AKC Labrador Breed Standard
Medical Problems with Labradors
"MAJOR MEDICAL PROBLEMS" include hip & elbow dysplasia and eye disorders.
You can have your dog certified clear of hip dysplasia by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).
Eye disorders can be determined by having your vet examine your dog yearly. Progressive Retinal Atrophy, cataracts,
and retinal dysplasia are eye disorders.
Hip dysplasia (HD) is common in many large breed dogs. Hip dysplasia (HD) can be caused by genetics, diet & over feeding, too much excercise and the environment in which you live.
After doing some research on the internet about HD, we believe that environmental & nutritional factors play a definite role in whether your dog can develop hip dysplasia. Just as in humans, accidents, weather, diet and excercise will all affect a dog's health and well-being.
We would have to include too many stipulations in order to guarantee hips/elbows on puppies, as do other breeders, so we've just decided not to include the hip and elbow guarantee at this time.
We feel it isn't fair to the buyer to expect a guarantee on hips and elbows and possibly not get it if they are not able to meet the conditions listed below.
Due to environmental factors contributing to HD, it's not always possible for a dog owner to meet some or all of these conditiions. We do offer a "72 hour health guarantee".
Here are some of the stipulations in most hip guarantees (so read these guarantees carefully, ask the breeder questions and get it all in writing):
- All costs and treatments are the sole responsibility of the buyer, including shipping the diseased dog back to breeder and including shipment of new pup to buyer.
- Some breeders won't even consider accepting x-rays prior to 2 years of age on hips or elbows even if you or your vet believe your puppy has HD at 6 months.
First you are required to go thru costly x-rays and clearances at 24 months old before returning the pup for a replacement puppy. (This means 2 years of devotion and love before you can get your guarantee)
- No over feeding
- Not over excercising
- No jogging the dog until after the pup/dog is 1 year old
- You must show proper receipts for purchasing an all natural food and showing proof of feeding your puppy this for the first 2 years of life
- If your x-rays by your vet are incorrectly performed on your dog, we will not honor any hip/elbow or health guarantee
- If your x-rays by your vet are incorrectly performed on your dog or the OFA doesn't accept the x-rays we will not honor any hip/elbow or health guarantee
- If you fail to provide all documetation as for hip & health records to the breeder within the time stated in the contract
- No breeding the pup/dog before the age of 2 years
- Allowing the puppy/dog to do an excessive amount of jumping up or down
- The puppy/dog is not owned by the original buyer
- The dog must not be over 24 (commonly 24-30 months) months old in age
- Hip evaluation must come from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and must show that the hips are moderately to severely dysplastic
- If you leave your dog outside too often (whose the one to determine this in order to be eligible for the guarantee?)
- The environment in which you live (some breeders told me that the weather is a reason for lameness in dogs, which I agree with, so they won't cover the guarantee if your dog has been left outside too often)
- Provide proof of caring for your dog exactly according to your breeder's guidelines stated in the contract
- Provide a "second" set of x-rays to the breeder before replacement of pup, for the breeder to keep on file as proof of bad hips/elbows.
- Replacement puppy only, no funds returned to buyer.
- Some breeders require you to return your 1st puppy in order to get the replacement pup.
- Some breeders require you to pay shipping cost to send your 1st pup back to them and pay for new shipping charges to send your new replacement pup to you.
These dogs love to jump, swim and run. These actions alone can cause problems with joints, tendons and muscles, just as it does in humans. We can only do our best as new puppy owners to follow all the stipulations above to help our dogs live long, healthy lives.
If you fail to do any of the above you may void your HIP (and/or Health) guarantee for your puppy.
If hip dysplasia was 100% genetic, we wouldn't need these stipulations in the contracts because we wouldn't have breeders producing pups if their sires and dams carried the genes for HD.
Every potential sire and dam to be bred would be tested (before breeding) to see if they were a carrier of the gene and if they were, then they wouldn't be bred.
I do believe that getting clearances may reduce the risk of HD, but again, it is not a 100% guarantee that your puppy will not get or have HD.
Socialization
We do encourage adequate family socialization before taking a puppy home with you. Feel free to spend a few hours at our home with your family to become socialized with the litter in order to determine which puppy you think would be best for your family. You may feel free to visit weekly to become better associated with our litters.
Health Guarantee
We do offer a HEALTH Guarantee on all of our puppies.
(This online guarantee is only a sample that is designed for our website and may not be updated as frequently as the written guarantee we use.
