Seeking reputable Labrador Retriever breeder

[Anonymous]

+100 They are ALL "labs"

This is pretty ignorant. A quick browse of petfinder.com will show you're wrong. Not sure why you're so anti-rescue dogs. I guess you're pro dog-euthanasia?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

+100 They are ALL "labs"

This is pretty ignorant. A quick browse of petfinder.com will show you're wrong. Not sure why you're so anti-rescue dogs. I guess you're pro dog-euthanasia?

Agree, but I also get the PPs point. Search on Labrador and it's amazing how many dogs you get that are maybe, possibly, could be a little bit Lab but are clearly mixed with pit or other breeds. Yes, as some PPs have pointed out, it is possible to get a truly pure-bred dog through a rescue organization. The key for us is to get a dog that is pure-bred of a particular breed, that is within a certain age range, and does not have any background issues. I.e. if I get a rescue dog I want one that was a beloved pet relinquished because the new baby is allergic, not a stray or dog that was rescued from an inhumane situation. If I can get that through a rescue group, great, but it's not easy to do. If not, then judge away!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Put a large number of dogs in a small area together, who are strangers to each other, some of whom may be poorly socialized or not socialized at all, and hope for the best? Seems strange to me.

While GRREAT often has several goldies for adoption, aren't most goldies bought from breeders? From a numbers perspective, supply and demand?

[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.

No. You don't know their family or their children. You presume too much.

[Anonymous]

I know you can find a dog for any suitable family from a rescue group. Just because a dog was a stray doesn't mean it's a bad or "damaged" dog. It just means it was found without an owner. The dog could have just gotten lost. Or maybe the dog was turned in because an irresponsible owner let their dog have puppies. The dog itself is perfectly fine. And if you adopt from a rescue group that uses foster families, you'll know all of this. It seems to me that you presume too much about dogs from breeders. You presume the breeders are honest and that somehow you can't get a "bad" dog from one. I work with lots of dogs and the most hyper dogs I've dealt with have all been purebred "trained" dogs. And I'm not bullshitting you.

If you think that after doing your research and talking to foster families about possible dogs, adopting a dog is still too much of a risk ... you and your family probably aren't up to owning a dog. Because there is ALWAYS a chance your dog will get sick or have personality issues or have some bad habit, even if it comes from a breeder. In fact, you're probably more likely to have health issues getting a purebred. If you can't handle uncertainty to the point that you're giving up on ALL rescue dogs, then what are you doing getting a dog in the first place?

[Anonymous]

Put a large number of dogs in a small area together, who are strangers to each other, some of whom may be poorly socialized or not socialized at all, and hope for the best? Seems strange to me.

Wow, well it's your lucky day! You get to expand your narrow knowledge of the world today! They actually work quite well. Dogs have natural ways of communicating and getting along, and people don't tend to bring aggressive dogs since it's not in the owner's best interest. Maybe break out of your comfort zone and check it out sometime!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know you can find a dog for any suitable family from a rescue group. Just because a dog was a stray doesn't mean it's a bad or "damaged" dog. It just means it was found without an owner. The dog could have just gotten lost. Or maybe the dog was turned in because an irresponsible owner let their dog have puppies. The dog itself is perfectly fine. And if you adopt from a rescue group that uses foster families, you'll know all of this. It seems to me that you presume too much about dogs from breeders. You presume the breeders are honest and that somehow you can't get a "bad" dog from one. I work with lots of dogs and the most hyper dogs I've dealt with have all been purebred "trained" dogs. And I'm not bullshitting you.

If you think that after doing your research and talking to foster families about possible dogs, adopting a dog is still too much of a risk ... you and your family probably aren't up to owning a dog. Because there is ALWAYS a chance your dog will get sick or have personality issues or have some bad habit, even if it comes from a breeder. In fact, you're probably more likely to have health issues getting a purebred. If you can't handle uncertainty to the point that you're giving up on ALL rescue dogs, then what are you doing getting a dog in the first place?

Sorry, but there are traits associated with certain breeds. When the breed is unknown, it's more uncertainty than a well known breeder. As an adult, I would do a rescue. With little kids, I'd go with a well researched breeder of a dog with a kid tolerant personality.

[Anonymous]

I see the crazy rescue folks have hijacked this thread. Perhaps their time would be better spent working on getting rescue groups to offer dogs to families with young kids. Most don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see the crazy rescue folks have hijacked this thread. Perhaps their time would be better spent working on getting rescue groups to offer dogs to families with young kids. Most don't.

Pretty funny, actually. I'm OP and the helpful responses were indeed helpful. Thank you.

And to all the rescue fanatics, as I said in my first post, I haven't ruled it out but I don't believe it is the only way to go.

[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 don't go to dog parks. My dog has play dates with other dogs in the neighborhood and goes to doggy day care. No one asks where I got him.

[Anonymous]

You really think you can't find any number of kid-tolerant rescue dogs? Really? Even dogs that have spent weeks or months with families in foster care? Or dogs that CLEARLY don't have any pitbull in them (even though pitbulls are actually very good with children, but I assume they would scare you)? Come on.

Here, how about these:

http://goo.gl/62yFqQ
http://goo.gl/W9pDrp
http://goo.gl/oeY6t8
http://goo.gl/8NLjui
http://goo.gl/8UakNx
http://goo.gl/NmWqKk (for an adult option)
http://goo.gl/YLk2fc

[Anonymous]

I see the crazy rescue folks have hijacked this thread. Perhaps their time would be better spent working on getting rescue groups to offer dogs to families with young kids. Most don't.

Can you give examples of the ones that don't? I'm really curious. I volunteer with a bunch of rescue groups and I've never come across this. I'll gladly contact the ones you list and express my displeasure with their policies.

[Anonymous]

Why are we "crazy" rescue folk? Does that make you crazy breeder folk? I get pissed when rescue dogs are characterized with broad strokes. Unlike with dogs coming from breeders (who presumably don't euthanize them if they aren't adopted right away), those sort of characterizations and that sort of thinking directly leads to the deaths of good, nay, great dogs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You really think you can't find any number of kid-tolerant rescue dogs? Really? Even dogs that have spent weeks or months with families in foster care? Or dogs that CLEARLY don't have any pitbull in them (even though pitbulls are actually very good with children, but I assume they would scare you)? Come on.

Here, how about these:

http://goo.gl/62yFqQ
http://goo.gl/W9pDrp
http://goo.gl/oeY6t8
http://goo.gl/8NLjui
http://goo.gl/8UakNx
http://goo.gl/NmWqKk (for an adult option)
http://goo.gl/YLk2fc

1st link didn't work for me, all the rest are mixed breeds. I want a lab. not hard to understand. there are labs out there and I hope to find one that meets all of our criteria via rescue, but we are also looking at breeders' puppies or young adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Put a large number of dogs in a small area together, who are strangers to each other, some of whom may be poorly socialized or not socialized at all, and hope for the best? Seems strange to me.

Wow, well it's your lucky day! You get to expand your narrow knowledge of the world today! They actually work quite well. Dogs have natural ways of communicating and getting along, and people don't tend to bring aggressive dogs since it's not in the owner's best interest. Maybe break out of your comfort zone and check it out sometime!

And yet, I've been told by friends in our neighborhood that people bring them aggressive unsocialized dogs to dog parks to socialize them. I'll just stick with neighborhood play dates and continue in ignorance.