Beaver Creek Kennels Inc

08/26/2026

Happy National Dog Day to the ones who make life a whole lot better 🐾🤎

The ones who keep us laughing, keep us humble, teach us patience, challenge us, adventure with us, work alongside us, and somehow manage to take up approximately 97% of our camera roll. 😂

Dogs are quite literally the center of our world around here, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Here’s to the good dogs, the naughty dogs, the working dogs, the couch potatoes, and every dog somewhere in the middle!

Tell us about your best friend! ⬇️

08/23/2026

Sometimes the best thing you can teach your dog is how to do… nothing.

Tethered decompression is one of my favorite tools for both young puppies and adult dogs who struggle to settle on their own. Keeping a leash on your dog inside the house limits their ability to wander around looking for something to do, while creating an opportunity to simply exist calmly within the environment. For puppies especially, this is a huge part of developing an “off switch”—because more freedom doesn’t always create a calmer dog. Sometimes it just creates more opportunities for chaos.

The leash also gives us a clear line of communication and, more importantly, a way to follow through with that communication. If the dog makes an undesirable choice, we can calmly interrupt, redirect, and reinforce the expectation without chasing them around the house, repeating commands, or allowing them to continue rehearsing unwanted behaviors.

Ultimately, freedom is earned through good decision-making. We often give dogs more freedom than they’re prepared to handle and then spend our time correcting behaviors that could have been prevented with a little more structure. The leash isn’t meant to be permanent—it’s a tool for creating clarity, teaching calmness, and helping your dog develop the skills to eventually make those same good choices without it.

08/13/2026

OFA Elbows — What are we looking for and why does it matter?

We’ve talked about hips, so now let’s move down the leg and talk about elbows. Elbow testing is another important part of health testing in Labrador Retrievers, but it doesn’t always get the same attention that hips do. For an active, athletic breed like the Labrador, elbow health can have a significant impact on comfort, mobility, working ability, and long-term soundness.

Elbow dysplasia isn’t actually one specific disease. It’s a general term used to describe several developmental abnormalities within the elbow joint. These abnormalities can eventually lead to pain, lameness, decreased range of motion, and arthritis—sometimes beginning relatively early in a dog’s life.

So how do we evaluate them?

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) evaluates X-rays of the elbows for evidence of elbow dysplasia. Just like OFA hips, a dog must be at least 24 months old to receive an official OFA elbow certification. Preliminary evaluations can be performed before two years of age, but they are not considered the dog’s final certification.

Elbow results are a little simpler to understand than hip scores. A passing elbow evaluation is reported as Normal.

If abnormalities consistent with elbow dysplasia are identified, the result is reported as Dysplastic and classified as Grade I, Grade II, or Grade III depending on the severity of the changes seen. Grade I represents the mildest changes, while Grade III represents the most severe. Any grade of elbow dysplasia is considered an abnormal result.

Health testing can’t guarantee that a dog will never develop an orthopedic problem. Genetics are one piece of a much bigger picture that also includes nutrition, growth rate, body condition, exercise, injury, and environment. What testing does give us is more information to make educated breeding decisions. By selecting breeding dogs with normal elbows, we can work toward reducing inherited risk in future generations.

And just like we talked about with hips, you have every right to ask to see the results. OFA results that have been made public can be searched through their database, making it easy for puppy families to verify health testing themselves. Ask for the parents’ registered names, look up their results, and ask questions if there’s something you don’t understand.

08/11/2026

Mia is a beautiful 10-month-old Husky/APT mix who has completed our Board & Train program. She is fully e-collar conditioned, reliable off leash, and has a strong obedience foundation.

Mia is an absolute love bug who bonds deeply with her people. She adores adventures, boat rides, swimming, and being included in whatever her family is doing. She is affectionate, fun, and eager to experience life alongside her person.

Although Mia has extensive training, she does struggle with anxiety and occasional situational reactivity toward people or other animals in public. She can be redirected and recalled back to a neutral state, but she needs an owner who understands that training is an ongoing commitment—not a substitute for thoughtful management. Her person must be willing to advocate for her space while also holding her accountable for her choices.

