Breeder advice

[Vman]

My family and I are ready to start looking for a Labrador Puppy. Our main criteria is that it will have to be a grat family pet , but, also a pheasant hunter.

I am looking for suggestions and recommendations for a breeder.

Thanks,

Chris

[Mallard1]

Check out Cashman Kennels.

[wormdunker]

I have a 14 week old lab from royalty british kennels and could not be happier. I have had several labs and have even bred litters myself. The intelligence and calm around the house of this pup is astonishing. He already acts like an adult dog. The first thing you always hear when walking a puppy are comments about how cute they are. This dog gets praise for his calm, poise and obedience at such a young age. I cannot say enough about the pup. The facility is equally impressive. I have seen many kennels and this one is state of the art and amazingly clean.

This may sound like an advertisement, it is not. My brother was in the market and spent a bit of time with this dog and decided he too was going to get a pup form John. Regarding the hunting side. You can call John and set up appointments to see his dogs work in the field. He has a preserve and will walk you out to watch the dogs hunt. I am not sure I could have felt more at ease and confident in our new pup purchase.

Good Luck have fun and take your time. It is difficult to see puppies and walk away. Do your research and be strong.

[MinnesotaMongo]

Rick, the owner of this site - has a nice lab puppy for sale. He's a good one from what I hear from him. I think it's advertised on the Pups for sale section. You should check that out - I'm sure his kids are adapting it to the house....

[Rick]

I do have a British Lab for sale and he has top of the line championship British bloodlines. He is around 14 weeks old right now. It's amazing how nice their demeanor is.

I felt so confidant with his retrieving I tossed a clipped wing pigeon. He chased it around until he caught it and then brought the pigeon back to me. I was amazed at the delivery. Very soft mouth.

I'm not going to push it, so no more clipped wings birds for a while as it's nice to keep them interested in the dummy's for a lot of the training.

[FCspringer]

Hey read the rules before you post there Monte and Rick. HAA! Just kidding. Hows training going?

[caseymcq]

Smith Farms Labradors, they have any color you would want, they are a top-notch operation and have excellent dogs. I got a female from them about five years ago and by far the BEST dog I have ever seen (let alone owned). IMO, they breed labs for all the attributes that labs were meant to be bred for.

[MuleShack]

Smith Farms Labradors, they have any color you would want, they are a top-notch operation and have excellent dogs. I got a female from them about five years ago and by far the BEST dog I have ever seen (let alone owned). IMO, they breed labs for all the attributes that labs were meant to be bred for.

Ditto Thats where mine came from and I couldn't be more impressed with the quality and performance and looks.

[Bryce]

Can I mention that we are planning a spring litter also?

[caseymcq]

MuleShack - just out of curiosity, who are the sire and dam of your pup?

[MuleShack]

MuleShack - just out of curiosity, who are the sire and dam of your pup?

Deputy and Suza

[caseymcq]

Small world, our female was from Suza too. They don't have the male (Starquests Code Bleu) anymore.

[dnoz]

I am looking to purchase a new black lab pup in a couple of months. The one I have now will be 11 in January. When I bought him I paid $500 from a reputable breeder. He has been a excellent hunter and companion. Looking at prices now it seems that reputable breeders are now charging close to a $1000 for a lab. I was a little sticker shocked when I called the breeder I got my last one from. I don't care if I get a British or an American I just want a Lab from a good breeder. Let me know if that seems to be the going market rate.

[duckbuster]

I don't mean to sound harsh and this is not directed at anyone in particular.

To pay more than 5 bills for a hunting duck/house dog/friend is insane. Just my opinion.

Find a few litter you like, call, ask your questions especially price. At about the 6-7 week mark start calling back because the fire sales have begun on those litters. The puppy market is so saturated it is very tough to sell a litter of pups right now at the price they start at.

GODD LUCK

[caseymcq]

dnoz -

check out the breeder I mentioned earlier, you may be pleasantly supprised.

[grousehunter]

I don't mean to sound harsh and this is not directed at anyone in particular.

To pay more than 5 bills for a hunting duck/house dog/friend is insane. Just my opinion.

Find a few litter you like, call, ask your questions especially price. At about the 6-7 week mark start calling back because the fire sales have begun on those litters. The puppy market is so saturated it is very tough to sell a litter of pups right now at the price they start at.

GODD LUCK

A lot of litters are still selling out before the pups even hit the ground. The dogs I purchase I put a lot of reasearch into the parents and their attributes and normally will put a depostit down a year in advance. I guess that might just be with the chesapeake breed, but quality breedings tend to sell out fast. My most recent chessie was considerably more than 5 bills, but in my opinion well worth it. Overall there are some good deals you can find, but actually looking at the parents and finding a breeding that fits the style of dog you want will make you a lot more happy over the long run. In reality the initial purchase price is a very small part of overall dog ownership over the life of the dog.

[caseymcq]

Nothing wrong with paying more than $500 for a pup. Considering the time, effort and money that goes into a lot of these dogs. Testing for EIC, CNM, x-rays for hips and elbows, eye examination, vet exams. That all adds up. If dogs have any titles (field or show) A LOT of time and effort and likely money went into that.

