How We Do Things
Please read prior to inquiring, and let me know if you have questions or need clarification.
Socialization and enrichment begins the second the puppies are born. For the first three weeks of life, we do early neurological stimulation exercises with each pup every day. Read about the benefits of early neurological stimulation here. They are carefully handled several times per day, and their health is closely monitored. As the weeks go by, they are gradually exposed to age-appropriate situations to encourage them to build confidence, adaptability, and trust in humans.
All of our dogs live in the house with us, and the puppies are no exception! We have an enclosure in our living room where the puppies live. We put rubber flooring down and scrub it clean daily with nontoxic soap and hot water. At around 3 weeks old, the puppies begin to use a "litter box" to do their business. I also take them out to the yard for bathroom breaks throughout the day.
All of our dogs live in the house with us, and the puppies are no exception! We have an enclosure in our living room where the puppies live. We put rubber flooring down and scrub it clean daily with nontoxic soap and hot water. At around 3 weeks old, the puppies begin to use a "litter box" to do their business. I also take them out to the yard for bathroom breaks throughout the day.
The Puppy Pen in our living room
Puppies will receive age-appropriate vaccinations and de-worming while in our care, as well as a thorough veterinary exam between 6-7 weeks old to make sure each puppy is healthy and ready to take on the world! We guarantee each puppy free from any defects that may affect their life as a pet. A detailed veterinary history for each puppy will be included in the packet given at the time of pickup. We also provide official health papers for any puppies that need to fly on a plane or cross state lines.
Once the pups receive their first round of vaccinations, they are able to begin exploring the outside world. We do a few "outings" during weeks 7 through 9 so the puppies get used to traveling in the car to new places. They get several positive interactions with kids, adults, strangers, dogs, and other animals during their time with us.
At the end of the day, each pup gets a solo session with us and the older dogs, where they are encouraged to hang out away from their litter mates. They grow to love their alone time with the humans, and it's fun to watch them gain confidence out by themselves. As they approach 7-8 weeks, we begin to add in a casual introduction to crate training. All this to hopefully smooth the transition to life with their new families!
At the end of the day, each pup gets a solo session with us and the older dogs, where they are encouraged to hang out away from their litter mates. They grow to love their alone time with the humans, and it's fun to watch them gain confidence out by themselves. As they approach 7-8 weeks, we begin to add in a casual introduction to crate training. All this to hopefully smooth the transition to life with their new families!
If you are on our waiting list, you are welcome to schedule a visit to meet the puppies as soon as they vaccinated. Please do not show up without an appointment. This is our home and we try to maintain strict biosecurity measures when we have puppies around. Thank you for understanding!
When the puppies are 8 weeks old, we go through our list and decide which puppy will be placed with which family. We carefully place puppies in their best-suited homes because each puppy has a unique set of personality characteristics and quirks. We select families that have the right lifestyle, energy level, personality, and preferences to fit their needs. (in lieu of allowing families to "pick" their puppy based on looks or a first impression--which often results in a poor fit and unhappy people and dogs).
- On the same note, please understand that we do NOT place puppies based on "redness" or "darkness". A breeding between two "fox red" dogs will result in a range of dark yellow/fox red shades. The shade of yellow will not be a major factor in our placements. If you are on the list for a fox red puppy, just know that there are a variety of shades, and ours do not tend to be super dark because we refuse to do any sort of inbreeding (which is usually how those super dark puppies are produced). We will always choose health, temperament, structure, and genetic diversity over color.
We let families know who their "puppy match" is approximately a week before pickup. Puppies will leave for their new homes between 8-9 weeks old. This gives us time to get to know their personalities, select show prospects, and make travel arrangements. Most importantly, the puppies gain valuable social skills by wrestling and interacting with their littermates!
To promote *only* responsible breeding, all of our puppies are sold on AKC Limited Registration. What does this mean? "Limited Registration" means that the dog is AKC-registered, but is not intended for breeding. Dogs on Limited Registration can participate in the majority of AKC events such as obedience, rally, hunt tests, agility, nose work, the CGC program, and many more! They are only ineligible for the events intended for breeding stock, such as conformation. Puppy families will sign a contract stating they will spay/neuter their dogs before 3 years of age.
