Liberty Creek Labradors

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At LIBERTY CREEK LABRADORS… we have a special commitment to produce ONLY TOP-QUALITY, ALL-PURPOSE LABRADOR RETRIEVERS!

Our primary objective is to improve the quality of the breed. Our goal is to breed for a perfect blend of Type, Genetic Integrity, Good Temperament, and Structure Soundness.

The Labrador Retriever is a unique breed of dog. They are sweet, outgoing, gentle, extremely intelligent, adaptable, and very eager to please. They are without a doubt unlike any other breed. The Labrador Retriever has much draw to people, Whether they are used for, show, hunting, obedience, agility, assistance, therapy, guide dog, tracking, narcotic detection, search and rescue, or just as importantly as a companion, their gentle ways, intelligence, and adaptability, makes them the ideal dog.

At LIBERTY CREEK LABRADORS, we teach them to retrieve at a very young age, compete in the show ring, and participate in many other activities as well. We usually only have one litter at a time, allowing us to give each puppy 100% of our total attention and care, ensuring the maximum socialization for each one of them, which is important when they go to their new home.

Through selective breeding and conscientious breeding practices there is a greater chance of improving and maintaining positive traits in the Labrador.

Liberty Creek puppies are not kennel puppies, but instead are raised in our home, and are socialized accordingly. All our Labrador Retrievers only go to SELECTED HOMES. The only reason we breed is to produce the finest Labrador Retrievers possible, in type, temperament, and health. We are trying to keep our bloodlines free from any genetic flaws, and diseases, which of course produces, healthier, better looking dogs.

We are VERY concerned with our puppy’s well being, not only from the time they go to their new homes, but for their entire life. We care where our puppies go and want to be sure they are taken care of, physically as well as emotionally. They are our "Babies". We work hard studying and planning their breeding, We deliver them, and supplement their mothers care. We have to feel that the potential puppy owner is the right person and their intentions for the puppy are appropriate. It is MY choice where they go and at any time I reserve the right to make choices for my pups that I feel are in their best interest including the choice not to place a particular pup with a particular family regardless of prior agreements. In such cases where I choose not to place a pup all monies are of course refunded." No matter how old the puppy, if they need us, we are here for them.

We take into consideration the person's lifestyle and family composition is, in determining which puppy will be placed in which home. Their personalities are displayed very early and compatibility between the puppy and the new family is extremely important and with a little assessment very easy to achieve.

We are working hard to raise and produce the very finest Labrador Retrievers possible, to treat everyone fairly, and to do whatever we can to help people in their selection of a happy, healthy puppy.

All Liberty Creek breeding stock are:

OFA and/or Penn Hipped or X-Rayed Free of Hips Dysplasia
Eyes Are: ACVO;CERF
Microchipped
Up To Date On All Current Vaccinations
Given Preventative Deworming Medication Monthly
Are Proven To Be Of Sound Temperament
Are Representation of Breed Type

If you are interested in adopting a Liberty Creek Puppy,
please fill out our Puppy Adoption Application

Note: Completion of the puppy client information form does not guarantee a future puppy.

317.281.9442

Below a picture of some of the items you might want to have on hand when you take your puppy home.

Collar, Ball, Two Stainless Steel Bowls, Kong, Charlee Bear Treats,
Nylabone Healthy Edibles Peanut Flavored Bones, Beef Bone w/Peanut Butter
Filler, Quik Stop, 6' Leather Lead, Stuff Toy, Nail Clipper, Treat Ball, Rubber Pad
w/Pins, Groom Rake Short Teeth, Crate Pad.

Along with the above items a 24" x 36" Crate

At Liberty, most of our puppies are placed in Loving pet homes with a Limited AKC Registration

Picking Your Puppy
Exactly what is "pick of the litter"? Most people imply that it is "the best puppy". Best for whom? Best for what? There are dogs better suited for particular things but that would depend on who the dog is going to as to which pup is the "pick of the litter". If you are getting a puppy from me, I can promise you that *I* (the breeder) am keeping what I believe to be "pick of the litter". That puppy is not for sale. Of course, I sometimes discover, as the puppy grows, that I picked wrong. My guess is, some of my *real* picks of the litter went to their new pet home at eight weeks of age, are neutered, and loved by their family.

