How old do I have to be to purchase a puppy? You must be 19 years of age to purchase a puppy. A minor can't enter a legally binding contract and thus the CKC won't allow us to register a puppy to a minor.
Where can I find testimonials and reviews? There's a page on this website called Past Pups/Referrals with lots of testimonies. https://gypzyslabs.weebly.com/pastpupsreferrals.html. You can also google my business "Gypzy's Labs" from a computer and My Business Google reviews will pop up on the right side of the screen.
How long have you been a breeder? We have owned labs since 2009 and have been breeding Canadian Kennel Club Registered Purebred Labrador Retrievers since 2012. We have been a Premier registered member of the CKC since 2012 and our kennel has been registered with the CKC since 2013.
Are your labs 'American' or 'English'? Our labs are born and raised Canadians!!! Originally bred in Newfoundland, Canada, in the 1500s, this breed comes from the St. John's Water Dog, aka the Lesser Newfoundland. They were used primarily to retrieve fish that got off the hook and to aid with pulling in nets. In the 1830s, they were imported to England, where they were then used as gun dogs. By 1903, they became a registered breed with the European Kennel Club. In 1917, they were registered with the American Kennel Club. We are able to trace some of our bloodlines all the way back to the original dogs imported to England from New foundland (as it was called).
American and English are misnomers. "American" is actually field-trial/working body type and "English" is actually show/conformation body type. They aren't sure where the American and English names came from since "English" builds are more often found in America while the "American" build is popular in England. Here's a link if you wish to read more on it. http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/english-american.html. There is no mention of body type in pedigrees, the body type is based off the size and structure of the pup and its parents. At Gypzy's Labs we strive to breed Labrador Retrievers that are true to the Canadian Kennel Club breed standard which is a mix of both types, a dual purpose dog that excels at hunting, retrieving, and guiding, yet can relax and calm down when required. Our labs have the big head and barrel chest of the show/conformation body type, and the athleticism and height of the field-trial/working body type. There will always be some degree of traits of the one body type mixed in with the other because they all come from the same original Labrador Retriever lines.
Are your dogs and pups Canadian Kennel Club registered? All my dogs and pups are purebred CKC registered Labrador Retrievers with long lists of Canadian, American, British, Irish, Finnish, International, and even World Titles on their pedigrees.
-Conformation Grand Champion Silver, Grand Champion, Champion, Best In Specialty Show Titles
-Field Champion, National Field Champion, Field Trial Champion, National Field Trial Champion, Upland Hunter, Master Hunter, Grand Master Hunter, Working Certificate Excellent, Flat Racer Champion Titles, as well as American Pointing Labrador Association Hall of Fame and American Field Trial Hall of Fame recipients
-Companion Dog, Companion Dog Intermediate, and Companion Dog Excellent Certificates
We also have pups that are now starting to gain titles.
"In Canada, all purebred dogs come with a Purebred Dog Certificate of Registration issued by The Canadian Kennel Club – without this certificate, they can’t legally be sold as purebred. The certificate indicates, among other things, the dog’s registered name, breed and date of birth, as well as the names of the dog’s sire and dam. The breeder is responsible for registering the puppy and forwarding the certificate to the new owners within six months of the purchase date – they cannot charge additional fees for this service."-CKC website
BUYER BEWARE!! Some breeders sell "purebred labs without papers", or "CKC registration available upon request". If it isn't registered, and thus won't have a pedigree, it's not a purebred! Its parents might be, but the puppy is not. As a CKC registered breeder, we are required by the CKC to register every puppy from every litter, no exceptions. To do otherwise, is to risk losing membership and kennel registration. Some breeders will register the pup to themselves under a legal name they have chosen and will charge an extra fee to transfer ownership to the buyer (or will leave it up to the buyer to transfer ownership or not) or will charge an extra fee for the entire registration, this is against CKC bylaws. Our CKC registration and transfer of ownership are included in the price. Your pup's legal name will be the name of your choosing attached to our kennel name (Ex. Gypzy's Zofi).
Do you remove dew claws? No, we do not; a properly trimmed dew claw rarely causes issues. In my opinion, removing dew claws from all pups because it might get torn running through the bush when it's older, is like removing thumbs from all newborn babies because it might get caught in a skill saw when they're older. Dogs use the dew claw like a thumb to: grasp bones, dig holes, pin down a pup to bathe it, anchor themselves to climb hills, and get out of ice water. Here is an excellent video showing how a dew claw can save your dog's life. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r4XflsMEk-k. If removal of the dew claw is something you still wish to have done, your vet will do the surgery at the same time as your pup's spay/neuter surgery for a minimal additional fee.
May I see your facility and the adult dogs before placing a deposit? We would love a visit, however, we don’t have a facility, our dogs live in the house with us, which is much better for socializing and starting crate-training and house-breaking. "The best way to raise puppies is in a home environment where they receive lots of handling and human contact. No amount of love and attention from you can ever make up for a lack of early socialization."- CKC website
Most of our females are guardianship, and live off-site in their forever homes, so you won’t be able to meet them until they’ve had their pups; they come here a week prior to their due date. Only a few dogs live on-site.
We do not allow visits until you have committed to our kennel. There is much too great a risk of disease, virus, and bacteria being brought in to our pups from those whom have visited other kennels within the past 3 months or own pets. Once you have placed deposit and have stopped visiting other kennels and rescues for 3 months, we do allow an outdoor visit. There may or may not be pups available for you to see. Once your pup is born, we recommend weekly visits starting at 3 weeks of age. All visits will be held outdoors as much as permissible by age of the pup and weather. I hope you understand that we need to do all we can to protect our pups. for this reason, many breeders do not allow visits at all until the pups are ready to go home and keep them in cement kennels which can be easily sprayed down with sanitizer. We prefer that our pups be socialized and introduced to as many sights, sounds, and people as possible, so we allow visits and the pups to go in the grass, but we must do all that we can to mitigate the risks involved with this.
