THE PEDIGREE LABRADOR RETRIEVER ABOUT THE BREED The Labrador Retriever is the most popular pedigree breed in New Zealand. Labradors are extremely versatile dogs and serve mankind in a multitude of roles ranging from guide dogs, sniffer dogs, therapy dogs etc to working hunters. They are supreme water dogs due to their double, waterproof coats and otter tails. Because they form such close bonds with people they are not happy in an environment where they are left home alone for extended periods every day. Separation anxiety frequently occurs in Labradors that cannot spend much of their time with their owners. Medium in size and strongly built, they have a biddable, steady temperament. They make ideal family pets if given sensible and consistent training from puppyhood. The Labrador is a strong and active breed which requires a moderate amount of exercise. They will happily live in an urban or rural environment provided that they are given an adequate amount of mental stimulation and physical activity. The waterproof double coat is a characteristic feature of the breed and should be short, dense and quite harsh to the touch but always accompanied by a softer undercoat. Only three colours are permissible under worldwide breed standards and they are: black, yellow and chocolate. Yellows can range in colour from almost white to rich fox red. Beware of silver/charcoal/platinum/champagne Labradors In the USA designer dog breeders have created what is known as the silver or platinum Labrador by crossbreeding Labradors with Weimaraners. Some of the darker silvers are marketed as charcoals and silver breeders even claim to have invented a champagne coloured Labrador! Silver Labradors are a threat to the pedigree integrity of the Labrador breed and are not accepted as purebred dogs by any legitimate kennel club registration authority in the world. Due to the coat colour dilution gene locus from the Weimaraner, these silver dogs suffer from debilitating skin and thyroid problems. Many silvers/charcoals have problems with hip dysplasia due to generations of breeding from untested dogs. Neurological disorders such as epilepsy are also widespread in silver Labradors due to the intensive in-breeding that is required to maintain the unnatural silver colour. Every silver Labrador in the world traces back to just two kennels in the USA that housed Weimaraners and Labradors together. The colour has never been known to occur naturally in the breed. Black, chocolate or yellow Labradors do not appear in "dilute" form. Silvers imported from the USA are now present in Australasia so it is a case of buyer beware and always check with a reputable breeder or breed club before purchasing any Labrador Retriever puppy. The New Zealand Kennel Club pedigree database has now been corrupted by the presence of silver Labradors falsely registered as chocolate Labradors therefore NZKC pedigree papers can no longer be regarded as an assurance of purity of pedigree. If you have any questions or doubts about any Labrador pedigree please do not hesitate to get in touch with Labradors NZ for further information. Avoid Pet Shop Puppies It is sensible to purchase Labradors from reputable and experienced NZKC registered breeders who make full use of the eye, hip and elbow testing schemes. Buying Labradors from pet shops is not recommended due to the lack of after sales support from such commercial traders along with their tendency to purchase puppies from breeding stock that does not make the grade physically, temperamentally or genetically. Most pet shops will actually charge more for a pedigree puppy than a reputable breeder will charge. It is alarming how many supposedly purebred pups purchased from pet shops turn out to be crossbreeds. PUPPY BUYING GUIDE Hip and elbow dysplasia (arthritic disorders of those joints) is not uncommon in many larger breeds of dog and the Labrador is no exception. When purchasing any Labrador puppy make sure you ask to see copies of hip, elbow and eye certificates for the sire and dam of the litter. If the breeder cannot produce them it implies that they have either not been done or the results were not satisfactory. Hips and elbows of a mature Labrador (over 12 months of age) are x-rayed and graded using a scoring system. Each hip is scored with a score of 0 representing a perfect score and 53 being the worst possible score. The scores of each hip are then combined to give the official score. At present the average worldwide score in the Labrador breed is a total of 16 therefore a total hip score of under 16 is better than average. Breeders hope to achieve the lowest scores possible. Elbows are scored slightly differently with 0 being the best possible score and three being the worst. Scores possible are 0, B, 1a, 1b, 2 and 3 on each elbow. Scores of 2 or 3 are regarded as highly undesirable and represent significant arthritic changes in the elbow joints. Some inherited eye conditions have also been noted in the breed. Eyes are examined by veterinary specialist opthalmologists and unlike hip and elbow testing (which