Twin Lakes Kennel, Laurel Hill, NCWFor the past decade, Twin Lakes Kennel has endeavored to breed a new line of chocolate Labrador retrievers.  While we had a modicum of success, our primary goal eluded us: healthy puppies on a par with our blacks and yellows.  So, after all this time and effort and a quarter of a million dollars, we have decided to no longer attempt to breed and sell chocolate labs.

Here’s why.  We were able to produce plenty of chocolate puppies, but only about one in ten could meet the rigid standards of a Twin Lakes Kennel puppy, including:

  • healthy and free of genetic defects; [easy to achieve]
  • intelligent;  [difficult to achieve]
  • tractable, or easy to control or influence (allows for easy training);   [difficult to achieve]
  • excellent retriever instincts.  [difficult to achieve]

Although we always screen for genetic defects during the breeding process, the sad fact is that you can have a defect-free puppy that does not measure up to the other three criteria.  Chocolates do have some soundness problems for sure, but their overall lower levels of intelligence, tractability and native talent is the biggest reason we don’t breed them, anymore. While they can still make loyal family pets, our clientele, accustomed to the quality black and yellow labs that we breed, train and sell would be disappointed in the overall quality of a chocolate lab.

Forty years ago, the same could be said for the yellow Labs.  But through rigorous screening and breeding techniques, the yellow labs are now as good or better than many black Labs. We have been able to successfully breed yellow labs and consistently produce healthy, intelligent, tractable retrievers that any home or hunter would be happy to own.  Maybe the same will be said of the chocolates at some point in the future.

Our breeding bloodlines are among the cleanest in the nation; that’s why every puppy we sell comes with our industry setting guarantee.  But, if you are determined to have a chocolate Labrador retriever, be very careful in your search to find a reputable breeder who can deliver a healthy (not just defect-free) puppy for your enjoyment.

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About Woody Thurman:  Woody and Judi Thurman of Twin Lakes Kennel have been breeding and training world class Labrador Retrievers for more than 35 years. Twin Lakes Kennel is the number #1 resource for Labrador Retriever puppies.  We select from the most dominant American field bloodlines and breed for natural hunting instinct and tractability. Our Labs, both puppies and adults, are out of the top working Labrador Retriever bloodlines in the country. The end results are the most talented, well rounded Labrador Retrievers possible, making them a most desirable family pet.

More than eight thousand (8,000) Labrador Retrievers have been bred and trained during those thirty-five years. During this time, Woody has titled more than 200 AKC Master Hunter Labrador Retrievers. Woody has also qualified 47 retrievers at AKC Master Nationals. He has won the Ducks Unlimited Open Championships twice. In addition, two of his Labs, Drake and Rondy, bred and trained at Twin Lakes Kennel, are in the Master National Hall of Fame.

Our Labrador Retriever puppies are the culmination of a 30 year search for the most talented, well rounded Labrador Retriever possible. We select from the most dominant American field bloodlines and breed for natural hunting instinct and tractability. Our puppies begin a structured socialization program in the litter box and are introduced to birds at six weeks.

All our Labrador Retriever Puppies carry a guarantee against hereditary defects and to have basic retrieving instincts. Parents of all our Labrador Retriever puppies are physically sound with certified hips and eyes.  They are out of the top working Labrador Retriever bloodlines in the country.

We guarantee all our Labrador Retriever puppies to be free from hereditary defects.  

Become a happy owner:  Call Woody and Judi at (910) 462-3246 for more information.

Call Woody and Judi Thurman at (910) 462-3246 for more information.