Do you do any health testing? Gypzy’s Labs have DNA testing for and a LIFETIME GUARANTEE against 19 known Labrador Retriever Diseases. Achromatopsia, Centronuclear Myopathy, Congenital Macrothrombocytopenia, Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome, Cystinuria, Degenerative Myelopathy, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Elliptocytosis (B-Spectrin), Exercise Induced Collapse, Hereditary Nasal Parakeratosis (Dry Nose), Hyperuricosuria, Macular Corneal Dystrophy, Malignant Hyperthermia, Myotubular Myopathy X Linked, Narcolepsy, Progressive Rod Cone Degeneration, Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency, Skeletal Dysplasia 2, and Stargardt Disease.
Gypzy’s Labs also offers A 26-MONTH guarantee against Hip, and Elbow Dysplasia, Shoulder Osteochondrosis, and Retinal Dysphasia. Please see Gypzy’s Labs Health Guarantee on our website for more information on the above diseases. https://gypzyslabs.weebly.com/health-guarantee.html
BUYER BEWARE!! Many breeders only test for a few of the above diseases. Make sure you ask which tests have been done on BOTH the Sire and the Dam. Some breeders offer a 1 year health guarantee. A 1 year guarantee is useless! Hips and Elbows cannot be certified through OFA until the puppy is 2-years-old. Many of these breeders do not have any testing done on their own dogs or their dogs' grandparents. Ask to see their testing results, do not assume they have them, and request a 26-month guarantee. Some breeders' guarantees do not offer any reimbursement of money and require you to return the pup in order to get a "replacement". I don't know about you, but I'd find it very difficult to return a dog when it fails its hip or elbow test after 2 years of loving it. Ask to see the guarantee, you want one that offers a refund to cover medical expenses, not an exchange.
Do you have a health contract for your pups? My health guarantee is on my website. https://gypzyslabs.weebly.com/health-guarantee.html.
BUYER BEWARE!! Some breeders require you to purchase a certain brand of food or vitamin in order to validate your health guarantee. Pups will remain genetically healthy regardless which food or vitamins it consumes; food does not affect genetics! There is nothing wrong with recommending certain food or vitamins, but receiving a guaranteed commission from suppliers should not be a requirement in any health contract. (We personally use and recommend TLC Pet Food, https://tlcpetfood.com/nutrition/gypzyslabradorretrievers2 but you are not required to use it in order to validate your guarantee. You may choose to feed your pup whatever you decide is best.)
How are the pups socialized after they’re born? Gypzy’s Labs’ puppies are socialized with people and other dogs, and are provided with exposure to different stimuli right from birth. We allow weekly visits starting at 2 weeks of age, which introduces the litter to many different people. Our pups are not kept in a concrete, fenced off kennel. Our pups are housed in our home, with routine access to the outdoors, familiarizing them to household routines, sights and sounds. We use blenders, run vacuums, use power tools, mowers and generators, play music and movies to familiarize the pups to as many voices, tones, and pitches as possible. Since some of my pups go to Canada Border Services Agency as detector dogs, or to hunters or therapy dogs, right from birth we make all kinds of noises that inmates would use to try to spook a dog, loud gun shot-like noises, and noises a therapy dog might come across. My neighbours must think we are nuts when we're out yelling, stomping, clapping, and banging lids while the pups eat their lunch. We also have tractors, motorcycles, and transport trucks go by on our road, we even occasionally get "racecars" flying by at 160+km/hr! Starting to socialize at birth, while their ears are still closed, makes for pups that barely startle once their ears open. We also hold the pups in as many uncomfortable positions as a child would and handle them as a vet would; every week they get their teeth, ears, belly, and back end “checked" and we begin nail trimming and filing when they are young. At 4 weeks, they start spending the night in crates and start potty training. 83% of our pups sleep through the night and over 55% never have a potty accident in their new homes.
How old are the pups when they go to their new homes? Normally at 8 weeks; pups that go home too early miss out on important socialization, pack hierarchy, pack etiquette skills. manners, and don’t learn bite inhibition. The adults and other pups teach how hard they may bite while wrestling before they get a canine 'spanking'. But going home to late can also be detrimental. "This is the optimum time for a puppy to transition from his litter to his new family – any earlier and he may have issues with other dogs in the future; any longer with his littermates and he may not bond as well with people." -CKC Website
If necessary, Gypzy's Labs will house your pup until 9 weeks of age free of charge, thereafter we charge the local kennel's daily rate. But it's best for pups to be in their new home as soon as possible. There's a very short time frame from 7 weeks to 12 weeks where a pup needs to be socialized to as much as possible before the fear imprint period begins. You'll need to introduce pup to people of various sizes and shapes. A hat or umbrella dramatically changes what the pups see, even on people they have met before. Research shows that pups who have met a large variety of people, places, and things when very young accept new and unusual things more easily throughout their lives.
There is huge importance of socializing your pup.
Taking the socialization class at puppy school is a start, but will not prepare your pup for everything and anything. (I haven’t seen any shotguns or canoes at the puppy schools I've been at, or even bicycles, skateboards or roller blades for that matter.) If your pup may be in or on or by something in its lifetime, now is the time to start introducing it (YES! Bring your kayak into the living room in the middle of the winter!)
The first 5 weeks when pups go home are a crucial period of introducing your pup to as many new experiences as you can WITHOUT causing him undue stress and fear. I wouldn't recommend missing out on this in order to try to gain some additional pack etiquette. They have started learning their pack rules already, bigger pups push smaller pups off teats, feisty ones fight to keep their nipples, laid back ones easily give up their nipples and the foodies will know by only one day old which pup to try to steal the nipple from. We've also begun socialization, by handling the pups.
At 1 week we start applying pressure to toes to simulate nail clipping, and open mouths and look in ears like a vet would. We do this until they go home.
At 2 weeks we start poking and prodding like a 2 year old would. We start being purposeful in being loud so that when their ears open it isn't as startling.
By 3 weeks, they've learned which pups will play with them and which type of play is preferred, which pups make the best squeak toys, and which pup to let win. Ears are open and we start using drills and skill saws and blenders while they're eating.
By 4 weeks, they start to understand how their jaw pressure affects others, learning the critical skill of bite inhibition. Play-biting leads to discipline from their littermates as well as from mom, but it teaches them to communicate without injuring. Mom also disciplines them if they bite too hard while nursing, which speeds up the weaning process. Dominance order starts.
