We are looking for a Chocolate Labrador Stud Dog to mate with our 2 and half year old Pedigree Chocolate Lab, preferably in the South East of England.
To contact us email: louise@robertmartins.com or call Louise on 01992 449572

First things first - is your bitch KC registered (no other 'registry' wil do)? Has she got a low hip-score? Has she a currect clear eye certificate? Are there any endorsements on her registration?

Next - I'm sure you're aware that mating chocolate to chocolate can be problematical (though not as bad as chocolate to yellow). Your best bet (if you want good quality chocolate puppies - sadly there are an enormous number of very poor quality chocolates around) is to mate her to a sire who's black, but is genetically carrying chocolate.

And very importantly, as well as him having passed all the breed-relevant health tests (the 'once-over' from your GP vet is not sufficient) his pedigree will need to match hers - putting any old dog to a bitch is a recipe for very expensive heartbreak.

Louise,

Assuming you have had all the relavant tests done and that your bitch is a decent quality labrador you should not be searching for a labrador by colour. (although you would immediately eliminate yellow) You should be searching for the best quality labrador avaliable best on type and quality against the breed standard.

Another thing to think about is do you want to add to the already over populated breed. Labrador rescues are bursting at the seams with labradors and yes they are half decent quality dogs.  Most quite young.

Labradors are they most over bred bred of dog there is and the colour liver/chocolate is taking a bigger beating from all of these poor " chocolate labrador breeders"

just a point and one to think about  isn't it strange we don't see ads for " black labrador breeder" or " yellow labrador breeder"    why do we keep seeing the chocolate used ... people cashing in on fashion trends.  :-(

Its a sad fact that chocolates are more in demand and often fetch a higher price than black or yellow, normally around £100 more.

I have very sadly just rehomed my chocolate bitch to a family friend, she was not good enough for show (not matter how much I wanted her to be!) and she failed as a gundog by chasing deer and rabbits. She was two years old, she had hip and eye certs and the most fantastic tempament of any lab I know. It was hard to part with her and lots of tears were shed but I can see her anytime I like as she is with a family friend, but it was not fair to keep her in the kennels. I was told to keep her as a brood bitch as she would produce some gorgeous pet puppies, and yes she would have, but I would never, ever breed for the demand of the general public and she did not have the quailities to breed from, even though she had had health tests this did not make her breeding quality, she had just finished her season when she was rehomed and it has been agreed that she will be spayed in 3 months time.

Think hard about why you want to breed, and please don't add to the countless number of labs in rescue :(

why did you not keep her as a pet yourself...i cant imagine ever leaving my labs for someone else to care for.... i am trying to word this without sounding cheeky and it is hard... but if a dog is not suitable for showing or whatever it is breed or intended for do folk just give them away...... i have had labs all my life...never breed them, shown them although i have had some beauties and i just dont understand how some one who has such an interest in the breed could bear to part with such a loving soul... i am posting this because i am interested in what folk do with their labs that dont just come up to scratch.....

<but it was not fair to keep her in the kennels> probably because she was rehomed as an indoor pet ? I would think so will be getting more individual attention

Thats exactly the reason, she was in a kennel and run and had other dogs around her to keep her company, but in the house she would not if I was out, she did come in to get her house trained and she was great but missed the other dogs, where she has gone she has an indoor playmate, all my dogs are kept out for a reason.

Also was it fair that the others got to go out training, and to go shooting and to leave her at home, was it fair that the other were taken down the woods for a run and she was not allowed off the lead or she would dissapear, also was it fair that the other were allowed to go swimming and she was not, although she loved water she could not swim to save her life.

The home that she has got is fantastic, she has settled in well and she is as happy as she could be, the new owner never goes on holidays without the dogs and she gets to go to the beach everyday, the new owner knows the truth why I rehomed her and she knows not to let her off the lead in covered areas (she is fine on open ground).

I never buy a dog with the intentions of using it to breed, as when they are older they may not be suitable any way but this is not why I rehomed her, I rehomed her because she was unhappy with the life I could offer, when I spend so much time training the other dogs, one of which is 7 years old, but they always need training to keep them up to standard, she was sitting in a kennel on her own, or indorrs on her own, Is this fair? Or was I thinking of the welfare of my dog?

If I really didn't care then I could have put her in in the paper and got about £500 for her, seeing she had hips and eyes done, KC reg. But that would have been the nastiest thing to do ever. I paid £500 for her as a puppy and all the health test I had done was £150 more, but money never came into it, I wanted the best pet home I could.

The fact that she didn't come up to scratch as you put it wasn't the issue neither, the issue was that she was unhappy because she saw  all the other dogs doing the things she wanted to do but couldn't.

Don't worry labs, many people will see it the same way :)  I personally could not part with any of my dogs but I have friends who have indoor dogs but choose to rehome their bitches after they have been shown and made a contribution to their breeding program in the form of a litter as there is simply not enough room in the house.  The homes chosen will be the very best they can find and generally give the dog a much better level of individual attention. Often it is people that have had dogs from them before and are therefore known and trusted.  The purchasers too benefit because they are frequently desirous, for various reasons, of getting an older dog ready housetrained and well socialised so all in all I have no problems at all with people who choose to do this.

I agree Isabel.  I love all my girls dearly and they have a brilliant dog life, but only 1/4 share of my time and attention.

