Labs Funded
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Information
- What is LABMED's address?
- What is LABMED's fax number?
- What is LABMED's telephone number?
- Why does LABMED have lots of different addresses and phone numbers?
Donation and Payment Information
- Where do I send check payments to LABMED?
- Can I make a donation using a credit card?
- Can I claim my donations to LABMED on my federal income taxes?
- What is LABMED's Tax Number (Employer Identification Number)?
- How much of my monetary donation actually helps Labs?
- How do I donate equipment to LABMED?
- What phone number do I call to submit my credit card information?
- Can I send my credit card information to LABMED in an e-mail message?
- What does LABMED do with my personal information?
Fund Raising
- Why can't I get the order form to work?
- How much of the money from LABMED orders actually helps Labs?
- How do I use the PayPal link?
- Can I submit an item for LABMED to consider selling regularly?
- How can I request some additional information about LABMED?
- Who designed and maintains your webpages?
- Why are your brochures and catalogs black and white photocopies?
- Is LABMED affiliated with any other organizations?
- How much income do you receive from your store front affiliates?
History and Related Information
- Is there a LABMED office/branch in my city/state?
- Are there other organizations like LABMED for other dog breeds?
- When and how did LABMED originally start?
- What is the Labrador-L Listserv and how do I join?
- Who is Buddy and why he is missing a leg?
Caring for Your Lab and Rescue
- Can I foster a LABMED dog?
- How do I adopt a LABMED funded dog?
- Does LABMED have a veterinarian on the LABMED Board?
- Can LABMED tell me what is wrong with my dog?
- What should I feed my dog?
- How can I find the owners of a stray dog?
- Who do I call to surrender an abandoned dog?
- How can we surrender our dog to Lab Rescue?
- How can we adopt a dog from Lab Rescue?
- How can I buy an older dog?
- Should I buy a puppy at the pet store or mall?
- How can I find a responsible breeder?
- Where can I find a Professional Pet Trainer?
Contact Information
Q: What is LABMED's address?A: LABMED is an Internet based non-profit organization with Board Members
throughout the US and Canada. The address is: LABMED, Inc., 3941
Legacy Drive, Suite 204, #A115, Plano, Texas 75023. Our secretary, Heather
Bowden ([email protected])
receives all materials sent to LABMED at this address and takes care of
matters promptly.
A: LABMED's fax number is: 972-692-8300. Again, our secretary,
Heather Bowden ([email protected]),
will receive any faxed information and forward the information to our
Board of Directors as quickly as possible.
No, we are sorry but we do not have a telephone number for LABMED.
A: LABMED is an Internet based non-profit organization that is staffed and run entirely by volunteers who donate their available time and talents from their homes. The Board Members that make LABMED work are individuals who care deeply about the Labrador breed and work hard to ensure more Labs are given a second chance at life. Many of us work full time in jobs such as education, telecommunications, computer programming, homemaker, and in the medical field. Consequently, because we are so diverse and spread across the US and Canada, we have no central office building or store front where our efforts are consolidated. While all the different addresses and phone numbers may seem confusing, it is also a very effective use of our operating funds. Because LABMED Board Members and volunteers work out of their own homes, funds are not needed for office space, telephone lines, utilities, cleaning services, and office equipment. That's why we ask you to send donations to our Corporate Office in Texas, applications and pictures to Heather in Texas, fundraising orders are shipped from Linda in California, and so on.
Donation and Payment Information
Q: I want to make a donation to LABMED but I don't know where to send my check. Where should I send my check?A: We would prefer that all donations and payments be received directly at our corporate office in Texas. The address is:
LABMED, Inc.
3941 Legacy Drive, Suite 204, #A115
Plano, TX 75023
Please make your check or money order payable to LABMED, Inc. Heather, our LABMED secretary,
will ensure the checks are properly recorded and sent to our Treasurer in
a timely manner.
Q: Instead of sending a check, I'd rather make a donation with my credit card. Can I do this?