At 5 weeks, they start seeking human interaction over littermate interaction.
At 6 weeks, they gang up on each other, wrestle, sniff each other's faces and butts, and really learn to recognize each other. Pups begin actively hunting and playing around now, too, and they can be seen pouncing on bugs and leaves. Mom avoids the pups and snaps at them when they try to nurse.
At 7 weeks, they seem to prefer humans to littermates and seek out individual attention.
So by the time they're 8 weeks old, they prefer humans and Mom wants nothing to do them or with their razor sharp teeth anywhere near her teats. With all the other pups gone to their homes, pups that stay longer wouldn't be learning any pack etiquette because the pack will be gone. They would only be getting extra one-on-one time with us humans, it would be better if your pup was getting that time with you.
If you're going to be gone and having your pup stay an extended amount is absolutely necessary, we'll work with that and take the pup into town, and into Staples to experience sliding doors and new smells, and ask people to pet it, but the best socialization will occur in the home and lifestyle and neighborhood that it will be living in. Your vacuum, blender, smoke alarms, etc etc will all sound different and smell different than mine and the pup really needs to be well-adjusted to your life prior to the fear imprint stage.
Do we get to choose our pup? Choosing is done in the order that deposits are received, if you're at the end of the litter you may not have a choice (unless you choose to wait for the next litter). We do offer our insights and make suggestions based on your lifestyle to help you make your decision. Choosing is done around 5 weeks of age. This allows for the pup's personality and characteristics to develop. You may choose earlier than 5 weeks, if you prefer, so long as those ahead of you have chosen.
When do we get to choose our pup? The order in which we receive the deposits is the order that selections are made. Once the litter is born we will let you know they have been born and send pics. We will contact you again to let you know if we have a pup for you or not within a week, as it takes time to contact each person on our deposit list to verify their choice of sex and colour. If you haven't already decided which colour or sex you want, you will need to decide at this point, so those in line after you can know if they are getting the colour and sex they prefer. You will not need to choose the exact pup of that sex and colour grouping until 5 weeks of age, although some choose much earlier than this.
Do you deliver pups? YES! We have delivered pups via West Jet (as well as personally driven pups) throughout Canada, USA, and Dominican Republic. We have pups from British Columbia to Newfoundland. (Newfoundland was the best trip yet, although Dawson Creek, BC and Grande Prarie, AB in winter-driving were close runner-ups. Got a better one? We'll arrange it!) Driving with its breeder is a lot less stressful and terrifying than flying so is a better option for the pup, and you'd have the opportunity of meeting your pup's breeder. However, the cost of driving is significantly more than flying, so it's understandable if flying is the option you choose.
Can I go on a waitlist or do I have to place a deposit? We no longer keep a waitlist, as we usually have deposits for pups a year in advance. If you prefer to wait until an available litter is born, please favourite my Kijiji ad (Ad ID 1548394971) and/or periodically check our Available Litters page https://gypzyslabs.weebly.com/available-litters-and-guardianship-dogs.html for due dates and pups available. Most people prefer to place a $500 deposit prior to birth in order to increase the chances that they get a pup. The deposit is nonrefundable. However, if, for example, you're looking for a yellow female, and decide you want a different colour, the deposit is transferable to another pup. If you want a yellow female and none are born, you have 3 options, choose a different pup, wait for a future litter, or, in this case only, you could request a full refund. The only time a refund would be allowed is if the colour and sex you requested isn't available.
Is there an application form? We send a questionnaire to be filled out prior to accepting a deposit, to ensure the buyer has thought about the future of the pup. We prefer to screen people BEFORE we accept a deposit rather than screen them out after they have fallen in love with a pup.
What puppy food do you recommend? Gypzy's Labs are fed TLC Whole Life Natural Dog/Puppy food. You will receive a gift bag from TLC Pet Food, as well as $5 off your first purchase. (The link can be used by anyone wanting to switch to this brand of dog food). This company offers affordable quality food and free delivery of your purchases. More info can be found at https://tlcpetfood.com/nutrition/gypzyslabradorretrievers/. You are NOT required to continue feeding this food in order to validate the Health Guarantee.
Can I visit my pup? What if I live too far away to visit? Gypzy’s Labs sends out weekly pupdates, in utero and after birth describing the pup's stages of development, pics and videos to future owners. Some breeders choose your pup for you, don't allow visitors until the pup is ready to go home, and keep their pups in fenced-off cement kennels (jails) to protect against parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Gypzy’s allows you to choose your own pup with professional guidance. We know the risks associated with having pups go outside and have visitors, but we prefer that our pups be pups and bond with their owner prior to going to a strange, new, world. Gypzy's encourages weekly visits beginning at 3 weeks of age to enhance this bonding. We only ask you to follow some rules to avoid putting our entire pack at risk.
What all comes with the pup? Your pup is dewormed 4x, microchipped, has first shots and is checked over by a vet. When the pups leave our home, they will receive a small blanket that smells of their littermates and Mom; keep this with them at night during the first week to ease their transition to your home. Gypzy’s Labs will also provide a toy, puppy info pack, and a small sample of food if you ordered TLC too late or will be weaning your pup to a new brand. We offer 30 days trial health insurance with Trupanion because they have no yearly limits. Every pet health insurer offers a free trial, so if you would like to use a different company, please do your research and sign up for a trial. Some companies are: Pet Plan (they have 13 different insurers listed on their website, including Pets+Us), Pet Secure, and Trupanion.
