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Know Your Breed, Genetic Health Testing, Genetics of Color, and COI (coefficient of inbreeding). Learn more.... Responsible Breeding "Ask questions and listen to answers, trying always to separate the relevant from the useless. Do not become hidebound by specific ideas; question everything, even what I am saying and what I write in my books. Think about everything, digest it, discuss it and ask more questions. Always try to learn and advance your understanding of the breed. You must not breed (only) by the numbers (hips/elbows). A good breeder goes about the job with a set aim of trying to produce functional dogs that approximate to the ideal. Don't struggle for perfect hips! Hips need be no better that what will give a dog an active pain free life, and to struggle for better can/WILL mean losing other dogs from the gene pool who have good things to offer, such as temperament. A dog is a whole animal, not just a pair of hips!” Dr. Malcom B. Willis Know Your Breed Remember the traits that exemplify the Labrador Retriever. It isn't only about Hips and Elbows. Genetic Health Testing Learn about the diseases relevant to the Labrador and how we do our best to ensure that your puppy will not inherit one of them. The Genetics of Color Ever wondered how we know what colors will be born to a breeding pair? It all sounds really complicated but once you have a basic understanding, it's pretty simple. COI - co-efficient of inbreeding All Purebreds are inbred. But too much inbreeding causes issues like infertility, small litters, and shortened lifespans. Learn about the different ways breeders are working to lower the COI averages of our Breed. Hip Dysplasia in Labradors Despite phenotypic testing and selective breeding for more than 60 years, hip dysplasia is still an issue in our breed. How to continue to improve the odds for successful outcomes. Elbow Dysplasia in Labradors Information on Elbow Dysplasia and it's place in the responsible Breeder's "tool kit" and the Owner's shared responsibility for good outcomes. Weaning and Feeding This is mostly an "extra page". As a Breeder, I am always on the lookout for the best practices in breeding healthy litters. This page is written for other breeders doing the same as me in that regard, but, there is also something for new puppy parents as well. Home

Links to all of Aisling Labradors Puppy Care pages. Puppy Care Pages Preparing for homecoming day and beyond! Puppy Care You've attended Puppy Pick Out Day and there's three weeks to get ready to bring home your new Aisling Puppy. Now it's time to start getting ready - this page can get you started. Spaying & Neutering Learn about the studies that have been done that indicate that delayed spaying and neutering is the best thing for your Labrador. Shopping List There's lots of things to buy to get ready for your new companion! Check out our New Puppy Shopping List for the things we bring in for our own puppies. Hip Dysplasia in Labradors Did you know that Labradors are the most tested breed in the OFA database? Despite that, nearly 12% of selectively bred Labs still are diagnosed with the disorder. Learn about the importance of the environment provided from birth to 12 months in protecting joint health. Training There are five golden rules we follow which allow us to live with multiple Labradors in our home instead of housing them in concrete kennels. Read about the training method we use 'round Aisling. Elbow Dysplasia Learn about this disorder and how you can help prevent it by providing the proper environment (food, exercise, surfaces) for your Labrador. Weaning and Feeding Information This is mostly an "extra page". As a Breeder, I am always on the lookout for the best practices in breeding healthy litters. This page is primarily written for other breeders doing the same as me in that regard, but, there is also something for new puppy parents as well.

