Frequently Asked Questions

We take payment through cash, Venmo, or credit card. We only accept checks for deposits only.

You’re always welcome to pick up your pup at our home. However we can deliver for a fee. 

We deliver based on $1.20/mile up to 750 miles. We only charge one way. 

You can also pick up your pup at the airport.

We no longer ship puppies in cargo (under the cabin in a plane), we’ve found this to be a bit too stressful for young dogs, making the transition to your home more difficult than it needs to be. However, if you’d like to fly in to meet us at the airport, we can transfer the puppy to fly with you in cabin under the seat. 

We can meet you at either Syracuse International Airport (SYR) or Albany International Airport (ALB). Most people choose to book a same-day round trip, where they fly in, get the puppy and fly back same day. 

If you are unable to be your own flight nanny, it can be arranged with a third-party service for an additional fee, the nanny will take possession of the puppy and hand it to you. These are priced out based on the service, but you’ll know the cost in advance. 

For us to deliver a puppy to the airport, we charge $125. 

We breed English Labradors. They are known for the heavier build, more blocky heads, and tend to be calmer. We breed primarily for health and temperament, which allows us to breed the best stud for our ladies, this principle means we are always open to the best stud for our bloodlines, so long as he is a registered Labrador. 

We have all variations of yellow Labs, yet their shade of yellow varies, including red, yellow, and white. 

We do not have the gentics for any black or chocolate Labs at this time. 

Yes, some of our lines have been groomed for therapy or service work. We work with various organizations that train therapy and service dogs. To learn more about our therapy dogs, please check our Tamarack Therapy Dogs website. 

Guardians are an unique arrangement where the guardian receives the dog as a puppy, but the dog is a part of our breeding program.

Depending on if you have a male or female puppy, the program would work differently. 

Female Guardian Homes

When we need the dog for the breeding program, we will borrow the dog to breed, then place them back with you, until a week before whelping (birthing), we will have your female dog for seven weeks total, raising the puppies while she is here at our house, under our care. When the puppies are weaned, we will return her to you. 

Guardian homes won’t be bred until they have a final score for hips from OFA at two years. We only breed guardian dogs twice, which concludes the guardian contract. At which time she is fully your dog. 

Male Guardian Homes

Male guardians we will provide transportation and approximately two weeks notification of when we will need to have him. We will keep him for no longer than a week, then return him to you.

We will only ask to have your dog a maximum of two times per year, starting at two years of age and concluding when he is six years old, on his 6th birthday. At which time he is fully yours. 

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We occassionally have openings for guardian homes, if you are interested in helping to be a part of our breeding program, please let us know! 

We do have a fair amount of hunting bloodlines in our breeding program. If hunting is part of your ideal life with one of our pups, please let us know and we’ll get you on the list for one of the pups with higher hunt drive. 

Some of our pups have also used their hunting ability for shed hunting (the search and retrieval of shed antlers from deer, and other antlered animals). 

Labs are not considered hypoallergenic. They have a dense coat with an undercoat. 

There is a lot of shedding with this breed, mostly due to the nature of shorter, dense coats, with undercoats. Shedding can be reduced with a high-quality dog food. You can also reduce shedding in your home by taking your dog to a groomer who uses a high-velocity dryer, which effectively blows out the loose hairs. People who engage in this service generally take their dogs every 6 months. 

Labs don’t require much grooming. Giving them a bath as-needed is ideal. We use dog shampoo. Ikaria’s line of dog shampoo not only smells amazing, but works wonders on your dog’s coat.