Do you breed Silver, Charcoal or Champagne Labs? We do not breed silver, charcoal, or champagne labs. They have a genetic mutation causing the dilute coat. With this mutation and the inbreeding done to retain the colour comes a higher risk of health issues and a shorter lifespan. We have researched this extensively as we were considering breeding these colours (they can be beautiful, depending on the breeder), but found there was a lot of inbreeding and a lot of health concerns because of it. I continue looking but I have yet to find a breeder of these colours that is able to show me that the 4 generation pedigree for the sire and dam don't have any shared bloodlines in it. (I personally prefer 8 generations without any shared bloodlines. The last person that contacted me to offer me their silver male for stud services had the same 6 dogs 41x in his 8 generation pedigree, one of which was a father bred to his own daughter!) When I spoke to my vet about breeding these colours, I was told I could find a new vet if I did. If you’re sure you want one of these colours, we would advise BEFORE you place a deposit, you go to visit the kennel in person (we’ve seen lots of unscrupulous breeding practices and puppy care involving these colours) and that you request to SEE the health clearances, DNA testing, and pedigrees to ensure they are healthy and are not inbred. (Most dogs can be traced farther than 4 generations via huntingdogpedigree.com. If you find one that has no shared relations let me know!) Anyone can offer a health guarantee without actually getting any testing done on their breeding dogs. You also want to see the health guarantee and make sure it’s at least a 2 year guarantee as OFA hips can’t be certified until the pup is 2 years old. You want to make sure you don’t have to return the pup in order to get reimbursed (because who is going to do that after having it for 2 years?) and you want to make sure that it’s a refund that you’ll receive and not a replacement pup. If you decide you don’t want a mutated gene, we have some beautiful Reds and Whites coming available. Red is just the darkest shade of Yellow and White is just the palest shade of Yellow; no genetic mutations required. ;)
How big are your dogs? We keep our dogs at a healthy and lean weight. The males are 23-24" and weigh 75-90lbs. The females are 21-23" and weigh 65-80lbs.
I'm a breeder and wondered if you offer stud services? Yes, we do. Stud dogs that we own are available for stud contract to CKC Full registration Labrador Retrievers only. We cannot breed to dogs that are not CKC registered as this is against the bylaws of the CKC. This is non-negotiable.
We already have a female dog; is it true that two dogs of the opposite sex get along better than two of the same? All dog packs have a hierarchy, so long as everyone (including the owners) know their role and the role of the others within the pack, fights won't occur. Fights are usually caused by dominance challenges. So if you already have a laidback female, a dominant (so long as you allow the younger female to be dominant over the older female once she reaches maturity) or laidback female or male will get along fine. If you have a dominant female you will definitely want a laidback female or any male, otherwise the pup may challenge the older female once the older one begins to age or the younger reaches maturity. Hormones are another big factor in fights. Two females in heat will likely squabble if they’re both dominant types. Most often a snarling match is all that’s needed to make their point. Snarling matches look ferocious but end in no harm. This rarely occurs, but if neither female will back down during the snarling match then a full-on, gloves-off, fight will ensue and continue until the less fit one submits or a human risks their own bloodshed and intervenes. If one hormonal female is more laidback, she’ll let the dominant one be in charge and no fight will occur. If you have both your females spayed, hormones won't be a problem. I’ve never had two males get in a fight (but I have heard that it does happen if both are dominant) and I’ve never had a male and a female fight. (The female will tell him off and "that’ll be the end of that", regardless if he’s a dominant male or not. Lol.)
Are purebred dogs inbred? Some purebred dogs are inbred (Brother:Sister, Father:Daughter, Mother:Son), others are linebred (Cousin:Cousin, Uncle:Niece, Grandfather:Granddaughter, or any relative within 3 generations of each other), and others are not related as far back as records have been kept. Some breeds have a higher occurrence of relations than other breeds. According to research (October 2019) by Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, the Labrador Retriever breed as a whole has the least occurrence of this. The research showed that "the distribution of alleles was a result of near-random selection." They also compared the Labrador Retriever genetic diversity with randomly selected village dogs (mutts) and found only a .5 probability density difference between the two groups. Here is a link to the research if you enjoy reading scientific articles like I seem to. LOL.
https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/canine-genetic-diversity/labrador-retriever
So are Labs inbred? Yes, but not much more so than mutts. However, with mutts there are no pedigrees (family trees) for you to see if there was any inbreeding or linebreeding in your pup's immediate past. With purebred dogs you can look at the pedigree and see if there are any relations. You still need to do your research, particularly in the show field, as many breeders do inbreed and linebreed to retain traits that will win ribbons without any concern given to the genetic diversity of the lab. This is legal within the CKC Bylaws!
We do not agree with inbreeding or linebreeding! At Gypzy's Labradors, we study pedigrees to be sure there are no related ancestors at least 4 generations back, but preferably 8 generations back. Some of our dogs we have tracked their parentage back to the original Labradors imported to the UK from Newfoundland! It is said that all modern Labradors can be traced back to two males Buccleuch Avon and Buccleuch Ned. Buccleuch Avon was born in 1885 to breeder/owner Lord Malmesbury/Lord Dalkeith/sixth Duke of Buccleuch. Buccleuch's parents were Malmesbury Tramp born in 1878 and Malmesbury Juno also born in 1878. Buccleuch Ned was born in 1882 to the same breeder/owner. His parents were Malmesbury Sweep born in 1877 with a record of "Imp. 1877 New Foundland" and Malmesbury Juno born in 1878. (So really all labs can be traced back to their mother Malmesbury Juno. LOL.)
Do you have Instagram? Yes, we do! Follow us @gypzyslabs. If you have one of our pups you can tag us #gypzyslabs. Some owners create an account for their pup, they usually put the date of birth and my kennel tag in their pup's bio so that others from that litter can follow their pup's siblings. We love watching our pups grow!
Do you keep in touch with your pups? Yes, we do through Instagram, but we also send out Birthday greeting emails at 1, 5, 10, and 15 years of age just to see how they're all doing. We also ask that owners contact us if their pup has any health issues. By doing this, we're able to keep track of our pups and can truthfully say none have had any inheritable diseases, and very few have had any other ailments. We're always available should you have any questions or concerns about your pup, and always love getting pictures and Pupdates!
Are taxes and CKC fees included in your prices? Prices include all CKC fees, vet bills, and incidentals. Pups are sold under a non-breeding contract, breeding rights may be negotiated. If a pup stays longer than 9 weeks, boarding fees are charged at the local rate. Unfortunately, the government says we have to charge GST/HST. :(
BUYER BEWARE!! Some breeders charge more than their listed price once they add CKC fees, vet bills and even 8-weeks of boarding fees! Ask about the taxes and other unexpected fees!
