re: What to look for when buying a labrador puppy

That's going to be hard to tell when they're puppies. The personality traits come out as the pup grows. If you can spend some time with the parents you can get a better idea of what the "might" turn out like.

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when buying a labrador puppy


What Im really asking is what to look for personality wise

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it is really a matter of personal preference, but I usually like a pup with a good bit of energy, but not one that bullies the others in the litter...

maybe do something like letting them mess with a retrieving dummy a bit and then throw it 10 feet or so...look for a dog that runs after the dummy and wants to chew and play with it, but not one that has a problem with the other puppies playing with it at the same time...

you are looking for a pup that wants to play tug of war with you, but not one that tries to stay under your feet and just collappses when you pet it...

I hunt in marshes, so the dog's nose is important to me as well...I'll often put a little duck scent on the dummy and let the pack play with it for a bit...then drag it away and hide it and see who uses his nose to find it...if nothing else, just watch to see which one puts his nose to the ground a good bit...