To pick up your puppy, it is required to meet in person. You can come to our farm in western Iowa, or we can meet you at a nearby airport (Omaha, NE) so you can travel with the puppy in-cabin in a carry-on sized crate. If traveling by air, is the buyer's responsibility to arrange the flight and ensure the puppy falls into the age & weight range allowing them to fly as carry-on with the airline they have chosen. We do not ship puppies via air or ground cargo.
And most importantly: we are here to provide LIFETIME support for our puppies! More often than not, puppy families become like family to us. We hope they feel comfortable coming to us for any question or concern they have regarding their puppy, at any time. I might not have every answer, but I will go to great lengths to help in any way that I can. If one of our puppies must be rehomed, we are happy to take the dog back into our care at any point in its lifetime, no questions asked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are your Labs English or American type?
We proudly raise well-bred, AKC standard Labrador Retrievers. Some people call them "English Labs" but we prefer not to use that term because the Labrador breed was actually a fishing dog developed in Newfoundland (a province of Canada).
What is a fox red Lab?
Fox red is a term for a shade of very dark yellow Lab. Yellow Labs come in a range of colors from dark red to almost white, all of which have the same basic color genotype. Believe it or not, fox red is actually the original "shade" of Yellow (think: Old Yeller!). It became more rare in the 1990s and 2000s, when the "white" shade of yellow became a fad. A few great breeders preserved the fox red shade in their lines here in the USA such as Dr. Pam Doubek (Penara Labs), Judy McCormick (Keepsake Labradors), and Sally Kelly (Kelleygreen Labradors). All of the fox red Labradors of today trace back to a those select few dogs. Read more about fox red history here: penara.com/fox-red-history.html
Is there a difference in temperament or trainability between males & females?
In this breed, there should be no difference in temperament or trainability between the males and females. Structural differences are the main things you will notice (males tend to get bigger & blockier, and females tend to be a little bit smaller and more feminine). Contrary to popular belief, both sexes will hump things (especially if left intact), but this behavior is easily mitigated with proper training and socialization.
Do you remove dew claws?
Nope. There is evidence that removal of dewclaws in puppies is associated with carpal arthritis later in life. Furthermore, dogs use their dewclaws for gripping and climbing (watch this video if you don't believe me!). I liken it to removing the front claws on cats. Dewclaw removal has become a thing of the past among many show and field breeders across many breeds. Dewclaw injuries are actually quite rare. As long as they are routinely trimmed along with the other claws, they are a non-issue. My dogs romp around in thick brush nearly every day of their lives, and nobody has ever snagged one. :-) "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"
We proudly raise well-bred, AKC standard Labrador Retrievers. Some people call them "English Labs" but we prefer not to use that term because the Labrador breed was actually a fishing dog developed in Newfoundland (a province of Canada).
What is a fox red Lab?
Fox red is a term for a shade of very dark yellow Lab. Yellow Labs come in a range of colors from dark red to almost white, all of which have the same basic color genotype. Believe it or not, fox red is actually the original "shade" of Yellow (think: Old Yeller!). It became more rare in the 1990s and 2000s, when the "white" shade of yellow became a fad. A few great breeders preserved the fox red shade in their lines here in the USA such as Dr. Pam Doubek (Penara Labs), Judy McCormick (Keepsake Labradors), and Sally Kelly (Kelleygreen Labradors). All of the fox red Labradors of today trace back to a those select few dogs. Read more about fox red history here: penara.com/fox-red-history.html
Is there a difference in temperament or trainability between males & females?
In this breed, there should be no difference in temperament or trainability between the males and females. Structural differences are the main things you will notice (males tend to get bigger & blockier, and females tend to be a little bit smaller and more feminine). Contrary to popular belief, both sexes will hump things (especially if left intact), but this behavior is easily mitigated with proper training and socialization.
Do you remove dew claws?
Nope. There is evidence that removal of dewclaws in puppies is associated with carpal arthritis later in life. Furthermore, dogs use their dewclaws for gripping and climbing (watch this video if you don't believe me!). I liken it to removing the front claws on cats. Dewclaw removal has become a thing of the past among many show and field breeders across many breeds. Dewclaw injuries are actually quite rare. As long as they are routinely trimmed along with the other claws, they are a non-issue. My dogs romp around in thick brush nearly every day of their lives, and nobody has ever snagged one. :-) "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"
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