Many Labrador owners will at some time or another considered breeding their Lab Retrievers, but there are many things to consider before taking the plunge into canine breeding. There are various reason why owners would want to breed their Labs. One of the main reasons is to produce a litter for themselves or their family, the second is to be able to sell the pups commercially.

Whatever your motivation it should be remembered that not all pregnancies result in a happy, healthy litter. And, if you have the female dog, breeding a litter at home can be a great experience for the first time breeder or it can be an unmitigated disaster. It is obviously very important to make sure you have the best possible pairing of dogs. Each dog must have a good temperament, be in top physical shape and free from disease. Each animals lineage should be checked to ensure there are no inherited problems such as hip dysplasia.

The temperament of the breeding pair is just as important as their health. Labradors inevitably end up in a family home so it is essential that they are temperamentally suited to sharing a home with children as well as adults.

Inbreeding must be avoided, so it is essential that the pedigrees of each breeding pair is checked to avoid the danger they are too closely related. If the pair are closely related it can be detrimental to the health of the puppies, poor temperament and weaken the bloodline.

Before mating it is advisable to let the dogs get to know each other and, ideally, each dog should be over two years-of-age. By this time any temperamental or health issues should be apparent. Breeding Labrador Retrievers is not a decision to rush into but it should be remembered that finding the right pair of dogs is only the beginning of the process. Once the mating has taken place and pregnancy is confirmed the real work begins.

The care of a Labrador retriever during pregnancy and also the whelping process can prove to be hard work. Once the pups are born that hard work will most certainly continue. The puppies have to be cared for and finding new homes for them can be time-consuming and expensive.

Finally, the importance of finding suitable new homes for the Labrador Retriever pups cannot be underestimated. Potential buyers who cannot guarantee and loving and caring environment for the puppies should be rejected.