When shopping for a Fox Red Labrador puppy, it is very important to ensure that the breeder you decide to purchase from is breeding for more than just depth of color and wonderful family pets. Over the years with an abundance of line breedings, the gene pool of fox reds has been kept very small. Therefore, when a breeder decides to produce Labradors of this color, they need to be willing to do extensive research of pedigrees and be willing to breed to other colors to aid in improving the overall health and conformation of the fox red color.

When looking for a breeder that produces fox reds in their breeding program, it is very important that the following questions be asked:

Do you have an overall goal for your breeding programs? This goal should be more than just producing wonderful pets for families. This is only a small part of the equation. The overall goal should DEFINITELY NOT be to produce dark fox red puppies.

Ask to see copies of clearances. OFA Hips, OFA Elbows, Eye CERFS, PRA and EIC. Very important that ALL of these clearances be part of their program. Cataracts, PRA and EIC is found often in this color. There are MANY breeders out there breeding without these clearances. If a breeder is breeding for the right reasons, they should be utilizing all tools available to them to lessen to possibility of producing puppies affected with hereditary issues. I have found in my research that certain lines of fox reds are prevalent PRA carriers, others are prevalent EIC carriers, and then other lines are prevalent carriers of cataracts.

It is very important that your breeder is doing annual eye CERFs to be certain that eye issues have not developed over time. CERF exams are similiar to human eye exams. Cataracts and other hereditary eye issues develop as dogs age and can not be DNA tested for. The only way a breeder can attempt to ensure that their breeding programs is not producing some hereditary eye issues is to do annual CERFs. As with all other clearances, there is never a 100% guarantee that you will not produce genetic issues, but it is very important that your breeder is taking every precaution available to us today.



Here at Blackfork Labradors we are striving to improve the overall standard of the fox red. I do not breed solely for depth of color. I spend hours researching pedigrees and calling other breeders to ask questions. I strive to breed out to stud dogs of all colors that can add things that are lacking in the overall standard of today's fox red Labradors in hopes of improving overall confirmation and health of the fox red. That means there will be times that my fox reds will be bred to black stud dogs and yellows of all shades.

History of Blackfork Fox Reds

My obsession with Fox Reds began in 2004, when I ran across Pam Doubek (Naranjo)’s website, Penara Labradors.  I watched her website for years and began researching pedigrees and breeders.  In 2005, I acquired 4 Avalon Labrador brood bitches sired by CH Avalon’s Law and Order.  Avalon's Red Light District, Dishy, has become foundation bitch of my fox red lines.  Dishy and her daughter, Fern (Steelhart’s Balreon Red Fern), have produced some wonderful fox red babies for me. 

In 2010, I have been contacted by numerous international breeders of fox red Labradors searching for fox reds that have been tested free of EIC.  The countries they are from are requiring breeders to test for EIC, CNM and PRA before they are allowed to breed their dogs.  As breeders have been carrying out the testing, their results are revealing a large percentage of EIC carriers and leading them on a search for breeders with EIC clear offspring.  Unfortunately, many breeders do not have confidence in the accuracy of the test and are refusing to test their dog.