If you have any questions that haven't been answered here, please feel free to peruse the rest of my website and forward any questions left unanswered to [email protected]. We hope this information has been helpful in guiding you in your search for a lab, even if you find one elsewhere! :)
Where can I find testimonials and reviews? There's a page on this website called Past Pups/Referrals with lots of testimonies. https://gypzyslabs.weebly.com/pastpupsreferrals.html. You can also google my business "Gypzy's Labs" from a computer and My Business Google reviews will pop up on the right side of the screen.
How long have you been a breeder? We have owned labs since 2009 and have been breeding Canadian Kennel Club Registered Purebred Labrador Retrievers since 2012. We have been a Premier registered member of the CKC since 2012 and our kennel has been registered with the CKC since 2013.
Are your labs 'American' or 'English'? Our labs are born and raised Canadians!!! Originally bred in Newfoundland, Canada, in the 1500s, this breed comes from the St. John's Water Dog, aka the Lesser Newfoundland. They were used primarily to retrieve fish that got off the hook and to aid with pulling in nets. In the 1830s, they were imported to England, where they were then used as gun dogs. By 1903, they became a registered breed with the European Kennel Club. In 1917, they were registered with the American Kennel Club. We are able to trace some of our bloodlines all the way back to the original dogs imported to England from New foundland (as it was called).
American and English are misnomers. "American" is actually field-trial/working body type and "English" is actually show/conformation body type. They aren't sure where the American and English names came from since "English" builds are more often found in America while the "American" build is popular in England. Here's a link if you wish to read more on it. http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/english-american.html. There is no mention of body type in pedigrees, the body type is based off the size and structure of the pup and its parents. At Gypzy's Labs we strive to breed Labrador Retrievers that are true to the Canadian Kennel Club breed standard which is a mix of both types, a dual purpose dog that excels at hunting, retrieving, and guiding, yet can relax and calm down when required. Our labs have the big head and barrel chest of the show/conformation body type, and the athleticism and height of the field-trial/working body type. There will always be some degree of traits of the one body type mixed in with the other because they all come from the same original Labrador Retriever lines.
Are your dogs and pups Canadian Kennel Club registered? All my dogs and pups are purebred CKC registered Labrador Retrievers with long lists of Canadian, American, British, Irish, Finnish, International, and even World Titles on their pedigrees.
-Conformation Grand Champion Silver, Grand Champion, Champion, Best In Specialty Show Titles
-Field Champion, National Field Champion, Field Trial Champion, National Field Trial Champion, Upland Hunter, Master Hunter, Grand Master Hunter, Working Certificate Excellent, Flat Racer Champion Titles, as well as American Pointing Labrador Association Hall of Fame and American Field Trial Hall of Fame recipients
-Companion Dog, Companion Dog Intermediate, and Companion Dog Excellent Certificates
We also have pups that are now starting to gain titles.
"In Canada, all purebred dogs come with a Purebred Dog Certificate of Registration issued by The Canadian Kennel Club – without this certificate, they can’t legally be sold as purebred. The certificate indicates, among other things, the dog’s registered name, breed and date of birth, as well as the names of the dog’s sire and dam. The breeder is responsible for registering the puppy and forwarding the certificate to the new owners within six months of the purchase date – they cannot charge additional fees for this service."-CKC website
BUYER BEWARE!! Some breeders sell "purebred labs without papers", or "CKC registration available upon request". If it isn't registered, and thus won't have a pedigree, it's not a purebred! Its parents might be, but the puppy is not. As a CKC registered breeder, we are required by the CKC to register every puppy from every litter, no exceptions. To do otherwise, is to risk losing membership and kennel registration. Some breeders will register the pup to themselves under a legal name they have chosen and will charge an extra fee to transfer ownership to the buyer (or will leave it up to the buyer to transfer ownership or not) or will charge an extra fee for the entire registration, this is against CKC bylaws. Our CKC registration and transfer of ownership are included in the price. Your pup's legal name will be the name of your choosing attached to our kennel name (Ex. Gypzy's Zofi).
Do you remove dew claws? No, we do not; a properly trimmed dew claw rarely causes issues. In my opinion, removing dew claws from all pups because it might get torn running through the bush when it's older, is like removing thumbs from all newborn babies because it might get caught in a skill saw when they're older. Dogs use the dew claw like a thumb to: grasp bones, dig holes, pin down a pup to bathe it, anchor themselves to climb hills, and get out of ice water. Here is an excellent video showing how a dew claw can save your dog's life. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r4XflsMEk-k. If removal of the dew claw is something you still wish to have done, your vet will do the surgery at the same time as your pup's spay/neuter surgery for a minimal additional fee.
May I see your facility and the adult dogs before placing a deposit? We would love a visit, however, we don’t have a facility, our dogs live in the house with us, which is much better for socializing and starting crate-training and house-breaking. "The best way to raise puppies is in a home environment where they receive lots of handling and human contact. No amount of love and attention from you can ever make up for a lack of early socialization."- CKC website
Most of our females are guardianship, and live off-site in their forever homes, so you won’t be able to meet them until they’ve had their pups; they come here a week prior to their due date. Only a few dogs live on-site.
We do not allow visits until you have committed to our kennel. There is much too great a risk of disease, virus, and bacteria being brought in to our pups from those whom have visited other kennels within the past 3 months or own pets. Once you have placed deposit and have stopped visiting other kennels and rescues for 3 months, we do allow an outdoor visit. There may or may not be pups available for you to see. Once your pup is born, we recommend weekly visits starting at 3 weeks of age. All visits will be held outdoors as much as permissible by age of the pup and weather. I hope you understand that we need to do all we can to protect our pups. for this reason, many breeders do not allow visits at all until the pups are ready to go home and keep them in cement kennels which can be easily sprayed down with sanitizer. We prefer that our pups be socialized and introduced to as many sights, sounds, and people as possible, so we allow visits and the pups to go in the grass, but we must do all that we can to mitigate the risks involved with this.
