re: Looking for lab breeders in Louisiana?

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If's it strictly a status symbo

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That's all it is.

We currently have two labs:

Oldest comes from impeccable blood lines with all the titles and certificates. She has been plagued with medical problems for over half of her life. She is a shite hunting dog and is pretty much terrified of water. I still love her to death though.

Youngest was the runt of a litter without all of the pedigree. She is scrappy and one of the best dogs we've had when it comes to hunting. She'll never quit on a duck and she has a ton of energy.

It's a crap shoot. If its just a family pet, adopt. There's no need to break the bank on a dog that's gonna lay around and play fetch.

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Not against that for any reason...just don't know the pros/cons. Snatchy's Hitler reference not withstanding (all domestic animals at this point are the result of selective breeding), I'm trying to find out the benefits of having a bred "pure" lab versus one that is not.

Not really looking for a debate between those who are pro breeding versus those who are not. Just wondering if there are any benefits to getting a dog from a breeder or any downsides from not. If it's a health issue, then I'd prefer tp pay more upfront to held alleviate potential problems down the road. If's it strictly a status symbol type thing to say you bought from a breeder, then I it's unimportant to me.

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For a family pet, the benefits of breeding depend on how much you are willing to pay for a true quality breeder. A true quality breeder won't just ask you what gender/color you want, they will come to your house, verify you will be a good owner, interview the people living in your house all to match the best puppy with your family's characteristics and habits. They have been in the business for a long time and can read puppies attitudes and figure out if a family is a good match.

However, there are breed specific rescues that do the same with potential adoptions.

AKC makes a difference if you plan to do dog competitions where they cannot have a PAL listing or if you plan to eventually breed the dog for money. For pretty much every sport competition, a PAL is sufficient for that dog breed. Purebred Alternative Listing is where you can register a dog you believe to be purebred with the AKC that does not have papers. You take like two photos of the dog and send it in, they review the photos and send you back a certificate that allows you to take part in dogs sports for that breed instead of just registering in mix breed.

As you can see, a family pet that will remain a family pet has absolutely no need to be AKC. You can go to your local shelter and find plenty of lab puppies, they are everywhere. However, if you want to get more specific and find a personality that fits your family, look at breed specific rescues and high quality breeders. Just a warning, breed specific rescues will subject you to probably a much longer and aggravating appication process to adopt a dog than a breeder. Some groups will deny you for silly things, fences and kids (potentially wanting kids included) are a big ones.