Aisling Labradors of N.E. Florida, Lab Puppies For Sale in Jacksonville, Fl. Established in 2017 Breeding Traditional Dual Purpose, AKC Registered Labrador Retriever Puppies from Health Tested Parents. Champion Lines. Located near St. Augustine and Jacksonville Florida. One of the best professional breeders in Florida. Chocolate, Yellow, Black Labrador Puppies. Aisling Labradors of N.E. Florida Traditional Dual Purpose Labrador Puppies for sale f rom AKC Registered Champion Lines Aisling - dream, vision - Old Irish "aislinge" Located in North Florida near St. Augustine's beautiful beaches and the city of Jacksonville. Aisling Labrador's puppies for sale are bred for their health, temperament, the traditional retrieving and water drive. We also strive for the more moderate build of Labradors of the past. Parents are health tested, screened for joint health and inbreeding co-efficiency is calculated in our program. The child of breeders myself, I have lived with and loved Labradors since 1967. Breeding Philosophy at Aisling About Us (Slide Show) More on Aisling's Socialization Puppy Pick Out and Up Days are part of why we do this. The joy on the faces of each family member as they meet or arrive to take home their puppy makes lasting memories for all of us. Background audio on video Artist: Seven Nations Song: Waters Wide See the full version of this and other videos on our Video Page and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more! Availability ANTICIPATED ALL BLACK LITTER Expected SPRING 2026 MALES 2 RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE FEMALES SOLD Waiting list IS OPEN for females Chocolate and Black Litter Expected SPRING 2026 Chocolate MALES 1 RESERVATION Chocolate FEMALES SOLD Black MALES SOLD Black FEMALES SOLD Waiting lists ARE open for Chocolate Females/Blacks Yellow Litter ANTICIPATED SUMMER ’26 MALES SOLD FEMALES SOLD Waiting Lists ARE open. Yellow (Cream to Fox Red) Litter ANTICIPATED WINTER ’26/'27 MALES 3 RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE FEMALES 3 RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE Waiting Lists are CLOSED. More Info On Breeding Home Reservations About About Us Our pack Socialization - A MUST! Visitation Policy One Puppy Policy Videos Available Older Dogs Litters/Pupdates Aisling Litter Photos Pupdates from our Aisling Families Puppy Care First Things First - Puppy Care New Puppy Shopping List Know Your Breed Training Spaying/Neutering Responsible Breeding HIP DYSPLASIA IN LABRADORS Elbow Dysplasia Genetic Health Testing Genetics of Color COI - Coefficienct of Inbreeding Weaning and Feeding

About Us, Our Pack, Socialization of the litters, Dr. Dodd's Vaccine Protocol and Aisling's policies! All "About Us" Pages Learn how we got started, meet our pack and see the policies we have evolved to over the years of our experience as breeders. About Us I was an Air Force Brat. My husband a Navy Brat. His family had GSD's. Mine bred Labradors! Read our story to learn about whether we breed English or American Labradors..... Our Pack Meet the Labradors with whom we share our life! Socialization Socialization is one of the most important things a Breeder provides a litter. It sets the stage for the rest of their lives. Read about how we socialize the litters at each stage of their growth. Doctor Dodd's Vaccine Protocol Read about it here so you can prepare to bring home your Aisling Puppy. Visitation Policy Biosecurity is a issue for all breeders, but especially for those of us who don't house our Labradors in concrete kennel runs. Learn about our policy here. One Puppy At A Time Policy We would love for you to have two (or more!) Aisling puppies share your life. But we ask that there be a minimum of four months difference in age. See why.... Videos Our favorite videos of Life 'Round Aisling and of our "Watch Them Grow" Series on Facebook. Social Media Like and Follow Us on Facebook and Instagram for the most up-to-the-minute photos!

Learn more about Aisling Labradors of N.E. Florida and get in touch with us. Reservations Aisling offers Labrador puppies for sale through a process in which we get to know you and the environment our puppies will be living in once they leave our home. But before we get to the Contact Form, we want you to understand our policies and procedures. Thanks for taking the time to read this page through. Communication! At Aisling Labradors of NE Florida, it is our goal to treat our customers as we wish to be treated and we expect the same from those to whom we extend this courtesy . Once a reservation has been placed, we will communicate with you throughout the entire process. And we ask that in return, a prompt reply to our emails is received to confirm your ability to provide a home for the puppy being held for you. Those on our waiting lists receive all the same communications as our reservation holders. An email when.... our girl comes into season.... You will receive an email on day one of a heat so that you can begin to prepare for your puppy's arrival! An email when.... She has been bred and another when we have confirmed the pregnancy! Once the breeding has taken place, you will be provided with the approximate date of birth of your puppy. You will also hear the tentative dates of Puppy Pick Out and Go Home days so you can mark your calendars! An email when .... your puppy has been born! This is the most exciting email of all! This is when the dates for Pick Out and Pick Up will be made firm so you can clear your schedules and be ready to choose your puppy and then finally, welcome your new family member into your home. And the communication doesn't stop there. Our Facebook and Instagram page are updated several times each week with updates on the litter's progress and with weekly videos in our "Watch Them Grow" series. Puppy Pick Out Day! Appointment Email When the litter reaches 4 weeks of age, we schedule the appointments for Puppy Pick Out. Appointments are scheduled in the order of the receipt of reservations. We ask that you confirm your appointment by the Monday following this email. Pick Out Day Using the information you have provided us through the journey from approval, we guide your choice of puppy based upon our assessment of temperament. If you have a name already chosen for your new family member, we begin to call the puppy by that name. After