Florida's top champion breeder of Labradors, Chambray Labradors Puppy Information Page
Questions To Ask!
Most visitors to the
website inquiring
about puppies usually ask the same questions, such as
-
Do the puppies have AKC papers?
-
What is the price?
While these are
legitimate questions,
they should be the last things that an
interested puppy buyer should ask of a
Labrador breeder.
Your first questions
should deal with the
health & soundness of the parents used in the
breeding of the litter!
What good are AKC
papers and hard earned money
if what you purchase is doomed right from
the start?
HERE IS WHAT YOU SHOULD BE ASKING!
"Have the parents of
the litter had the
following clearances?"
1. DNA Testing for Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
2. Radiographs for detecting Degenerative Joint Disease (Hip Dysplasia)
These are the 2 most
prevalent issues
that should be addressed both by the breeders
and prospective new owners
First
about Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
HERE ARE SOME FACTS ABOUT PRA
PRA is a dreaded eye
disease that affects a host of breeds,
including the Labrador Retrievers.
Those dogs that are AFFECTED will go BLIND!!!!!
It manifests itself in a genetic recessive manner.
Dogs that are AFFECTED will pass the gene to all of its offspring!
A dog can be a CARRIER and pass it on to
50% of its offspring.
There are two ways to tell if a dog is a
CLEAR or CARRIER or AFFECTED
1. DNA TESTING! This is 100% the best way!
2. If it produces blind puppies, which is absolutely the worst way to
find out that
a dog is AFFECTED with the disease!!!!!
The ONLY way to ensure that the puppies in a litter will not inherit the disease is to have all the dogs DNA TESTED and NOT use any dogs that are AFFECTED!!!!!!
ALL *SIRES* USED IN OUR BREEDING PROGRAM HAVE BEEN TESTED AND ALL ARE
CLEAR!!!!!!
THIS GUARANTEES 100%
THAT NONE OF THE PUPPIES WILL
EVER DEVELOP PRA!!!!!!
WE GUARANTEE THAT IN WRITING!!
*By the end of 2009,
all the females in the breeding program will also have been tested.
Right now, 90% of the females have been tested and the 10% that have not
been
tested will not be bred until they are!.
****************************************
Second about:
DEGENERATIVE JOINT
DISEASE
HIP DYSPLASIA (CHD)
There isn't a DNA
test available yet for CHD, but the
day there is, all our current dogs will be
tested!!!!
The best we can do
at the moment is to have all dogs
X-rayed to determine if they have the
disease and only use
those dogs that are free from "visual" CHD.
While it is not 100%
perfect, this method is all we have at the present.
There is no guarantee
that every single puppy will be free from CHD,
but the chances are way
in our favor if both parents are free of CHD,
in fact OFA* has determined
that the chances for passing
hips in puppies from parents that are free
from
the disease is over 90%!!!
Although according to OFA, there is a "good" chance of 90+% ,
We Warrantee our puppies 100%
In the unlikely
event that one of our puppies develops CHD, we will replace it with
another puppy of equal value becomes available!
(within 18 months at the latest)
WE GUARANTEE THAT IN WRITING!!
*Below are the
official OFA percentages
Those pairings in blue denote
using parents that have passed.
Those pairing in red denote parents with hip dysplasia
Ex (sire) to Ex (Dam) 96% norm 4%
dysp
Ex to Good 93% norm 7% dysp
Ex to Fair 90% norm 10% dysp
Ex to Dysp 86% norm 14% dysp
Good to Ex 94% norm 6% dysp
Good to Good 90% norm 10% dysp
Good to Fair 87% norm 13% dysp
Good to Dysp 80% norm 20% dysp
Fair to Ex 90% norm 10% dysp
Fair to Good 86% norm 14% dysp
Fair to Fair 80% norm 20% dysp
Fair to Dysp 73% norm 27% dysp
Dysp to Ex 85% norm 15% dysp
Dysp to Good 81% norm 19% dysp
Dysp to Fair 72% norm 28% dysp
Dysp to Dysp 64% norm 36% dysp
****************************************
So, your first
questions when inquiring about puppies, should be about the soundness
and health
of the parents of the litter.
Ask for proof of
the tests performed!!!!!
(If the test were submitted
to OFA, they will be listed at the OFA site as proof)
Your second set of
questions should be about the GUARANTEES that come with the puppy.
You
should be provided
that in writing!!!
(or on the website and be
able to generate a hardcopy of those guarantees and have the breeder
sign it,
making it an iron-clad contract)
Then you can ask
about
AKC papers and about the price!
Remember,
a puppy is
a 14 year investment
of love and also of the initial money
you pay for the puppy.
**************************************
THINGS TO
CONSIDER WHEN
SEARCHING FOR A PUPPY
It is a "buyer
beware" market!
There are
thousands of puppy mill operators
advertising on the Internet.
Keep in mind that
anyone can set up a great
looking website with photos of cute puppies,
photos
that they "borrowed" from others.
Also be on the
lookout for "puppy brokers"
who sell on consignment, as these types are here today and no where to
be found tomorrow in the event that something happens to your puppy.
There are also
thousands upon thousands of back yard breeders that are perpetuating the
"pet shop quality" puppies. The majority of these "breeders" started out
with puppy mill dogs and now they are furthering that
level of dog with
litters from them.
Feel 100%
comfortable with the breeder that you are dealing now as you search for
your new member of your family, because that is who you will be dealing
with in the event something
goes wrong later!
For more
information, read the following article.
The Chambray Difference
by Sandy Herzon
*****************************************
On the following
pages there is more valuable information to use in your search for
your new puppy. Compare what we offer as a guideline for things to ask
for when dealing with other people offering puppies for sale.
The following
applies to our
Show Quality Puppies
Show Puppies' Amenities
Show Puppies' Guarantees
Show Puppies' Show Training Package
The following applies to our
Pet Puppies
Pet Puppies' Amenities
Pet Puppies' Guarantees
Pet Puppies' Pet Training Package
click above icon for puppy & litter information
Click Expected Litters
labs@chambraylabradors.com
www.chambraylabradors.com
www.labradorwell.com
the Labrador Retriever Information Center
for Owners, Breeders & Exhibitors
Miami Florida
