
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Puppy Placement and Procedures
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We
are small hobby breeders striving for an even tempered, laid back,
all-around Lab. With each litter we evaluate the dog being bred and
try to find a stud dog that will compliment what our bitch already has.
We strive for
a Labrador that is easy to train, willing to please, nice to look at, and
precocious enough to keep us laughing. We breed the English type Labrador;
a medium dog (21-24 inches),
having a deep chest, square head, thick
tail, and laid-back temperament. We want a "light switch" dog; a dog that
is ready to play one moment, and willing to settle on the floor the next.
All of our
dogs are cleared through OFA for hips/elbows and AVCO/CERF for eyes. We
breed only to dogs that have similar clearances.
We breed only to those dogs
that have a record of producing sound (healthy) pups. We offer a
contracted guarantee with a replacement clause.
All of our
pups are raised in the house; the kitchen to be exact. We set up a whelping
box in the kitchen where the pups are born and kept for the first few weeks
of their lives. When they are old enough they go outside in a safe enclosure
for sunlight and a bit of exploration. In the evening they are bedded down
in the house once again.
Reserving a Puppy
Before a
reservation is taken we like to meet the prospective family, either in
person visiting our home, or on the phone.
We do not sell puppies over the internet.
Prospective owners must speak to us personally to purchase a puppy.
We
welcome a visit to our home to meet us and our dogs and review our
paperwork.
After we speak, if we mutually feel that one
of our puppies is right for you, you will be placed on our waiting list.
After the puppies are born, I will send a “Good Faith” deposit form for
prospective owners to make a reservation on the litter.
We will form a
waiting list until the puppies are born. Once the litter is born we will
notify those on the waiting list and give them the opportunity to send a
good faith deposit to reserve a place in the litter. We consider all
deposits good faith from us that the buyer will be getting a puppy and good
faith from the buyer that they will follow through on the purchase. Once we
have reserved the puppies, we stop offering the litter as available. For
this reason, the good faith deposit is nonrefundable. We take reservations
for desired color/gender on a first come, first served basis. We reserve
the right to first picks from every litter. Puppies are allowed to go home
at eight weeks of age.
All pups are
sold as companion puppies (pets), and on a spay/neuter contract.
All of
our puppies are sold on an AKC limited registration, which means the
puppy cannot be bred or shown in conformation but may be shown in obedience,
agility, hunt tests or any type of performance events. This is part of our support for the fight
against canine overpopulation and irresponsible breeding.
Vaccination Protocol
Puppies are
given worming medication as
recommended by our vet. A puppy vaccine, which includes a booster for parvo,
is given at 6 & 8 weeks and every 2 weeks thereafter until the puppy goes to
its new home.
Socialization
Once the
litter is born, the fun begins! We allow pups to have visitors after they
are 2-weeks-old. These early visits need to be supervised and young
children must be monitored carefully. It is such fun to share the early
development of pups with their future families. We allow as many visits as
we can schedule. We have had some families visit every weekend, camera in
hand, until they could take their little fur-ball home.
These visits
are great for the socialization of the litter. We also do several other
things to begin the socialization process. From an early age I pull on them
and put them into uncomfortable positions. I lay them on their backs, a
position of submission. We bang anything that might scare them, so that
they are comfortable with loud noises. We get them into sunshine daily, if
weather permits. We make a bit of a puppy obstacle course to help build
balance and an adventurous spirit. We introduce them to water; some dive
in, some don't. We let them play with the big dogs—that’s fun for
everyone! I introduce balls of all sizes and begin a basic "fetch" game to
gain insight to their individual personalities. It is a family job, so our
young son gets to help out too! There is nothing like the wild antics of a
little boy to help aid in the growing process of a young pup.
Buyer Agreements
This is what
we ask to help keep our pups healthy, safe, and a productive member of their
new family and the community-at-large:
·
The puppy should be examined by your vet within the first 7 days of
purchase.
·
Maintain the dog in good health, including a careful vaccine protocol in
infancy.
·
Keep the dog in good health by not allowing it to become obese, causing
potential joint problems.
·
Take the pup to a socialization and training class before it is 8 months of
age. This should be a puppy kindergarten classes, beginner obedience
training, or active social stimulation (to be approved by the breeder). You
will be glad that you did this!
·
Do not allow the dog to run free in a non-secured setting, or ride loose in
the back of an open vehicle.
·
Have the dog spayed or neutered after 6 months of age and before 1 year of
age. The buyer agrees that the dog will not be used for breeding at any
time.
·
That the buyer understands this is a breed of dog that is very social
and will become very destructive if left alone and not given the proper
attention and training.
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Some questions we ask people to consider
before bringing home
a Labrador...
·
Where did your referral come from?
·
What made you select a Labrador over another breed?
·
Have you ever owned a dog before? What breed?
·
If the answer to the above is yes, what happened to that dog?
·
Do you have any other pets at this time? What are they?
·
What sex and color Labrador are you interested in?
·
Do you have a desire to breed this dog?
·
Will you spay or neuter it? By what age?
·
Will you obedience train this dog? Field train it? Show it in
conformation?
·
How many people live in your household? Children? Ages?
·
Are you expecting a baby? If so, when?
·
What can you tell us about your family?
·
Is someone home during the day?
·
How long will the new puppy be alone at any given time?
·
Where will your dog stay when you are gone?
·
Do you have a fence or other enclosure for the dog? Fence height?
·
Do you have an outdoor activity that the dog will participate in?
·
Do you live in a house, condo, or an apartment?
·
Do you own or lease? If leasing, does it permit pets?
·
Where will your dog stay while you are on vacation?
·
Is there anyone in the house who doesn't like, is afraid of, or is
allergic to dogs? If so, how will you handle this situation?
·
Are you aware that Labradors can be destructive and out of control
if left alone for a long time period or left untrained? How do you plan to prevent such damage or behavior?
·
Do you have questions for us?
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