Puppy Pick Out Day We send out our Puppy Care Packet via email before you bring home your new puppy. While you wait for Pick Up Day, this packet helps prepare you for the puppy's transition from our home to yours! Pick UP Day! Aisling Labradors puppies go home at 8 weeks of age with their first round of vaccinations completed and Health Certification as required by Florida Law. Appointments are nearly always scheduled on the Saturday following their 8 week birthday. Going home on a Saturday allows the weekend for the family to help the pup transition before returning to work and school on Monday. Please Note: Puppies go home on the Saturday after their 8 week birthday. Because we give dates for pick OUT and pick UP well in advance (with the confirmation of pregnancy), there is a $30.00 per night boarding fee charged for late pickups for any reason. Microchips Your puppy comes home already microchipped. We recommend registering with AKC ReUnite as it is the most used database for Pure Bred Dogs in the U.S.; a one-time registration fee allows you to update your information for the lifetime of your dog. 30 Days of Free Insurance We provide 30 days of free insurance with no waiting period for accident and injury via Trupanion. You will also be offered an additional 30 days of free coverage when you register your puppy with the AKC. We HIGHLY recommend that your puppy is insured with AKC Pet Insurance with its HereditaryPlus add-on for at least the first two years. Lifetime Support You will receive Aisling's puppy care booklet before Pick UP day to allow you time to learn or remember the best ways to feed, train and socialize your new family member. And we are always a phone call or email away! The Approval Process Reservations We accept 3 reservations per gender per litter; in a dual colored litter, we accept 2 reservations per gender of each color expected. Puppies are considered sold when a reservation is made and is no longer made available to others, therefore reservation fees are non-refundable but transferrable one time. Contact Form The approval process begins with the contact form below. We will respond via email within 24 hours in most cases. If you are interested in moving forward in the approval process, please respond to the email. Available Older Dogs Approval Once the approval process has been completed and you have confirmed that you want to reserve a puppy from a specific litter, the reservation fee must be received within 24 hours. We consider the reservation closed upon receiving your confirmation; after that 24 hours, the reservation will be opened and made available to others. Reservation fees are paid via Zelle. YOU MUST FILL OUT EVERY FIELD IN THE FORM BELOW TO SUCCESSFULLY SUBMIT IT. IF YOUR FORM DOES NOT GO THROUGH, BE CERTAIN YOU HAVE FILLED OUT THE FIRST BOX ON THE SECOND PAGE AND RETRY SUBMISSION. THANK YOU. Contact Us (Puppy Approval Process) First name Email Last name Phone City and State Gender Color Continue We reserve the right to use a different stud for any breeding. There may be times when a stud is not available due to health or other issues which may result in a litter of a different color due to the coat color genes all Labradors carry. The health and well-being of our Labradors comes first in all things. Thank you for your understanding. We also reserve the right to choose to keep any puppy that shows promise for our breeding program and to transfer or refund any reservation for any reason. Next: About Us Proud to register with the AKC Puppies are sold with a Limited AKC Registration and must be spayed or neutered at the appropriate age unless otherwise agreed. Full Registration is sometimes available to approved families interested in showing or breeding their Labrador under additional terms and conditions. The registered name of your puppy must include the prefix "Aisling's" to preserve your health warranty.

Videos of Life 'Round Aisling - from trips to the beach to litters in the paddock and adults racing the yard with links to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Follow us at Instagram (aislinglabs) Facebook (AislingLabsNEFlorida) Reels I've been working on converting old footage to Reels for the past few months preparing for using that medium for litter movies going forward. It's been a great deal of fun watching the older movies and making a few new ones as my understanding of this new form of sharing has grown. Life 'Round Aisling Between litters, we take every opportunity to take each Labrador out for some one on one attention. Whether it's to our favorite Pub for some music and fellowship; to Lowes or Home Depot to buy for the unending list of things we need for this old farmhouse, or to the beach. This was Roamin's first time at the beach; he loved it as should a Labrador! "Watch Them Grow" We post photos almost daily and try for a video at least every two weeks for each of our litters. This allows our Aisling Families to see their progress from birth to going home day! More Organized Chaos at Aisling and Raising A Little Cain Learning through play One of our first litters here at Aisling, this video shows the litter during their Health Certification where they receive their first round of vaccinations, and their microchips. Many folks ask us if the girls enjoy being Mothers, I think this video answers that question! Dreama X Raising Cain Puppy Paddock While the puppies play in the paddock, outside of it our pack is having their own good time (see the end of the video!). Much has changed over the years, there is now a screened pool where the pump house used to be but there are still plenty of trees for these energetic labs to race around on a daily basis. This was Dreama's last litter (with Roamin') before her retirement and has been our most popular video on Facebook. Background Music is from Seven Nations An Oldie But A Goodie A Kona x Shadybry's Raising Cain at Terremere Litter. Again, much has changed over the years; puppies now play in a much larger paddock (seen in the previous video). HOME

The best photos from each our girl's litters; from birth to eight weeks. Jette's Litter Photos Latte's Litter Photos Mocha x Little Cain Litter Bree's Litter Photos Dreama's Litter Photos Kona's Litter Photos

Georgia Terremere's Georgia Girl (at Aisling) Georgia came to Aisling in 2025 from our Reproductive Vet.

