New dog idea.

You want to ask if they have the OFA ratings on hips and elbows.  Also EIC (exercise induced collapse) and CERF.  Unfortunately common in Labs these days. 

 Will do! Thank you!

 Mom wanted me to ask you all, what exactly does AKC mean?

thatamandagirl

Mom wanted me to ask you all, what exactly does AKC mean?

 

American Kennel Club    http://www.akc.org/index.cfm

 BTW -

 "AKC registered" is not a guarantee of quality   It just means that both parents were the right breed, not that they, or the pups, are of a particularly high standard.  Just so you know

Chuffy

not that they, or the pups, are of a particularly high standard.

 Or even half-decent standard!  It's just proof that they're purebred dogs, pretty much.  There are thousands of "AKC puppies" in newspapers all over the country that are wretched specimens of their breed.  But they are purebred dogs.

Thanks - that's what I was trying to say

Chuffy

Thanks - that's what I was trying to say

I'm good like that... I'll also tell you the soup is hot after you burn your tongue on it...

 Ha ha ha - very helpful! 

You said it better than me though!  Truth is, you could have parti-colour or spotted labs that a AKC reg'd!  ALL that is required is that their parents are of that breed and also reg'd.  AKC reg can be misleading, because it can mean a lot.... or not very much at all.  A lot of other "stuff" needs to be taken into consideration, if you want to find a good breeder and a healthy pup.... it can be a bit of a minefield.  SO many breeders rely on the Ahh factor....

You can get some excellent examples of most breeds through a reputable AKC breeder.  No, it's no guarantee your puppy will be the best bred puppy available but it's a darn good place to start your search and your research.   The time spent researching breeds and breeders will reward you with the knowledge to make a good choice. 

JackieG

You can get some excellent examples of most breeds through a reputable AKC breeder.

 

You can also get some abominable ones!  It IS a very good place to start.... all I am saying is: don't stop there!

thatamandagirl

 My dog passed away last tuesday night and me and my mom are "researching" what kind of dog we will get when she is ready to get another.  I am personally ready because I think there are ALWAYS animals that need to be saved and I don't think my dog who passed away will hate me for getting another.  She thinks she is replacing him and I told her we are just giving another a forever home.

 However he was a BIG dog and we want to get a smaller dog but have NO experience with small dogs.  We want one that doesn't have the high pitch bark... (meaning we want that can sound aggressive if someone was to try to get in the house and what not.  A bark that would scare someone) but we do not want a generally aggressive breed.  We want it to be nice but have that bark to it. You know?

We were looking at jack russell mixes because my mom wants an active dog she can take places and run with.  So not a really small lap dog. However, she doesn't want a huge dog because every one we have found resembles max... he was a shepherd/lab/husky mix so every face we have seen has resemblence to him.

I guess what I am saying is does anyone know any good small/medium size dogs that arent huge and aren't agressive but have energy and a bark to them?  We thought about miniture pinschers but I'm not sure about them.

Please let me know what you all think :) Thanks again!

We unexpectedly had to put my fur-baby, Dakota, down Sept 14 2009 at the age of 10 (he would have been 11 years old on Nov 26). It was very difficult as he seemed his ol' self the day before (goofy smile, playful, helpful, etc). In any case, we are in the process of getting a GSD…my Mom and I talked about it and we're not replacing Dakota (he was irreplaceable) but we're starting a new adventure with another pup…this might be something to mention to your Mom if she still feels that you're replacing Max.
Dakota was a Border Collie / German Shepherd but looked like a long haired GSD. He weighed between 50 - 55 lbs (not too big), was very active (my Mom would walk him briskly everyday for 1 1/2 - 2 hours and he'd still come home to play ball in the backyard) and he had a bark like a GSD even though he was medium in size. This, too, might be a mix to consider.
Sorry for your loss and I wish you the best of luck in finding another dog to experience new adventures with.

We found a dog we are very happy with. The breeders were so nice and we met with them for a few hours today with the puppies.  If any of you wanna check it out it's www.labsoflove.org  I will add a picture for you guys :) They are only four weeks old so we can't pick it up just yet but totally adorable and they were so much fun! They parents were adorable too! Now it's just time for a name and the wait to pick him up! They said we can go visit anytime before then if we want to see him :)

 

 

 He is adorable!  I hope he is everything you and your mum are hoping for.  More pics are compulsory

 I like Toby for a Lab.

Very cute pup  Do the breeders have three litters at once?