’t be afraid to do so. It is important to know that this puppy has been bred in excellent conditions and that the mother has been looked after. Puppy mills abuse their bitches and a dog should never, ever be purchased from such a place. There is a difference between a well cared for breeding bitch who has one litter a year, lives as part of a family and gets proper care and attention, to a puppy mill bitch who lives in a cage, isn’t allowed a human contact and relationship and is badly neglected in terms of love and care.
True Labrador breeders will have a love of dogs and really enjoy what they do. The puppies will be well handled and socialized almost from the moment they are born, and nothing is too much trouble for their puppies. They may own both parents, or they may buy in a stud service, but the mother will be their dog that they take great care of and respect her place as their breeding bitch. Ask them if the puppies are ready to stop feeding from the mother, and what food they have been introducing them to. Most breeders will have a puppy pack for you that includes some food so that you can keep the food consistent, or if it suits you to change it do so gradually to avoid upsetting the pup’s tummy.
You are quite within your rights to see the pedigree papers, and you can see the blood lines. In many cases you will not see the dad as he may well be owned by someone else; however, in some cases they will have both the parents, but without doubt you really need to see the bitch, as in most cases you are going to be making your first visit to the pup while it is still dependant on her, so it would be suspect if she wasn’t around to be seen. Sadly these sorts of things have to be looked at, as a few non-reputable breeders and the people in puppy mills have ruined the experience for some people and now more checks need to be carried out to make sure you are buying a healthy puppy.
