We currently have no puppies available. Our next litter (Tuc/Kenya) is planned for early spring 2012.
Before Buying a Puppy (from us or any other breeder):
MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS
Ask yourself these questions:
1. Can you afford a dog? Consider your finances: dog food, dog licensing, neutering, vaccines, your availability (for training, exercising, and relaxing with your pup), the pup's preventative healthcare, emergency care in case of injury, your ability to make a fourteen-to-fifteen-year commitment, your health and that of other family members, especially regarding allergies and the physical ability to handle a dog, etc.
2. Is this the right season of life for you to be adding a dog to your family?
3. Is this the right dog/breed for you? Research and find the breed best suited to your living situation and life circumstances. Labs need loads of people attention, room to run, safe things on which to chew, and regular exercise. If you work in an office all day and seldom venture outdoors when you get home, a Lab is not for you.
4. Remember: this is a fourteen-to-fifteen-year commitment. Are you ready for that kind of responsibility?
5. If you can say "yes" to all of the above, and you believe the Labrador breed is suited to your enviroment and life circumstances, then the next thing to do is find a responsible breeder who will supply you with a healthy, sound, well-socialized pup and who will stand by that pup for life. We here at Stoney Ridge are committed to our pups for life.
SELECT THE RIGHT PUPPY AND THE RIGHT BREEDER
1. For detailed questions to ask and things to look for in selecting a Labrador Retriever puppy, visit the National Labrador Retriever Club's information page on selecting a puppy (click here). The NLRC is the AKC parent club of the Labrador Retriever breed. FYI, we are members in good standing with the NLRC.
2. Also consider the suggestions listed at the AKC's "Buying a Puppy" information page (click here). Both the NLRC and the AKC offer invaluable information on how to select/purchase a sound, healthy puppy who is best suited for you and your circumstances, as well as how to select a responsible breeder.
3. You may want to read these helpful articles at AKC as well:
1. Learn all you can about the puppy's breed (in our case, Labrador retrievers). You can find all kinds of free, breed-specific information and resources on line at AKC
2. Learn all you can about how to train and raise a puppy, again BEFORE you pick up your puppy. We'll supply you with an excellent book and several articles in your puppy packet about training when you pick up your puppy, but it's wise to get a headstart on your education. You'll feel more confident and comfortable if you learn a few things ahead of time.
3. Invest in a crate for you pup, one that will grow with him/her as he/she grows in size. Crate training is universally recommended as the safest, securest, most humane method of housebreaking your pup and keeping him/her safe when you can't watch him/her. Dog.com is a great place to purchase a crate, especially if you catch their sales, but your local pet shop will have them, too. Just make sure you purchase the kind that includes a moveable partition that allows you to control how much room the pup has to lie down in the crate. We recommend the LifeStages Dog Crates, size 42x28x31 (we recommend double door for versatility, but single door is terrific, too).
4. Invest in either ceramic or stainless steel feeding bowls for you puppy. You'll need at least two: one for food, the other for water. We don't recommend plastic because it tends to retain bacteria over time, and it can easily become a chew-toy for a new puppy when you're not looking.
5. We'll provide a few basic toys for your pup, but make sure you have some puppy or small dog size Nylabones designed for heavy chewers (available at dog.com or your local pet store). Labs WILL chew. That's just part of who they are. As long as you keep them supplied with appropriate things to chew on, your sneakers and magazines should be safe!
6. Puppy proof your house wherever you expect the puppy to be. Just as you would for a toddler, be aware of things like electrical cords, choking hazards, poisons, things that could be pulled down on top of the pup, etc. The best action, however, is prevention: always crate your pup if you can't supervise him/her.
7. Bring a small crate (like a pet carrier or cat box) with you when you come to pick up your pup; it will provide a safe place for your puppy to ride (and a pup can grow quite heavy in your arms after several minutes!). A laundry basket lined with a towel will do in a pinch, but we recommend the travel crate.
8. Make an appointment with your veterinarian to see the new pup within a week of pick-up (preferable within three days). You'll want your vet to check the pup out completely to be sure all is okay. We'll provide complete medical records for your puppy to give to your vet. Your vet should also get you set up on a vaccine schedule to keep your pup healthy.
