Policies, Procedures, and FAQs
We have implemented certain policies and procedures into our breeding program for the health and safety of our puppies. Please use this page as a resource and feel free to contact us with any questions in regards to this information.
Puppy Reservation Process
We have updated our puppy reservation process to the following:
In order to get on the waiting list for a puppy, you must first fill out our puppy buyer application/questionnaire.* Upon approval, we require a $200 non-refundable application fee (that will go towards the total purchase price of the puppy) to get on the waiting list. We will not add individuals to the waiting list who have not paid the application fee. Once we announce that a breeding has taken place or that it has been confirmed via ultrasound, we will reach out to those on our waiting lists and will start accepting deposits. Once the puppies are born, a deposit is due within 48 hours of being contacted ($500 non-refundable, also goes towards the total purchase price of the puppy).
We have been very lenient with our waiting list process, but we have had issues of families applying and staying on the list for 4+ years. While we appreciate families being considerate of the timing for a puppy in their family, it slows down the entire process for everyone (for us and other able puppy buyers). Each litter, we spend hours (if not days) going over applications and determining which homes would best suit each puppy. Therefore, it becomes very time-consuming and consequently purposeless to have puppy buyers repeatedly postpone, not respond, or go elsewhere. If you are not ready for a puppy from us in the near future, we ask that you do not fill out our application/questionnaire until you are. We recommend that you follow our Facebook or other social media platforms to keep updated on our breedings/litters. Also, please know that if you filled out an application/questionnaire with us and were approved but chose not to get on the waiting list at that time, you will be asked to fill out another one. This is mainly done so that we can stay current with your living style and preferences (as those can easily change in 1+ years). We recognize the high volume of scams going around, so please know that we welcome a Facetime chat if you would like to see our labs prior to placing the application fee.
*Please note: if you choose to fill out our puppy buyer application through Good Dog instead of through our website, by their policies and terms, you are required to pay both the deposit and remaining balance through Good Dog (they do have a no-fee option though).
In order to get on the waiting list for a puppy, you must first fill out our puppy buyer application/questionnaire.* Upon approval, we require a $200 non-refundable application fee (that will go towards the total purchase price of the puppy) to get on the waiting list. We will not add individuals to the waiting list who have not paid the application fee. Once we announce that a breeding has taken place or that it has been confirmed via ultrasound, we will reach out to those on our waiting lists and will start accepting deposits. Once the puppies are born, a deposit is due within 48 hours of being contacted ($500 non-refundable, also goes towards the total purchase price of the puppy).
We have been very lenient with our waiting list process, but we have had issues of families applying and staying on the list for 4+ years. While we appreciate families being considerate of the timing for a puppy in their family, it slows down the entire process for everyone (for us and other able puppy buyers). Each litter, we spend hours (if not days) going over applications and determining which homes would best suit each puppy. Therefore, it becomes very time-consuming and consequently purposeless to have puppy buyers repeatedly postpone, not respond, or go elsewhere. If you are not ready for a puppy from us in the near future, we ask that you do not fill out our application/questionnaire until you are. We recommend that you follow our Facebook or other social media platforms to keep updated on our breedings/litters. Also, please know that if you filled out an application/questionnaire with us and were approved but chose not to get on the waiting list at that time, you will be asked to fill out another one. This is mainly done so that we can stay current with your living style and preferences (as those can easily change in 1+ years). We recognize the high volume of scams going around, so please know that we welcome a Facetime chat if you would like to see our labs prior to placing the application fee.
*Please note: if you choose to fill out our puppy buyer application through Good Dog instead of through our website, by their policies and terms, you are required to pay both the deposit and remaining balance through Good Dog (they do have a no-fee option though).
Good Dog Inquiries and Applications
As of September 10, 2024, all inquiries and applications submitted through Good Dog will incur an additional charge. Good Dog is now charging a fee of 6.5% on all puppy transactions. Our price on Good Dog has subsequently increased to make up for this change. This means that if you contact us or choose to fill out an application through Good Dog instead of our website, by their policies and terms, you are required to pay both the deposit and remaining balance through them, including this added fee.
