Crosscroyde labrador

truebloodfan wrote: »

Oh yes they will be hip scored, vaccinated,microchipped and papers etc. costing me 600 for the pup

Its not the pups that are hip scored, it is the parents, and the breeders should have the certificates to show you what the scores are. I don't know the average score for labradors, but you should be able to find that info fairly easily via google

Also make sure they're IKC papers and not canine Ireland.. Good luck with the pup!

truebloodfan wrote: »

Oh yes they will be hip scored, vaccinated,microchipped and papers etc. costing me 600 for the pup

I'm familiar with most of the Labrador pedigrees and have never heard of Crosscroyde to be honest. Is it a show type Labrador or field trial?

Some of the main kennels would be Phillipstown and Ballyhenry for show dogs and Copperbirch or Glennane for Field Trial.

I note Champ Dogs states there are 57 dogs with Crosscroyde in the pedigree and only 4 are champions. That seems like a low strike rate.

€600 would buy you a pup off a champion Irish Labrador.

truebloodfan wrote: »

It was phillipstown that recommended this one to me. I was due to get a pup there but the bitch turned out not to be in pup so then she recommended this one. As the only other pups she had were yellow. I'll check them out with a friend that's more experienced in this than me and if she doesn't like them then it's back to the waiting game. Sigh. Waiting a year now for a black bitch pup

In fairness if Philipstown recommended them they should be good Labradors but there are still a number of steps you should take.

You can email Angela Hancock, secretary of the Irish Labrador Retriever Club, at angela.hancock35@gmail.com or ring her at 01 4533300.

I would have a list of questions ready to ask any breeder, even ones recommended by them.

A few of the questions:

1. Are pups around kids?
2. Are both parents hip scored?
3. Are the Labradors the large show type variety or the smaller field trial type?
4. What product has been used to worm them? Flea them?
5. Pup should be IKC registered. Make sure papers are not Canine Ireland.
6. Will the papers be ready when you are collecting the pup?
7. Are both parents eye tested?
8. What food are the pups currently being fed?
9. What age will the pup be when it is available for collection?
10. A pup from an Irish Labrador champion can be bought for €600 (I was quoted this myself in the past), so I'd be looking into the lineage of the parents and how many Show Champions are in same. Before I buy any pup, I would ask to be emailed the 4 ot 5 generation pedigree certificates for both parents.

I'm sure you have plenty of others yourself then.

I'd also ask you to remember that you need to question anyone you buy from. Often the IKC club reps etc. will be recommending their friends so it is advisable to question any breeder thoroughly and visit their premises to see the pups. They should have no problem with you doing same.

Last year yellow pups were very hard to get but this year that appears to have changed to black. It's strange the way it moves in cycles. If you were interested in a black pup, there are alot of kennels based in Down/Armagh (Copperbirch, Glennane and others) who breed field trial Labradors and would have alot of black pups as the black strain is the most commonly used for field trials and hunting - I'm told it is because they are the most intelligent. I have two field trial Labradors myself and they make wonderful pets. They are a bit smaller and more energetic than the heavier and larger show types. I have one fox red and one black.

These kennels would complete eye and hip tests on all parents and will have no problem giving you a copy of the results. I've said it before myself that I would never buy another Labrador from ROI when such good lineage is available in NI.

UK Kennel Club papers (which you can change over to IKC papers by paying a small fee) are also better as everything can be done online and they show all health tests and the results for both parents. The one thing to check is that any NI pup is microchipped as it is not mandatory for the UK kennel club.

truebloodfan wrote: »

I see the bitch has a kennel club no and the address registered at the time was English. They will be registered and I'm assuming it will be Ikc reg for the price. If not I won't be buying. It's not a field trial dog I want. As I want a calm dog that won't have an instinct to go after small things (like my grans hens) lol. I don't mind the normal boisterous puppy madness though

My two Field Trial Labradors live next door to 12.000 hens and have never touched one! I often walk them through the field full of hens.

I also have 3 cats and they'd be near cattle and sheep also.

I would ensure that you ask the above questions. For €600 you should be able to get a top class Labrador pup.

truebloodfan wrote: »

I definitely will. Thanks everyone for all your help. I'm so excited after waiting a year to possibly be finally getting a pup . Just want to be sure that for the price I'm getting value for money as I'm not at all experienced in buying a dog

I would be ensuring that both parents have show titles for a price of €600, as well as all relevant health checks. That is a high price for a Labrador pup.

truebloodfan wrote: »

I'm sorry but I don't know what you mean by show titles. Does that mean show winners?

Yep, it will be shown as ShCH on the pedigree papers. Field Trial is shown as FtCH or FTW.

tk123 wrote: »

That's really interesting because my younger retriever is from showing lines (dad is from Woodmore kennels) and she's OBSESSED with birds and always has been!! She freezes when she sees one and goes all alert - she'd loves to sit out staring at birds flying by

Yep, 12,000 free range hens live beside my two. The first day I introduced my older Labrador she walked over to one and tried to lift it in her mouth (she didn't mean it any harm, just curiosity) but I corrected her and she pays no attention to them now.

Hens are very nosey too so when we walk through the field they'll follow us and she pays no attention.

Neither of my Labradors would go near birds, cattle, sheep or cats. The one animal I have seen them chase is a rabbit but I think that's more for the thrill of the chase than anything else.

have a look here seems to tick all the boxes http://www.copperbirch.net/

jimf wrote: »

have a look here seems to tick all the boxes http://www.copperbirch.net/

I have a copperbirch lab, fantastic dogs. She ignores all birds so that isnt a concern.

Its all in the training of the pup and temperament of the parents.

truebloodfan wrote: »

Better health testing, More mandatory tests required than just hip scores, better breeding. Its from an Assured Kennel Club breeder who are visited annually and must adhere to very high standards to achieve that qualification. Its also living with a family with young kids so will be thoroughly socialised before it arrives in Ireland. You basically have to pass an interview before they will even consider selling you a pup. You must prove you have the space and time and experience to look after a dog. They will not sell if there is not someone there at all times to look after it. I.E no 2 people working all day with dog left alone bored.

To be honest, thats exactly what I'd expect of a reputable breeder here or in the UK.