BellaVista Labradors does our best to only breed healthy animals and to provide excellent prenatal, pregnancy, and postnatal care. We complete all recommended health screenings for Labrador Retrievers and attempt to breed only healthy, sound, and structurally beautiful parents with the best hip ratings possible. Not to give away all of our secrets, but, we take precautions such as avoiding all medications not recommended for breeding dogs. We avoid vaccinations 2 months prior to ovulation and throughout pregnancy. We feed the mother and our puppies a nutritionally complete LARGE breed puppy food, currently Fromm Large Breed Puppy Gold. We avoid the use of harmful chemicals in our home and on our lawn. Our dogs and puppies do not have access to any toxic plants, bushes, or trees. We provide your puppy with loving care in a safe environment and obtain a head to tail health evaluation by a Veterinarian to help ensure your puppy is healthy, free of observable genetic defects, and is as perfect as possible before being placed in their new forever homes. Additionally, we insist you obtain an evaluation from your own Veterinarian within 3 days of taking your puppy home.

As in humans, joint disease cannot be prevented by genetics alone! Environmental factors and preventing injuries throughout your pet's life, especially at a young age, play a major role in preventing your puppy and future dog's chance of developing joint damage and arthritis. Please help prevent injuries to your pet by not allowing roughhousing, exercising too rambunctiously, walking or playing on slick surfaces, stairs can also pose a hazard for injuries. Please avoid all jumping until your pet's growth plates are fully formed at age 2. Flooring should provide your pet with proper traction. Also, please provide your pet with safe access to an orthopedic bed for sleeping and lounging. Additionally, we believe hormones play a major role in your dog's proper growth and development. We recommend spaying or neutering your BellaVista Labrador after age 2, if not intended for showing or breeding by us, BellaVista Labradors.

Proper age-appropriate diet and exercise are important for muscle development and joint support. One major thing you can do to help reduce your puppy's risk of developing joint disease by not allowing your Labrador to grow too quickly or to become overweight! A recent study I read concluded overweight dogs are twice as likely to develop hip dysplasia. Your BellaVista Labrador comes from generations of show lines. According to the AKC breed standard, full-grown Females roughly 21.5 to 23.5 inches in height at the withers should weigh 55-70 lbs, full-grown Males roughly 22.5 to 24.5 inches at the withers should weigh 65-80 lbs.  Ideal weight is sufficiently muscled and when you can still feel the ribs but not see them.  Please feed a nutritionally balanced LARGE breed puppy food until growth plates are fully formed at age two. We currently feed Fromm Large Breed Puppy Gold. Please research all prescribed medications to ensure they are safe for cartilage of developing large breed puppies.

We never feed table scraps as it promotes picky eating and several foods that humans eat are actually toxic to dogs, for example, grapes and raisins cause kidney failure.  Legumes when digested release toxins in a dog's gut that can contribute to heart failure.  We generally avoid food, treats and supplements containing legumes, corn and copper.  Never give Tylenol. Please do not allow your dog access to anything containing artificial sweeteners such as xylitol. Please safeguard all medications, smoke, and weed products. Also, please be aware that most common household plants, bushes and weeds in our yards are also toxic to dogs. Rawhides can cause choking.  We choose not to feed animal bones as they can splinter and cause a perforated bowel.

Left unattended, a puppy will chew and eat just about anything. It's good to have plenty of chew toys available for your teething puppy. If a puppy gets a hold of something you don't want them to have say "whoops" "drop it", reward when they let go of the item as you are removing it from their mouth, then give the puppy or dog one of its own toys that it can chew on. Discourage puppies from chewing or eating their bedding, and, be sure to remove damaged items so that your puppy will not ingest them which could cause a bowel obstruction. We attempt to "puppy proof" our house and yard by removing all toxic plants and by not leaving anything lying around our house or on the counters that we don't want our dogs getting into or chewing up. Tall baby gates to block off a room or two are also helpful.

Labradors are known to shed a lot, but I've found that bathing with just a gentle puppy shampoo every 2 to 4 weeks, regular brushing, and using a "furminator" when your Labrador blows out their coat twice per year can significantly reduce the amount of hair all over your house. Anti-shedding shampoos & supplements are also said to be helpful.

Crate training is beneficial for your pet's safety and sense of security when you cannot be present to monitor them. Properly used, a crate (similar to a canine's den in nature) can become a place of safe haven for your Lab... our Labs will actually choose to go to their open-door crates when they want a break from us or the kids and to take naps. So please, never use the crate as a punishment.  Safely traveling and attending dog club events requires a happy quiet dog in a secure hard crate with access to climate control and fresh cold water at all times.