Deposit and Payment
A $500 non-refundable deposit is needed to secure your puppy once we confirm pregnancy of the litter via ultrasound. This deposit will go towards the total purchase price of the puppy. Deposits are refundable if we are unable to produce a puppy of your desired sex and color. We can also transfer your deposit to a future litter if you are no longer able to get a puppy from the litter you placed the deposit in. The final balance on the puppy is due no later than at six weeks of age. We accept payments through cash, cashier's check, direct deposit, wire transfer, and Good Dog. If you choose to pay through a cashier's check, you must send it early so that it has time to arrive and be cleared by our bank. Good Dog offers two payment options, one with fees and one without. If you choose to pay the fees, you will have access to Good Dog's Puppy Training and Live Coaching Program, as well as lifetime support from their team of veterinarians and behaviorists. We reserve the right to refuse sale to anyone, as well as the right to keep the first pick(s) of the males and females of each litter.
Puppy Selection Process
With our puppy selection process, we will match our puppies to their families after they have undergone their temperament testing (at about 7 weeks of age). We do not typically put an emphasis on positions on the waiting list because of this (as it's not a first-come, first-serve situation, rather one that takes into account the puppy's personality/temperament, as well as the lifestyle and preferences of the puppy families). However, if we do have a couple of puppies that we feel would do well with a certain family, we will open it up for that family to choose. For example, say that we have a family that wants and would do well with a puppy who is on the calmer side. If they meet the litter right after they have been playing for a little while, they may falsely believe that certain puppies are calmer than others. The family may then fall in love with a puppy who is more on the active end, and this could prove difficult and frustrating for both the puppy and family in the long run. We spend literally 24/7 with our puppies, so we have a much better grasp on their personalities and temperaments than what can be seen in just an hour-long visit. We will make every effort to accommodate requests for a specific puppy, but we ask that you trust us in helping you select your forever companion.
Please Note: We always reserve the right to make our selections of the males and females that we will be keeping in our program FIRST before any puppies are placed into pet homes. This means that we may not choose our pups until they are 7-8 weeks of age. Therefore, we will conduct our temperament testing and conformation evaluations at about 7-8 weeks of age and make our decisions on which puppies will be staying then. Afterwards, we will begin matching our remaining puppies to their forever families.
Please Note: We always reserve the right to make our selections of the males and females that we will be keeping in our program FIRST before any puppies are placed into pet homes. This means that we may not choose our pups until they are 7-8 weeks of age. Therefore, we will conduct our temperament testing and conformation evaluations at about 7-8 weeks of age and make our decisions on which puppies will be staying then. Afterwards, we will begin matching our remaining puppies to their forever families.
Visitor Policy
No visitors are allowed until the puppies have received their first set of vaccinations (at about 6 weeks of age). We are, however, happy to provide pictures, videos, and video chats until the puppies are old enough to be seen. We ask that when visiting us, DO NOT visit any other litters, shelters, dog parks, or things/places similar to those on the same day. The health of our puppies is our top concern, and we want to limit the risk of illnesses and diseases, the main one being Parvo. We clean several times a day, every day, to ensure our puppies are being raised in the best sanitary conditions. We also ask that no other animals are brought to meet their new companion. We understand the excitement of introducing a puppy to its new older sibling, but we ask that you refrain from doing so as it can compromise the health of both our adult dogs and the puppies. We recommend limiting your puppy's exposure to dog parks and other animals until he/she has completed his/her vaccination series. Visitors are limited only to those who are purchasing a puppy (with a paid deposit) and by appointment only. If visiting, please know that you will be asked to wash your hands, use hand santizer, use a footbath and/or shoe coverings. Also, please let us know if you have had Covid recently or recent contact with someone who tested positive for Covid. We have members of our household who are high risk, so we would most likely have to postpone the visit for their safety. We appreciate your cooperation.
Please Note: If you do come to visit the litter of puppies before they are able to go to their new homes at 8 weeks, we kindly ask you to remember our puppy selection process outlined above. We will conduct our temperament testing and conformation evaluations at about 7-8 weeks of age and make our decisions on which puppies will be staying then. Afterwards, we will begin matching our remaining puppies to their forever families. Please DO NOT get your heart set on a certain puppy during your visit as we cannot guarantee that you will be matched to that specific puppy.
