Contracts and Extra Info for our English Labrador Retriever Puppies

As a breeder, it is our goal to give our puppies the best start to life possible! We never want our puppies to go through something, that we could have prevented! This is precisely why we don't remove dewclaws on our babies. Throughout the years, we have researched more and more about the purpose of a dewclaw. Not only does it allow your puppy to grip bones, toys, and other things, but they also allow your dog to have the traction they need when running, turning quick, etc! They can assist is running up steep slopes, and going over uneven/rocky ground. The biggest reason we no longer remove (front) dewclaws though? They connect to TWO muscles and FOUR tendons in your dogs leg! They provide stabilization their legs, and the risk of injury increase without them! Chronic Carpal Arthritis is a common injury in dogs without front dewclaws. Did you know that some dogs are injured so badly, they are no longer able to participate in field/hunting events? Can you imagine having to retire your best friend early, simply because of an injury that may have been prevented? 

On the other hand, rear dewclaws on only attached by skin. They do not appear to serve a true purpose, and often cause more harm than good, due to them often getting ripped off in the field. Lucky, Labs are RARELY born with rear dewclaws, so no removal is necessary! 

I'm sure everyone remembers the "grain-free" craze! But has anyone truly researched the effects of going grain-free? We have! At first we thought, maybe this is a fantastic idea! Dogs like meat; wolves eat deer, rabbits, etc; so of course grain-free is the way to go! However, did you know that dogs and wolves are actually omnivores? This means that they get nutrients from both animals AND plants! In 2018, we saw an increase in dogs who suffered from dilated cardiomyopathy or DCM. DCM is caused when the heart muscles weaken, and are unable to efficiently pump blood through a dogs body. The majority of dogs who were diagnosed appeared to only have 1 thing in common: a grain-free diet. Research studies showed that more dogs who were diagnosed with DCM and/or had taurine deficiencies enjoyed grain-free diets, as compared to dogs who ate traditional dog foods. 

It's crazy to think that some of these expensive foods that we feed, aren't actually as healthy as we are led on to believe! When you are choosing a food, always fo your research! Below is a list of what we feed our girls and boys! Every night, our best friends just get kibble and nuvet/nujoint but in the morning,  we add things! Below is a list of things we add to our furry-friends diets! 

• Raw meat

• Chicken "Paws"

• Raw eggs

• Bacon Grease (not great for them, but it's a great treat once in a while!)

• Goat milk! They LOVE it! 

• Blue berries, carrots, any pet-safe fruits/veggies

• Liver: Raw, boiled, or freeze-dried!

• Coconut Oil (great for coats!)

• Probiotics- ALWAYS a great choice! 

Most dog families know your pup needs to vaccinated against Parvo, Distemper, and Rabies. However, there is a "new" disease out there that all too many people are not vaccinating against! This disease is called Leptospirosis. It is not actually new, but it was relatively unheard of in our area until recently.  Lepto is spread through wildlife, farm animals, and contaminated water. What if you don't like on a farm? There are mice EVERYWHERE! Did you know mice piddle when they run through your lawn? They do! Then your beloved pup walks through the lawn, gets the urine on his/her paws, then licks them once inside! This is one of the main ways dogs in town become infected with Leptospirosis.  Leptospirosis cannot be vaccinated against, until 12 weeks old, but then needs bolstered at 16 weeks with your puppy's final set of puppy vaccines. It is an annual vaccine thereafter! 

Heartworm Prevention: 

Most people believe Heartworm isn't a problem in our cooler climate. However, especially for our families in Cheyenne (with FE Warren AFB so close) it is a huge risk! Heartworm is spread through infected mosquitos. It is seen more commonly down south, as close as Colorado! With all our travel in and out of Cheyenne, our pets are at increased risk! It is very expensive to treat a dog with Heartworm, and it has a massive impact on their health! We highly recommend testing for Heartworm annually, starting at 1 year old, and starting your best friend on a Heartworm Prevention such as Interceptor, which covers Heartworm and other intestinal parasites.