Would you buy a dog at Petland?

[MJM]

So myself and my wife have been looking for years at acquiring a dog, but now that we finally have the space and backyard we are going to go through with it (wasn't fair to the dog when we lived in a condo downtown). We've been looking at labrador retrievers and breeders for a while, but unfortunetly I made the mistake of taking the wife to petland last night, and sure enough they had just got in an 8 week old labrador retriever. My wife wants this guy to come home with us, but i'm concerned about buying a dog from petland and not a breeder. It's not the "certificate" you get from a breeder that concerns me, it's the health of the dog and whether it would have the temperment of a lab given it's from a pet shop. Petland showed me that both it's parents were labs and that it came from Homestead Kennels in Saskatchewan, but I still have some concerns. I'm very scared of getting a dog from a puppy mill (not saying Petland does that, but it scares me more than dealing with a breeder).

Any information/educated opinion someone could provide wpould be greatly appreciated.

On the other hand, if other people on here have a labrador retriever and know of any breeders they could share their experience with it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

[ken0042]

I think the key is that your wife is already in love with the dog.

At 8 weeks old any "issues" can be trained out; especially with a breed like a lab.

[JustAnotherGuy]

We bought a dog from Petland 7 years ago. She was a rescue dog so who knows her parentage. Same situation as you. Wife and daughter saw the dog and had to have it.

I know I am not answering must of your questions. To answer one of your questions. Yes, I would buy a dog from Petland. But frankly if I ever get another dog I would go the SPCA. I strongely suggest you don't take you wife there. It will break her heart.

[Kipper is King]

I bought my dog from Petland. He was a mixed breed, but he was quite healthy. Hopefully, they honestly don't use puppy mills.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by MJM

Petland showed me that both it's parents were labs and that it came from Homestead Kennels in Saskatchewan, but I still have some concerns. I'm very scared of getting a dog from a puppy mill (not saying Petland does that, but it scares me more than dealing with a breeder).

Most breeders stick to one breed. Homestead however seems to offer everything under the sun.

http://www.homesteadkennels.ca/Breeds.html

[MarchHare]

If you're looking for a purebred, I'd feel much more confident buying from a breeder instead of a pet store where there's a very good chance you'll be getting a a puppy mill animal.

If you don't care about a purebred, have you considered a rescue dog?

Semi off-topic:

now that we finally have the space and backyard we are going to go through with it (wasn't fair to the dog when we lived in a condo downtown)

Why do you feel that way? I ask because my wife and I live in a downtown condo and we're getting a dog in two weeks. We also have friends who own a black lab living in a condo, and he does fine.

One of the books about puppy training we're reading says this:

Many people are advised not to get a large dog if they live in an apartment. On the contrary! As long as they receive regular walks, large dogs make wonderful apartment companions. Compared with smaller dogs, large dogs often settle down quicker and bark less. Many little dogs exasperate owners and neighbors by being active and noisy, and running amuck. Smaller dogs make wonderful apartment companions, however, so long as they are trained to settle down and shush.

[Devils'Advocate]

I would never buy from a store in a thousand million years. Buying animals for profit on propagates the animal mill industry. I did buy my mother a dog from a respected breeder, but only because my mother wanted a particular breed of dog, and that breed was not found at the local SPCA. But for myself, my cats were strays and if I get a dog, it will be from the Humane Society. The Calgary Humane Society does have a bunch of labs and lab mixes if that interests you at all....

[MJM]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Most breeders stick to one breed. Homestead however seems to offer everything under the sun.

http://www.homesteadkennels.ca/Breeds.html

I read that myself, and that concerned me and the fact a labrador retriever isn't even on their list.

[MJM]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

If you're looking for a purebred, I'd feel much more confident buying from a breeder instead of a pet store where there's a very good chance you'll be getting a a puppy mill animal.

If you don't care about a purebred, have you considered a rescue dog?

