I once had a sales manager tell me "Good Food Ain't Cheap and Cheap Food Ain't Good", in other words sometimes you pay more for something better. When considering a Labrador Retriever remember anyone can just pick up the Sunday paper and look for a puppy. However, if you are truly looking for that top quality retriever you're going to find that Good Food Ain't Cheap.

Top notch retrieving lines take time and patience to develop, evaluating skills such as marking, desire, drive, nose, appearance, and overall performance doesn't just come over night. Other qualities to consider in dogs is their genetic make up, hips, elbows, eyes and even heart should all be evaluated. If you're paying top dollar for a dog, you should make sure that the dog isn't going to be susceptible to hip dysplasia, heart conditions or other hereditary problems.

At Black Swamp Retrievers we look for the very best stud dogs to breed to. Stud dogs should have an OFA hip rating of Good or Excellent, CERF cleared, vet records available and all vaccines (including Bordatella) up to date. Stud dogs must also possess a proven pedigree consisting of any or all of the following: Field Trial, AKC & UKC Hunt Test backgrounds. The stud dog should also be registered to either the AKC or UKC or even both, duel registrations are becoming more popular now.