Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the most frequent questions that are asked from many people enquiring about purchasing a Labrador puppy.
Why do you breed?
My husband Greg and I have had a deep passion for this wonderful breed – me since 1977 when we purchased our first pedigree Labrador and decided we would have a go at showing and got completely hooked! Greg had grown up with Labs and was always out hunting.
We loved being able to show our Labradors that we have bred in the show ring, but our ultimate aim always has been to produce sound, healthy, quality Labrador puppies that should be capable of living normal lives. We want others to experience what this beautiful breed has to offer and the joy it can bring to a loving family. The extra fur kid!
All our dogs are DNA tested for genetic diseases as well as hip/elbow scoring (please refer to my health testing page). We combine this data along with the nature, general disposition, temperament and conformation of the parents we wish to join together. For us, it has never been about putting one of our precious girls to the closest male – we travel, fly and use frozen semen in our breeding program to produce our beautiful puppies.
What is the difference between boys and girls?
Boys are about 2 inches taller than girls and have a more masculine head, whereas girls have a feminine head – this is dependent on how early your puppy is desexed. People ask what is the essential difference between males and females – I always reply the girls say “love me love me love me”, the boys say “how much can I love you”! Once your puppy is desexed, there are no real differences as their hormone differences have been stopped.
I only want a pet, why should I buy from you when you produce show dogs?
This is a great question. I want my dogs to be easy to train, outgoing, love meeting people, and happy to show themselves off to the judge to be successful in the ring. All the traits that make a great show dog, also make a great pet. An anxious, worried dog, won’t make a good show dog, therefore those dogs are not bred from. So have a think about a dog that needs to travel every weekend to a different place, and be around a lot of people, crowds and noises and still perform to their best. A dog with the temperament to handle all that will also be a great pet to join in all the family activities.
Are chocolates crazier than black or yellow Labradors?
No, a colour should make no difference on behaviour! A Labrador should act and behave in accordance with your training – regardless if it is yellow, black or chocolate. Remember you get out of your dog what you put in. Temperament also has a lot to do with bloodlines, and I highly regard this in my bloodlines. I will not keep or breed from dogs that are not easy to live with, train, and be friendly and outgoing. After all, I am seeking to produce show dogs who are capable of going out week after week and perform at their best. To successfully do this they need a great temperament. To me, temperament is everything in a Labrador – you can have the best good looking Labrador in the world, but if it doesn’t have a fabulous temperament, then it is worthless in my opinion!
Sadly some breeders only breed exclusively for the colour. When you breed for a colour only - particularly chocolate, you start to comprise the breed ie. all the things you should think about in the Labrador - temperament, conformation, soundness and the dog has to look like a Labrador! In Australia we don't have a large population of dogs carrying chocolate, so when you start breeding generations of a chocolate to chocolate you are going to run into trouble. Please note: there are great breeders of chocolates out there, but as I said there are many who while they do the minimal testing because they have to, do not have the passion and vision of breeding responsible breeders have.
The National Labrador Retriever Breed Council of Australia has some very good information which I suggest you check out.
What is the Hip/Elbow Scoring Scheme?
The Hip/Elbow scoring scheme has highly reduced the occurrence of hip and elbow dysplasia since 2000 (when it became mandatory to x-ray prior to breeding). The scheme is based on the theory that if both parents have good hip and elbow scores, they should pass it on to their progeny. Elbows are more problematic (Please refer to my health testing page)
What happens if my puppy is diagnosed with either hip or elbow dysplasia?
This is a sad, but yet possible situation with purchasing any Labrador puppy. As a breeder I do everything possible to ensure that I am breeding with sound dogs that have appropriate hip/elbow scores. Please see above to understand why a puppy may develop hip or elbow dysplasia.
In accordance with my contract of sale, if a puppy bred by me is diagnosed with hip or elbow dysplasia up to 12 months of age, I will refund 50% of the purchase cost of the puppy as I cannot control how you raise your puppy (environmental effects) and I have used an appropriate stud and dams for breeding.
A condition in our contract when purchasing a Labrador puppy from us is that you will have Pet Insurance from 8 weeks old to 18 months of age – that covers genetic health problems and other surgeries. If you are ever faced with this, you know that you can provide the best treatment options (including surgery) for your puppy without worrying about the costs! Initially, your puppy will come with 6 weeks free Petplan pet insurance, but you are not obligated to remain with this company.
