Before you decide, ask yourself some questions. Can you resist buying the first cute puppy you see, on impulse? Are you prepared to make a commitment to a dog for the next 10-15 years, even if you have life changes such as moving, new babies, or kids going off to college? Full responsibility for a dog is not a job for children; it requires a responsible adult, at least supervising, and should be carefully considered. The commitment is not a small one; training a Labrador to be a pleasant companion requires considerable time and patience. Labs don't become well-behaved all by themselves! They require substantial attention and exercise throughout their lives; they are active and social animals and don't do well when stuck in the backyard and forgotten.
Labrador puppy chewing and digging can be destructive. Do you have an appropriate environment for a puppy and are you willing to live with puppy mistakes: Remember that Labradors are not fully mature until around three years of age, so that's a long puppy-hood. Are you willing to spend the money it takes to provide appropriate care, including quality food and supplies, annual vaccines, and spaying or neutering? Are you willing to wait for the right puppy from the responsible breeder of your choice? Remember, finding the best puppy for you is well worth the wait.
Buy a well-bred dog from a responsible breeder. Responsible breeders take care to produce healthy, typical Labradors with good temperaments. Don't bargain-hunt and don't buy a puppy from a pet store; often those puppies come from poor breeding, may have been kept in poor conditions with inadequate socialization, and are sometimes more expensive than puppies purchased from a responsible breeder. Responsible breeders do all they can to avoid producing serious problems, including aggressive or shy temperaments, hereditary health defects such as hip or elbow dysplasia, or early blindness from hereditary eye diseases (Please read health problems). Remember that "KC Registration" are not an indication of quality in the dog. They only mean that the dog's parents were KC Registered.