Dogs from a "non-breeder"

[88man]

You can get a great dog for free or a dog you love to be frustrated over & vet bills and limitations you can't guarantee regardless of cost. However, if you look hard and spend time and money you should find a great animal you will enjoy and love. If you can afford it I would go with a well bred dog and try to meet the Sire and the Dam.

 

[thomas04]

I know the most sure fire way to get a dog that is AKC certified for physical wellness is to get it through a breeder. I'm looking at getting my first hunting dog, a lab, for the (majority) duck hunting I do as well as upland bird hunting. In a perfect world I'd 100% would get one from a breeder but with the quotes I've gotten being over $1700, I'm not sure if I can financially swing that this year.

It sounds like it can be a crap shoot getting a pup from an alternative source. The lack of guarantee for long lasting hips and overall physical wellness is my greatest concern. Anyone have any experience with getting dogs from "non-breeders"?

A friend of mine has a non-breeder, and his reactions during hunting are fast and he is well-controlled in all meanings. Talking of which, what crates do you use for dog transportation? I want to purchase one and found this ( the-hunting-dog.com ) resource, where author gives a lot of pros to ProSelect Empire Dog cage. It has 20-gauge steel tubes and has a removable tray, and looks pretty reliable.