Puppies

We are located in Northern California. I've lived with labradors since the age of 11 and labradors have been in my family for multiple generations. We breed rarely to produce something special for ourselves. Our dogs live with us in our house. Our dogs are very versatile and are full of personality. They compete in agility most of the time, and we also compete every now and again in rally-obedience and conformation. Our breeding program emphasizes structural soundness as well as outstanding temperaments, things that make our labs such fun to live with. We have no pups available right now and don't plan to breed again until at least 2010 since we have quite a houseful of labs! ... but we are always happy to refer you to people that we know are breeding really nice labs.

How we raise our puppies: Our puppies are brought up by us as members of the family, in our house and play area. We take meticulous care of the health and well-being of these pups and do our very best to prepare them for their new lives. We follow Pat Hastings approach to raising our pups. We do everything that we can to produce well socialized and outgoing pups. We familiarize them with different people (men, women, children, our adult dogs) as well as different surfaces, noises, objects and challenges (such as agility tunnels, boxes, ramps, crates, balls, squeaky toys, vacuum cleaners) at the appropriate time and age. From 5 weeks of age onwards, we spend individual 1 on 1 time with each puppy to get him or her used to being away from the litter and to teach basic commands "come", "touch","sit". The rest of the time the pups are free to play and sleep together in the indoor pen and outdoor play area. Our puppies are wormed with NEMEX at 2,4,6 and 8 weeks of age and they receive their first Distemper and Parvo shot at 8 weeks of age, following Dr. Dodds' protocol. You will want to re-vaccinate at 12 and 16 weeks of age after your pup comes home. We microchip all of our puppies so that, in the event the dog is lost or turned into a shelter, it can be safely returned. The microchip lists us as the breeder and you will be able to add contact info for yourself and for your vet. Our puppies also receive an ACVO eye exam, vet visit before going to their new homes. Information about these things will be included in the large puppy information packet that we provide to our new puppy owners.

Why we keep the puppies until they are 10 weeks old: The first 10 weeks of the puppy's life is very critical to their physical, social, and mental well being. We choose to keep the pups until 10 weeks of age, in the secure environment of our home and in the company of our own dogs and the litter because this gives them a really great start in life. At the age of 7 to 9 weeks, many puppies are going through a rapid learning period where their fear level is heightened. We prefer to keep the puppies during this time so that we can ensure that they continue to learn and be socialized, while not being subjected to the stress of the change in environment associated with going to a new home.

We care deeply about these puppies -- We are here to provide help and advice at any time in your puppy's lifetime: We ask that you keep us informed about the puppy's progress (health, well-being, brags etc.) and that you send us lots of pictures (because we can never get enough labby pictures, as you can tell from this website!!). Don't hesitate to call us if you need help or advice. We realize that sometimes your circumstances can change and so we want you to know that we will take any puppy that we have bred back for any reason at any age in its life. In fact, our puppy sales agreement grants us the first right of refusal. Like you, we want to be sure that the dog finds another great home.

Visits are encouraged once the pups mature: Once you are on our waiting list, we encourage you to visit the pups after they mature (7-8 weeks and thereafter). I will then call you to let you know when the pups will be ready to go home and in the meantime will send you lots of pictures of the pups. You are probably wondering how the selection process works -- I ask all potential buyers to fill out a questionnaire and I may have some additional clarification questions. After that, I put you on my waiting list and keep you informed of the status of the litter and let you know when the litter is born. I like to meet the members of the family first before the pups go home, so that I can get a better idea of what you are looking for. We make our own pick from the litter first, usually at 9 weeks of age. Then, taking your preferences and what your plans are for the dog into consideration, after you have met me and the pups, I can usually advise you about which of the pups is the best match. Until I have made my selection and know what's available, I am not able to guarantee that I will have a pup available that exactly matches your needs and preferences. If I don't have one that meets the needs of your family situation, I will be the first to tell you. However, on the flip side, sometimes, after I have made my pick, a dog that I had previously thought was unavailable may become available. My priority is to provide a great match for you and the puppy and place the pups in superb homes.