About Tru-Heart Labradors

Tru-Heart Labradors was founded nearly 20 years ago out of love for the breed and with the intent of producing the highest-quality Labrador Retriever puppies available in Florida. We have a combined total of 60+ years of experience in raising and training dogs of all breeds, but the Labrador Retriever breed stole our hearts! First and foremost, we breed to strengthen and continue our breeding program. We produce well-rounded Labrador Retrievers to become family and personal companions, but they are also suited for service, obedience, agility, rally, and field work.

Breeding purebred dogs, like the Labrador Retriever, carries great responsibility. As an ethical breeder, we are committed to the wellbeing of both the dam and the puppies. This requires dedication, patience, and knowledge. Tru-Heart Labradors never cuts corners or compromises breeding protocols, so we can provide you with a healthy, happy, and well-socialized puppy:

Our breeding stock is checked annually by a canine reproductive specialist for brucellosis, canine herpes, sperm count/motility and other issues that can impact the health of a litter.
Our exceptional puppies are whelped in our home and socialized to humans from birth, but exposure to germs, parasites, and viruses is carefully restricted.
Our Labs have acres to explore and a large pond for swimming and water-retrieving games.
Tru-Heart Labradors puppies are born in a secluded, professional whelping environment inside our home, and from the moment they enter the world, they have round-the-clock care, attention, and love.

Our Breeding Philosophy -

The pedigrees of all of our dams and sires contain champion show and/or working bloodlines, including Tabatha, Sandylands, Dickendall, Lawnwood, and Rocheby; however, selective out-crossing (creating new genetic combinations by bringing together genes from unrelated Labradors to eliminate undesirable traits caused by recessive genes) is the fundamental philosophy of our breeding program. We do not inbreed. How do wild animal populations manage to remain healthy for thousands of generations (without DNA testing)? They don't lose important genes from the gene pool. In the wild, animals occasionally move from herd to herd, or flock to flock, which helps to restore genetic diversity to the population. If a particular group becomes isolated, and new individuals are prevented from entering the population, the gene pool is effectively closed. Breeders of other domestic animals understand this. Dogs are no different, and we put this truth into practice. By adhering to our scientifically-proven breeding philosophy, we ensure Tru-Heart puppies are born with sound temperaments, aesthetically-pleasing conformation, good bone, and genetic health and vigor.

English, American or Dual-Purpose?

There is only one breed of dog known as the Labrador Retriever, as described by the official Standard of the Breed. Within the Labrador Retriever breed, there are variations in body styles produced according to the preferences of individual breeders. In the U.S., the general public has begun to mistakenly label these variations as "English" or "American", but more accurate descriptions are "show / conformation" or "working / field" styles. Through the first half of the 20th century, many Labs were "dual purpose" - capable of winning in the show ring and in the field. However, as field trial competitions became more demanding, field-type labs were bred to have a leaner build with more speed and focus, while show-type Labs developed chunkier bodies, heavier heads, and shorter legs. The stockier Labrador Retrievers became more popular as pets, and show-type breeders took over the role of providing puppies for pet homes. In this way, the divergence between field / working Labrador Retrievers and show / confirmation Labrador Retrievers became established, breeding between the two types became less common, and the last true dual-purpose champion Labrador Retriever - Dual CH AFC Hiwood Shadow - died many years ago.

Today, whether bred from working / field or show / conformation parents, the vast majority of Labrador Retrievers have moderate body styles that are much closer to the breed standard, and individual puppies within the same litter will represent the entire range - rarely the extremes - of the two styles. When choosing a Labrador Retriever puppy, it's important to remember these labels do not predict temperament or trainability as an adult.