About us
Labradors Yochiver celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2008. Since 1983 we are trying to bread labrador puppies with attention and respect for the breed standard and each individual Labrador. Below, you can read extensively how and why Labrador Yochiver strives to breed healthy and happy Labrador puppies
In Hogen, a hamlet of Geetbets in Eastern Brabant, Belgium, lived a miner with wife and six children. To give all children a good education the parents had to work hard. In addition to the full time job there was a chicken-farm and later a pig-farm. Despite the busy schedule the father still found time to have a hobby. Now and then dogs were bred. Not just a litter, as at that time (+1960) in rural areas often happened, but purebred malinois. With these dogs he did, with very good results, Ring Sport. For this, regular training with the dogs was needed.
On trips to the club, the father was usually accompanied by his second eldest son. This son could, seated on the back of the scooter, hold the dog, who was sitting between the legs of the father, during the 30 km trip to the training. No matter wind and weather, this trip was made. The bite suit work was trained separately with each dog. This gave the dog owner the opportunity to have a warming-up in the cafetaria. Oddly enough, later this habit slightly modified. The son remained fascinated to follow the training of other dogs. It was clear that the nine-year-old boy had more than ordinary interest in dogs.
As is still the case, time flew by as did the years. The son grew up to be a young man and founded a family. In 1974 I could- this is because I am telling a part of my life story- convince Rita to marry me and together make something of our lifes.
To continue with the story: at the first opportunity, after an old farm was purchased and made habitable, we just had to get a dog in the house. Since then our oldest son and his sister, together with us were expecting a third child, the choice fell to a Labrador. In Meerhout a bitch, Gina Hellway, was purchased in 1982. With Tinka, the nickname of our first Labrador, we trained obedience . That happened in the same area where used to be the ring sport practice. Because of the distance and travel time we later set up, together with a few friends, our own dog school . That happened in the year 1984. Earlier that year, a second dog purchased. During the rides on Sunday morning I always noticed a young Irish Wolfhound about which the owner had apparently forgotten that this breed is growing quite rapidly in a short time. He apparently did not find the time to match the size of the kennel to the size of the young Irishman. Not without difficulty I could convince Rita to purchase this bitch (out of pity).
Our kennel evolved rapidly. In 1984 we got the kennel name Yochiver. Under that name we got from Tinka our first litter. Out of that litter we kept Irza. Irza gave us a litter with Lady. We were also co-owner of Brit (British Academy of Val D’Arry). From her we kept Okay and Reverie. Out of Reverie we kept May and Vanillo. From the sister of our Reverie we bought Rumba back. She gave us Chacha. Meanwhile, we also bought Warringah’s New Years Honours and Jayncourt Jewel (Jazzy). Later we could buy at the kennel Abbeystead Boogie and Penny. From the nest of Penny we kept Candy and Champ. End of 2007, we had a litter of Chacha. Out of that litter we kept Google and Grace. In 2011, we had a first litter with Grace. In 2012 we bought Noxa and in 2013 we had the opportunity to buy Ruby from Mary and Michael Wiest (Beechcroft) In 2013 we also had a litter with Tinka, daughter of Grace. From that litter we have Missy.
Of course not everything went as smoothly. We were unlucky with a few females. Jazzy, a beautiful Labrador, proved to be infertile. Twice we used a dog in our breeding, which suffered from or was a carrier of PRA. Of course, every breeder has problems, but such setbacks had a great influence on our kennel. From the start, we have indeed promised ourselves that we only would have a litter if we were able to keep a puppy from that litter. Breeding dogs had to be a hobby just as training dogs must be fun. A direct consequence of this was that we only are breeding a bitch once -with the exception of our Brit, because of the setback. Every year we visit a few exhibitions and training we do with the children, who apparently inherited the love for dogs. Besides the dogs themselves, the meetings and getting to know other breeders and buyers are some of the reasons to continue with this hobby.
What the future holds is obviously a question mark, it is clear that as long as we can, we will continue in the same way with this fantastic hobby. Let this be a very long time.
