Welcome!

Hello fellow Lab friends. My name is Ericka and spoiler alert…. I love to talk labs!   My program is the culmination of a lifetime in dogs and a passion for nurturing the human dog bond. The best way to kick off that bond is by bringing home a new companion that matches your temperament needs and lifestyle. After working with countless breeds and mixes, and people, I can say more times than not that will mean starting with a responsibility bred Labrador.

My program is full of beautiful show line Labradors ( often called English ). I strive to produce the historic and versatile ” Gentleman’s Gun Dog” temperament that has made the Labrador one of the most popular dogs in America over the years. I actively show in conformation and performance sports. Heath is just as important as temperament to me and I keep up on the latest research on Labrador health and participate in studies whenever I can. My dogs all have CHIC certification through www.OFA.com plus additional testing not required. ( but very necessary in my opinion ) This includes DNA, Hips, Elbows, Heart, and Eye evaluations/certifications.

My dogs are all my pets first. They grow up in a home setting and are active good citizen in our community. Joining my husband Jared and I at breweries, restaurants, on vacation, camping, and just about anywhere dogs are allowed. They snuggle with me when I am sick and we walk the beach and hike as much as we can. Their natural on and off switches making training them a dream. I am a member of 4 California Labrador Retriever Clubs and enjoy evening chats after shows and trails with the top breeders in the US and abroad. I truly believe if you love what you do you never stop trying to learn.

Puppy Raising

I start posting updates to social media on our litter as soon as they are born. You get to watch your puppy grow up!  Puppies are handled daily! At 3 days old we start Early Scent Introduction and Early Neurological Stimulation . We clean the whelping box several times a day for the first 3 week to establish clean potty habits while we wait for house training start between 3-4 weeks. Pups are weighed daily for the first 4 weeks of life to make sure everyone is gaining and heathy. Mama’s get fresh eggs, goat milks, and supplements to keep them heathy and happy as they do their part in the puppy raising process. Around 5 weeks old they learn to use the doggie door and we move an inside litter box to potting outdoors. While growing the puppies are exposed to age-appropriate environmental work like sounds (gunfire, traffic sounds, transportation sounds, crying babies etc.) vacuums, landscaping tools and farm equipment. They experience new surfaces, toys, meet the cats, chickens and goats and go on car rides. When the puppies start to eat some solid food, we also start to crate train and teach them to be ok without their mom and siblings. Puppies are dewormed as needed and are microchipped. All puppies get a heathy puppy checkup at 8 weeks old and their first DHPP vaccination

Getting a Puppy:

Please start by filling out our puppy matchmaker form. This give us a better idea what you are looking for and what litter will produce the best Labrador for you. Once approved you can secure your spot on the reservation list with $500 fee (that goes toward the cost of your puppy) . You can get on the list up to 1 year in advance of wanting to bring a puppy home. Deposits can be paid via Cash, Check, Zelle or Vemno. Puppies are $3500 and come with AKC limited registration. Limited Registration allows you to do any actives you like with your dog excluding showing or breeding. Those wanting to show or breed should contact me and inquire about the process for show prospects and breeding rights which are given on a very limited bases to breeders that share our ethics and philosophies.

Support:

We LOVE getting updates and will reach out and pester you if we have not heard from you once you get your puppy home. We are here for you for the life of your dog and will take the dog back at any time should you find yourself unable to care for your pup for any reason.

Discounts:

We offer a $100 discount to our Military, First Responders, and Teachers

Picking Puppies

At around two weeks of age I reach out to the list and let them know if I do or do not have color and sex matches for what they are looking for. For those that do have a match I reach to again around 5 weeks to confirm temperament preferences and timeline. Temperament and Structural Evaluations are finished around 8.5 weeks of age. At that point we decide who we are keeping back for our program and start matching families to puppies. Puppies head to their new homes between 9-10 weeks. I take care of the AKC registration on my end and you take care of the microchip and getting your free insurance set up. Puppies all come with a go home bag as well.

Our History:

I have been involved in training and raising dogs since 2000 when I was the ranch manager for a 118-acre ranch with sheep, goats and working Australian Shepherds. From there I managed an animal shelter and fostered countless litters including bottle puppies. I worked hard to prepare them for their new adoptive homes and created the behavior and training departments for several shelters. In addition, during my time working as a Veterinary Technician I was known as the puppy whisper and had a knack for working with mothers having whelping issues and recovering puppies from C-Sections. I was a consultant and trainer/handler for several breeders of different breeds over the years helping them improve he temperaments of their dog through proper parings and teaching them how to set their puppies up for success with early training and development work. All the while helping hundreds of pet owners live better lives with their dogs, and teaching several how to become trainers, though my private dog training business www.DogWorksDifference.com . In 2012 I launched my detection program with the goal to produce high level detection dogs for work in explosive, narcotic, and environmental detection. I still evaluate for prospects for several groups today.