Desert Wind Retrievers?

[GurrCentral]

Anyone have a lab from Desert Wind Retrievers out of Ephrata? Thinking about putting a deposit on the litter from Pearl/Boone. Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[wildweeds]

I'm probably gonna  come off like a jerk with this comment but I went to their website and could not find one thing about their sires or dams in field ability testing in either the field trial or hunt test realm.I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole.They guarantee for 1 year............... fact  is hips take 2 years of growth to be evaluated.

Fancy websites are not the places to search for new hunting dogs,your far better off with the redneck who breeds for performance.In my experiance with dogs the website dogs suck and the hillbilly dogs rock.

[cem3434]

I'm probably gonna  come off like a jerk with this comment but I went to their website and could not find one thing about their sires or dams in field ability testing in either the field trial or hunt test realm.I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole.They guarantee for 1 year............... fact  is hips take 2 years of growth to be evaluated.

Fancy websites are not the places to search for new hunting dogs,your far better off with the redneck who breeds for performance.In my experiance with dogs the website dogs suck and the hillbilly dogs rock.

[Stilly bay]

what a jerk.

[GurrCentral]

I'm probably gonna  come off like a jerk with this comment but I went to their website and could not find one thing about their sires or dams in field ability testing in either the field trial or hunt test realm.I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole.They guarantee for 1 year............... fact  is hips take 2 years of growth to be evaluated.

Fancy websites are not the places to search for new hunting dogs,your far better off with the redneck who breeds for performance.In my experiance with dogs the website dogs suck and the hillbilly dogs rock.

Any recommendations on where to look for a pup then?

[Stilly bay]

Wildweeds brings up a great point. When buying a pup always look at the pups parents, that will give you a better shot in the dark over a fancy website. Anyone can design a website, its much harder to breed dogs that are worth a crap.

Ask around, there are plenty of great lab breeders around and probably a strain of lab that will suit you and your hunting style. Just be careful, for every good Lab breeder there are ten that aren't any good.

  Look into Long Hollow Retrievers, Ryan fortier is great trainer and breeder if he doesn't have something available Im sure he knows someone that does.

[YellowDog]

Tiger Mountain has a litter coming up . I emailed them a couple weeks ago and was told they are breeding Taz to Boldie due in September I believe.

Edit to add that my biggest issue with Desert Wind would be the 1 year health guarantee....might as well be no guarantee at all as far as I am concerned with the hip development issue mentioned earlier.

[Ireland Farms]

Definetley stay away from DWL. They can't really guarantee the hips for two years when they don't have their own dogs OFA certified. I also noticed that they won't refund a deposit, only transfer it to another litter. Most responsible breeders will refund a deposit if the color/sex isn't available from the litter it was placed on.

Here is a link to a couple reviews: http://www.yelp.com/biz/desert-wind-labradors-ephrata

[birdstew]

You wont find one thing about their sires or dams in field ability testing in either the field trial or hunt test realm because they dont train there dogs. They only breed and sell. All there sires are chained up. I have been to there place. I would not use them.

[runamuk]

Benbo on here just had a litter born I believe, and he produces some beautiful labs....this is a compliment as I dont care for labs, but his dogs are awfully nice.  You might shoot him a PM.

[WRL]

Any breeder who offers CKC (Continental Kennel Club not to be confused with Canadian Kennel Club) registrations, I would run not walk but RUN away from.

Continental Kennel Club does nothing more than give worthless pieces of paper out for mutts.

WRL

[tdwilson]

If you are looking for a lab in the Ephrata area you should give Lee a call at Wind River Labs (WRL).  I got a pup from her out of Buddha and Berry in December of 2011.  Great dog with a ton of drive for both training and hunting.  Very easy to train and had a great season last year picking up just under 175 birds.  He also does very well when the wife lets him in the house with both our daughters (15 months and 2 weeks old).  Not sure what she has available but i would recommend you give her a call.   

[dallygirl]

Do you want to stay in the Ephrata area?   We are getting a pup from Warren at Ireland Farms in Manson which is not too far from Ephrata.  There are a few people on the boards who have dogs from him and they have been very happy them and there are two of us on here  (that I know of) who are in line to get pups this summer.  He has a couple of litters due in July that will be ready in September and I believe he still has a few spots available.  He is a member on the board - he commented on this thread a few days ago.   He is great to work with!

[Ireland Farms]

Thanks Dallygirl, I appreciate the nice comments....I do have a few spots available for the two July litters. If Ephrata is important as far as location, I will second what tdwilson said, Lee with Wind River Labs has very nice dogs. Some of mine are out of her lines.

[GurrCentral]

Thank you for the responses! Leaning towards Wind River Labs!