A: LABMED accepts PayPal, for those who wish to donate using a MasterCard or Visa
we are no longer able to accept credit cards direcly. For more information, check
our PayPal Info page.
A: Yes. LABMED is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) organization which gives our supporters the ability to claim any donation amount on their federal income tax. Please consult your tax preparation advisor for more specific information.
Q: What is LABMED's Tax Number (Employer Identification Number)?
A: LABMED's tax number is: 64-0883735. You'll need to give this
number to your tax preparation advisor to claim any donations made to
LABMED, Inc. recorded in the previous year. We do send out this
information when donations are made, but if for some reason you do not receive
an acknowledgment, please contact Heather Bowden ([email protected]),
our LABMED Secretary.
A: We're very pleased to say that all of our donated funds go directly toward our mission of helping ill or injured rescued Labs. Sometimes we specifically request and earmark donated funds for a particular purpose, but all of your donated dollars are put hard to work whether in the general fund or internally earmarked for a specific purpose. Our administrative costs are very low due to our all volunteer work force and several other factors. We meet all of our internal costs using the profits from our fund raising efforts and funnel all of our profits back into LABMED's growth and continued success which in turn produces more dollars to add to our general fund.
Q: I'd like to donate some computer equipment to LABMED. How can I do this and how can I find out what you need?
A: Please review our "wish list" web page for more specific information regarding the items we currently need -- the list changes frequently so do check back often. You
may also write for more information by e-mailing us at LABMED ([email protected]) for more information. Because LABMED is a federally recognized 501(c)(3)
organization, you can deduct the value of each in-kind donation on your federal taxes. Again, please consult your tax preparation advisor for more specific information.
A: Your personal information is kept securely confidential at all times. We do not sell or provide your personal information to any source external to LABMED without your express written permission. We will place you in our supporters database and e-mail information periodically to you to keep you updated about LABMED's latest happenings though. If you would like to be excluded or have your e-mail address removed (or added) from/to these e-mail updates, please let us know by sending an e-mail message to Jim Groenke ([email protected]) and we will add/remove you from future mailings.
Fund Raising
Q: I'd like to purchase several of your fund raising items but I can't get the order form to work. What am I doing wrong and can you tell me how to place an order?A: Our order form is written in a type of computer code called 'Java Script'. Your Internet browser (the application you use to surf the Internet) will need to be able to support this technology. Your browser will also need to be set to accept "cookies". These "cookies" a little bits of information that our Java script order form uses to track your order between one web page and the next. These "cookies" will expire at the end of each session and no personal information is recorded by LABMED. If you are using an older browser or just can't get the form to work properly, please do feel free to send in your order via e-mail to Heather Bowden ([email protected]) who will make sure your order is placed 'the other way'. Or you may also just opt to place a telephone order by calling Heather at: (972) 208-2470.
Q: I recently bought a shirt and some books from LABMED. How much of the money from this order actually helps Labs?
A: Currently a majority of the items we sell on our web page http://www.labmed.org/shp_main.html give us a good healthy profit margin. Some items realize more and some
not quite as much, but we do realize a good percentage in profits. A portion of our fund raising profits are used to reorder and purchase fund raising items and pay our internal expenses as well. Our
operating expenses are also paid for from this source of funds. The remainder of the profits from our fund raising efforts are funneled back into the general LABMED treasury to help us further in our
mission of helping Labs in rescue situations.
Q: I'm trying to make a payment using your PayPal link and I can't get it to work. What am I doing wrong?
A: PayPal occasionally has busy periods when it is very hard to utilize the service. If possible, try again a little later and if you are still having problems, please send an e-mail directly to PayPal http://www.paypal/com for their technical expertise. We would like to help in this area but have no control or ability to explain why external sites "act up" occasionally. If you think the problem might be on our end, please contact Linda Bagby ([email protected]) and he will try to help you through process.
Q: I was shopping at my favorite dog store the other day and found an item I think LABMED should consider selling as a regular fund raising item. Who do I contact about this
item?