I have a 6 year old at the moment who has not taken to my home move (and lack of grass!) as well as the others.  A family friend, who lost their oldie and doesn't want a puppy, has asked if I would consider letting them have her.  "Mother's favourite" has done me well in the ring, although she would rather walk on the beach or lie on the sofa these days!  She has given me a lovely daughter, with whom I'm very pleased, given another exhibitor a dog puppy to show, and for me to include in my breeding program a few years down the line (if 420 miles away!) and given a friend a bitch puppy to show and breed on from.  I've had to think, 'so do I selfishly keep her because i want to (which seems to be the modern way to think these days) or let her go to a couple who will love her, give her undivided attention, and wonderful life AND they have grass!'  She is not as attached to me (she loves anyone) as I am to her.  I learned many years ago that we are not the only ones who can love our dogs!  It will be very hard for me, but I know what the right decision will be...........

There have been a number of people over the years who have been better suited to an older dog than a puppy.  Like the lady who turned up for a puppy and was in a wheel chair - not one of the questions that I ask on the phone and she didn't think it important enough to tell me!!  She was a lovely lady who had lost her oldie and was desperate for company but had forgotten what rearing a puppy involved, not having done it for 15 years!!  One of my adults gently put her front legs onto the lady's lap to give her a cuddle and was not at all phased by the wheelchair.  After another visit, with a lump in my throat I let her go.  She still rings me 4 times a year!  They are best friends.  Another local lady rang in tears because she'd lost her oldie the previous day.  I had no pups available, but said (as I say to many people) "I've got nothing for you but if you want to cuddle a Collie, come for a cup of tea!"  She did and one of my girls glued herself to this sobbing lady's leg!  Golly, it hurt, but I'd got 4 and she'd got none............

When I part with my adults, I never think that I'm 'getting rid of them' as some people out there think of it.  I think that I'm very fortunate to live with such lovely girls, and I'm happy to share them with others who aren't as lucky.

arrrr thats rearly nice that val!!!! :)

Ahhh thats so nice val.

I'm glad that I haven't been told what a nasty, horrid person I am, I honestly done it for the good of the dog and had the same thought that is was selfish to let her lead a lesser life with me because I didn't want to let her go. She has been gone a week now and already I have had 3 phonecalls to let me know how she is, and she is only about 4 miles away from and can see her when I like, but have decided not to see her for a while incase she gets confused.

Kerry

I leave it for a month before I visit labs.  By that time I find that they come and give me a BIG welcome, and then go and sit my their new owners while I wipe my eyes!!  Golly, I'm doing it now!! :(

I've never planned to part with any of my adult bitches, but these situations arise and there are decisions to be made!!

Well my friend has organised a companion show middle of next month and the new owner is going to come along and so I will see her there but there will be so much going on that hopefully she will be ok, more than I can say for myself as I will probaly burst into tears. But I still think I have done the right thing by the dog.

You have both put it so well. 

I personally and selfishly can't at this time ever see myself letting any of my girls go.  I am now at the stage in the breed that I do get repeat enquiries from people who would prefer an adult.  In fact I passed on such an enquiry from someone who had a two year old male of my breeding but lost his elderly male companion. 

They had found rearing the young dog harder than they remembered and he was in need of a companion but they realisitcally were no longer up to having a pup. 

Their dogs grandmother my Tula then 6 years old, would have been an ideal match (loves everyone and wouldn't have given me a backward glance I expect).

Instead I put the word out to friends in the breed, and they ended up with a 5 year old Champion bitch who for some reason had been unable to be got in whelp and sadly was having less time with her owners than she might have as their Alpha bitch hated her.  This meant that the two had to take turns in the house getting less attention than they would otherwise.

Her new owners love her to bits, the dog had no problem accepting a nice bitch to be his canine boss, and they get up to mishcief together. :D 

The owners have a nice sensible companion past the difficult age and with probably 8 or 10 years ahead of her as a companion to them.

I don't think you are being selfish Brainless, you can obviously give all your dogs the time they need :)  it was just with me that because of what I use my dogs for, she was missing out so much :(

Wel my kids think they come well behind the dogs in order of importance, especially being outnumbered by them 2.5 : 1 :D

I wouldn't think of you as selfish in a month of Sundays Brainless!!  I know from our communications ;) that your dogs have a fab dog life!!

Yes I do try, but it does mean  have to limit my options in advancing my breeding program and be ever so strict about the pups I keep.  Can't have any more now until the oldest goes to Rainbow bridge. 

i certainly dont think anyone is being a horrible nasty person.... i was just wondering what really happens to these dogs and i am so pleased to hear that so much care goes into their rehoming.. i am just not in that position and have kept my dogs their whole life so i didnt know what happened to them.... i really just wanted to know what happens to the dogs. thanks for the replies.... sorry if i offended anyone... it was not intentional

I am sure no offence was taken.  I always wondered myself how people could rehome an older dog, but now realise that it is often done with the dogs best interests at heart. 

The only ones I would condemn are those people like puppy famers and some racing greyhound owners who abandonthe dogs and breeding bitches after their usefulness.

I know someone who had a few racing dogs in training and they excersised them at the weekends and when they retired homed them themselves, and kept one.

No offence taken cally :)