Welcome to

Lab Showtime's Labradors

The Thoughts behind Lab Showtime.............

This page is meant to give you an idea of my thoughts about breeding labrador retrievers for family companions and gundogs.

To me, the labrador retriever makes for a good and well-balanced family dog. It should be good-natured, be healthy and eager to work, and then it should, of course, look like a labrador.

Our Dogs

Each and every one of our dogs is a loved and appreciated part of the family. And of course, they live in the house with us. They have free access to about 1,500 m2 of fenced-in dog garden with a little lake when we're at home. When they're alone, they enjoy staying in their covered, spacy kennels where they can keep an eye on the surroundings. We train the dogs for field trials and tracking and we also show our dogs. Apart from that, they are hunting companions during most of the autumn.

Health and Breeding

There's much you can do today to breed on as good a basis as possible. The bitches I want to use for breeding, must be healthy. There are many possibilities to find out whether the bitch should be used for breeding.

X-ray:

When the dog is at least 12 months old, hips and elbows can be X-rayed for an examination of possible dysplasia. For the hips, the results are scored as follows: A (free), B (transitional form), C (mild dysplasia), D (medium dysplasia) and E (severe dysplasia). For the elbows, the results are graded into 0 (free), 1 (mild dysplasia), 2 (medium dysplasia) and 3 (severe dysplasia). According to the breeding restrictions for labradors, it is allowed to breed dogs with A-, B- and C-hips, and the elbow status should be known in order for the puppies to be registered. I only want to use my bitches if they have hip scores A and B, elbow grade 0 and OCD free shoulders.

Eye Testing:

The dog's eyes are checked for several hereditary diseases by a specially trained veterinarian. Especially, cataract (which may be hereditary) and PRA (a disease that eventually causes blindness). My bitches have their eye's checked before every breeding.

OptiGen Test:

A genetic test for PRA (a disease that can cause blindness) which can disclose whether the dog is free of the disease, is a carrier of the sick gene or is affected by the disease. Affected dogs are excluded from breeding. And dogs that are carriers must only be mated to a dog that has been tested free. All puppies from Lab Showtime will be optigen free by parentes!

EIC Test:

EIC (exercise induced collapse) is a hereditary disease where dogs that are affected by the disease, become paralyzed or collapse if they are exposed to hard physical work for 15-20 min. A genetic test can now disclose whether the dog is free, a carrier or is affected. If the dog is a carrier, it must be mated to a dog that has been tested free. My bitches are tested EIC clear, so a puppy from Lab Showtime will never be EIC affected!

CNM Test:

CNM (centronuclear myopathy) is hereditary myopathy in labradors. Usually, the disease sets in before the dog is 3-4 months old, at which age the puppy has hardly developed any muscles. A genetic test can now disclose whether a dog is free, a carrier or affected by the disease. If a dog is tested a carrier, it is fit and well, but carries the sick gene, ie. it must only be mated to a dog that has been tested free. My bitches are tested CNM clear, so a puppy from Lab Showtime will never be CNM affected!

Besides the health aspect, the bitch should prove eager to work with hunting, field trials or tracking. The same requirements go for the dog. And since I also want looks that are typical for the breed, the dog must, of course, have been awarded at least a "very good" at shows.

Yours and Mine Expectations

Of course you have an expectation to bring home a healthy and happy puppy. Your new dog hopefully gives you many years of happiness and pleasure. I will do my best to live up to those expectations. I try to breed as healthy, well socialized and trusting puppies as at all possible. That's why it is very important to me, that all puppies are placed in the correct families, where they are being a new loved member of the family. To find out if my bitches breed as healthy offspring as they are themselves and if they should continue to be bred, I need to know the health status for hips, elbows and shoulders of all the puppies that leave us. Therefor, they are sold with a contract from DKK (Danish Kennel Club) with a binding agreement about X-ray of hips, elbows and shoulders when they are 12-18 month old. The puppies are sold as family pets for the home, which I consider can give them the richest and best dog life. I make make no requirement that you must show your dog or use it for hunt tests. I want all my puppies gets a new active family where it will be a beloved part of the family. However, I would prefer that you want to train your puppy so it will learn the basics of obedience.

A Puppy from Lab Showtime

The puppies leave home when they are 8 weeks old and come with DKK registration (Danish Kennel Club) and a DKK purchase agreement. In addition, all the puppies

Are microchipped

Are immunized and have health checks

Are wormed 3 times

 I also include a bag of Large Breed puppy food together with a manual containing good advice about your puppy's first year.

The puppies are born and grow up in our house. In this way, they come to experience all the daily activities from the beginning. When they are old enough, they, of course, come outside as much as the weather allows. They have been in a car a few times, they have been by the water and in the forest. We introduce them to various kinds of game during the first 8 weeks so that it hopefully becomes a natural thing for them later.

Which puppy goes where will be decided together with me. The puppies will go to the families that are the best match. So, it's NOT possible to make your entirely own decision as to a particular puppy or a specific colour. The point is here that it's not desirable that the hunter gets the most beautiful dog if it doesn't want to go hunting, or that a family gets the best hunting dog if they are not going to use it for hunting!!!

I'm a member of the DKK (Danish Kennel Club) and the DRK (Danish Retriever Club). I also complete the DKK breeders' course in the autumn 2009 and complete the DKK supplementary course in the spring 2010.

DKK Approved Kennel Visit Report
The kennel is in a private residence with plenty of outdoor areas. Currently there are 2 females and 2 males (both males are neutered). Planning a litter in spring 2011. There is decorated good kennels and a fenced lawn with a lake where the dogs can swim. Everything is in perfect order and this is a really nice place to be a dog

DKK approved breeder logo

If you think that the above sounds sensible and you still would like a Lab Showtime-puppy, you are welcome to contact me for a dog talk. Since I shall only have one litter a year at the most, you may have to wait a bit.

Best dog greetings,

Kennel Lab Showtime