Do you do any health testing? Gypzy’s Labs have DNA testing for and a LIFETIME GUARANTEE against 19 known Labrador Retriever Diseases. Achromatopsia, Centronuclear Myopathy, Congenital Macrothrombocytopenia, Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome, Cystinuria, Degenerative Myelopathy, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Elliptocytosis (B-Spectrin), Exercise Induced Collapse, Hereditary Nasal Parakeratosis (Dry Nose), Hyperuricosuria, Macular Corneal Dystrophy, Malignant Hyperthermia, Myotubular Myopathy X Linked, Narcolepsy, Progressive Rod Cone Degeneration, Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency, Skeletal Dysplasia 2, and Stargardt Disease.
Gypzy’s Labs also offers A 26-MONTH guarantee against Hip, and Elbow Dysplasia, Shoulder Osteochondrosis, and Retinal Dysphasia. Please see Gypzy’s Labs Health Guarantee on our website for more information on the above diseases. https://gypzyslabs.weebly.com/health-guarantee.html
BUYER BEWARE!! Many breeders only test for a few of the above diseases. Make sure you ask which tests have been done on BOTH the Sire and the Dam. Some breeders offer a 1 year health guarantee. A 1 year guarantee is useless! Hips and Elbows cannot be certified through OFA until the puppy is 2-years-old. Many of these breeders do not have any testing done on their own dogs or their dogs' grandparents. Ask to see their testing results, do not assume they have them, and request a 26-month guarantee. Some breeders' guarantees do not offer any reimbursement of money and require you to return the pup in order to get a "replacement". I don't know about you, but I'd find it very difficult to return a dog when it fails its hip or elbow test after 2 years of loving it. Ask to see the guarantee, you want one that offers a refund to cover medical expenses, not an exchange.
Do you have a health contract for your pups? My health guarantee is on my website. https://gypzyslabs.weebly.com/health-guarantee.html.
BUYER BEWARE!! Some breeders require you to purchase a certain brand of food or vitamin in order to validate your health guarantee. Pups will remain genetically healthy regardless which food or vitamins it consumes; food does not affect genetics! There is nothing wrong with recommending certain food or vitamins, but receiving a guaranteed commission from suppliers should not be a requirement in any health contract. (We personally use and recommend TLC Pet Food, https://tlcpetfood.com/nutrition/gypzyslabradorretrievers2 but you are not required to use it in order to validate your guarantee. You may choose to feed your pup whatever you decide is best.)
How are the pups socialized after they’re born? Gypzy’s Labs’ puppies are socialized with people and other dogs, and are provided with exposure to different stimuli right from birth. We allow weekly visits starting at 2 weeks of age, which introduces the litter to many different people. Our pups are not kept in a concrete, fenced off kennel. Our pups are housed in our home, with routine access to the outdoors, familiarizing them to household routines, sights and sounds. We use blenders, run vacuums, use power tools, mowers and generators, play music and movies to familiarize the pups to as many voices, tones, and pitches as possible. Since some of my pups go to Canada Border Services Agency as detector dogs, or to hunters or therapy dogs, right from birth we make all kinds of noises that inmates would use to try to spook a dog, loud gun shot-like noises, and noises a therapy dog might come across. My neighbours must think we are nuts when we're out yelling, stomping, clapping, and banging lids while the pups eat their lunch. We also have tractors, motorcycles, and transport trucks go by on our road, we even occasionally get "racecars" flying by at 160+km/hr! Starting to socialize at birth, while their ears are still closed, makes for pups that barely startle once their ears open. We also hold the pups in as many uncomfortable positions as a child would and handle them as a vet would; every week they get their teeth, ears, belly, and back end “checked" and we begin nail trimming and filing when they are young. At 4 weeks, they start spending the night in crates and start potty training. 83% of our pups sleep through the night and over 55% never have a potty accident in their new homes.
How old are the pups when they go to their new homes? Normally at 8 weeks; pups that go home too early miss out on important socialization, pack hierarchy, pack etiquette skills. manners, and don’t learn bite inhibition. The adults and other pups teach how hard they may bite while wrestling before they get a canine 'spanking'. But going home to late can also be detrimental. "This is the optimum time for a puppy to transition from his litter to his new family – any earlier and he may have issues with other dogs in the future; any longer with his littermates and he may not bond as well with people." -CKC Website
If necessary, Gypzy's Labs will house your pup until 9 weeks of age free of charge, thereafter we charge the local kennel's daily rate. But it's best for pups to be in their new home as soon as possible. There's a very short time frame from 7 weeks to 12 weeks where a pup needs to be socialized to as much as possible before the fear imprint period begins. You'll need to introduce pup to people of various sizes and shapes. A hat or umbrella dramatically changes what the pups see, even on people they have met before. Research shows that pups who have met a large variety of people, places, and things when very young accept new and unusual things more easily throughout their lives.
There is huge importance of socializing your pup.
Taking the socialization class at puppy school is a start, but will not prepare your pup for everything and anything. (I haven’t seen any shotguns or canoes at the puppy schools I've been at, or even bicycles, skateboards or roller blades for that matter.) If your pup may be in or on or by something in its lifetime, now is the time to start introducing it (YES! Bring your kayak into the living room in the middle of the winter!)
The first 5 weeks when pups go home are a crucial period of introducing your pup to as many new experiences as you can WITHOUT causing him undue stress and fear. I wouldn't recommend missing out on this in order to try to gain some additional pack etiquette. They have started learning their pack rules already, bigger pups push smaller pups off teats, feisty ones fight to keep their nipples, laid back ones easily give up their nipples and the foodies will know by only one day old which pup to try to steal the nipple from. We've also begun socialization, by handling the pups.
At 1 week we start applying pressure to toes to simulate nail clipping, and open mouths and look in ears like a vet would. We do this until they go home.
At 2 weeks we start poking and prodding like a 2 year old would. We start being purposeful in being loud so that when their ears open it isn't as startling.
By 3 weeks, they've learned which pups will play with them and which type of play is preferred, which pups make the best squeak toys, and which pup to let win. Ears are open and we start using drills and skill saws and blenders while they're eating.
By 4 weeks, they start to understand how their jaw pressure affects others, learning the critical skill of bite inhibition. Play-biting leads to discipline from their littermates as well as from mom, but it teaches them to communicate without injuring. Mom also disciplines them if they bite too hard while nursing, which speeds up the weaning process. Dominance order starts.
At 5 weeks, they start seeking human interaction over littermate interaction.
