Health testing is Important
It is unfortunate how uninformed people can be about how to find Australian Labradoodle puppies. I would like to talk about what it means to be a responsible breeder. Puppy buyers have different ideas that go from one extreme to another. Some believe there is no such thing as a responsible breeder. Some people only ask their breeder if they got a vet check prior to breeding and if the puppies have visited the vet. More education is needed to break the cycle created by backyard breeders of unhealthy, reactive dogs ending up in shelters.
The "Adopt don't Shop" Movement
The "Adopt don't Shop" movement has had a catastrophic impact on the health of dogs. Many people don't understand that the overwhelming majority of the dogs in shelters are from irresponsible breeders and the rest are irresponsible owners. The movement states that their goal is "no homeless dogs." They argue to "eradicate homelessness in dogs," all dog breeding should also be eradicated. This is completely irrational and only relying on a reactive strategy to the problem.
Importance of Health Testing Australian Labradoodle puppies
Ethical breeders know the importance of health testing Australian Labradoodle puppies and continue to invest in the future of their breed. Health testing is very expensive. At a minimum, every breeder should be genetically testing their dogs and doing hip and elbow testing. Every breed has recommended health testing by the OFA. Puppy buyers should not assume because breeders are charging a lot for their puppies, they must be getting a good puppy. Ethical breeders are very proud of the testing they do on their dogs and usually post them or give them to buyers readily.
Regulating Organizations
The AKC does not require parent dogs to be health tested. The puppy is automatically registered if the breeders have full breeding rights on the parent dogs. Other organizations do require breed-specific health testing on parent dogs. ALAA and WALA are two organizations who regulate the Australian Labradoodle. They both require genetic testing as well as hips and elbows OFA testing. They also provide a significant amount of education to breeders. Buyers can find breeders who belong to these organizations on their websites.
Choosing a Breeder
Many buyers are looking for a deal on Australian Labradoodle puppies. Often times buyers look for a good price in a specific breed of dog. Most Australian Labradoodle breeders charge about the same amount for their pet puppies. When breeders lower the price of the dogs, they have to breed more dogs to make money. This leads to overbreeding. For this reason, we recommend that puppy buyers save up and go to a breeder that is part of an organization that requires health testing, provides health tests, and charges what other ethical breeders are charging. If buyers truly care about the health and quality of their dogs, they will do their research, find responsible breeders, and save their money.
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