PAST LITTERS
Tuc and Elsie Litter: Whelped March 30th and 31st, 2011
All pups from this litter have found their forever homes.
For pictures, videos, and information about this litter, please visit our blog (called "LabTails") where we document the pups' growth and development from birth.
Tuc, the sire
Elsie, the dam
Four weeks old and starting on puppy food
Four-Week-Old Pups from Elsie/Ridge Litter of September 2008
We also practice early neurological stimulation from the time the pups are born.
The pups get plenty of Mom time (and supervised nursing)
LOADS of people socialization
We introduce them to various environments and textures.
They also get plenty of canine socialization (from their littermates as well as their mom).
People in the whelping box is a normal occurance throughout puppy-hood.
Hammock time and outdoor time are both regular occurances in later weeks (after five weeks of age).
Puppies Plus!
What you can expect to receive when you purchase one of our puppies:
When you purchase a pup from us (see "Reserve a Puppy"), you can expect to receive the following:
a healthy eight-week-old puppy, guaranteed against hereditary disease or defect
the pup will have been appropriately dewormed
the pup's dew claws will have been removed
the pup will have been thoroughly examined by our veterinarian at six weeks of age
the pup will have received its age-appropriate vaccines
the pup will already have a microchip inserted beneath its skin (for permanent identification). You will need to register the microchip number as the new owner, but the microchipping is done.
You can also expect to receive...
the pup's microchip registration papers and information
the pup's AKC litter registration certificate
the pup's AKC registration papers (you will need to complete these and send these in to register the pup with the AKC in your name)
the dam's and sire's pedigrees and health certifications
the pup's health history/vet record to date
HeartGuard and Frontline puppy starter kit (for heartworm and flea/tick prevention)
3-day supply of ProPlan for Large Breed Puppies puppy food (the food we start our puppies out on and the same brand we use for our adult dogs)
a baggie-full of Missing Link (the supplement we use for our dogs and have started the pups on)
info about Missing Link (just fyi)
Charlie Bear training treats; the treats we use for working with our pups and dogs.
info about Charlie Bear treats (all-natural, low-calorie)
the AKC puppy folder kit
a real collar (not rickrack) that the pup can wear and grow in to over the next several weeks (of the same color as the original rickrack)
a puppy slip-lead or leash for the trip home
a small square of bedding material with the dam's scent on it
a new soft toy for the trip home
a new hard toy for the trip home
a used toy or two from the puppy pen (with the littermates' scents on it)
a copy of the book How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With by Clarice Rutherford and David Neil AND Labrador Retrievers for Dummies by Joel Walton and Eve Adamson
an article from The Humane Society on crate training
an article from The Humane Society on the importance of puppy toys and how to select them
an article from The Humane Society on separation anxiety in puppies
an article from Just Labs magazine on basic commands to teach your pup
the Labrador Retriever AKC Information Sheet
a sales contract detailing our and the buyer's responsibilities as well as our guarantees
a folder in which you can keep all relevant papers
a fabric bag into which we'll place all of the above
The pup will also have been exposed to all of the following:
being handled regularly by familiar people
being handled by unfamiliar people
socializing with other dogs (both familiar and unfamiliar)
hearing typical house sounds including:
dishwasher
telephone
television
radio/music
ice maker
vacuum cleaner
running water
food processor
coffee mill/grinder
blender
hearing typical outdoor sounds including:
lawn mower
weed-whacker
automobiles
motorcycles
tractor trailers
garbage trucks
airplanes overhead
experimenting with water
playing with various toys and textures
navigating steps
crate familiarization
an introduction to basic obedience training
learning early self-restraint and impulse control
We do our best to give the pups and YOU all you need to make a great start to your life together!
And we're available to you after you take your pup home to answer questions and to help you as we're able.
All content and photos c. 2007-2011 by Stoney Ridge Labrador Retrievers. All rights reserved.
Stoney Ridge Labs, located in southeastern Pennsylvania, offers sound, well-socialized, family-raised, AKC-registered Labrador retrievers with temperaments and pedigrees suited for companionship, hunting, agility, working, and family life.