A: Your suggestions for new fund raising items are always welcome! To ensure that we know which item you would like us to consider adding to our selection, please e-mail our fund raising chair,
Linda Bagby ([email protected]) and provide as much information as possible. This would include a detailed description of the
item, the manufacturer's name and address and telephone number and if you know that the manufacturer or distributor has a web site, please include that as well. Since there are many different
considerations involved in our decision to carry a certain item, we can't promise we will be able to add the item you found but we will definitely investigate all suggestions fully.
Q: How can I request some additional information about LABMED to give to my family, friends, co-workers, and local area Veterinarians and rescue group?
A: We would be happy to send you as much printed information about LABMED as you require. Please send an e-mail message to
us ([email protected]) and we will work with you on this request. Your voluntary efforts to spread the work of LABMED's work in your local area are very appreciated.
Q: Your web page looks very professional and is wonderfully maintained. Who designed and maintains your
webpages?
A: Our web page was originally designed and written by Eric Griffith.
Eric, of Squished Frog Productions (a sort of hobby business) professionally
designs webpages in his spare time and helped design and create ours for
us. Because his wife, Bonny, was on the Board of Directors at the time,
he and she donated their time and talents to our cause. Due to their hard
work, vision, and talent our webpages often fool many people into thinking
we have a paid staff of web coders at our disposal. Truthfully we do not;
our web page is maintained by two individuals, Heather
Bowden and Karen Reardon.
Q: Why are your brochures and catalogs black and white photocopies instead of colorful, professionally printed items on glossy paper?
A: At the present time, all of our information brochures and catalogs are photocopied and only available in this format. We opted early in the formation of LABMED for a very conservative approach toward our non-essential expenses. This voluntary frugality, a necessity in the beginning, has remained with us to this day -- mainly because we feel our supporters and donors would rather their hard earned donations be spent directly on the dogs. While glossy brochures and colorful catalogs would be wonderfully eye catching, it would also mean that we would need to take funds away from saving Lab's lives. Until we find some kind hearted printer who will gift us with professionally printed materials http://www.labmed.org?sup_wish.html, we will continue to provide additional information in photocopy format. To request printed LABMED materials to be sent to you for personal or PR purposes, please contact Heather Bowden ([email protected]).
Q: Are you affiliated with any other organizations?
A: No, LABMED is not affiliated with any other organizations but we do work closely with Veterinarians, Lab Rescue groups and Lab Retriever Clubs across the country. Finding a good veterinarian
that you and your pet feel comfortable with is a great asset. The Labrador Retriever Club
and rescue groups http://www.geocities.com/kwanyee_leung/rescue.html
across the country are also wonderful assets for both you and your pet. Another wonderful resource is the Petfinder.com webpage http://www.petfinder.org/index.html.
We would encourage
you to make it a point to acquaint yourself with both of these groups in your area and get involved with these wonderful folks. We also have some web-based stores that give us a percentage of sales
that originate from our Affiliates web page. However, none of these Vets, Lab groups, or store-fronts are partnered with LABMED in any way.
Q: I'd like to shop with some of the companies listed on your affiliate web page. How much income do you receive from these affiliates?
A: Our affiliates give us a percentage of their income from sales made through LABMED's web site. That percentage differs from one merchant to another but ranges from 5-15%. In 2003, the combined
income from all affiliates was $1,689.00. By utilizing these affiliate links you can buy something nice and help LABMED at the same time.
History and Related Information
Q: I'd like to help LABMED locally. Is there a LABMED office in my city so I can help?A: As an Internet-based organization, we don't have individual offices or chapters. However, that doesn't mean you can't help us in your area. We rely on volunteers (both our Board of Directors and other folks) as well as physical/monetary donations and fund raising to perform all aspects of our mission. We do have a group of very enthusiastic and helpful volunteers that help us with varying projects and tasks. If you'd like to volunteer to help us in some way, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, ([email protected]). We will try to match you and your individual talents with a job vital to LABMED. For more information on specific ways to help, please review our How to Help web page.