Labrador puppies are renown for eating and chewing – some are good, while others are terrors! One of the main reasons I see pet insurance is excellent value is if your puppy chews something and it gets stuck in their bowel. These surgeries are very expensive and may necessitate further surgeries later on due to adhesions or diet issues. One of our puppy owners did not get pet insurance – it ultimately cost her $10,000 as her 6 month old boy had a bowel obstruction (on a public holiday), then another 5 months later had another obstruction from adhesions on a public holiday again, sadly his bowel was dying and he had to be put to sleep. A tragic situation all round.
What does my puppy come with?
A puppy from us comes with the following:
- 6 weeks free pet insurance with Petplan
- Vaccination book with 1st vaccination details
- Microchip change over details
- Our ‘Care for your Labrador Puppy Guide Book”
- Topics - worming, training, vaccination, 12mth feeding diet, bedding, socialising etc.
- Copies of parents hip/elbow scoring schemes
- Certificate of Registration and Pedigree
Can I choose my puppy’s registration name?
Yes, a registration name created by you provides a unique and meaningful connection between you and your puppy.
What is the process in purchasing a puppy?
We are not here to sell you a puppy, we are here to find out from you if you have the right home for one of our puppies. We do pick and choose our homes to suit our puppies and to do this we need to know about you! We have an interview process with questions, but we also expect questions from you as well.
If you would like to know more about any of my upcoming litters – please email me first, as I will provide you with a questionnaire to complete, before I undertake a phone interview.
Can I pick a puppy?
No, I choose a puppy for you. As Greg and I are watching them grow and develop, we are looking for certain traits/personalities that we believe would be suitable for you and/or family.
How are your puppies socialized?
My puppies are whelped inside my house (usually in the lounge room), they become very familiar with us and our grandkids handling them from day 1. From here they are consistently handled, patted and carried around the house and introduced to soft and noisy toys, the cat tunnel and of course TV and vacuum cleaner. Around 4 weeks old, they move outside to the puppy area and this is when we start playing with them with more toys and start teaching some basic manners.
The puppies are cared for 24/7 with lots of love from the grandkids. We have a rich socialising program for the puppies which includes as the puppies grow older, toys of various nature, size and noise for them to play with and the cat tunnels which they absolutely love! Puppies will be found sleeping in the cat tunnels rather than their bed. Once the puppies get to around 5 weeks, they start to go outside to their day yards. They have a smaller one initially, then a larger one with different activities for them to play on and in.
The puppies also spend time with our older dogs and on our back verandah. The puppies by the time they go home are all used to eating individually in their own bowls. The puppies are used to a variety of surfaces when they go home, which is important in the puppy's development. We have grass, gravel, concrete, fake grass, ramps, platforms, steps - they never show any fear from these surfaces, due to their enrichment program with them.
The puppies are also used to the ride on lawnmower etc and learn not to touch the washing!
Please check out my You Tube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUoRGWoz-40icWI3SNaHFzA/videos
When can I start walking my puppy?
It is a myth that puppies need to be exercised from a young age – this is WRONG! I do not recommend you exercising your puppy until after he/she is over 1 year old. For every 1 dog year – is equivalent to 7 human years. With this in mind, a 6 month old puppy is equivalent to a 3 ½ year old child – would you take a 3 ½ year old child on a 2km run? NO! And neither should your puppy be expected to walk that distance without the possibility of an injury. Our ‘Care for your Labrador Puppy Guide Book’ has more information about this topic and how to combat boredom in a puppy. Your puppy needs to be socialised, but there is ways of doing this without walking your puppy long distances.
Why do some Labradors cost more than others?
Colour should never be a factor for adjusting the cost of a Labrador. All my Labrador puppies are the same cost regardless of colour (yellow, black & chocolate) or girls/boys. Some of my puppies will be more expensive at times, which reflects where I’ve had additional costs eg using frozen semen and flying/driving the future mum interstate to be mated.
If you want a quality, pedigree puppy from parents who have had all appropriate health screening done (and the grandparents etc), socially enriched upbringing, where you can see the puppies in their home and at least mum and the other dogs, then you will expect to pay a minimum of at least $2000 for a puppy. If you are looking to show a puppy, then there will be extra costs involved again.
IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO RING OR EMAIL ME