Thoughts – How to purchase a new dog

So, I am in the market to purchase a new dog. I would like to purchase a new black lab pup over the next few months and I am really lost in what is the best approach to finding the breeder/correct pup for me. I have tried some google searches to find breeders near me but all I pull up are huge puppy mill sites or organizations that are hard to dig through what is decent. Would someone give me a heads up on how they have went through this process and if you have a breeder they would highly recommend please let me know. I know this is a personal decision but I am a little lost on how to narrow my search. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Figure out what you want to do with the dog and talk to dog owners that do those things with their dogs. If you’re looking for a hunting dog, it might be a good idea to go to some field trials or something like that. Talk with dog owners there and see who they recommend. Dog clubs are also a good way to find out which breeders are good and which leave something to be desired.

If you find a few breeders you like, go talk to them in person and ask for references.

Tell the breeder what you’re looking for in a dog and let him pick the pup out of the litter for you. He’s the guy who’s with the pups for the first 8 weeks so he’s going to know who the mellow pups are and who are the strong willed ones are.

Not everyone wants the strong willed hard charger. If he’s a good breeder all the pups will have the strong desire to hunt.

Labs have a genetic disposition for bad hips so make darn sure the breeder you go with doesn’t have any issues.

With any bird dog, I’m convinced you get what you pay for.

Less of a gamble with a reputable breeder instead of a guy who likes his dog and breeds it but doesn’t know or care about the medical history of the line.

If I were you I would put out an inquiry post on this website. Lots of lab guys here. Then you would have several good references to check out in person. Done.

Personally I know enough guys with good labs that I would just look to them for advice on finding one.

Either way start gathering info and make sure you get references. One negative reference is enough for me to look elsewhere. Multiple good references is a target breeder.

Good luck. Don’t make it too hard.

Here’s a couple resources.

http://www.cashmankennels.com/stud.html

http://www.americanpointinglab.com/

Labs are one that you really have to do your research on because every Tom, Richard, and Harry thinks they can breed a good dog, but you seem to understand that, so you’ll do well. Get references, ask questions, and you’ll end up with a fine dog!

Are you looking for a hunting dog, or a family companion? If a hunting dog, are you chasing ducks and geese, upland birds, or both?

I run pointing dogs, so I cannot help you in the lab world, but I can share some things that have worked for me in terms of picking a pup.

There are a LOT of breeders out there especially in the lab world and when you think about it a very small percentage of the dogs in that breed should actually be bred (with the goal of improving the breed). For me; that rules out any breeder that only breeds within their own breed stock. The odds of one breeder having multiple males and females in the top 1% of that breeds population is not good. I stick to guys that are agressively trying to improve the breed by searching out the best mate for their dog and seeing what the outcome is. Just becasue one dog is great, doesn’t mean their offspring will be. Because of this, I will stick with repeat breedings where the previous ones were successful. Bare in mind, this isn’t going to be cheap, but you do get what you pay for and the purchase price of a dog is not a big deal when you think about the total cost over their lifetime.

In order to find this caliber of dog, it’s easiest to attend hunt tests, or field trials of the type you’re interested in and talk to people. There are some great people in these events and their knowledge about hunting dogs in your area will be invaluable. I’d guess that as you do your research at these events, there will be a few breedings that will rise to the top and be the overwhelming favorite among your areas experts.

From there, chances are you’ve landed on a very knowledgable guy to buy a dog from and I’d let him pick the pup for you out the litter. He’ll be able to best match a pup to your needs.

Good Luck! There’s nothing better than getting a new puppy, and turning it into your dream dog.

When you go to pick out a puppy, take your time. Olivia and I spent about 4 hours playing with the litter of pups. As they cycled through sleep/eat/play/…a couple of times, you really see the differences in their personalities. I’m so grateful we spent the time we did, we got exactly what we thought we would have.