Meet the Aisling Labradors who are sharing the dream with us and discover what the breed temperament is in answer to the question "can a Labrador be aggressive?" Our Pack! The Labradors We Share Our Life With ! Kindly, outgoing, eager to please and non-aggressive True Labrador Retriever temperament is as much a hallmark of the breed as the "otter" tail. Labrador Breed Standard Quail Meadow's Dunroamin' at Aisling English/Show Champion Lines Grandquest, Ridge View, Lubberline, Call Name: "Roamin" Phenotype: Yellow Genotype: eeBB (no hidden Chocolate {b}) Stud Service Available Quail Meadows General Jackson (at Aisling) English/Show Champion Lines WILCARE, BELLEQUEST, LUBBERLINE, GRANDQUEST Call Name: Jackson Phenotype: Chocolate Genotype: bbEE (no hidden yellow) Stud Service Available Aila-Bringer of Light to Aisling Sire: Ashe XVI Labroland International Champions/Windup International Champions/Sureshot/Razzle Dazzle Dam: Winter IG Labs Danfer Labs/Chablais/Ranbourne/Sandylands Phenotype: Yellow Genotype: B*ee Terremere's Georgia (at Aisling) Introducing Georgia Home to Aisling February 13th 2025 Our new girl was bred and raised by our Reproductive Vet who has taken a break from breeding while focusing on raising his very active children! Phenotype: Yellow Genotype: B*ee Georgia and Jackson will have Black puppies for sale spring 2026 Introducing Harley Aisling's Blackberry Moonshine International Show Lines Sire: Sampson's Mighty MacArthur at Quail Meadow Greenstone, Epoch, Quail Chase, Banners, Willcare, Simmerdown, Stoneyknoll Dam: Aisling's Jette Black to the Future (Retired) Grandquest, Ridge View, Lubberline, Phenotype: Black Genotype: BbE* Harley and Jackson will have Black and Chocolate puppies for sale in spring 2026. Introducing Penny Lane's Lass of Lallybroch (at Aisling) Sire: Apple Tree Enlightened Bow Chicka Bow Wow Dam: Penny Lane's Honeybun Pride N Joy Phenotype - Yellow (Fox Red) HOME TO AISLING FEBRUARY 2026 (aged 16 months) Lallybroch will have Yellow Puppies available for sale in the Winter of 2026/2027. Bred to our Roamin', she will produce puppies in all the shades of Yellow from Cream to Fox Red. Introducing Quail Meadows Pure Imagination Charli at Aisling Sire - Sureshot's Moose International Show/Bench Lines Herbu Zadora, , Hyspire, Buelah Lands, Willcare, Balinor Band, Lubberline Dam - Quail Meadow's Adventure's of Pippi Show/Bench Lines Sampson's, Quailchase, Poppyfields, Bonaventure Our Retired Dogs Day after day, the whole day through -- Wherever my road inclined -- Four-feet said, "I am coming with you!" And trotted along behind. Rudyard Kipling Aisling's Cocoa Latte Aisling's Jette Black to the Future Terremere's Raising a Little Cain at Aisling Passport's Breagha Lass at Aisling Tru-Heart's More Organized Chaos at Aisling Terremere's Dream A Little Dream At Aisling Tru-Heart's Kona of the Storm (at Aisling) Next: Socialization~A Must!

