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Why B.E.S.T. chooses Labradors for service

 

Smart, even-tempered and a strong work ethic empowers the Labrador Retriever to be the preference of most service dog programs.

 

Because of their intelligence, a Labrador is also suited for search and rescue, bomb sniffing and other military uses. 

 

Enthusiastic and charming, the Labrador makes a perfect family dog. They can do it all! Labradors seem to have the best “success rate” for service as opposed to other breeds.

 

Breeding matters!

 

Once the male (sire) and female (dam) are selected and tested for genetic clearances of heritable traits, there will be a breeding. As a female can conceive (estrus) only once a year, it takes considerable attention and dedication to make sure of a successful breeding. 

 

Training Begins!

 

Once the puppies are here, their introduction to the world begins. The newborns (neonates) are very gently handled, talked to, and held close daily and human/canine bond begins. Puppies at this stage cannot survive without the warmth and caring of the mother. Even before their eyes are open, they are learning the smells and physicality of security and love. As they grow, they are introduced to novel stimuli, noises, textures, different people and things to acquaint themselves with the world. We believe this helps build the stable temperament needed for them as service dog candidates. 

 

How do we choose a puppy for service work?
 

Not every puppy is suitable, and we observe and test our puppies as they grow. Usually by week 7 (when service dog organizations come to pick a pup) we are well acquainted with which pups might be best. We use a specialized personality type test to see how each puppy reacts to novel experiences. All are graded and only the best of the best go on to service!

 

 

 

What about Labrador crosses?

Recently breed crosses have emerged from service dog organizations in search of the “perfect” service dog. Smaller, larger, quieter, smarter, better sense of smell? What are they looking for? Each application of service seems to need its own set of attributes. Golden Retriever/Labrador, Labrador/Poodle, Golden Retriever/Poodle are evaluated and as service dog organizations try to find the perfect dog. 

 

But we’ll be sticking with the purebred Labrador. We work hard to keep the breed healthy, sound, fun and dependable the way they mean to be. Our success is placing service dogs show why they are our breed of choice.

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