I have had people ask me to teach them how to pick the best pup out of a litter. The truth is, when I figure it out with certainty, I'll start teaching others how to do it. For now, I'm pretty good at picking the right puppy, but it isn't down to a science yet. In fact, I'll be so bold as to say NO breeder has it down to an absolute science. Some puppies are the perfect example of the ugly duckling who grows into a beautiful swan.

Some people think that they need to see the entire litter of pups in order to pick out a good dog. We have found this is a misconception. In any one litter, the majority of the puppies are comparable. In each litter there is usually a highly energetic dog, a more reserved dog, and the rest fall in between. The term "pick of the litter" is a common phrase among people, we'd be wise to eliminate it from our mind-set and our vocabulary.

We have seen the last pup go to its new home, turn out to be the very best in the litter; and, we have seen what we thought was the best pup in the litter at eight weeks turn out to be just another good dog, but not necessarily the best of that litter when grown.

Most people find themselves on a list in some picking order. On my lists, I reserve first pick. I select puppies I feel are the best examples of the breed structural . I set those puppies aside for myself. I probably won't keep them all, but they're held aside for later evaluation and observation. So, when you call me well after my puppies have gone home, and I have only one older puppy available, you can pretty well bet that this puppy was one of my choices, that I have later decided to sell. They're hardly "last pick".

The term runt refers to a sickly and abnormally undersized puppy. Few litters have a true "runt". Within two years the littermates (given proper care) are within pounds of each other. Based on logic alone, there is always going to be the largest pup in a litter and the smallest, yet this too changes as the puppies grow into adults. The smallest or largest of a litter does not always remain so for the rest of its life.

So, how *should* you pick your pet puppy? Well, first, if you don't trust your breeder, DO NOT buy your puppy from that breeder. Everything in this article is contingent on you trusting your breeder.

For what it is worth, here are some thoughts:

Put away the book that tells you how to pick a puppy
Put aside the notion that a puppy *must* be "x" days old when it goes home, or it is damaged goods.
Put aside your notions that bigger is better.
Try to put aside prejudice with respect to sex and color if more than one sex and color is available.
Sit down
Really look at the litter.
Notice puppies that are trying to get your attention (there is something to be said about chemistry)
Listen to your breeder when they tells you about specific personalities
Follow your heart.
Take your time (never,ever, rush)
Ask questions

Why is that puppy so quiet?

Tired from other visitors?
Full from eating more than its littermates?
Always that quiet?

* Breeders know their puppies! Ask!

Do you have "last pick"? RELAX. If you like mom, you'll probably like her puppies. If you have had the luxury of meeting the father, and you like him too, so much the better -- afterall, these puppies will be similar to their parents. If you trust your breeder, and they're reputable, they'll tell you everything you need to know about that puppy. It is unlikely that the last pick puppy has any problems. If a puppy does have a problem (overbite, undescended testicle, hernia, etc.) the breeder will tell you and explain it to you. I don't know a reputable breeder that would not give you back your deposit if the last pick puppy has some minor problem. If a puppy has a major problem, it shouldn't be for sale anyhow.

If you are the owner of the "last pick" puppy in a healthy litter, here is the scientific process by which those before you have selected their puppy (from years of observing, with wonder, this strange process)

It was the biggest
It was the lightest
It was the smallest
It was the darkest
It had the "sweetest face"
It had a bigger head
It was the most active
It was the least active
It had the biggest feet
It had the shortest coat
It had the longest coat
The roof of its mouth is darkest (I swear this is how one was picked)
Its ears were longer/shorter
It "came to its name"
It retrieved a feather
It didn't chew their shoes
It DID chew their shoes
The one without white, because white makes them hyperactive and stubborn (say WHAT?)
The one with white, because it made the dog unique.
Or, my favorite, and most common method ... they asked me "which puppy would you pick"? (If I am keeping one, THAT is the one I would pick <grin>) As for the puppies from that litter that I didn't pick for myself.... well, I never pick a puppy for others -- I will, however, tell you everything you want to know about each puppy.

Your last pick puppy simply did not fit into any one of the above physical/behavior expectations of those who came before you. I have never sold a pet puppy to anyone who had any concept of proper conformation, or had a true working knowledge of what constitutes "first pick".

If you have a pick, great. Pick the puppy that your heart tells you is "the one". If you don't have a pick, consider yourself lucky, because you didn't have to go through the tough process of trying to pick one over the other, fearing you'll make some sort of mistake. The majority of people who have to pick one over another, tell me it is a terrible process.

I agree