Labrador retrievers have become the most popular dogs in the United States. Having made it to the top, they have stayed there for several years and seem reluctant to give up the crown.
Many of the Labradors that have found homes as a result of the breed’s popularity have become pets, but this dog was and continues to be bred as a hunting dog.
Labrador Puppies Hunting Houses
Visit a breeder or animal shelter, and you’ll find plenty of Labrador puppies hunting for houses. Some will be AKC registered purebred dogs. Some will be mixed. Some will be bred for pets, while others will be bred for show. However, if you want Labrador puppies to hunt, you’ll want to look for specific characteristics.
breeder
The best Labrador puppies for hunting are probably the ones that come from a good breeder. The breeder must be familiar with the breed standard. More importantly though, the breeder must be dedicated and passionate about training, breeding and hunting Labrador Retrievers.
Ask basic questions. Does the breeder use only breeding stock that comes from the best field test and game test lines available? Ask to see the pedigrees of the breeding dogs. Ask to see proof of prizes won.
Does the breeder monitor the health of breeding dogs? Are your labs’ eyes and hips tested for genetic disorders prior to breeding? Will they guarantee the health of the eyes and hips of Labrador puppies for a while? Do they keep the kennels clean, clearly sanitized?
Are there testimonials available from customers who have purchased Labrador puppies to hunt? Is there a chance to speak directly with any of those people to get more information?
Labrador Puppies
Watch the pups carefully and ask questions. It won’t be too difficult to choose the puppies that you find the cutest, but there are bigger issues at stake if you want Labrador puppies to hunt.
Run through the following checklist. Labrador puppies that have all or most of these 7 characteristics are likely to be best suited for hunting. The 7 features are not necessarily listed in order of importance.
1. Labrador puppies have been well socialized, including learning to be comfortable with both children and adults: learning to get along with other dogs; introduction to birds; box conditioning; and conditioning of kennels.
2. Labrador puppies have been introduced to water season permitting.
3. They are obviously smart.
4. They are bright and alert when playing.
5. All Labrador puppies have respected pedigrees.
6. All Labrador puppies have had quality veterinary care, have been dewormed and have received the necessary vaccinations.
7. They are clean and shiny.
new owner
No matter how wonderful Labrador puppy hunting homes are, if they are going to be Labrador puppies for hunting, the new owner will have a lot of responsibility. You will have to take those smart, energetic and eager Labrador puppies and teach them to retrieve birds for you. To do so, you may want to consider the following points.
1. It’s a fallacy that your Labrador puppies need to be kept outside in a kennel if they’re going to be good hunting dogs. Labrador retrievers bond better with their owners and develop much better temperaments if they are allowed to live indoors with the family.
2. For the first 5 or 6 months, you may want to teach your Labrador puppies little more than retrieve. That is, you may want to teach them to come when called. This is extremely important in recovery. It is also important when an emergency arises, such as an unexpected vehicle, a snake, etc. It is a lesson that human children must also learn from an early age. You want your Labrador puppies to learn that “Come” means to immediately run to you.
3. Some puppies are taught to sit when they are very young, but they get so much praise that all they want to do is sit. Some start with an obedience course that would be used for any pet dog. They learn to obey many commands, but end up inadvertently adding recovery to the list.
4. Having Labrador puppies in the house allows you to use the hallway as an early “recovery ground” for the pups. When you throw a mannequin down the hall, they have nowhere to go but you. As the pups learn, you can sit on the side of the aisle so they come right up to you. If they try to get past you, you can easily capture them.
If you are inexperienced in training Labrador puppies for hunting, you may want to hire a trainer who is, or follow the use of the many books that offer complete training programs. Finally, even though you bought your Labrador retriever puppies to hunt, enjoy their everlasting affection and humor.
