pups from....??? *UPDATE*

[inthecattails]

Good news, my wife informed me for xmas she already has a dog spoken for in a spring litter from a very good kennel and breeder. I am excited and can't hardly wait for spring to come!! Thanks for the info and you'll be seeing questions from me in the future in this forum.

[gundoglily]

There is nothing wrong with getting a pup from an individual verus a kennel, but you have to be diligent in doing the research on the background on both parents. I would not buy a dog from an individual who has not done the minimum testing on his dog and testing on the sire. They need to have the hips OFA'd or in the very least guarentee these pups against hip dysplasis (spelling is incorrect) for at least 24 months. If they are a responsible breeder, they should do this. When the pups are born, they need to have the declaws removed, and at least 1 set of puppy shots given before they go to a good home. I would want to see both parents hunt in the field.

You have to do determine what "good bloodlines" are. Do your research, with information gleaned from the imternet and by talking to others that have dogs with the same blood lines.

Everybody thinks they have the best dog in the world, so they want to have a litter of pups. if for no other reason than to "recoup" the cost of their dog. All things considered, the initial cost of the pup is the most inexpensive part of owning a dog.

Good luck in finding the dog to be your hunting companion and friend!!

[Captain B.R.K]

"You have to do determine what "good bloodlines" are."

I've been doing some searching on the internet and haven't been able to find anything on "good bloodlines". Maybe I'm doing a wrong search on google or yahoo

[springerspeed]

Captain-

There are 2 things that classify good bloodlines in my opinion. One is the health of a bloodline. This one is very straight forward. The second (and probably the reason you will not find anything on good bloodlines) is the hunting ability of a dog. This one is subject to personal preferance.

[Ufatz]

The best bet would probably be to go with a kennel that has been in business for a while. Unfortunately, in todays world everybody is a breeder. With puppy prices being as absurd as they are way too many people are simply cranking out litters of pups to grab enough cash for a new plasma TV or a shiny new computer. A kennel that has been around and has a history will probably be able to give you a long background on its dogs and their ancestors etc. Then when you spend $500 you have the satisfaction of knowing you SHOULD have a good pup, as opposed to spending some ridiculous amount of money for a litter raised in a crate behind the outhouse.

Check with a good breeder. Ask for the lineage of some of his dogs. Go from there.

Enjoy your new pal!!

[duckbuster]

Honestly, it does not matter one way or the other. From a kennel or a private party. It basically comes down to your comfort level.

If you find an add in the paper that peaks your interest go and look at the puppies. It will give you the best idea of how the puppies have been cared for.

The bottom line with ANY puppy is that it is a dump shoot!!

Where your comfort level is with the seller, in this case, would be most important.

GOOD LUCK with your search. Make some phone calls to some sellers and then go and look for yourself. When you are comfortable with both the seller and the health of the dogs make your decision.

[bergie]

I have had two labs a britt and now have a boykin, the second lab and the boykin came from kennels and the first lab and the britt from private parties, all were wonderful dogs. Ask to see the parents and see them work if possible, check the conditions where they are being raised, after that like the guy said picking a pup is a dump shoot, once you get it home that is when it really starts to be determined what kind of dog you end up with. Spend as much time with your pup as you can the more he likes you the more he will want to please you, if you have a buddy with a well trained dog, spend some time in the woods with them, most of all have patience, and have fun.

[Cootz]

It's all a dump shoot. My first dog I bought from my buddies uncle. I hunted under his female and figured that at least I know what the mom is like and I paid $100. My second dog I bought from a breeder and it's parents had "papers" and a guarantee and I paid $400. It has hip dysplasia. My buddie spent $600 dollars for a dog out of a Canadian kennel with a long list of "papers". Thing barely has enough desire to hunt. Great house pet though. And what's the point of guarantee when you pay $400 for a dog that you've bonded to and it takes $200 to prove it's hips are bad?

[Ufatz]

Cootz, sounds like you have had some crappy luck with puppies and I'm sorry to hear that. Nevertheless, I still maintain your best bet is to buy from a reputable breeder with a history in the business. Can you get a good hunting dog from your buddy? Sure. But if your going to spend a pile of money why not limit the odds. There are plenty of places to buy Lab puppies-the Fargo Forum lists dozens of pups available. Sadly, those ads ask some pretty fancy prices for what are probably ordinary dogs. Why not invest that money in a pup that is probably guaranteed healthwise and likely has a pretty decent background.

Lower the odds. Buy from a good breeder who has been at it a while. Do lots of research. Have fun.

Ain't black Labs great!!!