13 Questions You Must Ask ANY Labrador Breeder

(and my answers at the bottom!)

1. Have the parents been genetically health tested?

Have the breeder show you the test results for Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC), Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), Centronuclear Myopathy (CNM), and Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) at a minimum. ALL of these DEBILITATING diseases are controlled by recessive genes, which means that both parents can be carriers of the disease but not actually HAVE the disease. 25% of the puppies from those parents however will actually suffer from the disease. Several of these diseases don’t show up until the dog is 2-3 years of age and cannot be detected through a puppy “vet check”. ONLY genetic testing of the parents can guarantee your pup will not suffer from these life-shortening diseases. A breeder saying the parents are healthy or “we’ve never had any problems” is not good enough when it comes to genetic diseases that are common in the Labrador.

2. Where were the puppies born and raised?

If they were raised outside in a barn/stall, you need to ensure your puppy has been WELL cared for and socialised. You can expect your puppy to NOT be potty trained OR crate trained – this will be more work for you. If raised outside, your puppy will likely have been exposed to higher levels of worms and flea concentrations, dirtier conditions and less human contact. You should be able to visit where the breeder keeps their dogs and see where your puppy was born/raised. Be mindful that this may be by appointment and newborn puppies may be off-limits for their own health and welfare. Some breeders only allow “approved” families to visit, in order to avoid getting applicants’ hopes up and to minimise continual requests from strangers wishing to come to their home.

3. How old are the puppies when we get to bring them home?

If the breeder is letting the puppies go any younger than 8 weeks of age, they are breaking the ethics code of most kennel clubs around the world. It is a well known fact that puppies need that time both with adult dogs AND littermates to learn some of the basic behavioral aspects like bite inhibition and proper dog greeting/social interactions. Puppies who have been removed from their mum or siblings at a young age tend to have more issues with separation anxiety, new situations, and biting. Just because a puppy is eating solid food and no longer nursing does not mean it is old enough to leave its littermates or mum.

4. Have the parents been hip and elbow scored?

Have the breeder show you the scoring results. While hip and elbow health of the parents plays a role in the hip/elbow health of the offspring, environment ALSO plays a big factor. From the moment the puppies were born, improper care (surfaces they were on, exercise they received, food they were fed) can impact the resulting hip and elbow health of your pup. A good breeder will have hip/elbow scored the parents and made appropriate breeding decisions as a result of those scores. They also will have taken into consideration how best to support hip and elbow growth while the puppies were within their care.

5. Were the puppies conditioned to sights, sounds, smells, textures, water, cats, children, etc.?

Good breeders start conditioning their puppies at just 3 days of age using the early neurological stimulation method, playing conditioning CDs and exposing the puppies to the right amount of new stimulation at the right time. The results are puppies that are confident and better adjusted as adults. Breeders that do not do these things tend to produce pups that are timid or afraid of new things including thunderstorms, fireworks, vacuum cleaners, etc.

6. Did the puppies have a full health check by a vet?

Ask to see the vet check health booklet. There should be a specific booklet for EACH puppy which shows when the exam was done, any significant vet findings, when puppies were wormed, when vaccinations were given, flea treatments, microchipping, etc.

7. Were the puppies identified by collars from birth onwards?

This shows that the breeder was tracking each individual puppy’s development and health… that each individual puppy was monitored and cared for. Individual identification also allows you to see your puppy from the earliest moments in both photos and videos (which the breeder should be taking).

8. Why did you produce this specific litter of puppies?

A breeder should be able to tell you what they hoped to achieve with each litter that they breed. Their response should be thorough and at a minimum should take into account the health, temperament, and abilities of both parents.

9. Do you offer a written guarantee?

A good breeder stands behind their puppies for LIFE. They will take back ANY puppy they have bred at any time for any reason because they loved that puppy first and only want the very best for it.

10. Can you share with me other previous puppy owners that I may contact?

A good breeder should be happy to put you in touch with other puppy owners. If the breeder says that they cannot share that information due to privacy issues or because they don’t want to “bother” their puppy families… run. Families that are happy with their puppies are happy to share all about them! I mean after all, who doesn’t want to talk about their dog? A good breeder will stay in regular contact with their puppy families in order to ensure things are going well and also to get feedback so that they can be sure they are making the best future breeding choices possible. You want a breeder that is easy to reach… not only BEFORE you bring your puppy home but also AFTERWARDS. A good breeder will be there for you and your puppy for the life of your Labrador.

11. Tell me about your adult dogs.

How does the breeder treat their adult dogs? What are they fed? Where do they live? What stimulation do they get? How well trained are they? These questions will give you insight into the quality of the breeder, what their dogs mean to them… and ultimately how important your puppy is to them as well. Since your Labrador is to be a family member, you want to ensure it came from an environment where its parents were family members. Labradors are a very social dog breed. They thrive when surrounded by their family and even the mundane aspects of family life. A good breeder will treat their Labs like family and love/protect them just as intensely.

12. Will the puppies be registered with the NZ Kennel Club (Dogs NZ)?

This is a professional society of dog breeders, competitors and owners. While it doesn’t guarantee a quality breeder (or puppy), it does show a level of commitment to dog welfare. You may not care if your puppy has registered papers or can enter a show ring, but having the pedigree of your puppy is knowing the history/ancestry behind your pup and shows that the breeder took these factors into consideration when producing the litter. If the puppies will not be registered with Dogs NZ, ask why? It may be because the breeder has not done the (very minimal!) genetic and health testing that is required by Dogs NZ before a litter is registered. If they haven't done the minimal health testing to ensure they are producing a genetic disease-free litter, do you really want a puppy from there?

13. What questions do you have for me?

A good breeder will ask YOU a lot of questions – about your family situation, your previous dog ownership, your home setup, what your hopes are for your puppy. If not, it’s a good sign that they are not too concerned with who has their puppies or what becomes of them. A good breeder will ask you more questions than you are likely to ask them. They want to be sure they are placing one of their precious pups in a good environment and that the placement will work for both the family AND the puppy. A good breeder will actually turn people away that they do not feel are a good fit.