is done only once in a dog's lifetime) these eye certificates need to be updated yearly for all breeding Labradors. Eyes are tested for such inherited conditions as PRA (night blindness), retinal dysplasia, corneal dystrophy and cataracts. A DNA test is now available to discover if a dog is affected by PRA, a carrier of PRA or clear of PRA. A good dog breeder's establishment should not be dirty or malodorous and the premises should be free from fleas, flies and vermin. Labrador puppies should appear well covered but not fat. A fat pup is an unhealthy pup. However, when you pick up a Labrador puppy he will feel heavy for his size which denotes good substance. Regular wormings need to be carried out and any pup sold should have been given preliminary vaccinations. Check the pup's mouth to ensure that his bite is correct (his top teeth should slightly overlap his bottom teeth as in a human's mouth). Any serious mouth faults in a young puppy should ring alarm bells. Puppies should leave for their new homes no younger than eight weeks of age. Before this age they are easily stressed and not mature enough to cope with environmental change. Prices for pedigree Labrador Retriever puppies can range between $700 and $1,000 for a well bred animal from hip, elbow and eye tested parents. Registration of puppies with the New Zealand Kennel Club costs only $45 per puppy so do not be fooled by those who charge exorbitant extra amounts for "papers". Colour should make no difference to price. Chocolate Labradors are not rare at all and the enormous prices some people charge for this colour variety are not justified. We recommend that you do some research before purchasing your Labrador. Joining a club dedicated to the breed is a great first step. At present Labradors NZ (formerly Midland Labrador Trust) is the only Labrador organisation in New Zealand to feature a compulsory breeders code of ethics. Click here to learn more about the breed and to read our code of ethics  JOIN LABRADORS NZ Why not come and join us? Labradors NZ has a top quality magazine published quarterly which is full of interesting, educational and entertaining articles. We welcome pet owners, breeders, working gun dog owners and anybody who loves Labrador Retrievers as much as we do! Our annual subscription rate is just $30 for NZ residents and $45 for overseas residents. If you are also a Labrador breeder our membership benefits include free litter, kennel and stud dog magazine and website listings. New subscribers are very welcome indeed. E-mail us if you require more information or advice about pedigree Labradors. OUR MAGAZINE The September 2010 issue of Labradors NZ magazine is now available. We also have back copies of previous issues for sale. Read all the news, views and information regarding Labradors in New Zealand and around the world. For non-members all magazines are priced at $8 each including p&p. Our magazine is the most comprehensive Labrador related publication in New Zealand. E-mail Us: labradorsnz@actrix.co.nz LABRADOR PUPPIES AND ADULTS AVAILABLE Disclaimer: Whilst all our subscribers have agreed to abide by our code of ethics we urge Labrador buyers to inspect hip, elbow and eye certificates for the sire and dam of any litter. Only dogs and bitches that conform to the breed standard should be bred. "Labradors NZ" takes no responsibility for any issues arising from the sale, purchase or adoption of any Labrador from it's members. Conditions such as hip and elbow dysplasia are not 100% hereditary so it is important for puppy buyers to follow sensible advice regarding diet, exercise and environment - all of which can influence a dog's development and health. All litters notified on this website are NZKC registered pedigree from sires and dams who have been eye tested and hip and elbow scored. Jancerie Labradors in Wellsford has yellow male and female puppies available. For more information please contact Ally Battrick at: phone (09) 431 5881, mobile 021 2103396,   or e-mail: allybattrick@hotmail.com  If you would prefer an older Labrador why not e-mail us to put your name on the list to adopt an older or rescue Labrador. CLICK HERE FOR THE LABRADORS NZ LIST OF STUD DOGS LABRADORS NZ BREEDERS LIST (click the links below for contact details) Mulloch Labradors, Northland - phone (09) 404 1311 Jancerie Labradors, Wellsford Ashdale Labradors, Warkworth Bornefield Labradors, Waimauku, Auckland Lyndridge Labradors, Ardmore Truffleland Labradors, Tauranga Belvador Labradors, Rotorua      Bluffhigh Labradors, Rotorua                            Chasers Labradors, Taupo                          Blackhills Labradors, Taupo  Shadan Labradors, Taupo       Dana Labradors, Hastings Northcape Labradors, Stratford Lifestyle Labradors, New Plymouth Garrison Labradors, Carterton Roughfield Labradors, Wellington Gamefield Labradors, Nelson Le Gilly Labradors, Kaiapoi Flagstaff Labradors, Invercargill Strangways Labradors, Australia Arohanui Labradors, England Lancastria Labradors, England Labradors NZ is proud to be sponsored by: www.eukanuba.co.nz