How much for a KC registered chocolate labrador?

Rachel021967

How much do chocolate Labradors go for and what should I be looking for in a healthy puppy?

Also how do I introduce a puppy to my 2 ginger toms?

thorsoak

Why not contact the KC for a list of labrador retriever breeders - or look on Champdogs breeders' lists? You should pay no more for a choccy lab than you would for a black or yellow one - so beware of the breeder who tells you differently. Please ensure that the breeder has done all the relevant health checks - if you use the Champdogs breeders lists, then all the breeders there have to produce proof that health tests have been done.

Please be prepared to go through quite a few hoops before being accepted onto a breeder's list - its not likely that a GOOD breeder is going to have puppies "ready to go" just when you want one! Talk to the breeders, tell them about your ginger toms - I take it that they are dog-friendly? - you may well find a breeder who also has cats, so that puppies are already used to cats!

yorkshire_terrier_owner

Agree with thorsoak above.

I am on champ dogs and they verify everything. When I have a prospective owner come to me for the first time, I home check, want a vets reference and will grill you for a long time before you even see a puppy. I have waiting lists for litters up to 2 years in advance.

DON'T use sites like gum tree etc as most good breeders don't advertise there.

I don't know about the cost of labs, as I breed Chihuahuas, but I charge around 700-800 for a companion dog (I.e. Kc registered with endorsements). I am just about to buy in a new female pup from another breeder for breeding and expect to pay about £2k for a breeding and show quality girl.

Check out this Kennel Club list for health tests that are recommended and required for individual breeds:

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media/14688/dnatestsworldwide.pdf

With regard to the cats, there is plenty of advice if you search for it on the internet, but I keep 2 cats specifically so my pups are used to cats. My 2 cats have been around dogs and pups since they were 9 weeks old - they are 11 years old now and very used to educating pups appropriately on cats and manners! Ask the breeder you go to for advice.

esmerelda98

I've just deleted my post-too controversial, but in simple terms, what is the place of the dog breeder when shelters are overflowing with animals, many of whom are are simply unwanted, not animals with problems? Is it just the natural extension of a consumerist society?

Person_one

esmerelda98 wrote: »

I've just deleted my post-too controversial, but in simple terms, what is the place of the dog breeder when shelters are overflowing with animals, many of whom are are simply unwanted, not animals with problems? Is it just the natural extension of a consumerist society?

Dogs don't live for very long, the period when its safe and healthy to breed them is even shorter. Unless you want a world with no dogs you will always need breeders. Better that the ethical ones continue and we try to stop the unscrupulous or ignorant ones, that'd be a much better way to reduce the numbers in shelters long term.

rockiedog

Why do these KC dog breeders keep breeding puppies when there are so many in animal shelters waiting for homes? Do you know how many dogs are destroyed every day in the UK? Over 1000, I feel they are adding to this number, A dog is worth £2000? I don't think so! Instead of paying that for a dog to breed from why don't you donate it to the RSPCA or another animal charity? And do some good, for a change.

yorkshire_terrier_owner

rockiedog wrote: »

Why do these KC dog breeders keep breeding puppies when there are so many in animal shelters waiting for homes? Do you know how many dogs are destroyed every day in the UK? Over 1000, I feel they are adding to this number, A dog is worth £2000? I don't think so! Instead of paying that for a dog to breed from why don't you donate it to the RSPCA or another animal charity? And do some good, for a change.

In the simplest of terms, because it's how I choose to spend my money!

I do give to the Dogs Trust every month. I used to give to the RSPCA but cancelled the direct debit when I reported a particularly unpleasant dog breeder to them for the appalling way he kept his dogs and they couldn't have cared less.

Please don't tar all us breeders with the same brush. There are some of us who would move heaven and earth for our dogs. My dogs are sold on contract that they are returned, no questions asked, to me if for any reason the owner cannot look after them anymore. This has only happened once and that dog will now stay with me for the rest of her life. I believe I have a responsibility to every dog I bring into the world.

A dog might not be worth £2k to you, but it is to me. I already do give a substantial amount every month to animal charities and I also volunteer at a local rescue centre, working with dogs with behaviourial problems. I give my knowledge and time for free. Is that not doing some good?

Before I bred, I always chose to buy pups from breeders rather than have a rescue dog. That's my choice. It doesn't make me any less of a dog lover.

yorkshire_terrier_owner

Person_one wrote: »

Dogs don't live for very long, the period when its safe and healthy to breed them is even shorter. Unless you want a world with no dogs you will always need breeders. Better that the ethical ones continue and we try to stop the unscrupulous or ignorant ones, that'd be a much better way to reduce the numbers in shelters long term.

Couldn't agree more.

If we could get rid of bad breeders, but also bad owners, there wouldn't be a need for all these rescue centres.

yorkshire_terrier_owner

esmerelda98 wrote: »

what is the place of the dog breeder when shelters are overflowing with animals, many of whom are are simply unwanted, not animals with problems?

Choice. Just because I choose to shop in sainsburys and not aldi doesn't make it wrong.

Is it consumerist? Probably, but what's wrong with consumer choice?

A good dog owner will look carefully at their lifestyle and what type of dog will suit them best. It may be that a good quality pup suits better than an unknown quantity that a rescue dog can be. Eg if you had children. If more owners thought that way and more breeders refused to sell to unsuitable owners, there'd be far less dogs in rescue.

Person_one

rockiedog wrote: »

Why do these KC dog breeders keep breeding puppies when there are so many in animal shelters waiting for homes? Do you know how many dogs are destroyed every day in the UK? Over 1000, I feel they are adding to this number, A dog is worth £2000? I don't think so! Instead of paying that for a dog to breed from why don't you donate it to the RSPCA or another animal charity? And do some good, for a change.

Actually, that's not true. Around 7000 are destroyed every year. Not a good number, but nothing like the genocide of 1000 a day which would be 365,000 in a year!

We need the good breeders to carry on, they aren't the ones who contribute to the numbers in shelters because they take back their animals at any time in their life. What we need to do is clamp down on the bad breeders and the puppy farms.

(Oh, and my dogs are rescued. I will always prefer to rescue but I still want responsible breeders to keep doing what they're doing because if they don't we'll only be left with the unethical ones.)

yorkshire_terrier_owner

Person_one wrote: »

Actually, that's not true. Around 7000 are destroyed every year. Not a good number, but nothing like the genocide of 1000 a day which would be 365,000 in a year!

We need the good breeders to carry on, they aren't the ones who contribute to the numbers in shelters because they take back their animals at any time in their life. What we need to do is clamp down on the bad breeders and the puppy farms.

(Oh, and my dogs are rescued. I will always prefer to rescue but I still want responsible breeders to keep doing what they're doing because if they don't we'll only be left with the unethical ones.)

Spot on. Totally agree.