Are dog DNA tests worth it? How accurate are dog DNA tests? What is the best dog DNA testing company? What's the difference between Pedigree COI , Genetic Diversity COI (Wisdom) and the testing of more than 230,000 SNP's (Embark)? Should you panic because your dog has a high COI? THE CO-EFFICIENT OF INBREEDING (COI) Stay Tuned WHAT MAKES A BREED? GENETICALLY SIMILAR DOGS COI measures the common ancestors of dam and sire, and indicates the probability of how genetically similar they are. Dogs inherit two copies of any gene; one from each parent. Calculating the COI of any litter measures the probability of an allele being homozygous due to an identical gene being passed down to the puppies in that litter along both the dam and sires lines from single common ancestors. Homozygous genes can be good or bad; identical genes have created the look and traits of the Labrador, but, in a different gene, it may also contribute to lower fertility, smaller litters (i.e. for each 10% of COI) , one less puppy) inherited diseases and potentially a shorter lifetime. There are now three methods of testing for Genetic Diversity: 1) Traditional Pedigree COI 2) Genetic testing of specific SNPs 3) Genetic Testing of 200,000+ SNPs ALLELE The gene-pair is called an ‘allele’. HOMOZYGOUS When the gene pair is identical, it is called ‘homozygous’. HETEROZYGOUS When the gene pair is not identical, it is called ‘heterozygous.’ The coefficient of inbreeding for dogs is not a measure of health. It is a measure of the probability of inherited matching copies of a gene. Homozygosity is not inherently bad. Which genes are homogenous is important to know. For example, Beagles are homozygous for the coat color genes a(t) a(t) and k(y) - There are no known deletrious effects of being homozygous on these locii. It is not how MUCH homozygosity that matters...it is WHICH genes are homozygous. COI does not tell us that. Again, it measures the probability of inheriting matching copies of a gene. Embark's COI from 200,000 plus SNPs is going to reflect both non-harmful duplication of some genes and potentially harmful duplications of others. Pedigree COI Parent/offspring: 25% Full sibling: 25% Grandparent/grandchild: 12.5% Half sibling: 12.5% Great grandparents/great grandchild: 6.25% First cousin: 6.25% Read as: 12.5% COI - there is a one in 12.5 chance that any particular locus would have two copies of the same allele, and 12.5% of all of the genes in an animal will be homozygous. To help lower COI average in our breed, most breeders used "outcross" breeding rather than the closer breeding shown above. The breed average COI using Pedigree Calculations is 6.5%. Choosing a Breeding Pair that will produce litters with COIs under that has been the goal. Until very recently, Breeders relied upon pedigrees to determine COI. Using at least 10 generations, there were calculators to let us know what the COI of each litter produced by a pair of Labradors would be estimated to be. The calculator would say that statistically, two full siblings mated together would have a 25% COI. But, it could actually be much lower or even much higher. Without any way to test 200,000 plus genes we were guessing at a litter's COI. To compensate for this "guessing", Breeders used COI calculations together with Genetic Health Testing for diseases we knew were found within our Breed. We also moved towards using "outcross breeding" to lower COI; this simply means we paired together dogs with no common ancestors within the last 4 to 6 generations. Over time, we began to see COI averages for the Breed move lower. (Note that Breeders whose dogs compete in Breed Conformation Shows will still use inbreeding or line-breeding every few generations.) Recently, the ability to test the Genetic Diversity of our dogs through companies like Embark or Wisdom have become possible. Breeders are moving towards using these companies for their younger dogs. Panel testing also covers the Health Tests for the relevant diseases so this is an overall improvement on how we are able to determine which dogs to breed and which to sell as pets. Example of Pedigree COI Note: These are not the full results and are shown as an example. Genetic Diversity Wisdom Panel - Wisdom Panel uses a genetic diversity measurement based on specific markers within a pet's DNA, known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) "A measure of genetic diversity (also known as heterozygosity) is distinct from the traditional definition of coefficient of inbreeding (COI). COI is typically based on recent pedigrees and is associated with the probability of inheriting two copies of the same allele (or sometimes a large genomic chunk of inherited gene variants) from common ancestors. Diversity scoring is based on genetic testing at several genomic locations that are informative of overall variability within a population.... Both methods of determining genetic diversity measure an association with inbreeding rather than directly measuring inbreeding itself. In addition to recent family inbreeding, both measures reflect long-term population “inbreeding.” Embark Panel - uses 200,000+ markers "There are three ways to quantify the coefficient of inbreeding (COI): (1) Using a