We had a litter of pups about a year ago. Males went for $500 and the female went for $600. I think we sold those pups pretty cheap when looking at the pedigree. Do I feel bad for the price we got, nope. I felt good about everyone that got a pup from us and the homes those dogs were going to. I still hear from some of the people and even get pics from time to time.

I think spending more than $500 for an AKC registered pup, with the propper health screening and clearances (and the documentation to back it up) is the norm and is money well spent. Good breeders also offer gaurntees on the pups health. There is a bit of risk(in a business sense) involved with that so they, like any business person, are looking to be compensated for that risk.

There are definitely dogs out there for less but they may be from indescriminate breeding. I am a firm believer that you get what you pay for with a dog.

Just my 2 cents, not that it is much more than that.

[CrazyLabs]

There's always a little luck involved (good or bad) when chosing a lower priced pup. When we bought our older lab, we got what we could afford. We were expecting to pay $300 for him, but due to a toe injury that would cause a scar, the breeder knocked off $100. So we got him for $200. Now that we are a little more knowledgeable about the breed and did so much more research on our second, we realized that $200 was a steal for our older dog. He comes from the Kellogg line and his hunting ability is pure instinct. He has never been professionally trained for pheasant hunting...it's just in his genes. He's a little shorter, but stocky - big block head. He's a solid dog. He actually looks similar to the Smith Farms sires.

My bro-in-law on the other hand, paid about the same amount for his dog. She is petite, but her head and ears are unusually small. She isn't afraid of gunfire, but it is clear that she doesn't have the instinct that my dogs have.

So, really, you can get a great dog for under $500, but you are taking your chances. After knowing what I know, I have no problem spending a little extra money to get a quality dog.

[Tony Holland]

I will throw my opinion in the mix, I was very lucky to have found my dog at a Animal Humane Society. He was only 125.00 and I possibly saved his life, and made room to hopefully save another dogs life also. I had watched the rescue websites and found a calm, healthy and wonderful lab. I tried the hunting commands that they would learn at training and he responded to all of them heel, sit, stay, drop, etc. So i had a complete hunting machine for the price of $125.

I think i was lucky, yes but with some patience and determination we found a great dog.

I am not trying to say the buying for a reputable breeder is a bad thing at all just saying that you can have other options available also.

My dog Hunter is the black lab on the left. An expensive AKC lab is on the right. Our first hunt this year. Your owner also plays the most important part in the development of any dog also!!

[duckbuster]

THANK YOU Tony for doing a wonderful thing by taking in a dog that ,as you said, would have probably been put down and by saving this one made room to save another.

You have a great heart!!!

[Vman]

Thanks for all the replies. We have finally decided on a pup from a breeder in Rockford, IL.

[caseymcq]

It's not from Timber Retrievers is it?

[MDD]

Vman~

I have purchased 2 blk labs from Goodgoing Kennels out of WI and they have been excellent family dogs and incredible hunthers. I had young 2 young boys when I purchased the 1st and then purchased the 2nd 5 years later. The dogs and the kids have always gotten along....great in the house and great in the field. The oldest dog's grandfather had a pointing lab line which has come out in the 1st dog and the second dog has been equally great with an outstanding desire to hunt. The breeder is excellent to work with and has a fantastic training program. I work for an outdoor retailer and have referred many customer to this breeder along with having friends and family use him for obediance trainging for many different breeds.....never had a complaint and I have had customers return and tell me how much they have enjoyed their dogs and the training. You can google the name to check the HSOforum out....good luck in finding a new lab for the family, labs make such a great family pet as well as a hunting companion!!!

[duckbuster]

Like Casey mentions, nothing wrong with paying more than 5 bills for a pup, nothing at all. All I'm saying is why do it if it isn't needed. I frequent a Retriever forum that mostly has to do with Field trials and Hunt test people. They have a classified area on that forum that has top notch, titled breedings and people can't get rid of their pups in the 6-7 weeks they hope. I know of one on there that has over 1,000 hits to his add of 10 pups that have been on the ground now for 2 weeks and has yet to sell a puppy. People will certainly ask for what they think the market will bear and that is what they should do. All I'm saying is that spending more than is needed is foolish. I also understand that the puppy price is the smallest price you will pay for the dog.

The breeder you found in Illinois wouldn't happen to be Dominator Kennels?

Anyway, GOOD LUCK with what you found. I certainly hope it works out for you!!!!

Nothing wrong with paying more than $500 for a pup. Considering the time, effort and money that goes into a lot of these dogs. Testing for EIC, CNM, x-rays for hips and elbows, eye examination, vet exams. That all adds up. If dogs have any titles (field or show) A LOT of time and effort and likely money went into that.

We had a litter of pups about a year ago. Males went for $500 and the female went for $600. I think we sold those pups pretty cheap when looking at the pedigree. Do I feel bad for the price we got, nope. I felt good about everyone that got a pup from us and the homes those dogs were going to. I still hear from some of the people and even get pics from time to time.

I think spending more than $500 for an AKC registered pup, with the propper health screening and clearances (and the documentation to back it up) is the norm and is money well spent. Good breeders also offer gaurntees on the pups health. There is a bit of risk(in a business sense) involved with that so they, like any business person, are looking to be compensated for that risk.

There are definitely dogs out there for less but they may be from indescriminate breeding. I am a firm believer that you get what you pay for with a dog.

Just my 2 cents, not that it is much more than that.