Seeking reputable Labrador Retriever breeder

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Man, I automatically think so much less of people when I find out they bought a dog from a breeder.

And I think less of those who work at or with shelter/rescues that are pushing dogs, mislabeling, hiding aggressive incidents, etc. I wanted a Lab not a pit mix. Or rottie etc. People use breeders for the same reason real service dog operations breed their own dogs.

[Anonymous]

Look, I get that it's way easier for you to feel comfortable getting a dog through a breeder. All of your friends probably do it. It's a way for you to get show people who you have hundreds or thousands of dollars in disposable income.

But please don't excuse away your choice by claiming that rescue groups "push" dogs. Most organizations have extensive interview processes. They don't want dogs to end up with a family that's a wrong fit.

[Anonymous]

People use breeders for the same reason real service dog operations breed their own dogs.

I would just like to chime in and point out that many service dog organizations use rescue dogs as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look, I get that it's way easier for you to feel comfortable getting a dog through a breeder. All of your friends probably do it. It's a way for you to get show people who you have hundreds or thousands of dollars in disposable income.

But please don't excuse away your choice by claiming that rescue groups "push" dogs. Most organizations have extensive interview processes. They don't want dogs to end up with a family that's a wrong fit.

What I've learned from DCUM: people will judge you for everything.

I did not buy a purebred dog to show off my disposable income. And yes, rescues are not always honest about background or breed, and those that are, are too picky and have ridiculous requirements to adopt.

[Anonymous]

Our beautiful pure-bred lab (with a long back-story) is a rescue. She has hip problems as so many purebreds do. Thousands in surgery and medication. Lab rescue has pure labs, mixes, etc. They want a good fit between dog and family. Many are fostered in homes and the fosters know the personality of the dog and can tell you so much. You don't want a lab puppy. Believe me. Also, the standard for rescues with children is 'unknown' but if you are willing to work with them, there are plenty of fosters who know how the dogs are with small kids! You just need to tell them you have a child and want to know firsthand from the foster. They really want it to work out--probably even more than you do! Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I got my dog from a shelter about a year ago. He's amazing and I'm constantly stopped and ask what kind he is, where I got him, etc. When I got him, he obviously had a skin condition. He looked a little rough, with some bald spots and a dull coat. But after a few months of medication and a little fish oil added to his diet (and lots of love, of course), he is gorgeous! Oh, and also sweet, smart, and oh-so loving. He knows I rescued him. It's a pretty wonderful feeling. I love telling his story to people at the dog park and hearing other people's rescue stories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

People use breeders for the same reason real service dog operations breed their own dogs.

I would just like to chime in and point out that many service dog organizations use rescue dogs as well.

What organizations? We have researched puppy raising for organizations and they have in house purpose bred programs. There also can be breed restrictions on your family dog that can preclude participation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Man, I automatically think so much less of people when I find out they bought a dog from a breeder.

we don't care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do all of you pay so much for a purebred when you can get an amazing dog through a rescue? You'd be saving a life and getting a great dog. I think it's so sad so many people go to breeders.

That's okay. Some people see value in breeding, others don't. There are plenty of dog owners in this country.

I greatly admire people who adopt rescues. However, as first time dog owners with two young kids, we wanted to know what we were getting. With a rescue dog, you can never be sure.

I know someone whose adorable, small, cute puppy ended up being part rottweiler (after being told he was something else by the rescue organization). He's a sweet dog and they love him, but owning a rottweiler mix would make me nervous. Certain places won't take him for boarding and many people are scared of him.

I know someone with a rescue dog who has horrible anxiety problems. It was really sad and she ended up putting him on an equivalent of Prozac, which helped, but did not cure the issues. It seemed he had been abused in the past or held on to a fear of abandonment. This dog has been extremely high maintenance and is lucky to have an owner who has the time and patience to properly care for him.

My sister has had a rescue dog who has constant diarrhea since they adopted him four years ago. They have spent thousands on vet bills, tried every drug, food (gluten-free, etc) and other remedy possible and she's still cleaning up at least a couple times a day inside their house, not to mention, the diarrhea is impossible to entirely clean all the times he goes outside. He can't make it more than a few steps from the door, so she's constantly scrubbing her driveway and her kids are always stepping in it. They're in a horrible position right now- they don't want to send him back to the rescue org b/c they feel bad for the dog and their kids love him. However, my sister feels like the dog is ruining her life.

These are all extreme examples. Most rescue dogs end up being great pets. And you can have health or behavior issues with purebreds. We all know that many purebreds have particular health problems. However, with a purebred, you go in with a lot more information, which make the odds better that the dog, especially if it's a puppy, will be a good fit for your family.

Our puppy came crate-trained from the breeder at 12 weeks. He was also well on his way to being housebroken. Perhaps we'll look into a rescue dog one day, but with two children, a busy life and a tiny backyard, I needed a certain type of dog to make dog ownership work for our family. We selected the breed based on characteristics we wanted in a dog and he conforms perfectly to what we were expecting.

There is no need to justify your decision -- the rescue people will never listen anyway.

[Anonymous]

we don't care.

My guess is you'll start to care when you continually see the judgement in people's eyes when you're at dog parks, etc.

And, yes, you'll never convince the "rescue people" because this is a rare occasion when there is a right answer.

[Anonymous]

What organizations? We have researched puppy raising for organizations and they have in house purpose bred programs. There also can be breed restrictions on your family dog that can preclude participation.

This is what I found from a quick google search, though I know there are many others.

These works exclusively with shelter dogs:

https://freedomservicedogs.org/
http://specialtydogtraining.com/shelter-to-soldier/
http://www.merlinskids.org/
http://canineswithacause.org/
http://www.pets-for-vets.com/ (has a DC chapter)
http://www.searchdogfoundation.org/ (search dogs)

These work with shelter dogs in addition to dogs donated from breeders:

http://circletail.net/
http://www.hero-dogs.org/index.html
http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/about-us/types-of-assistance-dogs/service-dog/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

we don't care.

My guess is you'll start to care when you continually see the judgement in people's eyes when you're at dog parks, etc.

And, yes, you'll never convince the "rescue people" because this is a rare occasion when there is a right answer.

I've never been to a dog park and find the concept a bit baffling. But you're saying that if I take my golden retriever there, I'll see judgment in the eye's of the other dog owners? Seriously?

[Anonymous]

Adopted an 8 week old chocolate lab fro Lab Rescue. My kids were 4 and 5 at the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I automatically think so much less of people when I find out they bought a dog from a breeder.

And I think less of those who work at or with shelter/rescues that are pushing dogs, mislabeling, hiding aggressive incidents, etc. I wanted a Lab not a pit mix. Or rottie etc. People use breeders for the same reason real service dog operations breed their own dogs.

+100 They are ALL "labs"

[Anonymous]

I've never been to a dog park and find the concept a bit baffling. But you're saying that if I take my golden retriever there, I'll see judgment in the eye's of the other dog owners? Seriously?

You find the concept of a dog park baffling?

What I'm saying is, when the people start talking about where they got their dogs (as often happens), you will be judged for having bought a dog from a breeder.