Sleepy Hound Farm

April H.

Breeder of Labrador Retrievers

  • Elkmont, AL ·
  • Responds within a day

Meet the breeder

I'm April H., the breeder behind Sleepy Hound Farm located in Elkmont, AL. Each one of our puppies is born and raised in our house; we take pride in handling our puppies as much as possible so they will be prepared for life with their new families. Sleepy Hound Farm labradors are conformationally correct, attractive, DNA-tested, have clean hips, and family-safe.

Q. & A. with April

  • Why did you start breeding?

    I selected Dove as a breeding prospect four years ago; she has passed her OFA clearances and DNA tests with clear status and produced an outstanding litter in December 2023. I love animals and have had success in the past with my breeding of horses and dogs and love doing the same with even-tempered, beautiful, lifestyle labrador retrievers

  • What makes your program special?

    I have a foundation dam, SHF Dove, who is a beautiful dark chocolate lab with very refined features, correct conformation, and the sweetest personality. She had an outstanding litter of puppies in December 2023; all puppies remain with their loving families. One male from this litter earned his AKC title of "STAR puppy" as a 4-month old; he and his siblings continue to receive rave reviews.

  • What are the different breed coat colors in your program?

    Our puppies include black and chocolate. Colors will vary depending on the parent dogs.

  • Where do your breeding dogs live?

    They live in my home.

Matched dogs

These dogs are already reserved or have gone home.

Getting a puppy from April

April has been certified by Good Dog’s screening team for responsible and trusted breeding practices. When you’re ready, reach out to ask about the puppies or anything else on your mind. You’ll get to know each other through messaging, phone, or video and pay securely, all on Good Dog.

After buyers complete the application and screening process, April partners with them to find the best puppy match.

“You are able to pick the puppy of your choice from our SHF litters. ”

Price

Puppy prices include a $250 refundable deposit and between $700 - $2,000 final payment, before taxes & fees.
Pay over time with Klarna.

“Puppy price will be set individually within the above-mentioned range to account for size of litter, parent combinations, future breeding suitability of puppies as well as special other considerations. Puppies will go to their new home at 7 weeks with an AKC litter certificate, full AKC registration applications, a health certificate from the vet as well as first round of vaccinations and wormer, with dewclaws removed. Deposit will ensure you reserve the puppy of your picking from your chosen litter.”

Contract & health guarantee

April may provide a written contract or health guarantee when you purchase a puppy. This helps protect both you and your breeder, ensuring that you both have a clear understanding of the terms of your puppy purchase. If April offers a contract or guarantee, the details will be personalized by them. If you have any questions or want to know more, don't hesitate to reach out to April directly.

All contracts are handled securely through Good Dog.

You’re protected
on Good Dog

When you pay and communicate on Good Dog, you’re covered by Payment Protection.

What's included

    • From Good Dog
      • Lifetime support from Good Dog’s Care Team
      • 10% lifetime discount on Figo pet insurance
      • Puppy Training Program & private community
    • Enrichment & socialization
      • Various sounds
      • Surface & tactile stimulation
      • Socialized with children
      • Daily handling
      • Socialized with other dogs
      • Introduced to people of different ages and appearances
    • Puppy health practices
      • Vet check
      • First round of shots and deworming
      • Vet records
    • Extras
      • AKC registration
      • Food & treats
      • Blanket with mom & littermates’ scent

Location & pick-up

You can drive or fly to pick up your puppy from April.

Breeder's location

Meet in Elkmont, AL

596 miles away

·

Other pick-up locations

Meet at Huntsville Airport (Carl T. Jones Field)

597 miles away

·

Meet in Atlanta, GA

530 miles away

·

More about April

  • April has been a member of Good Dog for over 2 years

    April was screened for responsible practices and has been a member since 2023.

  • April’s links

April is a trusted Good Dog breeder

Sleepy Hound Farm meets or exceeds our community standards in these areas:

  • Responsible breeding practices
  • Health of breeding dogs and puppies
  • Puppy environment and enrichment
  • Buyer education and policies

Litter and program updates

Parent dogs

Parent health testing

Breeder-Reported Testing

Great level

Sleepy Hound Farm reports to performing the health tests below on their breeding dogs. Ask your breeder about the tests performed on the parents of your litter. Learn more about health testing for Labrador Retrievers.

