|
We have been breeding, raising & training
Labradors for over 25 years as well as being an American Kennel Club "Breeder
of Merit" and member of the
Greater Atlanta Labrador Retriever
club.
Our commitment to this breed is life-long!
Temperament, health and longevity are all top priorities as well as
preserving the wonderful breed characteristics, natural abilities
and the correct type and temperament the Labrador was
originally bred for.
(Click
here) to read the written breed standard.
Breeders are a dime a dozen. Reputable breeders
are a few and far between. Because there are so many bad
Labrador breeders, we encourage you to take your time seeking out a
Labrador puppy. Ask questions and learn as much as possible
before spending your hard earned money on a pup that might have
serious health and/or temperament issues. We don't always have
pups available and even if we do, it may not be the perfect pup for
you or the color/sex you are looking for. Regardless, please feel
free to email or call with questions. We may be able to refer you
over to another wonderful & caring reputable breeder instead.
Our Labradors are our pets first and foremost. Second they are
hunting companions, show & working dogs. They sleep at your
feet, they never tire to retrieve and they simply adore everyone.
Seldom meeting a stranger. Often lavishing you with a wet tongue
upon greeting you and always a child's best friend.
Interested in becoming a member of our Ashland Family? Please
take a few minutes to read our info below and as always, feel free
to contact me personally.
Thanks!
Teresa Gordy
About our puppies
Acquiring a puppy:
If you are interested in a puppy from our current
or future litter, it is advisable to reserve a
pup in advance as most of our pups
are spoken for by the time they are just a few weeks old and many
before the litter has even arrived. I like to personally screen
our prospective puppy owners so that I may be able to place my pups
into the best possible homes. The first step is to either call
me personally at 615-289-9535 cell or 615-792-7095 Hm. I will
be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have. Then I
can send you my online information packet that includes a short
questionnaire and reservation form. Once I get the
questionnaire returned, I will then contact you to let you know if
you are approved for a puppy. At that time, you can proceed with
completing the reservation form and mailing it in with a $200.00
deposit which is applied to the purchase price of a puppy. The
online packet is very thorough and will answer all of your questions
and even elaborate on some you did not think to ask. Below is
a brief summary of what is included with the purchase of your puppy:
Guarantees:
Every puppy I have bred, that carries the Ashland
prefix will be accompanied with my written guarantees for the
following:
-
2.5 year against Canine Hip & Elbow
Dysplasia. (CHD) This is the most common of orthopedic
problems affecting ALL large breed
dogs. Reputable breeders will screen breeding stock
through the OFA and/or Penn Hip prior to breeding.
-
2.5 year against breed specific eye disorders
and defects that affect the breed. (Cataracts, Retinal
Dysplasia, Entropion, Ectropion). Reputable breeders will
obtain yearly eye exams and complete annual CERF certifications.
Should be done yearly on EVERY breeding dog.
-
1 year against any congenital defect.
Some known defects are hernias, eye, heart disorders, liver
shunts and esophageal disorders just to name a few. By no
means can any breeder predict congenital defects. This is
something a pup is born with, developed in utero but may not
show up or present outward signs until the pups is several
months old.
-
1 year Tricuspid Valve Dysplasia (TVD)
A known Heart Valve Disorder in Labradors. Reputable breeders
should have any dog one year of age or older screened and
certified normal by a Canine Cardiologist prior to breeding.
-
Lifetime - Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
This is the leading cause of blindness in Labradors. (This
disease can be identified by a DNA test (blood sample) which is
sent to Optigen to screen the dog for PRA). Utilizing
available DNA testing such as this, breeders can 100 percent
prevent the onset of PRA by selective breeding practices. There
is NO EXCUSE not to have a PRA performed on all breeding stock.
-
Lifetime - Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC)
(DNA TEST) Not a fatal disease, however it is disturbing for
anyone to see a Labrador collapse after a few minutes of hard
exercise. Most commonly affected are Labradors of Field Trial
lineage, however through crossing field and show lines, various
lines of show Labradors are also affected. Not all
breeders are testing for EIC at this time. Affected,
carrier or non-tested dogs should only be bred to Normal
(non-carrier) tested dogs so that all resulting offspring are
not affected.
-
Lifetime - Centronuclear Myopathy (CNM) (DNA
TEST) This disease is characterized by early onset of muscle
weakness, wobbly gait, fatigue and difficulty eating. Onset
usually begins as early as a few months of age. Not all
breeders are testing for CNM at this time. Affected,
carrier or non-tested dogs should only be bred to Normal
(non-carrier) dogs so that all resulting offspring are not
affected.
-
7 day -Post sale General Health Guarantee. We encourage you to take the
pup to a vet of your choice within 7 days from acquisition. This
guarantee assures your pup is free from illness, communicable
diseases, parasites, ear infections and more at the time of
sale.
Socialization:
It is extremely important that pups from birth on
receive daily interaction with humans and once they begin moving
about they should have exposure to various places, sounds and
surfaces. Our pups are born and raised in our home. Not a kennel,
shed or other "away" place. We spend a tremendous amount of
time socializing our pups. When your pup is ready to leave (around 8
weeks of age) you can be assured the he or she has had the best
possible start in life. Your pup will also be introduced to
the crate before leaving. For older pups we keep past 9 weeks, we
ALWAYS start obedience, leash and house training and continue with
their socialization.
Health:
-
Pups will be inoculated at age 6 & 8 weeks.
-
Will receive dewormings at age's 2, 4, 6 & 8
weeks of age.
-
Heartworm prevention started at 8 weeks of
age. Heartworm prevention started at 8 weeks of
age.
-
Microchip Implant at 7 weeks of age.
We provide you with complete medical records for
your pup along with a schedule of when next shots, etc are due.