Q: Are there other organizations like LABMED for other dog breeds?
A: Yes, several individuals and groups have contacted us for information
on how to start their own version of LABMED for their particular breed.
Among these have been WestiMed for West Highland Terriers, BEHALF
for Bernese Mountain Dogs, the Akita Angel
Fund for Akitas, CorgiAid
for Corgi's, GoldenMed for Golden Retrievers, and the Pyr-amedic Trust for Great
Pyrenees is under construction. In addition to these wonderful organizations
there are similar groups that offer funding like: Labrador
Life Line (LLL), the Gold Stock Fund, and In Memory of Magic
(IMOM). In fact, we had so many requests for information that we have
set up a special web page http://www.labmed.org/abt_med.html
detailing the most commonly requested information. If you would like to
start a group like LABMED for your breed, please review our web page
information and/or contact our Secretary, Heather Bowden ([email protected])
for more specific information -- we'd be very happy to help.
Q: When and how did LABMED originally start?
A: LABMED was formed in August of 1996 when two Lab rescue volunteers (Becky Loyd and Kathy Coy) were contacted about an injured yellow Lab found on a farm in Iowa. The rescue volunteers realized
that this Lab (now Buddy Whaley) would need an operation to amputate his badly infected leg and be treated for other less severe injuries and infections. Not having the funds available, they turned
to the Internet for help. An appeal went out for money and help with this effort over the Labrador-L Listserv.
http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/lists/email-list.html. The response was fantastic. Two members of the listserv (Deb Hamele and Tom Gaffigan) spoke privately about Buddy's situation and other dogs
in similar situations. They suggested establishing a fund so financial help would be available for these situations. Thus, the Labrador-L Emergency Medical Assistance fund (aka LABMED) was born.
LABMED started with 19 volunteers from across the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia and has morphed into the dynamic group you are reading about today.
Q: What is the Labrador-L Listserv and how do I join?
A: The Labrador-L group is an e-mail listserv co-owned/managed by two individuals: Cindy Tittle Moore and Liza Lee Miller. This group encourages discussions about Labrador Retrievers from all kinds of folks: breeders, rescue workers, pet owners, veterinarians, and even folks who just like the breed. It is an excellent source of information about the Labrador Retriever breed. By joining a listserv group you can send an e-mail message from your computer and it will be received and read by hundreds of other Lab loving individuals like yourself. By visiting the Complete List of Dog Related Email Lists web page you'll find a list of the various listservers available to you and instructions on how to join. All it takes is time, interest, and a computer.
Q: This past Spring I attended the Potomac Labrador Retriever Specialty in Maryland. There at the LABMED booth I met a beautiful yellow Lab named Buddy. Could you tell me who Buddy is
and why he is missing a leg?
A: Lucky you - to get to meet Buddy! He is LABMED's Ambassador! It was because of Buddy's rescue in August of 1996 that Lab-lovers on an Internet mailing list decided to join together to start a
fund to financially assist rescuers of Labs.
First known as the "Sad Little Man" and also known in his early days as Bullet, Buddy was found with a shattered left front leg and facial injuries due to buckshot wounds. His leg was beyond repair, so it was amputated. He lived for 6 months at the home of his rescuers in Iowa before he was adopted by Dranda and Clarence Whaley, of Nashville, Tennessee. He attended two Labrador Specialties in the spring of 1997, then (after Dranda joined the LABMED Board of Directors) another in the fall of that year. Since 1998, he's attended over a dozen shows in several states (if they are within driving distance of Tennessee) and has been featured in several national magazine articles about LABMED and about rescue in general. He has his ILP, and a registered name: LABMED's Never Met a Stranger. He has his Canine Good Citizen (CGC), and also passed his certification for Therapy Dogs, International. He is happy, healthy, energetic, in excellent condition, and has several favorite pastimes: chasing tennis balls, rough-housing with his Lab brother, Clay, and being a couch potato. He also loves to swim, but he doesn't get to do that as often as he'd like. He makes a fine Ambassador for LABMED - photogenic as well as personable! Read more information about Buddy in "Bullet's Legacy".