Should there be any differences between this online version of our guarantee and the actual written contract provided to puppy purchasers,
the written and signed contract will prevail in all circumstances).
Your puppy is guaranteed to be in good health upon pickup, having all vaccinations and worming treatments as suggested by our veterinarian that are necessary for his/her age.
Breeder agrees this dog is in good health at the time of purchase and will furnish buyer with the puppy’s immunization records by our veterinarian. Breeder agrees a licensed veterinarian examined the puppy prior to sale of puppy. Buyer agrees to have the puppy examined by a licensed veterinarian, within 72 hours of the effective date of this contract.
The licensed veterinarian must check for congenital defects as well as the puppy’s overall health. A health certificate, on company letterhead that is signed by the licensed veterinarian is required and must be returned to the breeder within 7 days of purchase.
Buyer shall assume full responsibility for the above described puppy during the 72 hour period from time of purchase. If the puppy is found to be unhealthy with a congenital defect during said 72 hours, then the buyer must return the puppy and all related health paperwork within 5 days of purchase,
including the examining veterinarian’s written statement of diagnosis, including a detailed description of all symptoms supporting that diagnosis, results of any tests performed, and the reason why the vet feels the dog is a poor health risk, to Breeder for a replacement puppy of equal value.
In addition, Breeder reserves the right to have puppy checked by a vet of Breeder's choice for a second opinion to any related argument of puppy's health and/or behavior. Furthermore, this health guarantee becomes null and void to the Buyer should the vet check be waived or not administered within the said 72 hour time or the paperwork not returned within the time specified in this contract.
Breeder guarantees a replacement puppy upon availability. There will be NO refunds on purchase price, replacement of puppy only. Breeder and Buyer must agree upon replacement puppy as soon as such a puppy is available.
Buyer agrees they were informed and fully aware that the litter's parents have not yet had hips and elbows certified by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) nor had the eyes certified by the Canine Eye Research Foundation (CERF).
Research has shown that hip dysplasia can be caused by genetics, environment, diet, over feeding, premature breeding and over exercising. Buyer agrees they have been given the opportunity to see both parents visibly before purchasing puppy.
Any and all health costs are the sole responsibility of the Buyer once the purchase is made.
Breeder recommends the following steps be taken for the health, training and safety of the said puppy/dog described herein:
- Properly maintain the health of the dog, for the life of the dog, which includes regular exercise & proper nutrition.
- To have the dog examined by a licensed veterinarian and to be annually vaccinated and maintained on a heartworm preventative.
- Provide a FENCED yard (underground fencing is sufficient), proper shelter, adequate feeding and exercise.
- The animal should be properly socialized to people outside the family, children, other dogs, strange places, sights and sounds, beginning immediately after vaccinations.
- Buyer (or anyone living in the same household with puppy) agrees to never neglect or abuse the puppy/dog at any time.
- Attend obedience classes with puppy and provide proper socialization opportunities for the puppy.
Furthermore, buyer assumes full liability for any damages or injuries, whether physical, mental, emotional or economic, caused by the Labrador retriever dog to any person or animal, or to any property, whether real or personal, after receiving possession of said puppy (dog).
Buyer agrees to notify Breeder if at any time in the future Buyer is unable or unwilling to keep this puppy/dog for any reason.
Buyer agrees to first contact Breeder, who will either accept the dog on a return basis or assist the buyer in finding a suitable alternative home
for the dog. This does not imply a financial commitment on the part of the breeder.
Buyer agrees to first inform Breeder of any transfer in ownership of dog. Breeder does NOT guarantee reselling the dog.
Should the Buyer of the above described animal not meet the conditions described in this puppy sales contract/health guarantee,
Buyer agrees to release and hold harmless Breeder for any and all liability in regards to any health and/or behavioral problems whether it be mental or physical with the puppy/dog.
A spay/neuter clause may accompany AKC Limited Registration.
"PET QUALITY" - We raise our labradors as "pet quality" labs only. We do NOT offer or guarantee "show quality", coat color, size, weight, markings, disposition or breeding ability on our pups.
VIEW OUR HEALTH GUARANTEE HERE - You will be required to sign a copy of this guarantee upon pickup of your new puppy.
Our labradors' bloodlines stem from Bradking, Inselheim and Sandylands kennels.
CH Hilltop Countryside Barn Burner and his father, ENG/AM CH Bradking Rangeways Mr Chips are just a couple.
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