BREEDERS DIRECTORY

The selection of a puppy and its breeder is an important one. The Labrador Retriever Club, Inc. (LRC) encourages any prospective Labrador Retriever owner to become familiar with our breed, the Official Standard for the Labrador Retriever, possible hereditary defects, and responsible breeding practices prior to contacting any Labrador Retriever breeder.

The LRC sent each of the breeders listed in this Directory an application to fill out before they could be accepted for the list. The application seeks honest answers to straightforward questions. However, the LRC assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained within this Directory and provides no endorsements for specific dogs, individuals, kennels or breeding programs. Rather, the LRC hopes to educate the buyer by enclosing with the Directory and on our website, adequate materials to help identify a list of appropriate questions to ask when contacting breeders.

The listed breeders are members-in-good-standing of at least two years in the LRC. Hence, it may be assumed that the listed breeders subscribe to the goals of LRC, which are:

“The goal of the Club shall be to encourage and promote quality in the breeding and performance of pure-bred Labrador Retrievers and to do all possible to bring their natural attributes as working retrievers to perfection. In furtherance of its goal the Club will:

(a) encourage the organization of independent local Labrador Retriever clubs to promote performance and conformation events;

(b) encourage members and breeders to accept the Standard of the breed as approved by The American Kennel Club as the  standard of excellence by which Labrador Retrievers shall be judged;

(c) seek to protect and advance the interests of the breed and to encourage sportsmanlike competition at field trials, hunting retriever tests, obedience trails and conformation events;

(d) conduct, sponsor and encourage on behalf of the Labrador Retriever breed events including field trials, hunting retriever tests, obedience trials and conformation events under the rules of The American Kennel Club.”

The LRC encourages breeders to screen all breeding stock for heritable diseases and to use only those dogs that have received the appropriate OFA and CERF clearances for hips, elbows and eyes in their breeding program.

The LRC also encourages breeders to be fair and open in their dealings with prospective buyers and to provide customary puppy health examinations, as well as a certified pedigree, and relevant health certification and background information. Prospective buyers should be prepared to ask questions about the breeder’s experience and puppy care and socializing to help identify an appropriate breeder.