At 6 weeks, they gang up on each other, wrestle, sniff each other's faces and butts, and really learn to recognize each other. Pups begin actively hunting and playing around now, too, and they can be seen pouncing on bugs and leaves. Mom avoids the pups and snaps at them when they try to nurse.
At 7 weeks, they seem to prefer humans to littermates and seek out individual attention.
So by the time they're 8 weeks old, they prefer humans and Mom wants nothing to do them or with their razor sharp teeth anywhere near her teats. With all the other pups gone to their homes, pups that stay longer wouldn't be learning any pack etiquette because the pack will be gone. They would only be getting extra one-on-one time with us humans, it would be better if your pup was getting that time with you.
If you're going to be gone and having your pup stay an extended amount is absolutely necessary, we'll work with that and take the pup into town, and into Staples to experience sliding doors and new smells, and ask people to pet it, but the best socialization will occur in the home and lifestyle and neighborhood that it will be living in. Your vacuum, blender, smoke alarms, etc etc will all sound different and smell different than mine and the pup really needs to be well-adjusted to your life prior to the fear imprint stage.
Do we get to choose our pup? Choosing is done in the order that deposits are received, if you're at the end of the litter you may not have a choice (unless you choose to wait for the next litter). We do offer our insights and make suggestions based on your lifestyle to help you make your decision. Choosing is done around 5 weeks of age. This allows for the pup's personality and characteristics to develop. You may choose earlier than 5 weeks, if you prefer, so long as those ahead of you have chosen.
When do we get to choose our pup? The order in which we receive the deposits is the order that selections are made. Once the litter is born we will let you know they have been born and send pics. We will contact you again to let you know if we have a pup for you or not within a week, as it takes time to contact each person on our deposit list to verify their choice of sex and colour. If you haven't already decided which colour or sex you want, you will need to decide at this point, so those in line after you can know if they are getting the colour and sex they prefer. You will not need to choose the exact pup of that sex and colour grouping until 5 weeks of age, although some choose much earlier than this.
Do you deliver pups? YES! We have delivered pups via West Jet (as well as personally driven pups) throughout Canada, USA, and Dominican Republic. We have pups from British Columbia to Newfoundland. (Newfoundland was the best trip yet, although Dawson Creek, BC and Grande Prarie, AB in winter-driving were close runner-ups. Got a better one? We'll arrange it!) Driving with its breeder is a lot less stressful and terrifying than flying so is a better option for the pup, and you'd have the opportunity of meeting your pup's breeder. However, the cost of driving is significantly more than flying, so it's understandable if flying is the option you choose.
Can I go on a waitlist or do I have to place a deposit? We no longer keep a waitlist, as we usually have deposits for pups a year in advance. If you prefer to wait until an available litter is born, please favourite my Kijiji ad (Ad ID 1548394971) and/or periodically check our Available Litters page https://gypzyslabs.weebly.com/available-litters-and-guardianship-dogs.html for due dates and pups available. Most people prefer to place a $500 deposit prior to birth in order to increase the chances that they get a pup. The deposit is nonrefundable. However, if, for example, you're looking for a yellow female, and decide you want a different colour, the deposit is transferable to another pup. If you want a yellow female and none are born, you have 3 options, choose a different pup, wait for a future litter, or, in this case only, you could request a full refund. The only time a refund would be allowed is if the colour and sex you requested isn't available.
Is there an application form? We send a questionnaire to be filled out prior to accepting a deposit, to ensure the buyer has thought about the future of the pup. We prefer to screen people BEFORE we accept a deposit rather than screen them out after they have fallen in love with a pup.
What puppy food do you recommend? Gypzy's Labs are fed TLC Whole Life Natural Dog/Puppy food. You will receive a gift bag from TLC Pet Food, as well as $5 off your first purchase. (The link can be used by anyone wanting to switch to this brand of dog food). This company offers affordable quality food and free delivery of your purchases. More info can be found at https://tlcpetfood.com/nutrition/gypzyslabradorretrievers/. You are NOT required to continue feeding this food in order to validate the Health Guarantee.
Can I visit my pup? What if I live too far away to visit? Gypzy’s Labs sends out weekly pupdates, in utero and after birth describing the pup's stages of development, pics and videos to future owners. Some breeders choose your pup for you, don't allow visitors until the pup is ready to go home, and keep their pups in fenced-off cement kennels (jails) to protect against parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Gypzy’s allows you to choose your own pup with professional guidance. We know the risks associated with having pups go outside and have visitors, but we prefer that our pups be pups and bond with their owner prior to going to a strange, new, world. Gypzy's encourages weekly visits beginning at 3 weeks of age to enhance this bonding. We only ask you to follow some rules to avoid putting our entire pack at risk.
What all comes with the pup? Your pup is dewormed 4x, microchipped, has first shots and is checked over by a vet. When the pups leave our home, they will receive a small blanket that smells of their littermates and Mom; keep this with them at night during the first week to ease their transition to your home. Gypzy’s Labs will also provide a toy, puppy info pack, and a small sample of food if you ordered TLC too late or will be weaning your pup to a new brand. We offer 30 days trial health insurance with Trupanion because they have no yearly limits. Every pet health insurer offers a free trial, so if you would like to use a different company, please do your research and sign up for a trial. Some companies are: Pet Plan (they have 13 different insurers listed on their website, including Pets+Us), Pet Secure, and Trupanion.
