Responsible Breeding
"Ask questions and listen to answers, trying always to separate the relevant from the useless. Do not become hidebound by specific ideas; question everything, even what I am saying and what I write in my books. Think about everything, digest it, discuss it and ask more questions. Always try to learn and advance your understanding of the breed. You must not breed (only) by the numbers (hips/elbows). A good breeder goes about the job with a set aim of trying to produce functional dogs that approximate to the ideal. Don't struggle for perfect hips! Hips need be no better that what will give a dog an active pain free life, and to struggle for better can/WILL mean losing other dogs from the gene pool who have good things to offer, such as temperament. A dog is a whole animal, not just a pair of hips!” Dr. Malcom B. Willis
Remember the traits that exemplify the Labrador Retriever. It isn't only about Hips and Elbows.
Learn about the diseases relevant to the Labrador and how we do our best to ensure that your puppy will not inherit one of them.
Ever wondered how we know what colors will be born to a breeding pair? It all sounds really complicated but once you have a basic understanding, it's pretty simple.
All Purebreds are inbred. But too much inbreeding causes issues like infertility, small litters, and shortened lifespans. Learn about the different ways breeders are working to lower the COI averages of our Breed.
Despite phenotypic testing and selective breeding for more than 60 years, hip dysplasia is still an issue in our breed. How to continue to improve the odds for successful outcomes.
Information on Elbow Dysplasia and it's place in the responsible Breeder's "tool kit" and the Owner's shared responsibility for good outcomes.
This is mostly an "extra page". As a Breeder, I am always on the lookout for the best practices in breeding healthy litters. This page is written for other breeders doing the same as me in that regard, but, there is also something for new puppy parents as well.