What's the goin rate for stud service

[Amahnee]

Just wondering if anyone know's what is fair price for stud fee of a registered lab with good lines?

[Get Bit]

Not sure on price if you were to just pay for it but there are some guys out there that will help you out for only "pick of the litter".

Get Bit

[HRDBUL]

I think it depends on the bloodlines, everyone I've heard about its pick or the cost of one of the pups.

[Barley's Dad]

HRDBUL is correct, for my britt it is pick or price of 1 pup.

[dickdocduck]

Can be more for an exceptional stud (field trial performer). Pick AND price of pup is not unheard of.

[FishinTechnician]

Like most things ...you get what you pay for! I've spent from $100, $350 and $500 and the $500 job was, of course, the best. That $500 dog is now going for $750. You can spend much more, too. Regardless of what you decide to do make sure the hips, eyes and yes even the elbows are certified, for both dogs. The more NHRA and AKC qualifications the better. All this costs $$$ and is usually well worth it. It's been my experience that you can actually come out with pups that have more potential than even your own female, if you chose the right male. Besides the above certifications the male should be well trained, as should your female. Learned behavior can be passed on to pups. So the more learning/training the better.

[Hawaiian Time]

0

[dickdocduck]

Learned behavior can be passed on to pups.

This is contrary to genetic theory.

[FishinTechnician]

The part about "learned behavior being passed to pups" is, I believe, from one of R. Wolter's books. I'll dig it out at some point and reference chapter and verse. While I don't believe everything I read the fact that the information has withstood numerous reprints over the years suggests that apparently no one has taken issue with the study he references in his book and therefore may have some basis. Personally, my own preference would be to simply go with the best trained specimen I can find and afford.

Now, obviously that can mean different things to different people. In my case I spent a lot of time looking and was looking in what I felt were the right places, namely established professional breeding and training kennels.

I am by no means a professional dog trainer, nor do I profess to know everything there is to know about them. That said I have talked to some professionals and tried to pick breeding partners with it in mind to "improve the breed".

Some years ago I used two different stud dogs from one of the finest breeding/training kennels in VA. For my female's second breeding I used the son of the dog I had used in the first breeding. Both male dogs were extremely healthy specimens, were regularly hunted and had achieved advanced certifications in NAHRA and AKC field tests. I kept one pup from both litters to train. Both pups turned out very well and I always felt that they had more ability than even their Mother. While I consider my female a great dog, her pups turned out even better. The pup I kept out of the second litter turned out to be a "jumper" and would hurl himself into the water with every retrieve. As it turned out the Sire was also a jumper where his own Father was not. When I inquired with the kennel's owner about this trait she told be that it was not something they trained for, and she felt they either had it or they didn't. She felt it was something that he had learned on his own and perhaps linked to his level of enthusiasm. Now whether this is an example of a "learned behavior" being passed onto an offspring I will never know, but if there are some aspects of a stud dog that you personally like perhaps it is possible to get some of the same behavior in the offspring.