Labrador Breeders in Ontario: finding a trustworthy breeder

For this list of trustworthy breeders in Ontario, we tried to incorporate the breeders that do extensive health checks in their breeding dogs, are active in the show ring and put their dogs’ health and temperaments first.

Labrador Breeders in Ontario: Lucky Labs

This Ontario Labrador Breeder is located in Chatham-Kent, Ontario. According to their website, they thoroughly test their breeding dogs for health issues such as genetic eye disease (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) as well as screen for hips and elbows issues. They do not inbreed their dogs, and neither do they line breed.

This ensures healthier litters and fewer chances of genetic issues in the litters. This breeder’s puppies come with a health warranty that guarantees that the puppies won’t have genetic health issues such as Degenerative Myopathy, Progressive Retinal Atrophy and others. You can read more about the health of their puppies and about their dogs in general on this breeder’s website.

Castilleja Labs Ontario Labrador Breeders

This is another Labrador breeder in Ontario. According to their website, their goal is to produce the perfect Labrador Retriever with the ideal structure and conformation. Their highly selective breeding program includes the best dogs graded on multiple criteria of quality. All their dogs are thoroughly health assessed for the main Labrador genetic diseases including Penn Hip assessments for hips and elbows, as well as for eye diseases. Please visit this breeder’s website to learn more bout their dogs and puppies.

Cawarra Labradors

This is another Labrador Breeder in Ontario, located just 40 minutes out of Toronto. They are members of the Canadian Kennel Club, Labrador Owner’s Club, Labrador Retriever Club of Canada and United Kennel Club. They are active in the show ring and have won many titles with their dogs. According to their website, their goal is to produce dogs that will go on to excel in show, obedience, therapy work and other endeavors as well as be loving and devoted family companions.

Website: http://www.cawarralabradors.ca/

Other reliable Labrador Breeders in Ontario

Allsport Labradors Retrievers, located in Guelph, Ontario.

AppleMeadow Labradors, another Labrador breeder in Burgessville, Ontario. Members of Labrador Owners Club, Canadian Kennel Club, and Woodstock & District Canine Club.

Devonsleigh Kennels in Norwood, Ontario.

Labrador Owner Review: Tenley and her Lab Oscar

Our Labrador is, like all Labradors, very outgoing and friendly. He is an affectionate, loving dog and he is absolutely not aggressive, even when other dogs try to intimidate or threaten him. He isn’t necessarily afraid of anyone, he just avoids conflict at all costs. He is also very polite to smaller dogs than he is. He also never chases cats or squirrels. We love his personality very much. He is just a very loveable dog and a wonderful companion.

Despite all of the things, all the inconveniences and expenses, we love Oscar so much and we couldn’t imagine our life without him. He brings us joy and laughter and fun and he’s our little child and he is absolutely worth it. Do your research, prepare financially and if you are ready, a Labrador Retriever will be a source of joy and love for you for many years.

I have thought about getting a Labrador for a long time. I’ve always liked these dogs. They are the stars of many movies and shows and more importantly, Labradors are so often used as service dogs, search and rescue, seeing eye dogs etc. That always made this breed special to me. Of course, when we were finally ready to actually adopt a dog, Labrador Retriever was one of the first breeds (and the only, really) that I seriously considered.

When my husband and I finally got our puppy Oscar, it was like a dream come true. He was everything I imagined he would be. A little black fluffy ball of energy, endlessly affectionate, outgoing and mischievous.

Of course, it wasn’t all fun and joy. As many new puppy owners, we had to deal with chewed-up shoes, clothes, furniture (goodbye, new sofa!) and books. We learned very quickly to put everything away out of his reach. If you leave anything within his reach, you either will not see it again (I still don’t know where Oscar hides our stuff) or you will find it chewed up or torn to pieces. We weren’t just worried about the stuff he would destroy. We were equally worried about his health and well-being because I honestly don’t think it’s healthy for a puppy to ingest a shoe or half a book.

Oscar did get sick a few times when he was a puppy. Several times it was something like food poisoning where he puked all night and then had bouts of diarrhea for a week. One time, he had a pretty strong allergy to the new dog food we tried to introduce him to (bad idea).  As he grew, we seemed to have fewer calamities with his health, both because he was getting stronger and because we were becoming more experienced dog owners. I think it’s like with children: they get sick a lot when they are young. It’s good to be prepared, as new puppy owners, to a period of being overwhelmed, surprised and not quite ready for what can happen to your pup healthwise.

Oscar is almost three years old now – a big boy! Our chewing accidents stopped around the time he was one year old, he just seems to have grown out of it. He is much better at listening to us now too. He knows plenty of commands and even follows some of them! I can’t say he is an obedient dog though. He is very sneaky and full of mischief. He always knows what he wants and insists on doing that (or getting that). If he can’t get it directly, he will be sly about it and do it behind our backs, even if he knows perfectly well he isn’t allowed.

Our Labrador is, like all Labradors, very outgoing and friendly. He is an affectionate, loving dog and he is absolutely not aggressive, even when other dogs try to intimidate or threaten him. He isn’t necessarily afraid of anyone, he just avoids conflict at all costs. He is also very polite to smaller dogs than he is. He also never chases cats or squirrels. We love his personality very much. He is just a very loveable dog and a wonderful companion.

However, having a Labrador Retriever is not all fun. They are pretty crazy when they are puppies. I would say the first year is like a crazy Bootcamp. Expect your house destroyed, your timetable all messed up because the puppy needs you all the time, and generally worrying a lot of the time because you don’t know what to expect from your new best friend. Expect the puppy to get sick quite a bit. Expect unexpected vet bills and lots of gray hairs on your head because of all the worry.

But of course, also expect much laughter, excitement, new joys discovered as you look at the world through your puppy’s eyes. Many new friends and acquaintances (because everyone wants to pet your puppy!) Expect to get leaner and more athletic because you’ll do lots and lots of walking with your pup.

You’ll have a lot less free time than you used to. Much less time than you would expect: after all you got a dog, not a child. And yet you live on your dog’s schedule now. You will jave to walk them at least twice a day and you need to feed them on time and you need to be with them enough so that they don’t get lonely and destroy your house. You can’t just go out of town for the weekend now unless you can take your Lab with you or make some other plans for them. (Which will most likely cost you a pretty penny). Just some of the things you need to be ready for with a new dog.

Another thing you’ll need to get used to is an enormous amount of dog hair in your house. Dog hair will be everywhere at all times. Labradors are supposed to shed twice a year. In reality, they shed year-round! All the time! You have been warned.

Despite all of these things, all the inconveniences and expenses, we love Oscar so much and we couldn’t imagine our life without him. He brings us joy and laughter and fun and he’s our little child and he is absolutely worth it. Do your research, prepare financially and if you are ready, a Labrador Retriever will be a source of joy and love for you for many years.