Agreement:
All pups come with our Lifetime take-back policy
and agreement of sale. Pups going to pet homes are placed with
AKC limited
registration and a spay/neuter agreement. Show pups will
be placed on AKC open registration. Restrictions from breeding until
dog as acquired health clearances.
Puppy Take Home Package:
You will receive a puppy pack which includes the
following:
-
Individual Puppy
Portfolio complete with
AKC registration, Certified Pedigree, Pictures of parents,
grandparents and great grandparents. Breeder recommendations on
feeding, training and care. Breed specific literature. Health
info. Health records & schedule for your vet. Copies of parents
AKC and all health clearances. Written guarantees, Microchip
Registration card.
-
Puppy Food Package.
Includes small starter bag of food, coupons and other goodies.
-
Puppy Items.
Collar, leash, puppy shampoo, ear cleaner, nail trimmer,
grooming brush, training treats and puppy toys.
-
Nu Vet Supplements.
We will include your first week supply of
Nu Vet Canine and
Nu Joint Supplements along with brochure and ordering
information.
-
OTHER ITEMS:
We can offer you
puppy and dog crates, wire or plastic, exercise pens, grooming
equipment, shampoos, and much more at wholesale cost as long as
you give us a list of what you need to have 2 weeks before you
pick up your new puppy. That way we can have everything
waiting for you at the time pick-up.
Pricing
Cost of pups and deposit & reservation
information is discussed in our online puppy package mentioned
above. I would like to add that our pricing is the same
regardless of color or sex for a pet puppy.
Color of Pups:
One very important topic that I would like to
address is color. Not too many breeders take the time to educate
prospective puppy buyers. I have another page here on my site
that talks of coat color (click
here) but for now I want to brief you on the basics in your
search for a Lab pup.
Labrador Retrievers come in
ONLY three colors! Black, chocolate or
yellow. Yellow can range from a very light cream or "light yellow" to a very dark red
"Fox Red" and
there are many various shades in-between these ranges.
Chocolates can range from a light brown to a very dark Hershey
chocolate color.
At NO TIME should anyone fall for such
scams as
SILVER or WHITE Labradors. People advertising anything other
than Black, chocolate or yellow are not and I will repeat
ARE NOT
reputable breeders! Regardless of their bold claims that
silver is an accepted color. I want you to understand that it is
NOT...(IS NOT)...a color associated with pure-bred Labrador
Retrievers at any stage of the breeds development any where in the
WORLD! The AKC along with The Labrador Retriever Parent Club
does not recognize silver as an accepted color. AKC papers or not!
There are three colors a breeder can check on a pups AKC
registration application, again they are Black, Yellow or Chocolate.
No where will you find in print "Silver" or "White" on a set of AKC
papers. These people breeding Silver or White Labradors are
selling pups for ridiculous amounts and sending their pups out with
the AKC papers marked as Chocolate for silver and Yellow for white. Listen up.....you do not
purchase a brand new red car from the dealer and the title say's it
is white, nor do you purchase a solid SILVER Dalmatian puppy and the
papers say he is Black & White! And please don't be so foolish to
believe these "Silver Breeders" claims to having documented research
to prove the existence of silver Labradors. They do not!
Furthermore, if it were an accepted color, the Parent club would
allow it to be written in the breed standard, the AKC would
recognize the color and you would find Silver Labradors very easy to
find that were not seriously in-bred with siblings, father to
daughter, etc and they would be able to compete in breed
competitions. You will not find a Silver Labrador to have the
true to nature temperament of a real Labrador Retriever.
To touch base a bit more on "White Labradors",
I continually get phone calls from concerned puppy buyers asking my
opinion about the white pups being advertised from "SO and SO White
Labradors or kennel".
Yes, yellows can be very pale in color and
from pictures look white BUT fact is that these are just regular
light yellow Labrador Retrievers. There is nothing special or rare
about this color. As these very pale puppies begin to mature,
you will see some darker yellow coloration appear in the adult coat.
Sometimes it is vague and sometimes it is very noticeable,
especially along the ears, top-line, back of the rear legs and tail.
Yet a heavy number of "White Labrador Breeders" want you
to believe that these "lighter colored yellows" are true white, that
they are extra special and they ask ridiculous prices for their
puppies. Advertising White Labradors is nothing more than a
marketing scam and a way to bump up the price on an otherwise washed
out SHADE of coat color.
Most of these "White Lab Breeders" have very
inferior dogs with very poor temperaments and obvious conformation
faults. If they only breed for "White Labs" then I would
suggest you look elsewhere. Personally, I would run from any
breeder that uses the term "White Labrador". They will usually not even own a black
dog or breed to have any other color other than so-called white!
I want you to understand that there is nothing wrong with liking the
lighter shade of yellows, however you can easily find light yellows
from many reputable breeders while at the same time paying a
realistic price and getting a pup that is far superior in
conformation and temperament. Please do not call me and ask me
for references regarding ANY BREEDER that advertises white. I have
absolutely NOTHING GOOD to say about them!
There are many yellow dogs pictured through-out
my website that may appear white but fact is they are yellow..just light yellow and they come
from CHAMPION Parents with a good amount of black Labradors
through-out their lineage. This just goes to say that "light yellows" do not have
to come from two parents that are extremely "light" in color.
Understanding genetics and breeding to IMPROVE the next generation
through selective breeding for the "Entire Dog" including
TEMPERAMENT and not just a color or
other phenotype.
Customer Testimonials
Contact Info:
Teresa L. Gordy
(615) 792-7095 Home
(615) 289-9535 Cell
Email:
ashlandlabradors@yahoo.com
We use and recommend the following:
Club Affiliations:
|
