Future Lab Family!

**thejedes** · 12-11-2011, 10:15 AM

Hi there!

Wanted to introduce myself. I'm Brandy and I live in Spruce Grove Alberta. I have a loving Husband and 2 crazy daughters (ages 6 and 2) and a lazy cat (Lily). We are taking the first steps of many in hopes of finding our forever pup! We know one thing for sure, without a doubt, a Lab is our choice. I've become a little wary of purchasing a dog, want to make sure I go to the right breeder, not a mill, want to be sure to know what to look for in a dog/breeder, and just looking for a little support along the way. I figured this would be the PERFECT place to start! We can't wait to eventually add the 5th and final member to our family!

So, here I am!

**thejedes** · 12-11-2011, 10:33 AM

SO if you or anyone you know has a breeder they highly recommend in and around our area, or Alberta in general, please pass on the information! THANK YOU

**BigBrownDog** · 12-11-2011, 11:16 AM

You might want to start with the Labrador Retriever Club of Alberta. It's LRCA.homestead.com. They have breeder listings.

**Tanya** · 12-11-2011, 11:55 AM

welcome from Ontario! (I have family that lives in Spruce Groves!)

So have you already committed to getting a young puppy from a breeder or are you open to rescue? (be it a young dog or adult lab)?

For breeders, even if they come recommended by someone on the board, make sure they do all the right things. This means all the health clearances (hips, elbows, eyes, heart, CMN and EIC) which are done thru tests not thru vet checks. And they should compete in some venue to prove their dogs (conformation, hunt, field, etc). If not all clearances are done and the parents don't compete walk away. IF all they can say is that they have champions in their ANCESTRY (grandparent, great grandparent) that doesn't mean much, the actual parents should be active in a venue.

A good sign is when a breeder asks YOU a lot of questions about your lifestyle and what you want in a dog. They want to make sure their puppies go to the right home (not just any home). Labs require training and daily exercise (even if the cold alberta winters!)

as mentioned above, the alberta lab club is a good place to start your research: LABRADOR RETRIEVER CLUB OF ALBERTA!

For the record, a breeder that does all the above will have a higher cost for their puppies (as all the above costs money!).

I'll throw out some rescue links in case you are open to it. Rescue is very rewarding, the dogs bond very well to their new family and most don't have "issues" - they just happen to go to families that had no time for them anyway.
I know calgary isn't close by but they list an edmonton lab rescue, but the link doesn't work, may be worth asking them.
Calgary Purebred Labrador Retriever Rescue
Pet Search Results: Adoptable Labrador Dog Pets in Sherwood Park, AB: Petfinder

**thejedes** · 12-11-2011, 02:36 PM

Thank you so much for your reply Tanya! We have already commited to having a lab join our family from a breeder. We contribute to our local spca by a yearly donation ever since we adopted our Lily from there. However, we do want to commit to a pup from a breeder.

To be completely honest... I started looking at the links on google when I typed in Edmonton Yellow Labs for sale. Of course Kijiji was one of the top links and I was BLOWN away at the amount of dogs from "breeders" for sale right now. It is so sad. And even sadder... some of the pictures they have of the puppies. On plywood floor with saw dust and in the background you can see the pee and poop. You can completely tell in the ads it is people trying to make a buck for the Christmas season. I feel awful for those puppies who are a present under a tree, it seems that those are the ones who are then posted again in June to give to a good home because people no longer have time or energy for their pup.

I would love to have a puppy NOW, but I know that we want to do this right. Hense why we are researching breeders, puppy schools, etc. We want to have all of our ducks lined up before committing to a gorgeous little friend!

PS Your dogs are GORGEOUS!

**Tanya** · 12-11-2011, 03:08 PM

yeah stay away from kijiji. unfortunately because of all those ideas, shelters and rescues are full and dogs at put to sleep because of lack of space (yes in canada too). It's a pretty big issue. and not even as far away as June - by February and March those puppies will be back on kijiji ("got a puppy but have no time") or in shelters.

definitely start with the link to the alberta lab club. then make sure they do all the appropriate clearances on their dogs and "do something" with their dogs (not just "great pets" or "from great lines").

not sure what the going price is in your area, but around here it's around $900-1200 for a well bred pup.

**thejedes** · 12-12-2011, 09:35 PM

That is the price range I am seeing around here as well! I know who to come to when I think I have
found the right breeder!

You can read the fine lines ... it's amazing how different each and every
contract I have found is! It's hard to understand a lot of the lingo as well. Time to start learning!

Thanks again for your reply Tanya!

**deidra** · 12-12-2011, 09:43 PM

Welcome! Im no use in the puppy search,lol All my animals are rescues or family members couldn't keep them.

**thejedes** · 12-12-2011, 09:53 PM

Your dogs are adorable! Mae is a nice lil' mess hehe, so cute! Congrats on your rescues! I love the idea of rescues I don't know why I am so paranoid of all of the genetic issues that can happen. . . maybe you can ease my mind? It's not that I frown upon the idea of a rescue either... just kinda set on a pup right from the get go from a well known and referred breeder.

**deidra** · 12-12-2011, 10:22 PM

I see it as a dog needing a home not the genetics part of it. Even a well bred dog can have problems. Kris(kassabella) has a dog named Ernie who is from a good breeder and he has health problems with his hips and cant have certain foods(Kris if you see this and Im wrong please correct me on the food) Mae is a mutt and her mom belongs to my cousin and Mae has no health problems at all. I'v had many,many rescues and only a few with health problems. When I lived in the country we had many dog dumped on our property and most were mangy and very underweight and I guess that triggered me into wanting to get rescue dogs. My mom also had rescues and her favorite was a black chow and he sadly passed of cancer at the age of 12 but before that he was a very healthy dog. So you can get a dog from a breeder and the dog can have health problems and a dog from a shelter with none. How I understand it is just a less possibility if you get a dog from a good breeder and not a BYB.

P.S. that was a bad hair day for Mae,lol. She has been shaved now and gets a 3 month clipping to keep it under control.