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!