Caring for Your Lab and Rescue
Q: I'd like to foster a LABMED dog in my area. How can I do this?A: LABMED provides grant monies to defray the medical expenses of Labs in rescue situations. The Labs that LABMED helps are found and assisted by local individuals like yourself who found a Lab in need and couldn't turn away. These Labs are fostered, loved, and treated by these folks locally. We provide our applicants with information, grant funds to treat dogs that meet our funding guidelines, and/or emotional support as needed. One good way to help LABMED is to get involved with the Local Lab Rescue group in your area. If you need help finding the closest one, please refer to this handy rescue web page which lists most of the known rescue groups across the US and Canada. If a local group is not active in your area, you might consider starting one yourself. There is more information available on starting a rescue group on this web page http://www.labmed.org/lnk_startingarescue.html.
A: Many of our funded Labs are available for adoption. Although we (LABMED) do not foster these dogs ourselves, we often provide a direct link in the animal's Success Story that will take you to an external web page or e-mail address. Please feel free to explore these external web page links fully and write or call these folks for more information. We also have an Adoption Page that lists the LABMED funded dogs still available for adoption with a link (if possible) to the rescue group or individual fostering these Labs.
Q: Does LABMED have a veterinarian on the Board of Directors or one that you use frequently?
A: At this time, none of our board members are certified veterinarians although several of our members do work in the health care or animal health care field. When we receive applications for assistance from rescue groups or individuals we rely heavily on the information provided by the treating veterinarian. If we encounter a situation where we need additional information in understanding a particular procedure or illness/injury we can and do sometimes contact our Veterinary Advisory Board (VAB). Currently we have three individuals from different areas of the country that assist us in our decision-making process if medical questions arise.
Q: Buffy, our 6 year old yellow Lab has been drinking water very frequently, panting heavily, and having small accidents in the house. This isn't usual behavior for her. Can you tell me what is wrong and what I can do to help her?
A: We would strongly encourage you to make an appointment with your regular veterinarian and have Buffy fully examined. While we would like to help, there is no way for LABMED to give you sound medical advice. None of our Board Members are veterinarians and we do not give medical advice even if the symptoms sound similar to something our own dogs have experienced. Please do trust your instincts that tell you something is wrong with your pet and do call your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Q: We recently adopted a big Lab named Dakota who is under weight and his coat is dull. What should we feed him?
A: There are many reasons your Lab could be under weight and his coat dull. Because some of these reasons involve medical conditions, please consult your regular veterinarian. We also recommend
that you keep a detailed diary of your dog's "symptoms" so that the vet has the most accurate information. Your dog should receive a thorough yearly physical examination to ensure that he is healthy
and shots updated regularly. Your veterinarian is your dog's best friend for these types of questions and he can recommend a good quality food as well. There are many good sources of information
regarding health and feeding issues on the Labrador Retriever Home page.
Q: While walking this morning, I found a Lab wandering the neighborhood. He has no collar but looks well fed; what should I do to try to find his owner?
A: There are several things you can do to assist this dog in finding his owners. Start by calling your local paper to place a "found dog" ad - most papers provide this service for free. You can
also contact the local shelters, possibly even shelters in the surrounding communities as some dogs can wander off quite a distance from their home. Contact your local animal control agency as they
can advise you on how to proceed in accordance with your local animal control ordinances. Calling the vets in your area may be a good idea as well. If you can, make flyers with the dog's description
- don't be too precise, you want the owner to tell you a few things that are not on the flyer to ensure the dog goes to his rightful owner. Post those flyers around your neighborhood and at stores
and businesses in your community that permit this. And last but not least, talk to as many people in your area as you can - such as your neighbors and the people that get around the area because of
their job like the mail carrier, meter readers, delivery personnel, and garbage collectors. One of them may just know the family who is looking for their pet.
