I should run for the hills shouldn't I?

[SparkleTwinkle101]

Been looking for a Labrador puppy for a while now, taking our time and making sure it is the right time to do it and the right litter.

We been through countless conversations with breeders which have either not been right for us or rang alarm bells.

There is a litter currently advertised - puppies not yet due as it should be we've been backwards and forwards in conversation the last few days. Breeder has now just said that although the both mum and dad got a clean bill of health from the vet they themselves are not hip scored etc (although both parents were). This has started alarm bells for me but DH says if both parents were then what's the problem.

I'm right to run from this one aren't I? It's such a shame as they are local to us, would be ready to coincide with a big chunk of holiday we have off and we'd have the pick of the litter.

Ahhh why is it such a minefield (before you say adopt don't shop - we can't, we have a young child and we are specifically after a Labrador (after growing up with them). There must be some creditable breeders out there surely!

They might be fine but there are so many labradors out there that you don’t need to take that risk.

We rescued a chocolate lab who'd come from a puppy farm.

She was crippled by arthritis by 6, tore both cruciate ligaments and cost us an absolute fortune at the vets in her last years of life though I didn't resent a penny.

I wouldn't take the risk.

This list doesn’t mean all the breeders are perfect and you still need to keep in mind all the usual things.

www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/find-an-assured-breeder/?Breeds=Retriever+(Labrador)&Location=&Distance=15&TotalResults=0&SortNearest=False

www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/find-a-puppy/?Breeds=Retriever+(Labrador)&Location=&Distance=15&ActiveCertifiedBreeder=False&MaleDogs=False&FemaleDogs=False&HealthTested=False&TotalResults=0&SortNearest=False&SearchRescueClubs=False&GeneralRescueClubs=False

Better link

It might be worth you asking this question on the uk Labrador forum (if you haven't already done so, that is)

No, no, no. Run. There will be plenty of others.

Where are looking for breeders? Only place Ive found where breeders have to health test is champdogs. I would start there and find a breeder you gel with.

Thank you all. After our last dog I'm so determined to get it right as she was a puppy farm dog we think and so so poorly when she was little (healthy 5 year old now!). I've been looking on the KC website. I'll look at champ dogs now/the links sent. Many thanks

Where are you looking and how far? When it didn't work out with the breeder we were on a waiting list with (only 1 girl pup in the litter) I found 3 breeders over the next couple of weeks on champdogs who had pups just born to health tested parents. I spoke to all three and each had one or two pups from large litters that hadn't yet found homes, we lined up two visits and ended up with a pup from one of these litters. My search radius was fairly large however, anything within 3 hours.

There's absolutely no excuse to breed without doing all the relevant health tests first. I think for a labrador, if you're prepared to look some distance you shouldn't have an issue finding a pup. No reason to settle for non hip scores parents.

Just to add to your comments about rescuing- do you know that there are specific breed rescues too? We’ve had three pedigree labradors, all rescues. I still follow the rescue we used (NW) and they have had puppies in recently.

I thought the very youngest you could hip score a dog was 16 weeks. I think most buyers go with what the parents have scored (with proof).

I thought the very youngest you could hip score a dog was 16 weeks. I think most buyers go with what the parents have scored (with proof).

@onedayoranother as I've read it, it's the parents who aren't hip scored but their parents are, i.e. the grandparents. Puppies themselves of course wouldn't be hip scored

Run. No responsible Labrador breeder would breed from an animal without hip and elbow scores.

If you want solid advice and waiting lists for sensibly priced pedigree puppies check out Wylanbriar. There is nothing they don't know about breeding, training, working and showing.

www.wylanbriar.com/stud-litters/

Most good breeders don't need to advertise. Make contact with breeders, get yourself on a waiting list.

Run! There are soo many labrador puppies available, I am sure you'll find YOR puppy.

@onedayoranother - I don't know where you get your information from, but I always thought that hip scores have to be done once the dog is 1 or stopped growing....

Erm, puppies aren’t hip scored. The parents are.

@onedayoranother sorry I didn't explain myself very well. I wouldn't expect the puppies to be. Im talking about the sire and dam

The sire and dam's parents are hip scored. Just been told apparently the sire has only just turned one