Do you breed Silver, Charcoal or Champagne Labs? We do not breed silver, charcoal, or champagne labs. They have a genetic mutation causing the dilute coat. With this mutation and the inbreeding done to retain the colour comes a higher risk of health issues and a shorter lifespan. We have researched this extensively as we were considering breeding these colours (they can be beautiful, depending on the breeder), but found there was a lot of inbreeding and a lot of health concerns because of it. I continue looking but I have yet to find a breeder of these colours that is able to show me that the 4 generation pedigree for the sire and dam don't have any shared bloodlines in it. (I personally prefer 8 generations without any shared bloodlines. The last person that contacted me to offer me their silver male for stud services had the same 6 dogs 41x in his 8 generation pedigree, one of which was a father bred to his own daughter!) When I spoke to my vet about breeding these colours, I was told I could find a new vet if I did. If you’re sure you want one of these colours, we would advise BEFORE you place a deposit, you go to visit the kennel in person (we’ve seen lots of unscrupulous breeding practices and puppy care involving these colours) and that you request to SEE the health clearances, DNA testing, and pedigrees to ensure they are healthy and are not inbred. (Most dogs can be traced farther than 4 generations via huntingdogpedigree.com. If you find one that has no shared relations let me know!) Anyone can offer a health guarantee without actually getting any testing done on their breeding dogs. You also want to see the health guarantee and make sure it’s at least a 2 year guarantee as OFA hips can’t be certified until the pup is 2 years old. You want to make sure you don’t have to return the pup in order to get reimbursed (because who is going to do that after having it for 2 years?) and you want to make sure that it’s a refund that you’ll receive and not a replacement pup. If you decide you don’t want a mutated gene, we have some beautiful Reds and Whites coming available. Red is just the darkest shade of Yellow and White is just the palest shade of Yellow; no genetic mutations required. ;)
How big are your dogs? We keep our dogs at a healthy and lean weight. The males are 23-24" and weigh 75-90lbs. The females are 21-23" and weigh 65-80lbs.
I'm a breeder and wondered if you offer stud services? Yes, we do. Stud dogs that we own are available for stud contract to CKC Full registration Labrador Retrievers only. We cannot breed to dogs that are not CKC registered as this is against the bylaws of the CKC. This is non-negotiable.
We already have a female dog; is it true that two dogs of the opposite sex get along better than two of the same? All dog packs have a hierarchy, so long as everyone (including the owners) know their role and the role of the others within the pack, fights won't occur. Fights are usually caused by dominance challenges. So if you already have a laidback female, a dominant (so long as you allow the younger female to be dominant over the older female once she reaches maturity) or laidback female or male will get along fine. If you have a dominant female you will definitely want a laidback female or any male, otherwise the pup may challenge the older female once the older one begins to age or the younger reaches maturity. Hormones are another big factor in fights. Two females in heat will likely squabble if they’re both dominant types. Most often a snarling match is all that’s needed to make their point. Snarling matches look ferocious but end in no harm. This rarely occurs, but if neither female will back down during the snarling match then a full-on, gloves-off, fight will ensue and continue until the less fit one submits or a human risks their own bloodshed and intervenes. If one hormonal female is more laidback, she’ll let the dominant one be in charge and no fight will occur. If you have both your females spayed, hormones won't be a problem. I’ve never had two males get in a fight (but I have heard that it does happen if both are dominant) and I’ve never had a male and a female fight. (The female will tell him off and "that’ll be the end of that", regardless if he’s a dominant male or not. Lol.)
Are purebred dogs inbred? Some purebred dogs are inbred (Brother:Sister, Father:Daughter, Mother:Son), others are linebred (Cousin:Cousin, Uncle:Niece, Grandfather:Granddaughter, or any relative within 3 generations of each other), and others are not related as far back as records have been kept. Some breeds have a higher occurrence of relations than other breeds. According to research (October 2019) by Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, the Labrador Retriever breed as a whole has the least occurrence of this. The research showed that "the distribution of alleles was a result of near-random selection." They also compared the Labrador Retriever genetic diversity with randomly selected village dogs (mutts) and found only a .5 probability density difference between the two groups. Here is a link to the research if you enjoy reading scientific articles like I seem to. LOL.
https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/canine-genetic-diversity/labrador-retriever
So are Labs inbred? Yes, but not much more so than mutts. However, with mutts there are no pedigrees (family trees) for you to see if there was any inbreeding or linebreeding in your pup's immediate past. With purebred dogs you can look at the pedigree and see if there are any relations. You still need to do your research, particularly in the show field, as many breeders do inbreed and linebreed to retain traits that will win ribbons without any concern given to the genetic diversity of the lab. This is legal within the CKC Bylaws!
We do not agree with inbreeding or linebreeding! At Gypzy's Labradors, we study pedigrees to be sure there are no related ancestors at least 4 generations back, but preferably 8 generations back. Some of our dogs we have tracked their parentage back to the original Labradors imported to the UK from Newfoundland! It is said that all modern Labradors can be traced back to two males Buccleuch Avon and Buccleuch Ned. Buccleuch Avon was born in 1885 to breeder/owner Lord Malmesbury/Lord Dalkeith/sixth Duke of Buccleuch. Buccleuch's parents were Malmesbury Tramp born in 1878 and Malmesbury Juno also born in 1878. Buccleuch Ned was born in 1882 to the same breeder/owner. His parents were Malmesbury Sweep born in 1877 with a record of "Imp. 1877 New Foundland" and Malmesbury Juno born in 1878. (So really all labs can be traced back to their mother Malmesbury Juno. LOL.)
Do you have Instagram? Yes, we do! Follow us @gypzyslabs. If you have one of our pups you can tag us #gypzyslabs. Some owners create an account for their pup, they usually put the date of birth and my kennel tag in their pup's bio so that others from that litter can follow their pup's siblings. We love watching our pups grow!
Do you keep in touch with your pups? Yes, we do through Instagram, but we also send out Birthday greeting emails at 1, 5, 10, and 15 years of age just to see how they're all doing. We also ask that owners contact us if their pup has any health issues. By doing this, we're able to keep track of our pups and can truthfully say none have had any inheritable diseases, and very few have had any other ailments. We're always available should you have any questions or concerns about your pup, and always love getting pictures and Pupdates!
Are taxes and CKC fees included in your prices? Prices include all CKC fees, vet bills, and incidentals. Pups are sold under a non-breeding contract, breeding rights may be negotiated. If a pup stays longer than 9 weeks, boarding fees are charged at the local rate. Unfortunately, the government says we have to charge GST/HST. :(
BUYER BEWARE!! Some breeders charge more than their listed price once they add CKC fees, vet bills and even 8-weeks of boarding fees! Ask about the taxes and other unexpected fees!
If you have any questions that haven't been answered here, please feel free to peruse the rest of my website and forward any questions left unanswered to [email protected]. We hope this information has been helpful in guiding you in your search for a lab, even if you find one elsewhere! :)