Labrador Retriever buying advice

I was in the same boat as you about a year and a half ago when I was looking for a chocolate lab. We ended up paying around $800 for a purebred. What you get with a purebred vs. a mutt is the history and the general disposition. A reputable breeder should let you meet the dog's parents, should have a reason for breeding (not just the money, should be either showing, trials, etc) and should have an affection for the breed and protecting the breed. With labs, look at the hip certification and the eyes (can't remember what the genetic eye defect labs are prone to is called). Labs can be great pets but they are active and incredibly smart. When they're not kept active enough, they use that brain in other ways (usually destructive). If you can't keep a lab excercised, you might want to consider a less active breed. I notice on days when mine doesn't get enough excercise, he's a pain in the ass, chewing on things, running laps in the house, just an overall nuisance. They're smart dogs and like to be engaged. They're not a dog to just throw a bone to and leave them alone, they do better when interacted with like field trials, obedience, agility, etc. Just my $0.02 as a current lab owner.

As others have said, the dog doesn't have to be a purebred to make a good pet. Good luck!

 

OP didn't mention if he has kids or not, and if he plans to in the future if he has none now. In my opinion, this is crucial. Labs need a lot of attention. Mine is very needy, almost like a toddler. And he's 4 now. I have two daughters, one is 3 yrs, one is 3 1/2 months old. The lab is better with them than any dog I've ever had or known. He's a wuss, scared of nothing, but wouldn't harm a flea. If someone broke in, he'd lick them and ask for treats. But with the girls here now, he guards the infant when she lays on the floor. We got home from the beach last night, and he sat by her door while we unloaded the big stuff from the car. Never moved until we got her out.

Point is, I think a lot of what you get out of a puppy is luck. I bought two pups at the same time when I got Miller. One for us, and the other for my best friend that just lost his golden retriever. They looked the same, acted the same, and my wife chose ours because his ears looked fluffier. Now, they are night and day. Both sweet, but Miller acts like an old fart. Has since he was 6 months old. Only gets excited when we get home or go outside to play. That's it. But take him out with a ball, and your arm will tire before him. His brother, on the other hand, is cracked out of his mind 24/7. I think a lot of it is luck, and a lot of it is how you train and discipline your dog. I have trained several, and use a training collar (shock collar). It will make a dog bake you a cake if you use it correctly. Don't get a lab if you have no time to train it. For the dog's sake, don't get one if you are going to pen it up for it's whole life in a 10x10 kennel. Do get one if you want an extremely loyal and rewarding new addition to your family. My dogs are like children...and they haven't used the bathroom in the house since they were 4 months old. Try that with a toddler.

 

Rescue don't buy.