Q: One evening on my way home from work, I found a dog on the side of the road that is pretty skinny, tick covered, but seems
otherwise healthy. I have tried to find his owners, but its been three weeks now. What should I do with him?
A: Whether you decided to keep this dog or try to place him, please contact your local animal control agency. If you would like to keep the dog, they will be able to inform you of your legal
obligations to try to find the previous owner, for example how long you have to advertise you found the dog before you may keep him/her. If you would like to place the dog, they may also be able to
help. While animal control will pick up any stray, you may want to ask about other options like other shelters or rescues in your area. Animal control will take him to your local animal shelter and
offer the dog for adoption but because they may have many other animals they may not have the space to keep him for very long.
A: LABMED's mission is to assist individuals and groups defray medical costs for rescued Labs. While many on our Board of Directors do volunteer for and work with their local Lab rescue groups, LABMED isn't a Lab rescue. We would suggest that you contact your local rescue group regarding a possible new home for Bailey. They have the local volunteers, veterinarians, and potential homes and can best help you. If you do not know or cannot locate information regarding your local rescue, please refer to these listing of rescue groups through the US and Canada http://www.geocities.com/kwanyee_leung/rescue.html, http://www.petfinder.org/index.html, and http://www.thelabradorclub.com/rescue.html.
Q: We have an great Lab named Chase that we love very much and we'd like to adopt a rescue Lab to be a friend/companion for him. Can you help us do that?
A: Your best resource is your local Lab rescue group. They can help you find the perfect addition to your family. By utilizing a local rescue group http://www.geocities.com/kwanyee_leung/rescue.html and http://www.thelabradorclub.com/rescue.html you can take Chase to meet potential adoptees, be assured of temperament, size, activity level, and other very important factors by meeting this dog and perhaps his foster family personally. There are also national groups that post information about homeless dogs like Petfinders.com. This is a nicely organized site listing hundreds of breeds and thousands of animals. However you chose to find your next pet, we hope you'll take the time and effort to research your needs carefully as this new family member could be your new best friend.
Q: Our family has done quite a bit of research and reading on the Labrador breed and we'd like to purchase a Lab, but an older dog of say 2 or 3 instead of a puppy. The AKC papers are not important but we would like a dog with the Lab temperament, conformation, and intelligence. Can you recommend places where we can find an older Lab that fit the above criteria?
A: Your best bet for an older dog is with an organized Lab rescue group. Rescue dogs come from various backgrounds -- some were abandoned strays, some are owner surrenders, and some may have been pulled from the local animal shelters prior to being euthanized due to lack of space. Please do note that not all rescue groups are alike, but will do their best to match up you and your family with a good Labrador. Some of these dogs come complete with AKC registration paperwork, pedigree, and equipment from the old home; others come with the fur on their backs. Most rescue dogs available for adoption should be neutered or spayed, have their first round of routine shots, be heartworm free, currently in a foster home, and healthy at the time of adoption. Rescue groups charge a nominal fee to pay the dog's expenses (medical, shots, food, etc.) and the remainder of the fee ensures the rescue group the funds necessary to save future animals. Rescue Labs are like any other dog -- you determine their activity level and training. You may be looking for a dog to exercise with, a dog to run agility or fly-ball courses, a happy companion for your kids, or just a couch potato. Rescue dogs that look like a pure bred Lab but don't come with AKC paperwork can still compete in AKC events as well. All you need is an ILP number which allows an unregistered dog of a registerable breed to participate in those obedience and performance events that are appropriate for the breed. These competitive events include Obedience Trials, Tracking Tests, Herding, Lure Coursing, Agility, Earthdog Events and Hunting Tests. A dog must have either an AKC registration number or an ILP number in order to compete in these events. Chances are you'll find what you're looking for when you start looking. Senior dogs http://www.seniordogrescue.org are another wonderful option often overlooked or passed by. These older dogs are often as active as much younger dogs and some just aren't ready for the rocking chair. They make wonderful companion dogs that can be a bit more slow in their walks but no less a Lab for their years. There are several good webpages with information about Labrador rescue and rescue groups in your area. Some local rescue groups deal only in purebreds, others have lab-mixes as well. Adopting a rescued dog, puppy or senior or any age in between, does, however, require you to look carefully at that particular dog's health and temperament.