pedigree, (2) Trying a small set of polymorphic markers (3) Testing a genome-wide marker panel. "We use nearly all of our 200,000+ markers to identify segments of chromosomes that are highly likely to have been inherited from a common ancestor. In comparison, tests that evaluate only small parts of the genome, or estimate homozygosity based on “identity by state,” can miss long inbreeding tracks (sometimes entire chromosomes). With over 200,000 markers spaced throughout the genome, our test uncovers long (and short) inbreeding tracks...." Because Panel Testing is testing genetic material and therefore able to give us more information, the COI average is different than that of Pedigree COI. Wisdom Panel, is actually a test of Genetic Diversity and separate from the traditional COI. Embark tests 230,000 SNPs and is obviously going to report a higher COI than Pedigree COI. These differences have caused a headache for breeders (who had been doing what was within their power previously) as their puppy family sends off a DNA test to Embark or Wisdom and the COI is higher than they had been told by their Breeder. I once had a puppy tested by its owner for whom Embark stated COI was 19% vs the 0% calculated by the traditional pedigree calculations done before the breeding. It is important for pet owners to remember a few things as they read their results. Breeders used the tools at their disposal; DNA testing for relevant diseases and the Pedigree COI Calculators. Breeders used that same Pedigree to mate their dogs using Outcross Breeding and were lowering the average COI for the breed before panel testing was available as a tool. In order for a litter to be a Labrador litter, there IS going to be a degree of inbreeding - after all, that is how a breed is created. Even mixed breeds can have a high COI depending upon the community from which they come. It is in a Breeder's best interest to protect not only their own litters but the health of the breed as a whole. We produce these litters because we love and want to protect the breed. COIs are not the be-all and end-all of a dog. They’re just one measure and NOT a measure of an individual dogs health. A COI of only 1% does not guarantee health and fitness it simply lowers the chance of having inherited a double dose of defective genes. The coefficient of inbreeding for dogs is not a measure of health. It is a measure of risk of inherited matching copies of a gene. Homozygosity is not inherently bad. The result is going to be different depending upon the methodology. A PEDIGREE COI of 25% is a mating of full siblings or Father to Daughter/Mother to Son. In GENETIC COI, the percentage is accumulative over ALL generations of breeding and therefore HIGHER than the PEDIGREE COI and is based in part on an “across all purebreds” basis. 
 The Average COI using DNA for all pure breeds is 20% Embark reports that its database reflects a COI average for Labradors of 11%. (Note: Each puppy in a litter may have a different COI in DNA COI as inheritance is random.) As with the testing of human DNA for ancestral inheritance, as their database grows, the estimate will become more accurate. The coefficient of inbreeding for dogs is not a measure of health. It is a measure of risk of inherited matching copies of a gene. Homozygosity is not inherently bad. Which genes are homogenous is important to know. For example, Beagles are homozygous for the coat color genes a(t) a(t) and k(y) - There are no known deletrious effects of being homozygous on these locii. It is not how MUCH homozygosity that matters...it is WHICH genes are homozygous. COI does not tell us that. Again, it measures the risk of inheriting matching copies of a gene. Embark's COI from 200,000 plus SNPs is going to reflect both non-harmful duplication of some genes and potentially harmful duplications of others. Wrapping it up ISSUES TO CONSIDER WITH DOG DNA GENETIC TESTING While the FDA regulates the human DNA testing there is no regulatory body for dog DNA testing). Sending DNA samples to multiple companies can result in widely varying results from the breed or mix of breeds to familial relationships and disease related mutations. Resending a sample from the same dog to the same company can result in a different result Purebred dogs can be deemed as "mixed breed" to the extent that Wisdom Panel states: Wisdom Panel Canine DNA tests are not intended to refute” known ancestry....Because there is only one purebred tree model in the 11 considered, the statistical process inherently favors mixed ancestry. How you fill out your information appears to affect the results...for example, a veterinary group sampled a Purebred Registered Poodle submitting it to several companies as a Purebred; results came back as purebred Poodle. When the same DNA was submitted to the same companies as a mixed breed, the results were Labrador retriever, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Shih Tzu, Tibetan Spaniel and Miniature Poodle. Read More HOME

