ChocolateLabs
Chocolate Lab Puppies
A good breeder is the single biggest thing you control before your Lab comes home. The parents’ genes and the first eight weeks of handling shape the dog you’ll live with for the next decade or so. It matters even more for chocolates: the authors of the VetCompass Labrador study found a shorter median lifespan in chocolate Labs and suggested the narrower gene pool used to breed for the color may be part of why (lifespan data).
This guide walks through it in order: where to look, which health clearances to check, what to ask, what the contract should say, and the red flags that should send you elsewhere.
Step 1: Know what kind of Lab you want
Labs are one breed with one AKC standard, but breeders tend to focus on show (often called “English”) lines or field (“American”) lines, which differ in build and energy (show vs field build). Decide which suits your household before you start calling, because a good breeder will ask, and will steer you to the right litter or to someone else.
If you want a specific color, know that a responsible breeder pairs dogs for health, temperament and structure first. Our coat-color calculator shows what colors a pairing can produce.
Step 2: Where to look
- The Labrador Retriever Club (LRC) Breeders Directory. The LRC is the AKC parent club for the breed. To be listed, a breeder must have been an LRC member in good standing for at least two years, have been active in the breed for at least five, belong to another AKC-recognized club, agree to the LRC Breeders Code of Conduct, and hold an OFA CHIC certificate (hips, elbows, eyes, EIC) plus a D-locus dilute evaluation.
- Local Labrador and retriever clubs, dog shows, hunt tests and field trials. You’ll meet breeders and their adult dogs in person.
- Referrals from your vet or from people whose well-adjusted Labs you admire. Humane World for Animals (formerly the Humane Society of the United States) recommends referrals and breed clubs as the place to start.
- A Lab rescue. Plenty of wonderful Labs need homes. The FTC and Humane World both suggest considering a rescue or shelter first.
A directory listing or club membership is a starting point, not a guarantee. You still verify everything below yourself.
Step 3: The health clearances to ask for
These are the screenings the LRC expects for breeding Labs. Ask for results on both parents, not just the mother.
| Test | How it’s done | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Hips | X-rays evaluated by OFA, at or after 24 months of age | A passing OFA rating, searchable by the dog’s registered name |
| Elbows | X-rays evaluated by OFA, at or after 24 months | Normal |
| Eyes | Exam by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist (ACVO), registered with OFA’s Companion Animal Eye Registry (CAER) | A passing exam within the last 12 months. OFA eye certification is valid for 12 months |
| EIC (exercise-induced collapse) | DNA test | Results on file. A carrier parent can be fine if paired with a clear dog |
| D-locus (dilute) | DNA test | Results on file. This is the gene behind “silver” and “charcoal” |
The LRC also highly recommends DNA tests for CNM (centronuclear myopathy) and PRA-prcd (a form of progressive retinal atrophy), plus a cardiac exam. Many breeders add a patella (kneecap) exam and thyroid testing. Our Lab health testing guide explains each test and how carriers work.
A dog that has completed the required set gets a CHIC number from OFA. A CHIC number shows the tests were done and the results made public. It doesn’t mean every result was perfect, so read the actual results.
How to verify in two minutes
- Ask for both parents’ registered names (and OFA numbers if they have them).
- Search each name in the OFA database (ofa.org). Public results are listed there.
- For DNA results from other labs, ask to see the certificates and check that the dog’s name and microchip or registration number match.
OFA’s own advice: be wary of results you can’t verify. “Our vet checked them” is a routine exam, not a substitute for OFA clearances.
