Hello good people, I posted here back in February when I had to make the gut-wrenching decision to let my big guy go. He was an incredibly noble, majestic, handsome, goofy, sweet and snuggly black English lab. Also built like a nose tackle as my Aggie uncle use to say. Everyone here was so kind and helped me just come to terms that I was doing the right thing.

Anyway, I am not quite ready to bring a dog home today but I know that I will want one later this year or early next year. I already miss having a male lab here at my home with me and my female lab. Looking for recommendations for English-style lab breeders in Texas, possibly other states if they aren't too far away from Dallas area. I prefer the English style based on temperament and the big blocky heads. Please send any recos my way.

Thank you.

You should give Wildrose Kennels a call. Located about 30 minutes south of downtown dallas

There was a thread sometime back on someone looking for an English Lab. I remember there were some good recommendations.
Our next lab will be an English lab. Much more calm temperament and seem to be more healthy….and I, like you, like their looks as well.
I think I made a file on some good breeders…will try to find it.

https://www.adorablelabradors.com/

https://www.cadronridgelabradors.com/

Found the file. Posted above

Our breeder retired but we almost went with this group out of Decatur. Timing didn't work but really liked them and really good looking dogs. Plus they are Ags

http://www.gogginslonestarfarms.com/

I also posted their contact above.

I have heard a little about British type recently. My friends got what I thought was an American lab a few years ago and he was a maniac compared to the English labs I had. I just want a companion, can a British lab be happy in that scenario?

That happened to us. Our first lab was just a calm, easily trained gentleman, my wife got him certified as a a therapy dog and we took him to hospitals, nursing homes, etc. We could take him anywhere…gun shows, car shows, fishing tournaments and he was just a calm, laid back, love everyone lush. He wouldn't even bark at another dog.
He passed at only six and we got our lab we have now. He is one wired over the top energizer bunny! He is 5 now and acts just as he was at 1. Have had him at two obedient trainers and his energy level is crazy. Mind you we have had German shepherds for 20 years before getting our first lab and my dad was a K-9 unit so we had a good foundation for knowing how to do obedience trading. He came from a highly competitive hunting line and is lovable as heck, but OMG. No way we could make him a therapy dog.
We love him and he is our goofy, and we will have him till he dies…..but if we had it to do over again, for what we wanted in a lab, I'd stay away from hot bred hunting lines.

I have had hunting retrievers all my life, but switched to the British labs almost 10 years ago because the American field trial lines were just too much in the house and in the blind. The British are softer and a lot easier to train

Good information. We will keep that in mind when the time comes. Do you have some recommendations on how to find British line breeders?

Pancho is very handsome and looks like a great dog. My first lab I got in college was an America lab and she's the one that made me realize I was a dog person. Always told her she was my number 1 dog and it broke my heart like no other when I had to say goodbye. She was also 2 when I got her and past the crazy puppy stage. My other 3 have been English labs since then so it's sort of what I'm used to now. And the temperament of the male I had, even as a puppy was just so great. When I met my friend's American lab as a puppy I was like wow. lol. My female I have now is 4 years old and she's been pretty different experience lol. I love her but she's been a lot at times. Very much opinionated and wants things on her terms, but she's great with kids and super sweet.

Gunny I remember talking to you last year when my chocolate died. I ended up getting another chocolate who just turned 1 year old this week. His mother was an American field lab, and his father was an English lab. Nothing calm and "English" about him. He is wired. I know he's only 1 but wow. And he looks like 100% field lab. Maybe it's because he's just 1.

Hopefully. Our boy is a total spazz. Has been to two recommended obedience trainers. Had him cut. Have tried everything to calm him down. He is five. Acts just like he did at 6 months.
If I wanted to use him hard all day for hunting or competition he would be ideal. But that's not what we wanted in our dog.
Hope he works out for you guys.

Well all my other labs calmed down (a little) at about 2 years so I guess I have some hope.

No, this is Pancho . A Cadron Ridge lab

Gunny, I found this breeder over the weekend while I was just searching on the web. They look like they have a good program and good looking dogs. I didn't reach out to them yet because I was looking for more of that big lug English type.

https://www.waterstonelabradors.com

Working dog right there!! 'Merica!!

Howdy, I don't know anything about them. However, I do have a business colleague in Boerne and knows someone who have dogs from them. I reached out to him this am to see if he could give any information. He said they raise lots of dogs and put forth their effort in specializing in hunting and retrieving disciplines. Sorry I cant be of more help than that.

All I would add is that if you are looking for a companion dog and not wanting the energy and drive that is typically bred into hunting and field dogs I would look for a breeder that specializes in that. Regardless of breed, if they are hot bred for field endurance and full days of hard work in the field retrieving, herding, working etc....they are going to typically have that in their DNA to have that high energy and constant go. We learned that the hard way with the German Shepherds.

We had German Shepherds for years as my dad had deputies that were K-9 units. Dad did some of the training and selection/buying of the puppies. When I got married my wife and I had GSD's (German Shepherd Dog) for around 25 years. Sometimes we had up to three at a time!
It was messing with the GSD's with my dad and then myself on getting our dogs that I gained much experience with different German Shepherd breeders. We learned that breeders will sometimes tell you what you want to hear to sell you a dog. They will also sometimes tell you that their dogs are always the best for everything.
What we learned was also to not buy a dog from a "puppy mill".....usually a breeder that constantly has dogs for sale. Look for someone who does maybe one or two litters a year.
Check out the health history very closely. If the sire or dam have any history at all (anything less than rated "excellent") of hip problems...go the other way.