How to help protect your Labrador from Elbow Dysplasia American College of Veterinary Surgeons "Canine elbow dysplasia (ED) is a condition involving multiple developmental abnormalities of the elbow joint. The elbow joint is a complex joint made up of 3 bones (radius, ulna, and humerus) (figure 1). If the 3 bones do not fit together perfectly due to growth abnormalities, abnormal weight distribution on areas of the joint occur causing pain, lameness, and the development of arthritis. Elbow dysplasia is a disease that encompasses several conditions grouped into medial compartment disease (fragmented coronoid process (FCP), osteochondrosis (OCD), joint incongruity, and cartilage anomaly) and ununited anconeal process (UAP). The cause of ED in dogs remains unclear. There are a number of theories as to the exact cause of the disease that include genetics, defects in cartilage growth, trauma, diet, and so on. It is most commonly suspected this is a multifactorial disease in which causes the growth disturbances". Understanding and preventing elbow dysplasia As with Hip Dysplasia, Labradors are the most tested breed by the OFA for Elbow Dysplasia. 10.3% of 97,639 OFA tested Labradors are dysplastic while 89.7% are certified as "normal". (Labradors rank 98th out of 184 breeds tested for Hip Dysplasia and 38th out of 134 breeds tested for Elbow Dysplasia) OFA Breed Ranking Angus had been diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia at 10 months of age, despite generations of testing of his ancestors. On this trip, we noticed he was limping on his front legs as well as his rear and requested a radiograph prior to his neuter surgery the following week. The diagnosis as expected was dysplasia in both elbows. His diagnosis of dysplasia in all limbs led to me researching everything I could find on the disorder. The dysplasia in his elbows was likely caused not by genetics, but by the hip dysplasia that came first emphasizing the need to protect against hip dysplasia from the day the puppies are born . Degenerative Joint Disease, present in one elbow, does not affect the dog but must be managed. There is little evidence that this is an inherited condition other than that in rare cases, offspring of these dogs may have a grade II or III result - as this disease can be caused by repetitive trauma and inflammation, it is likely that the inherited temperament is a factor (high energy/drive). Dogs who present as Normal at 2 years of age can still develop Degenerative Joint Disease at a later age so again, the environment the offspring are raised in is during this time its of equal or greater importance as the OFA result of the parents examination. Like Hip Dysplasia, it is believed there is a genetic component/predispostion (the growth rate of medium and large breed dogs) but the genes responsible for the disease have yet to be found. And like Hip Dysplasia, affected puppies can be produced from unaffected parents (Hazelwinkel and Nap 2009). Additionally, the heritability of the disease appears to be stronger in certain pedigrees than in others and presents as bilateral (both elbows). (Ubbink et al 2000) But even that, as already noted may be the genetically inherited temperament/energy/drive leading to repetitive trauma and inflammation. Selective breeding once again can lower the odds that puppies will develop the disorder, but cannot prevent it. Although Breeders pay for radiographs of their breeding stock, determining carriers - those which carry and may pass on the gene(s) but which do not show signs of the disease themselves - is not currently possible. Labrador Retriever Elbow Dysplasia (Fragmented Medial Coronoid Process) And once again, genetic predisposition, over-nutrition with rapid growth, trauma and hormonal factors are believed to be the cause of more than 50% of the cases of ED diagnosed and since this disorder results from a variety of other factors, the number presented as caused by environment is likely MUCH higher than is reported. I take full responsibility for the damage done to our poor Angus because I relied far too heavily on the OFA certification of his Dam and Sire and their ancestors. I did not limit his access to stairs in our two story home; I over-fed him because after all, I had him on Large Breed Puppy Food with the correct balance of calcium and phosphorus and I let him play as long and as hard as he wanted with the grown-up dogs around our place. Those beautiful brown eyes begged for more food and I gave it to him. He loved to play and I loved to watch him. Oh the things I'd do differently if I could bring home that gorgeous boy and start it all over. Together, Breeders and Buyers can tackle this issue of dysplasia in our Labradors. By understanding that despite the emphasis put on certifying breeding dogs for "normal" hips and elbows, the disorder is more a genetic predisposition triggered by environment, injury and nutrition rather than an "inherited" disorder, we can help protect every puppy from every litter. For further reading to prepare for the new Labrador Puppy in YOUR life; please use the links found on the bottom of our Hip Dysplasia page. PET INSURANCE AND DYSPLASIA Pet Insurance rarely covers dysplasia under one year of age, choosing to ignore the reality of environment on the development of this disease. AKC Pet Insurance offers an add-on for dysplasia diagnosed under one year. It is highly recommended that all puppies be fully covered by this add-on. Desptie the efforts of owners and breeders to eliminate this disease, it still affects 14% of selectively bred dogs (OFA Trends). Back to Hip Dysplasia for Prevention Tips Next: Weaning and Feeding

