Look critically at yourself and your situation and assess if a Labrador Retriever is right for you, your household or if you are not prepared to compromise, your lifestyle. The Chocolate Labrador is bred to be a buddy and will always be by your side and become very sad when you are away. The ‘Velcro’ dog can be a little un-nerving but with training they will adapt to periods of separation.
Labrador Retriever come in three different colours Yellow, Black and Chocolate. The American Labrador tends to be lankier and lighter than his UK cousin. So if you want to show your Labrador Retriever in the UK then make certain he meets the UK Kennel Club breed standard. If it’s just a caring companion you want then you may not be too worried if it does not have a pedigree or meets the breed standard.
The local Kennel club to your country should list all the dependable breeders. What you get from obtaining through a certified breeder is a pedigree. That is the breeder will know what personanlity the Labrador Retriever has, what it’s going to look like when it grows up, what its traits are, intelligence and faults as these will all be inherited from his parentage who are known and detailed in the pedigree. They will also be trying to breed out the shared health issues with Labrador’s such as Hip Dysplasia (is a genetic disease that affects the hip joints of dogs) through DNA testing. You need to make enquiries about these concerns as you do not want to promote immoral breeding practice by purchasing from a breeder who is only concern is in making money and not in the wellbeing of the dog. Dogs need regular nourishment. The right kind of nutrition and always give them access to drinking water. Dogs need warmth and accommodation . All this takes time, cash and obligation.
There are respectable Gun Dog breeders out there that are not ‘approved’. You just have to go armed with the right information so that you can assess yourself if what you are being told is right. Try to attend a few dog shows and observe the characteristics of the breed you have chosen. Find accommodation out what type of grooming or special care this breed requires. Enquire about inherited problems (specifically Elbow Dysplasia, Hip Dysplasia and Retinal Dysplasia in Labradors). Always look at more than one litter before deciding on a specific puppy (by this I mean visit more than one breeder to view two separate litters) this way you have some basis for comparison.
Have you considered rescuing an older dog rather than purchasing a puppy? Sometimes, an older dog is more appropriate for your household and your work schedule.
