Black labs are friendly, active, intelligent, great for families and hunters alike. If you are, you'll need to know lots of information on where to get one from, as not all black Lab puppies are created equal. In this article, we'll talk about Black Labs and guide you through the process to help you find the perfect pup.
It's thought that the Black Lab's ancestors were the wiking bear dog and some native dogs of the eastern Canadian coast. This breeds where formed into the St. John's Water Dog. They where used to to hunt and fish in the cold waters of the Canadian north. These dogs tended to have longer coats and pointier ears. Black was the most common color because the gene for the black coat is the dominant one. White patches were often seen on their chest or paws. Today's Black Labs can also have white on them. St. John's Water Dogs where taken from Newfoundland to Britain, where they were bred with English Pointers to give them more bird drive and agility.
Black Labs are often favoured for hunting dogs as they were the premier retrievers back in the olden days when that's all they were used for. If yellow or chocolate pups were ever born, they were frowned upon.
All Labs can do well in all situations, but Black Labs tend to be more athletic because of their history. They're often bred specifically for fieldwork and perform well in agility, too. Hunting or "Field" Labs are usually referred to as American Labs. Those bred to be "Show" dogs are called English Labs. The names really only distinguish what they were bred for, though, and all Labs can do well in any category. Just like his yellow and chocolate brothers and sisters, our beautiful Black Lab has an easy-going, loyal nature and loves being around people and other pets.
Black Labs are a splendid choice. And once you've made that choice, what else do you need to know? Looks matter, but you don't want heartache down the line if your adorable little puppy has health issues. This dog will be your new best friend and maybe your trusted hunting partner. They'll be with you for up to 12 years, perhaps a touch more. We know you'll want to do your research and learn how to take care of your dog to the best of your ability. But to give you a head start, your puppy needs to be as healthy as it can be right from when it was born. And that comes down to where you buy it from. Nothing is more important than that.
Black Labrador Retrievers can be subject to health issues that can rear their ugly face:
The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) and the American Kennel Club (AKC) recommend number three. Of course! Not necessarily the lowest-cost option, but most likely the only one to ensure a healthy dog.
So, what are those genetic health issues? And why is it important to get that genetic health guarantee?
These main potential issues are:
Two simple checks to separate the talker from the reaponsible breeder:
Go only with a breeder that adheres to the gold standard in health testing.
For hips and elbows, it is the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). There are others that do hip checks, but they work to a lower standard.
Go to the OFA website and search for the kennel name. If nothing shows up, move on.
For genetic testing, the gold standard is Paw Print Genetics. Paw Print runs every test twice to ensure results are correct and double checked. Go to their website's breeder search, type in your breeder's kennel name and see what comes up.
If the breeder doesn't show up or has no dogs to share, move on...
We've seen how much it matters to find the right breeder, and here at Udonstar Labradors, we test for all common genetic disorders.
And of course, we have a genetic health guarantee.
We guarantee our puppies to be free from all disabling hereditary diseases, illnesses, or conditions for 12 months from their birth.
We guarantee them for 25 months for hip or elbow dysplasia, too.
You can read about our guarantee in full here.
We offer Black Lab puppies and have sometimes full-grown Black Labradors for sale. Or you can also join our Waiting List if the dog you want is not immediately available.
English or American? We breed Black Labs in both styles.