Superior Quality English type AKC Labrador Retrievers

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I got my first Labrador in 2002 and just fell in love with the temperament and looks of the breed. I loved him so much that my wife got me a female for Christmas. I instantly started thinking about breeding when the female got 2 years old but things changed after researching breeding Labradors. I soon realized that neither dog I had were quality enough to breed. If I was going to be a responsible breeder then I want to breed the best quality lab I could to improve the breed. I then began a long process learning all I could about labs. I found hundreds of puppies for sale but nobody was willing to sell a quality pup with full registration in fear of destroying the line and reputation that they have worked so hard to achieve. I understood the reasoning behind this but I knew someone out there would hopefully understand that I also wanted to become a "caretaker" of the breed.

I soon found someone that trusted me enough to take me under her wing and co-own a dog with me. To me this was the best of both worlds. I was able to get a excellent dog and have someone guide me and help with breeding decisions on the first litter. I would like to say thanks to Jenny at Ophir Labs for helping me get started.

Because of our love for the breed, I will do my best to promote responsible breeding and dog ownership and all of my puppies will be sold on AKC limited registration. I will only breed mature females at least 2 years of age and all dogs used in my breeding program will have appropriate joint certifications by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and eyes ACVO cleared annually. My intent with every breeding is to improve from of the breeding. We place puppies as pets as well as for obedience, confirmation, hunting, and working companions.

Labrador Retriever Breed Standard The Labrador Retriever is a strongly built, medium-sized, short-coupled, dog possessing a sound, athletic, well-balanced conformation that enables it to function as a retrieving gun dog; the substance and soundness to hunt waterfowl or upland game for long hours under difficult conditions; the character and quality to win in the show ring; and the temperament to be a family companion.

Do you really know what's in your pet's food? Although you may think all pet food manufacturers have your pet’s best interests in mind, this is not always the case. Current pet food regulations allow manufacturers to use ingredients that you would never knowingly give to your pet. In fact, you may be shocked to learn what some brands of pet food really contain. For example: the use of by-products (feet, bones and intestines, etc.), chemical preservatives (BHA and BHT) and grains that are often difficult to digest (corn, wheat, gluten and soy), which are often used as a protein source instead of meat.

History of the Labrador Retriever IIn 1822 a traveler to Newfoundland gave an account of a number of small water dogs preferred for retrieving by waterfowlers because their smooth, short coats did not retain icy water in the freezing weather. The Earl of Malmesbury upon seeing the swift black retrieving dogs took a liking to them and arranged to have some imported to England. It wasn't until 1887 that the name "Labrador" was coined when the Earl incorrectly referred to them in a letter as his "Labrador dog." It was in the same letter that he also mentions the physical attributes which still distinguish the breed today... "its close coat which turns the water off like oil and above all, a tail like an otter."

Getting what you want from your breeding program A mating with an inbreeding coefficient of 10 percent, based on an eight generation pedigree, would be considered moderate inbreeding for a Labrador Retriever (a popular breed with a low average inbreeding coefficient), but would be considered an outcross for an Irish Water Spaniel (a rare breed with a higher average inbreeding coefficient).

Is the Labrador Retriever the right breed for you? If you've owned a Lab before, then you already know the answer to this question and can skip this section. For those who have not yet experienced the joy of sharing their homes with one, the following may answer some questions.
The pros: It is not by chance that the Labrador has become one of the most successful companion dogs in the world. Throughout its history, though interbreeding and diversity of type have taken place, three attributes of the original ancestors of the breed have persevered: the short, dense coat, the otter tail, and the good natured temperament. Even-tempered, utterly dependable with children, loyal, devoted, affectionate, highly trainable are just a few of the adjectives which describe Labs. For these reasons and many others, Labs are the favored breed as guides for the blind and helpers for the deaf and paralyzed.

How often do you change your dogs food? Dogs (actually all mammals) are designed to consume a range of different foods, and to obtain differing vitamins and minerals from each. They are not designed to eat “only chicken” or “only lamb” or any other food item for eternity. Changing foods, importantly the contents of those foods, every so often helps to give them the variety their bodies were designed to thrive on.

There is no one dog food in existence that “has it all”. And remember, the feeding trials that foods go through only last for six months (and not all foods are even trialled). Changing foods periodically helps to ensure that no dietary deficiencies or excesses build up over time.

Spears Labradors

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