My Program 

Health, soundness, retrieving desire, and looks are all important to me. As I develop my breeding program, I evaluate each potential sire and dam based on the following criteria:

• Are there any known genetic problems in the dog? Problems such as hip and elbow dysplasia, dwarfism, megaesophagus, muscle myopathy, hypothyroidism are common enough in the breed without breeding a dog that carries these problems.
• How is the dog's retrieving drive? A retriever that isn't interested in retrieving just won't cut it with me.
• How is the dog's temperament and disposition? I believe it's possible to have a dog with excellent retrieving drive and yet still be a wonderful companion.
• How is the dog's structure and type? Although the dog doesn't have to be "show quality," he or she should look like a Lab and should have proper structure to enable it to spend a day retrieving in the field.

How I Raise Puppies

Dogs have always been part of our family. They live in the house and almost always travel with me when I go somewhere. Puppies are born and raised in my kitchen. They experience the noises, sights and smells of everyday life (at least once their eyes and ears open). When the weather is good, they get to play outside in the grass and even splash in a pond.

I have a custom-made whelping box that is easy to keep clean and roomy enough for mom and puppies to happily live in for several weeks. From their day of birth, they are handled daily and exposed to various stimuli. For more information about these early experiences, check out Early Neurological Stimulation.

As they are born each puppy is checked, weighed, photographed, and tagged. Well, maybe not tagged exactly, but they do get various colored ribbons as collars. I check their weights every day for the first few weeks to make sure they are getting enough to eat and seem happy and healthy.

After their eyes and ears open and the puppies have explored their box they're ready for expanded horizons - so I give them free rein to the kitchen (after puppy-proofing it, of course)! It's a good thing it's a big kitchen because I fill it with all sorts of things: a tiny teeter-totter, a tunnel, myriad toys, newspaper, carpet, you name it, they probably experience it at some point. They also hear an assortment of sounds - radio, television, vacuuming, clanking pots - all sorts of sounds from everyday life.

About week five I toss a pigeon wing on a string into their midst. Boy, it's fun to watch their reactions! Then when they're a little bigger they get to meet a live, wing-clipped pigeon. If the weather is warm enough they also get to follow mom to water. Boy, I love puppies! It's fun to see the world through their eyes as they experience each new wonder!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at .

My Guarantee

Breeders seldom offer the same guarantee, but it's important that whatever guarantee is offered be in writing. An oral guarantee is only as good as the reputation of the person offering it. Generally oral, or verbal, guarantees are not enforceable in a court of law. Be sure you get it in writing!

Reputable breeders will generally guarantee the general health of the puppy at the time of sale. They should also guarantee against genetic disorders that are problematic in their breed, provided there is some type of testing available to determine that the parents are free of these disorders. However these tests may not be 100- percent reliable. Hip dysplasia, for example, has a polygenic ("multiple genes") mode of inheritance which means it is currently impossible to say that a specific puppy will not develop hip dysplasia. It is possible for parents certified clear of hip dysplasia (OFA certification) to produce a dysplastic puppy, and for a dysplasic parent (hopefully only bred in a controlled research environment) to produce puppies that are all free of hip dysplasia. Is is also possible for a parent to be a carrier of a disorder, but not show any outward signs. If this dog is bred to another carrier of the disorder, some of the puppies will be afflicted and others will be carriers like their parents. It is a breeder's responsibility to never breed known carriers together nor to repeat a breeding that produced heritable disorders.

Another aspect of dog health is the way in which they are raised. A breeder can only provide a solid genetic foundation, but it is up to the owner to provide proper care. No reputable breeder wants to hear that there is something wrong with a dog that they sold. If you have any questions, please be sure to contact your puppy's breeder.

So what is my guarantee?

• Good health at the time of the sale - the buyer has three working days to have the puppy checked by a veterinarian of their choosing
• Free from Hip Dysplasia -  for 30 months (2.5 years) provided the puppy has not been bred prior to certification by OFA
• Free from heritable eye disorders - for 30 months (2.5 years) provided the puppy has not been bred prior to an examination by a board-certified ophthalmologist

(Other qualifications and restrictions may apply - please be sure to read the entire sales agreement before signing.)

I also ask that puppy buyers keep me informed of their puppy's progress. I love to hear your stories! I also would like to know the new address when puppy buyers move so that I can keep track of these wonderful puppies.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at .