You are so right about that. How can ppl breed or want designer dogs when there are so many pups needing homes, I do not know.

Hi Linda. I’m so sorry for your losses. This article is a good place to start https://www.thelabradorsite.com/labrador-retriever-breeders/ – as is Pippa’s book ‘Choosing The Perfect Puppy’. Best of luck with your search. 🙂

So sorry to hear this!

So sad. I hope someone will put them in a no kill she soon. I live in Quebec and l just adopted a lab collie mix from a no kill shelter. I find there are too many breeders when so many dogs need homes.

We got ours at a farm in central PA. There are some warnings about Amish puppy mills but this was not that. Nice people and their kids were doing most of the work with the puppies. A very happy litter with a friendly mama Lab dog on-site and the daddy BC at a neighboring, contiguous farm. Our little puppy happily took a 3-hour ride to her new home where she proceeded to chew up our furniture! 🤪 But a sweet, devoted dog (out of the chewing stage, thankfully).

My first dog was a border collie when I was 16. She would protect me against everyone in my family. She had a hierarchy and I was top. My mother was the bottom. I would say at least some of the problem is the border collie half. He sounds like his is on high alert all the time to protect you and the house. YOU are his sheep. Mine used to herd us in the winter when we were wearing boots. Since you can’t get a herd of sheep, try toys. I kept toys by the front door and grabbed one each time I came in the door. Said toy and jammed it in her mouth. Hard to jump and bark with a big dog toy in your mouth. After a while I would just say toy and she would get one. ‘then she learned to meet me with a toy in her mouth. Worked her whole life. Our lab learned it also just by being there. That famous border collie Knew the name of 1000 stuffy toys. Teach your dog the names and then leave them in piles around the house. Let him gather them all together into a herd. Walmart and the dollar tree have $1 toys.
Young boys with footballs could hurt you, of course he is protective. The other side of the coin is the lab. My lab did not want to be in charge, he was so nervous when Cindy died, He stepped into the job, but he was not happy. After we got a female american bulldog, he gave in that day, and relaxed. He abdicated the throne. Out chihuahua took a couple days to admit that she was in charge. Went into the kitchen a few days after we got the AB. Heard a shrill bark. Found the Chi on his back upside down with the AB’s paw on his chest. She was not hurting him. That was five years ago. No problems since. Best of luck. when people come by the house give him something to do. Lots of minihotdogs will be needed. When the Chi starts barking, I say sit and hold dog treat over his head. Helps if it is primo dog treat. Hard to bark when you really want that liver treat or dog treat.