Her current family has put a tremendous amount of effort into making life with Mia work. However, as first-time dog owners with three teenagers, a busy home with frequent visitors, and Mia’s littermate brother also in the household, they have recognized that their environment does not give Mia the best opportunity to thrive. This decision is being made out of love and a genuine desire to place her in a setting better suited to her needs.

Mia’s ideal owner will be confident, consistent, willing to continue her training, and able to provide clear structure and appropriate outlets for her energy. We will be thoughtful and selective in choosing her next home to ensure it is truly the right fit.

Please message us if you are seriously interested in Mia and would like to learn more. ❤️

08/10/2026

OFA, PennHIP, hip scores… what does it all actually mean?

If you’ve been researching Labrador puppies, you’ve probably seen breeders mention OFA Hips or PennHIP. Both are valuable tools used to evaluate hip health, but they look at slightly different things. Understanding that difference can help you better understand what health testing actually tells us.

Hip dysplasia is one of the orthopedic concerns we pay close attention to in Labrador Retrievers. Genetics play a role, but growth rate, nutrition, body condition, exercise, and other environmental factors can also influence how a dog’s hips develop. Hip dysplasia can eventually lead to arthritis, pain, decreased mobility, and sometimes the need for lifelong management or surgery.

OFA evaluates the overall shape, fit, and conformation of the hip joints using X-rays. Dogs must be at least 24 months old to receive a final OFA certification, although preliminary evaluations can be performed earlier.

OFA hips are rated Excellent, Good, Fair, Borderline, Mild, Moderate, or Severe. Excellent, Good, and Fair are all considered normal passing results. Mild, Moderate, and Severe indicate varying degrees of hip dysplasia, while Borderline means the findings weren’t definitive enough to classify the hips as either normal or dysplastic.

PennHIP approaches hip evaluation a little differently. Rather than primarily evaluating the overall appearance of the joint, PennHIP measures how much laxity, or looseness, exists within the hip. That laxity is reported as a Distraction Index, or DI. Simply put, a lower DI means a tighter hip joint, while a higher DI indicates more laxity and a greater risk of developing osteoarthritis associated with hip dysplasia.

One benefit of PennHIP is that it can be performed as early as 16 weeks of age, allowing breeders to gather information about a young dog’s hips well before they’re old enough for final OFA certification.

One of the things we especially appreciate about OFA is the transparency and accessibility it provides for our puppy families. Once results are submitted and publicly available through the OFA database, you don’t simply have to take our word for it. You can search a do

08/05/2026

Welcome to our new Breeder Series! Designed to educate our peers, clients, and others on the reasons why we structure our breeding program the way that we do.

If you’ve started researching Labrador puppies, you’ve probably seen terms like health tested, genetic tested, OFA certified, clear by parentage, and more. All of these buzzwords can be thrown around and it can quickly becoming overwhelming, especially if this is your first puppy.

Forty years ago, many of the health tests and genetic screenings we have today simply didn’t exist. As research, veterinary medicine, and technology continue to advance, so do the tools available to help us make better breeding decisions.

As we’ve developed our breeding program over the years, we’ve changed the way we do things too. We challenge ourselves as we believe it’s our responsibility to continue learning, growing, and improving. When better information becomes available, we believe it’s our job to use it.

Today, responsible Labrador breeders commonly evaluate things such as:

🐾 OFA Hips & Elbows (PennHIP)
👀 OFA CAER Eye Exams
🧬 DNA testing (Embark, UC Davis, ETC) for inherited conditions like Exercise-Induced Collapse (EIC), Centronuclear Myopathy (CNM), Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), Hereditary Nasal Parakeratosis (HNPK), Skeletal Dysplasia 2 (SD2), and others.

Knowledge allows us to make better choices.

As puppy buyers, you should never feel hesitant to ask questions. In fact, we encourage it! Ask what health testing has been completed. Ask to see the OFA certifications and genetic testing results. OFA results are even public record and can be found on the OFA website by name search. Ask what those results mean. A breeder who invests in their program should be happy to educate you and share the information with you.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be breaking down each of these topics one at a time so they become a little less intimidating and a whole lot easier to understand.

08/01/2026

07/30/2026

Such an amazing thing that Summer Edwards is doing with her program. Here’s to wild covey’s in SC!

