Labrador Retrievers are the most popular registered breed in both the United States and Great Britain. Black Labrador Retrievers may be the most numerous, but Chocolate Labs and Yellow Labs also are quite popular.

What are they?

Labrador Retrievers are classified as medium-sized dogs, although some people think of them as large. They are very athletic and strong. They normally have great endurance, and can roam for hours without tiring. Labrador Retrievers are equally happy as a hunter’s gun dog or a family’s companion.

Labrador Retrievers have short, dense coats that resist weather. The coat is straight, not curly. It may have a slight wave down the back. It will never be wooly, silky, or sparsely slick. The tail of a Labrador Retriever is often called an “otter tail”. The head is clean cut with powerful jaws, and friendly eyes.

Authentic Labrador Retriever

A true Labrador Retriever will have the following characteristics, too:

1. Size: There is a difference between male and female Labrador Retrievers in both height and weight. At the withers, a Labrador Retriever male is 22.5 to 24.5 inches tall. A Labrador Retriever female stands 21.5 to 23.5 inches high. An adult male weighs 65 to 80 pounds, while the female will be 55 to 70 pounds. They are eager to overeat, and can easily become overweight.

2. Color: Labrador Retrievers come in only 3 colors – black, chocolate, and yellow. They are the same color over their entire bodies, except that some may have a small spot of white on the chest. They are never spotted, streaked, or tipped with color in other places. Yellow Labrador Retrievers may appear almost white, but ear and tail tips will be golden, revealing the true color. A Labrador Retriever is never black and white, silver, or white. Golden Retrievers are an entirely different breed, and are not to be confused with Labrador Retrievers.

3. Temperament: The Labrador Retriever’s temperament is probably the feature most responsible for its popularity. Experienced breeders can determine basic temperament while the Labrador Retriever Puppy is quite young. That temperament may change somewhat according to the treatment the Puppy receives. Most puppies in good homes, however, maintain their original temperament.

Typically, a Labrador Retriever’s temperament is kindly and outgoing. It has a tractable nature. It is eager to please. It is gentle, and not aggressive toward people or toward other animals. In other words, a Labrador Retriever will be kind to your cat, your parrot, your children, and you. It will love guests, too. In fact, you may think it never met anything or anyone it did not love. If a Labrador Retriever Puppy does show aggression or shyness, you should choose a different dog.

4. Health: The Labrador Retriever is generally a strong dog, active and healthy. There are several potential health issues you should ask about before purchasing, however. Hip dysplasia (CHD) is an inherited skeletal problem. An abnormal development of the hip joint, it can cause pain and arthritis. Retinal dysplasia, as well as other eye problems, can also be inherited. Your Puppy should be guaranteed to be of parentage that does not have these problems.

Labrador Retriever Availability

Labrador Retrievers are available from Texas to Michigan, California to Maine and in many countries around the globe. Resist the temptation to purchase a Labrador Retriever Puppy from the pet shop in the mall, as it will often be a mix or a Puppy from a disreputable breeder. Health of hips and eyes will not be guaranteed, and you will not know the Puppy’s parentage.

Do look for a reputable breeder. Call several and ask intelligent questions. Look online for a breeder list at the Labrador Retriever website.

Finding good Labrador Retriever breeders in New Hampshire (NH) is not difficult. You may have trouble finding websites for them, though. Many have telephone listings, and can be located through the online yellow pages.

Labrador Retriever breeders in NH provide show dogs, gun dogs, and pet quality dogs. Some breeders advertise their dogs as “started and finished gun dogs” or “champion show” dogs. Others specialize in “family dogs” who are accustomed to being around children and fitting into family routines.

You may want to begin with the 5 Labrador Retriever breeders in NH listed below. Some of these are listed in the Labrador Retriever Club Breeders’ Directory online. Others have their own websites. Although we offer information here on several Labrador Retriever breeders in NH, we do not recommend a specific breeder. Nor do we guarantee the information given. We have researched the question to the best of our ability, but you will want to do your own individual research before purchasing from any of the Labrador Retriever breeders in NH.

A Basket of Chocolates

Labrador Retriever breeders in NH are creative when it comes to naming their kennels. A Basket of Chocolates is no exception. Located in Amherst, NH, this Retriever breeder has the parents on the premises, so you can see both. All of their puppies are AKC, have been checked by a veterinarian, and have first shots before they leave the kennel. Parents are certified for hips/eyes.

Grand Finale Labradors

Among Labrador Retriever breeders in NH, this is one that raises “Quality AKC English Style Labrador Retrievers”. This Retriever breeder raises all puppies in the home, and has all three colors. All are bred for quality and temperament. The Grand Finale Labradors Retriever breeder is located in Barrington, New Hampshire.