Please Note: If you do come to visit the litter of puppies before they are able to go to their new homes at 8 weeks, we kindly ask you to remember our puppy selection process outlined above. We will conduct our temperament testing and conformation evaluations at about 7-8 weeks of age and make our decisions on which puppies will be staying then. Afterwards, we will begin matching our remaining puppies to their forever families. Please DO NOT get your heart set on a certain puppy during your visit as we cannot guarantee that you will be matched to that specific puppy.
Pickup and Travel Arrangements
All puppy buyers are responsible for picking up their puppy once they are ready to go home. We do not hold puppies past 8 weeks of age. Puppies are highly impressionable between 8-16 weeks of age and need to begin advancing in their training with their new owners. Also, we do not ship our puppies. We do, however, encourage our out-of-state buyers to fly with their puppy in-cabin back home. Additionally, we do not sell our puppies outside of the United States. We are located in Utah and the airport that we use is the Salt Lake City International Airport. We are more than happy to assist in the accommodations. All expenses, such as airfare, a health certificate, and a crate to fly, are the responsibility of the new owners.
Registration
To promote responsible ownership and protect the integrity of the breed, all of our puppies are sold strictly with AKC limited registration. This means that they are not to be bred or shown. We do not sell our puppies for breeding purposes. They are, however, able to participate in all other events the AKC offers, such as agility, obedience, field trials, hunting tests, etc.
Communication
Our preferred and primary method of communication is through email. With the high volume of inquires that we receive, it is simply not possible to keep track of everyone through social media and text messages (although we still do respond via these methods). Please keep in mind that all inquiries will most likely be responded through email (or redirected to an email if another communication method was initially used), so we appreciate your patience and understanding in the matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you breed American or English Labrador Retrievers?
The short answer to this is English. However, the AKC does not distinguish the Labrador Retriever breed by English or American. This may cause confusion, especially when dealing with Labradors whose origins are from another country outside the United States. The Labrador Retriever Club (parent club of the Labrador Retriever) advises that the terms "English" and "American" should only be used to describe location, and that show style/conformation or working style/field be used to describe the physical difference in the breed. That being said, we focus on breeding show style Labradors that adhere to the breed standard.
Can I breed my puppy?
No. We do not sell our puppies for any type of breeding purposes. All of our puppies will go home with limited AKC registration (meaning that if they produced any puppies, none could be registered with the AKC), as well as strict spay and neuter contracts. We do not want our puppies to be bred to create designer dogs either (e.g doodles). We take our breeding program and placement of our puppies very seriously. Our contracts will be enforced under severe penalty if breached in accordance to this section.
Where are you located?
We are located in Utah. The closest airport to us is the Salt Lake City International Airport.
What colors of Labradors do you breed?
We breed black, yellow, and chocolate Labradors. We do not breed for color, but rather prioritize health, temperament, conformation, and genetics. Please be flexible in your preferences as we cannot guarantee your puppy to be a certain shade of yellow. We do not breed dilute labs or designer dogs (e.g. doodles).
Will you place two puppies at the same time?
In most cases, we will not place two puppies with the same family at the same time. Raising one puppy takes a lot of time and effort, and it can become much harder training with two puppies. They may bond more with each other than with their owner, which makes training more difficult.
Do you sell puppies outside of the United States?
At this current time, we do not sell any of our puppies outside of the United States (not even to Canada). Our contracts are only enforceable in the United States, so we are only able to work with buyers who permanently reside in the USA.
Why are there watermarks on all of your photos?
Unfortunately, we have had too many problems with other breeders and scammers stealing not only our photos, but our written text from our website as well. We would much prefer not to have to watermark all of our photos that we put up, but we are tired of seeing our photos used to fraudulently represent puppies that may or may not exist. For our puppy buyers who are confirmed to be getting a puppy from us, we have a password-protected page with helpful go-home information and more that is available exclusively for them. Again, this is our way of preventing other breeders and scammers from stealing our information to falsely pass off as their own. If you notice any of our photos or information being used elsewhere, please let us know!