Hi,
My name is Aaron, and my partner and i after months of disscussion have decided to buy a chocolate labrador. The reason for this message is for any general advice/guidence on purchasing, training, diet etc, etc. Any advice would be much appreciated. many thanks. Aaron

What ever you do buy a puppy from health tested parents (hips and eyes at least) Chocolate labs are very popular and are often bred with only one thing in mind and thats to make money so make sure you go to a reputable breeder, have a look on the kennel club website or even on champdogs under the breeders section.

A good choccie should have a rich brown colour coat and not a pale washedout colour. When you find a litter ask to see the paper work regarding the pups, look on the registration papers to see if both parents have had the health tests, if they are not there then they haven't been done no matter what the breeder says!! A good breeder will ask YOU all sorts of questions, so be prepared for this and don't be offended they only want whats best for their puppies.

Do not be afraid to ask the breeder questions they will be only too happy to help you and a good breeder will provide an information sheet regarding all to do with puppy, feeding, worming, injections (if any, when too) exercise, and will be only too pleased to offer training tips.

Good luck in your search, don't be too hasty, make sure you find the right puppy for you.

Kerry

Excellent advice! My first chocolate lab took well over a year to find!
i have heaps of website links that i used when i was looking for mine but im sure you will get some very good advice from these great people. 
Definatly know what you mean by all the questions kerry the first visit i made it felt like we where on trial. The breeder also visited our home which i also thought was excellent.
Anyway Aaron good luck on your search it will be very worthwhile that i can promise!
if you need the links then you can email me i cant private message you because you arnt a member!
afulmarbird@hotmail.com

Good advice plus contact a breed club for memebers with puppies for sale

Contact the breed club in your area, buy from a club member. I personally think you have to watch that people who are breeding for colour ie choc to choc etc are doing it for the right reason as you have been told chocs are a favourite of the puppy farms and backyard breeders cashing in on their popularity.  There is only a very small number of good breeders who bred chocs in relation to yellow or black puppies also so you may have to wait.

A worth while question to ask and think about is why has this person bred the litter.  One I stick with.

If there is a definate good reason Ie show or work then you can bet their has been thought and no expense spared.

If it is someone breeding a pet litter for the pet market then there may have been less plannning, less cost invested etc.

I can't quite get my head around people wanting a colour as their starting point personally. I think you should find the breed you like and hold out for the best dog regardless of the colour.  

Unfortunatly when i decided to purchase a labrador i didnt come across this site and all the good advice i spent weeks /months collecting information on the pedigree number of litters bred etc and as i said earlier it took me a year to search for what i wanted from my dog. I traveled a few hundred miles because of some dead ends i.e answering a nice advert only to get there and they didnt have a clue when i asked them questions more interested in the deposite and when i would be picking the dog up, or when i arrived and asked where the mum and dad was they told me oh what a shame they have just gone out for a walk! mmmmm yeah right.
I dont think people use a starting point as a colour but more a personal preference! I had always wanted a labrador and i prefer a chocolate one just unfortunate the good ones dont come along so aften.