Integrity Farm

Integrity Farm, located in Derry, NH, is another of the Labrador Retriever breeders in NH that raises AKC registered English Style Labrador Retrievers. This Retriever breeder offers puppies and adult dogs. They also offer stud service. All of their dogs are OFA certified for hips & elbows, eyes CERF certified. All three colors of Labrador Retriever puppies are born and raised in the home, with a focus on temperament, type, and quality.

Wood Duck

North of New Hampshire’s White Mountains, in Berlin, NH, is a Labrador Retriever breeder with a small hobby kennel known as Wood Duck. Wood Duck Kennel produces one to two litters each year. One goal of Wood Duck is to raise Labrador Retriever puppies that are good for conformation, obedience, and gun work. The owner of Wood Duck is an AKC obedience judge, approved to judge Novice and Non-Regular, and currently provisional for Open classes. She knows how to start a Puppy down the right road. The main goal of this Retriever breeder, however, is to raise family and personal companions. Since she is, by profession, a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, and teaches household and competition obedience, this goal also is a natural one.

This Retriever breeder raises mostly black and chocolate Labs. Each comes with a written guarantee.

Helpful Tip

These are only a sampling of the many Labrador Retriever breeders in NH. If they do not have the Puppy you want, they can probably direct you to another Retriever breeder in NH who does.

Reminder

The author has made no attempt to screen the Retriever breeders listed and accepts no responsibility for their reputation, or for the quality of their dogs. It is the reader’s responsibility to investigate.

What are Chocolate Lab puppies? Dogs with a sweet tooth. Chocolate is not the only color Lab that has a sweet tooth, of course. Labs differ only in color.
Chocolate Labs, Black Labs, and Yellow Labs all are known to eat whatever they can find - including sweets. So although we use a Chocolate Lab Puppy for our example here, remember that we include all Labs.

Your Chocolate Lab Puppy

You decided to get a Chocolate Lab Puppy, and found one that was perfect in every way. You bought him from a reputable breeder, and his health is guaranteed. It is guaranteed in some ways, that is, but not against sweets.

Your Chocolate Lab Puppy is likely to be around his humans when they are eating. He is likely to beg when they are eating sweets. Most dogs do. That is why Internet dog sites repeatedly warn, ” Remember: avoid feeding your dog sweets.” Dogs want sweets. A Chocolate Lab Puppy wants sweets. A Chocolate Lab Puppy especially wants chocolates.

Chocolate, Coffee, Soda Warning

Chocolate is one of the worst things you can give your Chocolate Lab Puppy. Coffee and caffeinated soft drinks are similar. All chocolate, coffee, and caffeinated drinks contain substances called methylxanthines. These are found in seeds of the cacao fruit, the plant used to make chocolate and coffee. They are also found in the nuts of an extract used in some soft drinks. This substance is toxic to Chocolate Lab puppies. It can kill them.

Note that darker chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate. White chocolate has the lowest level of methylxanthines, while baking chocolate contains the highest.

Symptoms of Chocolate, Coffee, Caffeine Poisoning

The initial symptoms of poisoning in a Chocolate Lab Puppy are as follows:

* stomach upset
* vomiting
* diarrhea
* panting
* excessive thirst
* excessive urination

If your Chocolate Lab Puppy consumes enough chocolate, coffee, or caffeine, the pup will become restless and uncoordinated. It may suffer heart failure, tremors, seizures, or respiratory failure. It can die very soon after.

How Much Chocolate?

A Chocolate Lab Puppy can reach almost adult weight of 60 to 70 pounds within six or seven months of birth. At a mere 10 pounds, that Chocolate Lab Puppy can readily be killed by as little as one ounce of baking chocolate or eight ounces of milk chocolate. One candy bar is too much. Quantities have not been as clearly established for coffee and caffeinated products.

Emergency Action

What should you do if your Chocolate Lab Puppy (or any dog) consumes chocolate, coffee, or caffeine? As with other poisonings, you should seek emergency medical treatment from a qualified veterinarian.

Other Foods to Avoid

Other foods that are dangerous to your Chocolate Lab Puppy are these:

* alcohol
* avocado
* chives, garlic, onions
* grapes or raisins
* macadamia nuts
* milk
* raw or undercooked meat, eggs, or bones
* unbaked yeast dough
* Xylitol sweetener used in chewing gum, etc.

Final Tip

Your Chocolate Lab Puppy really does not need any sweets or human food at all. He is likely to get more enjoyment out of a natural pig ear!