Q: There is a pet store at the mall that sells dogs (and other animals). One of these dogs was a gorgeous black Lab puppy. I held her for a few moments and she was just perfect but the pet store wanted $800 and we didn't buy her. This seemed like a huge amount of money; is this a good deal or should I shop around?
A: We know how appealing young puppies can be and the impulse to purchase can be very strong. However buying an animal should not be done on the spur of the moment. Taking the time to compare your lifestyle, family, and habits against the needs, commitment, and expenses a small puppy and later a full grown dog will require should be taken into account. Even after careful consideration, purchasing a pet at the mall or pet shop is not something we would recommend for many reasons. Many times these animals are purchased from puppy mills. Even though your pet store puppy might come with a copy of his pedigree and registration paperwork, those documents are no guarantee of quality. Reputable breeders do not offer their puppies for sale through pet stores, and we strongly urge you to not purchase your pure-bred puppy from a pet store. While the dog's pedigree (ancestry) isn't important for the average pet owner, nor is the registration paperwork, the Labrador breed does carry several genetic defects like OFA, Hip Dysplasia, PRA, Epilepsy, and TVD http://www3.telus.net/k9/ to name a few. Puppies must also be properly socialized within the first few weeks of life in order to have the best possible chance of developing the proper temperament; pet store puppies are likely to have not had the appropriate socialization. When buying a pure bred Lab puppy http://www.thedogsbestfriend.com/roadto.htm you'll want to make sure the breeder performed the appropriate health tests on the parents to ensure the litter of pups they produce is healthy. The breeder who does not perform these tests routinely on their breeding stock is not your best choice for a puppy since the likelihood that your dog will have one of these problems is higher. Even reputable breeders can't guarantee that your puppy won't have a genetic problem, but the likelihood of poor health and/or poor temperament, resulting in potential expense and heartbreak in the future, is greater if you purchase a puppy from a pet store. These defects are not a guarantee in your "pet shop puppy" either, but are often very costly to you if you find your dog develops symptoms later in life. You can find a reputable breeder through AKC's web site or through the National Labrador Retriever Club, (the LRC, Inc) or at the Labrador Retriever Home page.
Q: I'd like to purchase a Lab puppy from a good breeder but I don't know where to start. Do you have a list of responsible breeders or can you tell me where to look and what to look for?
A: Before you purchase a Labrador puppy, we would encourage you to do some research to ensure your lifestyle, home, and family are a good match for a Lab. Labradors are great animals, but definitely not for everyone. If a pure bred Labrador puppy is the right choice for you and your family, you can find a reputable breeder through the AKC web site or through the national Labrador Retriever Club, the LRC, Inc at http://www.thelabradorclub.com or at the Labrador Retriever Home page. Please do take the time to read the great tips provided for puppy buyers. Please also note that not all people that sell puppies should be termed responsible breeders. We cannot emphasize strongly enough to find a breeder who has done research into the health concerns of Labradors and who has bred with the proper motivation in mind - to better the Labrador Retriever breed.
Q: My Lab, Digger, has some bad habits I'd like to have corrected. We completed a regular dog training session and he was a model student, but she was unable to help us eliminate these habits. What should I do?
A: We would suggest that you call a professional dog trainer or behaviorist in your area. He or she will work with you both to help you understand and/or modify Digger's behavior. If you don't know or can't find a professional dog trainer in your area, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers web page is a good source for information as well as listings of trainers across the country. Other good sources of information and education are your local Labrador Retriever Club, through the AKC's web site and/or your regular veterinarian.
If you have other questions about LABMED and can't find the information on our website, please write to us at [email protected]. For more information about Labrador Retrievers in general, please visit: http://www.k9web.com/breeds/l/labrador/.
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Last Updated: Fall 2015