Step 4: Questions to ask a Lab breeder
These are drawn from OFA’s and the AKC’s guidance for puppy buyers.
| # | Question | What a good answer sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Can I have both parents’ registered names and OFA results? | Yes, right away, and they match the OFA database |
| 2 | What health problems affect Labs, and how do you screen for them? | Talks openly about hips, elbows, eyes, EIC and the rest |
| 3 | Why did you breed this pairing? | Health, temperament and structure, not “to sell” or “for the color” |
| 4 | How long have you been breeding Labs? | Several years, or a named mentor if they’re newer |
| 5 | Do you show, hunt test or title your dogs, or belong to a breed club? | Some involvement with the breed community |
| 6 | Can I meet the mother, and see the father or his records? | Yes. The sire may live elsewhere, but records should be available |
| 7 | Where are the puppies raised? | In the home, with everyday noises and lots of handling |
| 8 | When do puppies go home? | Around 8 weeks |
| 9 | Can I see the contract before I put down a deposit? | Yes |
| 10 | What does your health guarantee cover, and for how long? | Specific, in writing |
| 11 | If I can’t keep the dog at any age, what happens? | They’ll take the dog back |
| 12 | Can I talk to people who’ve bought puppies from you? | Yes, happily |
Expect questions back. A good breeder will ask about your home, schedule, other pets and past dogs. The AKC notes that a breeder whose first question is how soon you can leave a deposit is telling you their priorities.
Step 5: Visit, or at least video-call
Visit if you can. Meet the mother, see where the puppies live, and watch how the dogs react to the breeder: friendly and relaxed is what you want. Humane World advises always visiting where a puppy was born and raised. If distance makes that impossible, the FTC suggests at minimum a live video call before you pay anything.
The contract and health guarantee
The LRC’s Code of Conduct says a member breeder should:
- provide a written contract spelling out the terms and length of any guarantees or restrictions,
- provide pedigree information and the parents’ health reports (hips, eyes, elbows),
- keep the right of first refusal, so the dog goes back to them rather than to a stranger if you ever have to rehome it, and
- sell pet puppies on limited registration or with a spay/neuter agreement, unless agreed otherwise in writing.
Read the guarantee closely. Note what’s covered (for example, hereditary conditions), for how long, and what you have to do to make a claim. Once you’ve chosen a breeder, the new Lab puppy checklist covers everything to buy before pickup day, including the right crate size and pet insurance, which is easiest to set up before any problems appear.
Red flags: puppy mills and scams
Signs of a puppy mill or careless breeder
- Puppies sold through pet stores or shipped sight-unseen from a website. Humane World says most of those puppies come from mass breeding facilities, better known as puppy mills.
- No OFA results, results you can’t verify, or “vet checked” offered instead.
- Several litters (or several breeds) available at once, or puppies always available.
- Won’t let you see where the dogs live, or wants to meet in a parking lot.
- Asks you nothing about yourself, and pushes for a deposit right away.
- “Rare” silver, charcoal or champagne puppies at a premium. The AKC standard recognizes only black, yellow and chocolate (why dilute colors are controversial).
Signs of an online puppy scam (from the FTC)
- A purebred puppy for a few hundred dollars. The FTC notes these puppies often cost thousands.
- Pressure to pay upfront before “someone else takes the puppy,” then extra fees for shipping, crates or vet bills.
- Payment only by gift card, wire transfer, payment app or cryptocurrency. Pay by credit card, which offers the most protection.
- Photos that show up elsewhere online. Run a reverse image search, and search the seller’s name with “scam” or “complaint.”
If you spot a scam, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
What a Lab puppy costs
We don’t publish price ranges, because purchase prices vary too much by region and breeder to state accurately. Judge breeders on clearances, contract and support, not price. Budget for ownership too: our puppy cost answers and lifetime cost calculator help you plan beyond the purchase.
Our vetted breeder list (coming soon)
We don’t list or recommend any breeders yet. We’d rather have no list than an unvetted one. We’re starting one now.
Breeders: if you meet the standards on this page (OFA hips and elbows, a current CAER eye exam, EIC and D-locus results on both parents, a written contract with a take-back clause), you can apply to be considered. We check claimed clearances in the public OFA database before listing anyone, and applying doesn’t guarantee a listing.