Read about our journey to becoming Labrador Breeders and find answers to questions like "which Labrador breed is best" - there is only one breed but we can help you discover more about the type of Labrador and what, if any, differences there are between those types. Our goal is to produce Dual Purpose Labradors that embody both the working traits and moderate body structure of the Traditional Labrador Retriever. Our Labradors are family members; litters are whelped and weaned in our home where socialization and the groundwork for training begins immediately. This leads to secure, well adjusted, easy to train Labrador puppies for sale that will be your perfect companion. Our Story I was an Air Force Brat. My husband was a Navy Brat. His family raised German Shepherd Dogs while mine bred and raised Labradors. Our first dog together was a German Shepherd. After his passing, I convinced my husband to try a Labrador; her name was Jenna and she was soon joined by Shanna. By 2005, we had adopted / rescued two black Labs in need of re-homing who personified the opposite ends of where the Breed had been taken since my parents had retired their breeding program. Our Murphy was the size of a Shetland Pony but long bodied and thin legged; loved retrieving and water. The other boy was short, heavy and obsessed with retrieving but would tire quickly; he could live without ever setting a toe in water. Adopted at 2 and 3 respectively, we adored both these lads but neither of them resembled the Labs I had grown up with. I began to talk to Breeders about working with them to establish our own breeding program. Finally finding one willing to grant us full registration, in the spring of 2006, we brought home our Callie, the daughter of an International Champion. Raising her for the purpose of breeding her, I quickly realized that she had no water drive and very little retrieve drive either. A wonderful and gorgeous companion, she too was not the Labrador I had known in my childhood. I began to research just what had been going on in the breeding world; here is what I learned...Although there is only ONE standard of the breed for Labradors, over the years, years of breeding with a goal of producing Labs that fit both the working traits and conformation requirements needed for the potential of becoming a Dual Champion, had morphed into two types of Breeders - typically known as American (Field) or English (Show). Field bred Labs are bred with the working traits in mind to be competitive in field-trial events; when I was a child, my parents referred to these as “American Labs” with a lighter bone structure, longer legs, a thinner or single layer coat, a longer muzzle and heads not as broad (our Murphy was a Field bred Labrador). Breeders looked for dogs that exhibited these working traits very strongly; the "look" was not as important as those traits. Show (or sometimes "Bench") bred Labs are bred with a “look” in mind; a look that would satisfy the Conformation Judging. Subjective judging had led to the more moderate looking Labrador that I knew as a child gradually being replaced with a stockier dog, heavier bone structure and shorter legs, with a coat so much more dense that it adds an appearance of an even heavier dog, and the "block head” I knew as a child becoming more square and the muzzle shorter. Concerned primarily with winning in a show ring, breeders cared less about the working traits of their dogs. Although there are those who say that the two "types" of Labradors differ in energy levels, in my experience, that difference is not in one being "hyper" and the other "laid back". It is the body type affecting the length of time energy is sustained. But more concerning to me was the appearance of a loss of drive for retrieving and water play in the Show lines as well as the fact that both Indie and Callie were fearful; neither ever became comfortable leaving our home despite consistent socializing. We made the decision not to breed Callie. Six years after deciding that we would not breed our Callie, we began to look for Breeders who shared our vision to produce traditional Labrador Retrievers that embodied all the physical and working traits of the dogs who were the companions of my childhood - in other words, more moderate in stature and retaining all the working traits and the fearless nature of the traditional Labrador. On June 20th 2013 we brought home Angus Demetrius planning on his being the foundation of our program. Unfortunately, despite the Excellent and Normal ratings of both his Sire and Dam; Angus was diagnosed with mild to moderate Hip Dysplasia at the age of 10 months and the decision was made to neuter him. With heavy hearts, we moved forward raising Kona and Dreama with the goal of slow growth and a controlled environment. In 2016/17, both were certified with Excellent hips and Normal elbows and our breeding journey began. Finally, a Dream more than 30 years in the making came true. The dogs that influenced our goals MURPHY INDIE CALLIE Meet Our Current Pack