The Constitution of the Sierra Vista Labrador Retriever Club reflects the desire of the membership to protect and advance the breeding of purebred Labrador Retrievers.  To ensure that stud dogs, brood bitches, and their progeny have demonstrated basic characteristics of soundness, and to assist and encourage the Breeder in evaluating his/her breeding stock, the following mandatory prerequisites to litter listings in the Club Newsletter have been established. 

• Stud dogs and brood bitches must be AKC registered Labrador Retrievers.

•  Stud dogs and brood bitches must be certified radiographically free of hip and elbow dysplasia by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA), the Institute for Genetic Disease Control (GDC) via the Wind-Morgan System, or Penn hip.  An OFA preliminary normal evaluation without permanent certification is also acceptable if the dog is less than 2 years of age.

• Stud dog and brood bitches must be examined annually and certified free of any inheritable eye disease or defect by a Veterinary Ophthalmologist accredited by the American Board of Veterinary Ophthalmologist (AVCO).  A certificate documenting lack of evidence of inherited ophthalmologic disorders should be obtained from the ophthalmologist or through the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF).

• Copies of OFA, GDC/Wind-Morgan, and/or Penn Hip, and CERF or AVCO certificates should be supplied to the newsletter editor for all litter listings.

•  A Breeder must make every effort to make appropriate placements of puppies and must not sell puppies to any retail outlet dealer.

• Only humane methods will be used when showing or training dogs.  Under no circumstances will mistreatment or brutality be tolerated.

• A member will not make or circulate statements against another member when truth has not been personally verified.

• Breeders should evaluate the temperament of the prospective stud dog and brood bitch before mating.  Shyness and over-aggressiveness are not desirable traits in the Labrador Retriever.  Evidence of a desirable temperament such as obedience title(s), working certificate(s), field title(s), and/or hunting title(s) is strongly encouraged.

Breeders should have the eyes of the puppies evaluated at 7 or 8 weeks of age by a 
Veterinary Ophthalmologist prior to sending them to their new homes.