FAQ

Where do your Labradors come from?
SCLRR takes in Labradors either from animal shelters or directly from private owners who can no longer care for them.

Why would anyone give up their Lab? Why do they need to be rescued?
We hear multiple reasons for why families give up their Labradors. The most frequent are: moving, a new baby, the dog has too much energy, etc. The common factor is a basic lack of training and commitment to the dog’s exercise needs.

Have your Labradors been abused? Do they have issues?
We do see horrible cases of abuse and neglect, but this is not the norm. Most of our rescued Labradors suffer from a lack of training, exercise and socialization, causing them to end up in rescue. Most of our Labradors do not have “issues.” They tend to be loyal, loving and very well-behaved once they have been fostered, then placed with approved families who provide them with love and a bit of structure.

Are all of your Labradors purebred or do you accept Labrador mixes?
Our focus as a rescue is on purebred Labrador Retrievers. However, we are only able to confirm a dog’s lineage when the previous owner provides us with their AKC records. We do rescue Labrador mixes as space allows, but only if they have the typical Labrador personality and temperament.

How old are your Labradors?
Our Labradors vary in age, but they tend to be from 1 to 8 years old.

Can you bond with a dog that is not a puppy?
Absolutely! We have never had an experience where a family was unable to bond with an older Labrador due to its age. Typically, older rescued Labradors appreciate the “good life” once they have it and show their appreciation to those that care for them. You won’t get that level of appreciation with a puppy!

What colors are your Labradors?
Yellow, Chocolate and Black.

Do you have more males or females? Which gender makes a better pet?
We typically have more male Labradors at any given time. There is no basic difference between genders. Neither gender is better or more easily housebroken than another. Each dog should be considered based on their individual personality, not color or gender. Temperament and energy level are the most important factors.

What is the lifespan of Labradors?
The average lifespan of a Labrador is 10-12 years old.

Are your Labradors healthy?
While our Labradors are in foster care, we do our best to fully evaluate them both behaviorally and medically. We have a full disclosure policy with our adoptive families; however, we do not guarantee a dog’s future medical status or behavior after adoption. Most of our dogs receive a veterinary exam and will receive some sort of medical treatment. We ensure that all of our Labradors are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, de-wormed, and treated for fleas and ticks. Sometimes our Labradors require further medical care for things such as broken bones, seizures, hormone supplementation, etc. We do diagnostic tests and surgeries for our dogs whenever is necessary and always ensure they receive the care they require before adoption.

Are your Labradors housebroken?
By the time they are up for adoption our Labradors are usually housebroken, but not always. While in foster care they receive training in this area, but the adoptive home family should plan to continue this training for the first few weeks. In fact, even for housebroken Labradors, a few accidents in a new adoptive home is common until they learn your personal routine. It is important to treat your adoptive Labrador as you would a puppy for the first few weeks and, as always, be consistent!

Are Labs good with children?
Labradors have earned the reputation of being a fantastic family dog for a reason! However, this does not mean they are always wonderful with children; each dog has its own personality and temperament. Also, simply because a dog is reportedly good with children, does not mean children can do anything they want to a Labrador. Behaviors such as pinching a dog, riding on a dog’s back, pulling a dog’s ears or tail, bothering the dog while its eating, laying on the dog while its sleeping, etc. are never acceptable. A great source of additional information on bringing a dog into a family with children is the online article Children and Dogs.

We want to get a dog as a surprise gift for someone! Is this a good idea?
SCLRR does not place dogs as surprise gifts in any situation. Further, the entire family must be present for the homecheck and we encourage the entire family to be present during the Adoption Meeting.

Are Labradors good guard dogs?
No, Labradors are not good guard dogs! Most Labradors will bark initially at strangers, but then will greet them with a toy, prepared for a game of fetch. Labradors are very loyal dogs and should be treated as member of the family, not used for home security.

How much exercise and space do Labradors need?
Exercise requirements will depend largely on the age and condition of the dog. However, Labradors are energetic dogs, bred to spend long hours working in the field. Young, healthy Labradors will require several aerobically paced walks, runs or interactive play sessions per day. Without consistent exercise, you can expect your young Labrador to act out through negative behaviors. If your life-style is sedentary, or you don’t have a few hours a day to interact with your dog, a young Labrador may not be the best choice for you. Rather, you may want to consider an older Labrador or another breed of dog. Space is not a major factor as long as you provide your Lab with mental stimulation and consistent exercise. It is a myth that “big dogs need room to run.”

Do Labradors make good outdoor dogs?
Labradors should not live as “outdoor dogs.” Labs are very people-oriented, and are miserable being separated from the family they love! If you are not interested in keeping your Labrador indoors, this is not the dog for you. A lonely Labrador may bark incessantly, dig up the back yard or repeatedly escape to roam the neighborhood.

Is crating a dog cruel?
No! Being den animals by nature, many dogs view the crate as their personal den. Many dogs come to love the security of their crates and go into the crate at various times during the day just to nap. Crating is widely used by many organizations.

Where are you located? Where can I see your Labradors?
SCLRR does not operate a kennel facility. Our volunteers are located throughout most of Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura Counties, in coastal Santa Barbara County from Goleta south to the Ventura County line, and in a few cities of southwestern San Bernardino County. We do not operate outside of these areas because we do not have the required volunteer base in those locations. We do not have adoption events in which a fostered Labrador can be adopted “on the spot;” we require an application and a homecheck for each prospective family prior to adoption. On occasion, we do host adoption events where we show off certain foster dogs currently in the group. Please check with your family representative or our Events section for this information.

How long is the wait to adopt one of your Labradors?
Some families are matched immediately, while others wait more than 6 months. The wait time typically depends on how flexible the family is with criteria such as age, gender, and color and how actively they participate in the search.

Do you offer “trial periods” before the adoption is finalized?
Due to our level of evaluation and screening, our “match making” is right most of the time and we do not offer “trial periods” prior to adoption. But we always accept our Labradors back into the program and, in fact, require that our Labradors are returned to us if the adoption does not ultimately work out.

Why do you charge an adoption fee?
We have no paid volunteers and receive no government funding. We rely on adoption fees and donations in order to provide a high level of service to our dogs and our families. For dogs 6 years of age or younger, we request a $350 adoption fee. For the more senior dogs, age 7 years or older, we request a $150 adoption fee. The money we spend on each individual Labrador typically exceeds our adoption fees.