A: Growing up I always had a Lab dog, so I'm extra fond of them and they hold a special place in my heart. I will always have a Lab. We're out in the country on a farm, and dog breeding fits naturally in this environment. I've always enjoyed being around animals and raising animals. I've now been raising dogs for about 10 years. It's great in the country, because they can run out here, play in the water, and socialize with the other breeds, animals, and family members.
Q: What's your daily routine?
A: There's a lot on my plate, so fortunately I have help. My cousin oversees the day-to-day operations as far as feeding and cleaning are concerned. My job is to keep up with vaccinations, getting the puppies to the vet appointments, coordinating travel, managing paperwork, and more. On a normal day we'll feed, clean, do any shots, deworming, paperwork, and take a lot of pictures. It seems like we're doing pictures all the time. My mom is also helps out with vet appointments—thanks mom!
Q: How would you describe Labs?
Loyal, and very obedient. When they're puppies, they can be pretty mischievous—but they're smart, loyal, obedient, and I've never seen a lab that is aggressive. They're super good with kids, strangers, and always wagging their tail.
Q: Is there anything about Labs that people don't generally know?
A: Not really...they're such a well known breed. They're probably not the best apartment dog, but if an owner is willing to walk, run, and give the dog enough exercise, especially in the younger months and years then they will thrive. They also eat. A LOT!
Q: What is a Lab's favorite activity?
A: They like to retrieve! They love to play fetch, and they LOVE water. Take 'em to a lake, or let them splash around in a kiddy pool. They're known for liking water to begin with, and are natural swimmers.
Q: Tell our community why you love what you do?
A: The reason we do this is that we want to see healthy puppies get to be with happy families. We spend countless hours at the kennel. Recently on a Friday night I spent all night with a dog who had a litter. It is sometimes a 24 hours a day job. It takes a lot of money to operate and to keep the dogs healthy and happy, and we work really hard at it—and love it. It's all worth it when we hear from families about how a puppy is doing in their home.
Thanks for your time and insight, Ryan!
Meet some Labrador puppies from Ryan and his crew.
