Should I Breed My Labrador Retriever?
The Labrador Retriever breed's future is dependent upon the understanding and concern of it's breeders. As the breeder, you hold the future of the breed in your hands.
Please breed wisely!
When considering the breeding of your Labrador Retriever, ask yourself these questions:
- Why should I breed this dog?
- What are your motives for breeding?
- Are you breeding to produce your own champions or working dogs?
- Are you considering breeding for the purpose of bettering the breed?
- How will breeding this particular dog better the breed?
- Am I knowledgeable enough about health issues, the breed standard, proper raising and socialization, evaluating Labrador temperament and breed type qualities and faults?
- Is your Labrador Retriever suitable for breeding?
- Is he representative of the breed standard?
- Does it have the distinctive qualities of breed type that are desired in the breed? Has your Labrador Retriever, as an adult been evaluated against the standard by a judge or breed expert and determined to be show/breeding quality?
- Does he have qualities that aren't found already within the breed?
- Is your Labrador Retriever free of all disqualifying and serious faults?
If you answered yes to all of the above questions then you are probably justified in further considering the mating of your Labrador Retriever. There are a few other things to check for:
- Does your Lab. have proper temperament for the breed?
- Is your Lab healthy, hearty and sound?
- Have the hips been x-rayed and determined to be within the norms for Labrador Retrievers?
- Has your dog been tested for hypothyroidism and found normal?
- Have your Lab's eyes been checked to determine them free from genetic disorders?
- Are both parents of your dog healthy, hearty, sound, normal and of correct temperament?
If you again answered yes to all the questions, then your Labrador Retriever is probably well suited for breeding purposes.
If you have determined that your Labrador is well suited for breeding, then.....
Lets find out if you are well suited to be a breeder
- Do you enjoy dealing with people? The Labrador Retriever breeder must be prepared to spend countless hours on the phone and opening your home to visitors who are interested in discussing the breed and seeing them in person.
- Is this something you have time for and the desire to do?
- Do you have the space, finances and time to breed and sell Labrador Retrievers?
- Do you have the knowledge to assist buyers in training, raising, socializing and learning more about the breed in general? Lab's can produce very large litters of fast growing puppies. Raising a large litter of these fast growing, big eating, but not always fast selling dogs can tax your pocket book and require much effort and energy on your part. Advertising rates today are very high and you can plan on a substantial cash outlay from feeding, veterinary care, and advertising long before you have even sold your first puppy. Remember that each puppy will eat as much as an adult Labrador Retriever. Now imagine a litter of 16.
- Do you have the space to house these big pups until quality homes can be found? It is not unusual for a breeder to hold onto pups 4-6 months at times.
- How will you handle buyers who have problems or want their money back or a replacement?
- Did you have a contract giving you "open" breeding rights when you bought your puppy?
- Does your local ordinances permit you to have this many dogs or are there restrictions upon you?
- Will your neighbors complain, or call the human Society?
- Can you deal with the changes in attitude and temperament intact dogs will have?
- Can you deal with death? Sadly, every breeder will eventually face death. Not every puppy will live and not every Dam will survive whelping a litter. Is this something that you are prepared to deal with?
- Can you deal with illness? Breeders must often face tragedy. There are many illnesses and viruses that can attack puppies. Even vaccinated puppies can fall ill and die from viruses. Sometimes whole litters are infected. Veterinary costs and the emotional stress you will endure if this occurs can be very upsetting to a family. There are also many problems that can crop up for the bitch as a direct result on having been bred or whelping a litter. There are many things to consider before you breed your dog?
I hope we have pointed out enough of them for you to make an educated decision about breeding and be better prepared should you decide to breed.
