- CANINE
HEALTH We believe that proper
nutrition, exercise, regular veterinary exams, yearly vaccinations and
responsible breeding are each essential in maintaining the optimal health of
our canines. Each litter of puppies is
carefully planned and pregnancies are closely monitored. Our females are only bred after they reach
the age of two years and then only once per year to ensure their health and
well-being. Strong, healthy, happy brood
females produce litters with the same characteristics, which are the standard
at Rocky Mountain Labradors.
- HUNTING
DOGS
Two of our Labrador Retrievers are tried-and-true hunters. Both Copper and Penny hunt waterfowl and
upland game birds. Occasionally, we
keep a puppy to train in obedience and retrieval, and oftentimes, we then sell
this puppy as a started dog. For more
information on current availability of Rocky Mountain Labradors started dogs,
please see the started dogs page of this website.
- PUPPY
AVAILABILITY We keep a current waiting
list for anyone wishing to purchase a puppy. Those on our waiting list are notified when
the litter is bred and again when the litter is whelped. When the puppies reach the age of one week,
individuals on our waiting list may choose the puppy they would like. No deposit is required for a spot on the
waiting list, but once the pups are whelped we require a non-refundable deposit
to hold any puppy. We often sell to people
around the country and are familiar and confident with shipping puppies by
airline. If a puppy is to be shipped, a
flat fee is charged. Please contact us
for more information on our waiting list, the purchase of a puppy, or shipping
fees.
- STUD
SERVICE Our stud dogs, Copper and
Cody, are both exceptional dogs with sound genetics, beautiful builds and sweet
temperaments. As noted on the studs
page, both are OFA certified on hips.
Any brood female coming to our kennel for stud service is checked as to
soundness of pedigree and her owner must show proof of her current vaccinations. If you would like more information about
Rocky Mountain Labradors stud service, please contact us.
More
information on the SILVER LABRADOR RETRIEVER
Where did this
SILVER color come from? The silver
color comes from the expression of a recessive coloration gene that chocolate
Labs carry. When a puppy inherits a
recessive (silver) coloration gene from each of it’s parents, it’s color will
be silver. This coloration can occur in
one of three ways: from the breeding of
two chocolate labs who both carry a recessive color gene, from the breeding of
two silver labs, or from the breeding of a silver to a
chocolate-silver-factored (a chocolate who carries the recessive silver
gene). This dominant/recessive
relationship of coloration genes is similar to that of black-colored (dominant)
and yellow-colored (recessive) Labradors. The silver Labrador Retriever is no less
purebred than a Labrador of any other color.
Why the Silver Lab
Controversy? Every good thing faces
opposition from time to time, and the Silver Labrador is no different. New things often bring criticism from those
who might not understand the situation.
An example from long ago parallels this situation: back in the early
1900's some people believed the yellow-colored Labrador retriever (which we now
know is the expression of the black recessive gene) was not purebred. The same criticism surfaced as chocolates
became more common. Logically, some
experts propose that the yellows and chocolates had occasionally been born
since the beginning of the breed, but were often euthanized because, although
purebred, they were seen as flawed because of their unusual color. With time and an understanding of genetics,
people began to realize that the unique color was not a flaw, but a genetic
expression of the breed’s variety. This
principle holds true for the Silver Lab as well. Though some speak criticism, no one
has ever been able to prove there would be any reason to doubt the Silver Lab
being purebred. In 1987, the AKC
conducted an inquiry as to the Silver Lab and no representative from the
examining parties found any reason to doubt that the silver puppies in the
inquiry were purebred Labrador Retriever.
(To see the official statement regarding the AKC position on the issue
of Silver Labs, and why they are registered as chocolates, please see
www.dogbreedinfo.com/labradorakcsilver.htm ).
Why are Silvers
registered as Chocolate? Until 1997, the
AKC registered silvers as silver, but after that point deemed that they should
be registered as chocolate.
Their stated
reasoning for this is because the Breed Standard defines Labrador Retriever
colors ranging from “sedge” to “chocolate” as being labeled chocolate. One must consider that the change in color
labeling may have also been due to pressure from breeders who could not produce
silvers and saw the Silver Lab as competition for their market. But as pressure and criticism lessens, many
believe that eventually silvers will once again be registered as silver.
Why do we love
them? Our Silver Labs are just as
loving, intelligent, trainable and purebred as any other Labrador
Retriever.
SOURCES
Kern, Kerry V. Labrador
Retrievers. 2nd ed. Hong Kong: Barron's Educational Series, Inc, 1995.
Wiles-Fone, Heather,
ed. The Ultimate Labrador Retriever. 2nd ed.
New York: Howell Book House, 2003.