Semi off-topic:



Why do you feel that way? I ask because my wife and I live in a downtown condo and we're getting a dog in two weeks. We also have friends who own a black lab living in a condo, and he does fine.

One of the books about puppy training we're reading says this:

Biggest reason I don't bother with the SPCA is I specifically want a lab.

On your other question, we lived in essentially a bachelor type condo. There wasn't room for the two of us, let alone a dog the size of a lab.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by MJM

I read that myself, and that concerned me and the fact a labrador retriever isn't even on their list.

The Calgary Humane currently has 3 or 4 labs. Some are crosses.

http://www.calgaryhumane.ca/page.aspx?pid=291

You will have to click "dog" in the drop down menu.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by MJM

Biggest reason I don't bother with the SPCA is I specifically want a lab.

On your other question, we lived in essentially a bachelor type condo. There wasn't room for the two of us, let alone a dog the size of a lab.

As an owner of a pure breed (not a lab though) I can tell you pures tend to have more health problems than mixed ones.

Most purebreeds have been so inbred that genetic problems are unavoidable.

How about this little guy.

http://www.calgary.ca/portal/server....where=type_DOG

[MJM]

Wife is hell-bent on a pup she can train right from the get go, doubt she'd consider the SPCA. Not really an option in my case.

[Regulator75]

Nope, too many animals need to be rescued.

Take a look at my buddy Morley we rescued from the Humane Society.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by MJM

Wife is hell-bent on a pup she can train right from the get go, doubt she'd consider the SPCA. Not really an option in my case.

That is a puppy in my last post with a link. Though it is a mix, IMO it is mostly Lab. Plus his paws don't look huge, so he's not mixed with something like Rotti.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by First Lady

That is a puppy in my last post with a link. Though it is a mix, IMO it is mostly Lab. Plus his paws don't look huge, so he's not mixed with something like Rotti.

But he's looking for a lab, not a cross so that's not going to help him. Plus The Humane Society isn't for everybody. I remember getting two different cats from there as a kid and they were both super sickly and barfed everywhere so we had to take them back. I find the place pretty nasty now.

[kipperfan]

http://mistycreekdogrescue.com/category/puppies

These guys have some cute pups right now, a beautiful Lab X puppy on the page above.

http://www.heavencanwait.ca/adoptdogs.aspx

Long list, but they also have a cute Lab X pup.

http://www.pawsitivematch.org/Dogs_for_Adoption.php

Then you have this organization who, as you can see, has a ton of puppies and some Labs (look at Adella, what a great looking animal!).

Wanna know the best part? All of these organizations are teaming up for a giant dog adopt-a-thon tommorow @ Marlborough Park Community Hall - should be alot of the dogs you saw above there tommorow afternoon. So bring the wife and let her fall in love with a dog that really could use your help.

[SeeBass]

Go with a rescue dog never buy from a retail store.

Just had a friend go through the Petland experience and 3 months later it got ill and died.

Please dont buy from them there is too many good ones out there already.

[First Lady]

Well there are is no shortage of purebred Labs in Alberta.

http://lrca.homestead.com/litters.html

[MJM]

Not interested in any other breed but a lab. X breeds will not work for me. I want a lab specifically because of their temperment and intelligence (response to training). This cannot be assured with a X breed.

If you want to start a thread about adopting an animal go ahead, but that's not what i'm asking in this thread. If you can find me a pure lab that I can adopt/rescue I would be more than happy. Otherwise, you are doing nothing but derailing this thread for your own personal crusade.

I think i've made it pretty clear that I want a pure lab, and the issue here is whether I should A) Buy it form Petland or B) Wait for a Breeder.

I have no problems with the SPCA, but that is clearly not what I want to do.

[MJM]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Well there are is no shortage of purebred Labs in Alberta.

http://lrca.homestead.com/litters.html

That's a great site. My wife has been all over that site. We have applications with one of the breeders but have yet to hear back.