I just wanted to share some wonderful wins for this past season. Below is a text I received today from a client, and other clients have been reporting seeing many chicks on the ground! We know they are BWF Birds due to the tagging we did on pre-release birds last year. Not only are the birds thriving they are migrating and producing offspring. I have had so many people tell me over the years this can't be done even those folks that are all about bringing these birds back have snubbed me and my ideas. Good thing I have a hard head and don't pay those folks much mind! I love my Bobs and will continue to do what I can to help bring them back!
I couldn't do any of this without all my wonderful clients that have stuck by me through this journey! They put in a ton of blood, sweat, and I am sure a few tears providing wonderful environments for these amazing birds to thrive in!

07/29/2026

The veterinary industry has changed dramatically over the last decade.

With rising operating costs, staffing shortages, and increasing financial pressures, many privately owned veterinary practices have chosen to sell to larger corporate groups. Today, an estimated 1/4 to 1/3 of ALL companion animal practices in the U.S. are corporately owned, and that number continues to grow.

One of the largest players is Mars, Inc. you probably know Mars for brands like M&M’s and Snickers, but what you might not realize is that their pet care division also owns Banfield, VCA, and BluePearl. They are also owners of pet food brands like Royal Canin, Pedigree, Iams, Nutro, Greenies, Cesar, and Whiskas. When the same veterinary offices only recommend these products, I’m starting to throw up red flags and conflict of interest. Many people will fight that their recommendations are based on testing, but who also pays for those tests?

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not against corporate owned practices, but I am gravely concerned about what this merger could mean for veterinary medicine. It will bring ownership to two companies. As more practices become part of these corporate groups, many veterinarians lose the ability to make certain business decisions for their own hospitals. Pricing, inventory, treatment protocols, and other operational policies may be determined at the corporate level rather than by the veterinarian you know and trust.

That doesn’t mean your veterinarian doesn’t care, but being stuck at the mercy of corporate monopoly, it heavily impacts what they can do and at what rate. The implications of this are massively concerning.

The Trump Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating veterinary consolidation amid petflation costs.

The Trump FTC has issued Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs)—legally binding requests requiring companies to produce documents and information—to all parties involved in the proposed Covetrus-MWI Animal Health merger as part of an investigation into potential antitrust concerns.

If approved, the merger would reduce the number of major national veterinary distributors from three to two, with the combined Covetrus-MWI company controlling up to 75 percent of the market.

Local antitrust attorney Joel Thayer told the Daily Caller the merger would dramatically reshape the veterinary distribution market, arguing it would leave one company with overwhelming control over prices and terms.

“It’s looking more like it’s going from, instead of a 3 to 2, it’s looking like it’s going to a 2 to 1, where one company is going to basically dictate all the terms and prices for that type of veterinary service.”

Research from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has also found that some pet owners have surrendered their animals because they could no longer afford or access necessary veterinary care.

Recent numbers also show that 22 percent of pet owners now carry more than $2,000 in pet-related debt, as the lifetime cost of owning a dog has climbed to roughly $35,000, with the cost of owning a cat not far behind, according to a Gallup poll.

Full story: http://dlvr.it/TTlFw4

07/28/2026

Training Room Snoozin’ 💤

Dogs typically have one of three responses to other dogs: positive, neutral, or negative. Each comes with its own unique set of challenges!

A dog that responds positively to other dogs may struggle with impulse control, pulling on the leash, constantly anticipating play, and having a hard time relaxing.

A dog with a negative response may also struggle with impulse control, but instead reacts with fear or conflict. They might try to flee from another dog or drag their owner toward one looking to start some bad business.

Our goal is neutrality. We want a dog that understands how to peacefully coexist, practice impulse control, and stay engaged with their handler, even in when the environment can be a lot to take in.

In our programs, we build a strong foundation of clear foundational language using the training tools that are best aligned to the individual dog, whether that’s a leash, food, play, e-collar, or special set up. Then we use that language to consistently hold our dogs accountable to those expectations.

While some dogs are genetically neutral and easy around other dogs, neutrality isn’t something that always just happens. So we use our systems during daily activities like cleaning the dog room or to maintain clarity so our dogs learn when to turn the impulse control on & when it’s time to let loose and play!