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Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 863
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, April 16, 2006 - 11:38 am: | 
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My family is going to adopt a puppy after the summer, and I am researching breeds and reading training books, etc. in preparation.
My biggest concern is finding a good breeder for the breed we ultimately choose and thought the generous MOL community could provide invaluable information. 
We are strongly leaning toward a Chocolate Labrador Retriever or a Golden Retriever and I have found lists of breeders via those breeds' NJ clubs/associations. However, a list of breeders actually used by local neighbors with their personal experiences would also be helpful and probably would be useful to many other families considering adding a family pet to their household. It is very important to obtain a puppy from a professional and responsible breeder who is very involved and concerned with proper breeding for betterment of the various breeds.
So, I would greatly appreciate anyone willing, to kindly share their own personal breeder recommendation or any breeders they know people should avoid and the reasons. Please include your dog's breed, the breeder, their location and their contact information. Please also include whatever else you think might be helpful to families looking for information about their future puppy.
Many, many thanks in advance!
PS. I am well aware of the JAC and the wonderful work they do with rescues, etc. However, some families have reasons to prefer a specific breed and want to ensure optimal socialization at the critical 8-16 weeks of age, so I respectfully request that this thread be used only for breeder discussions. |
Natb
Citizen
Username: Natb
Post Number: 117
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, April 16, 2006 - 9:08 pm: |
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We got our wonderful 2 year old chocolate lab from a breeder in Millstone, NJ called East Coast Kennels. The breeders are a couple and they are great and we have had a wonderful experience with them and with our "baby". I can't tell you the number of compliments that we hear about her, I had done research on what makes up the "standard" of labs and she fits the bill. The owners Tony and Lisa are very knowledgable about dogs and the dogs that they use for breeding are dogs that they use for hunting and field trials. There is some difference between field lines and show lines, East Coast Kennels breeds field line retrievers. If you want more info please feel free to PL me. Good luck with your search. |
Eats Shoots & Leaves
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 3270
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, April 16, 2006 - 10:23 pm: |
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Susan Taylor at Okechobee Kennels in Newton, NJ breeds wonderful, healthy, relatively sane golden retrievers. I will try to find her number in my files when I get home next week, if you are interested. She is very very picky about who gets one of her dogs, however. I like that in a breeder. There are several of her dogs in M/SO and you can tell them by their incredibly regal bearing, good natures, and gorgeous figures/ |
MeAndTheBoys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3529
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 8:23 am: |
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"relatively sane"!  |
Shanabana
Citizen
Username: Shanabana
Post Number: 302
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 10:50 pm: |
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Just curious about this (not attacking, only asking): Why a breed dog? |
melicious
Citizen
Username: Melicious
Post Number: 403
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 11:15 am: |
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I get retired 2-3 year-old French Bulldogs. They retire females from breeding after they have had a couple of litters. Since they need c-sections (how messed up is that?) they can't have too many litters.
Frenchies are absolutely WONDERFUL family dogs. They don't need a lot of excercise, are clean little dogs, very loving, not loud, don't mind commotion. The down side is: gas!!! Since they snort (too funny) they take in a lot of air. It has to come out somewhere! With the right diet, you can minimize it.
I chose to go inbetween the breed and rescue thing by getting a retired animal, of a predicatable breed and temperament.
Here is a link to my breeder, who also has puppies.
http://www.frenchbulldog.com/shurpaws/puppies.htm
They are also pricey. Another reason to get the older, housebroken and less expensive retired females...
Good luck! |
mck
Supporter
Username: Mck
Post Number: 759
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 9:52 pm: |
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Re: golden retrievers: Avoid Ann Johnson's Gold Rush Kennel in Princeton at all costs. Little better than a puppy mill. I, too, have heard good things about Susan Taylor's Okeechobee. You could also ask Dr. Marc Levine, the So. Orange vet. He gave me good advice when I was looking for a golden puppy 13 years ago. Good luck. |
mimi
Citizen
Username: Mimi
Post Number: 233
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 11:07 pm: |
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i agree with melicious. frenchies can be great family dogs. easy to be around, patient with kids, a big dog personality in a small package, and do not require much exercise but enjoy it when they get it.
i will disagree, however, in that not all of them have big gas issues. our breeder breeds with a slightly longer snout so that they have less respiratory problems and tolerate heat better. here's the link: http://www.frenchbulldog.com/rbs/).
and below is a picture of our angels.
my best advice is to take your time researching breeds. and be honest about your family's needs, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. for example, i considered a bird dog but had to admit that he wasn't going to inspire me to start running daily so that i could give him adequate exercise. good luck finding the perfect breed for your family. we found ours.
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Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 869
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 11:18 pm: |
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Thanks everyone!
Shanabana asked, "Why a breed?" I'm hoping to get as good a fit for our family as possible re: characteristic temperament, health, etc. Everything I have read says to research breeds very well before choosing a dog. In particular, some breeds are absolutely recommended NOT to be in families with young children for safety reasons. With a mixed breed you can only guess the parent dogs' breed. And some unprofessional "backyard" breeders apparently aren't as careful about proper breeding and tend to breed carelessly, sometimes perpetuating crippling diseases etc. which are painful and difficult for the dog and heartache for the dog's human family.
Since selection of breeder is so important, I started this thread hoping not only to end up with info. for my own family, but possibly to help out others since MOL is always so full of people with helpful experiences to share.
Already I have benefited from knowing to avoid a particular breeder of Golden Retrievers which is great!
I'm also grateful for the Okkechobee Kennel referral, but can't find anything with Google and would appreciate contact information.
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