  • Hip Dysplasia

    Hip testing reduces the chance of passing down hip dysplasia, which is primarily found in large breed dogs and can cause hip pain and the eventual loss of the function of the hip joint.

  • Elbow Dysplasia Finals (OFA, BVA, SV, FCI)

    Elbow testing reduces the chance of passing down elbow dysplasia, which is primarily found in large breed dogs and can cause arthritis in the elbow joint and front leg lameness.

  • Eye Examination (rDVM, not registered with OFA)

    Eye testing reduces the chance of passing down a wide range of hereditary eye illnesses including retinal dysplasia, lens luxation, and glaucoma, which can cause impared vision or blindness.

  • Brucellosis

    A breeder may perform additional tests on their dogs that do not fall into these general categories. These tests may be more uncommon or very specific to a particular breed.

  • Agouti DNA Test, PawPrint Genetic Panel (Breed Specific), Skeletal Dysplasia (SD2), Macular Corneal Dystrophy, MCD (CHST6), Stargardt Disease, DNA Disease Panel, PRA, Rod-Cone Degeneration (PRA-prcd), Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC), Centronuclear Myopathy (CNM), D Locus (Dilute) DNA test

    Genetic testing reduces the chance of passing down a wide variety of hereditary diseases of differing prevalence and severity such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy (an eye disease) and Von Willebrand's Disease (a blood disease).

Verified owner stories

Hear what other owners say about working with April to bring home their puppies.

  • Kenneth M.

    Verified owner · June 2026

      • +8

    This is the gold standard of breeders! I am really picky when it comes to finding a breeder because I always worry who I am getting a puppy from. I research everything I can and make sure the breeder, dame, and sire are all as best they can be. April and sleepy hound farm is exactly what you want in a breeder to feel comfortable knowing you have someone who cares about the puppies and the their own puppy parents as much you do. They are doing this because they love it and it’s not for the money. April went above and beyond for us and she knows exactly what she’s doing when it comes to making sure the dame and sire have gone through all the proper testing before having them breed to produce healthy puppies. This is a small family breeder on a beautiful property, it was a dream come true when I came across them on good dog. Her dames her beautiful, smart and well tempered. She does not over breed her dames. Her sires are also handsome large, well tempered. Our puppy gator is the most handsome, intelligent, and cuddly puppy. He has been learning commands at an incredible rate it’s astonishing. We are incredibly lucky. He’s also gigantic hahaha we love him so much. I can’t tell you enough that if you want the gold standard of a family breeder that cares as much as you do, this is who you go to. I will go to them every time I want to bring a beautiful American field style Labrador retriever.

    Taylor R.

    Verified owner · June 2026

    April was great. We’ve owned a few dogs, and this is easily the best we’ve ever had. Great temperament. Very playful. Gentle. Incredibly intelligent. Since the day we brought him home, we haven’t regretted it for a single second.

    Cassidy H.

    Verified owner · June 2026

    After months of looking for the right puppy for our family, we came across Sleepy Hound Farm. April made the adoption process seamless and stress-free. She even took the time to send us picture updates leading up to his pickup date. We are so thankful to have gotten the chance to work with April and would definitely adopt from her again in the future!

  • Tripp C.

    Verified owner · June 2026

      • +4

    We had an outstanding experience with April! From our very first conversation, she was incredibly kind, knowledgeable, and responsive. She took the time to answer all of our questions, kept us informed throughout the process, and made everything feel easy and stress-free. What stood out most was how accommodating she was with our travel needs. She worked with us to make pickup arrangements convenient and was flexible and understanding every step of the way. It’s clear that she genuinely cares about both her dogs and the families they go to. We couldn’t be happier with our experience and would highly recommend April to anyone looking for a responsible, trustworthy, and caring breeder. Thank you, April, for helping us bring home such a wonderful puppy!

    Ernie A.

    Verified owner · June 2026

      • +5

    I could not be happier with my puppy from Sleepy Hound Farm! From day one, April was always eager to answer any questions and did so very promptly. Since I’m from California, I was a little hesitant about buying a puppy from across the country, but April truly made me feel like I was there for every step and milestone of his life. She was also extremely accommodating and agreed to meet me directly at the airport, well out of her way. I’ve now had my puppy for just over two weeks and I genuinely feel like the luckiest dog owner alive. Not only is he incredibly handsome, but he’s also very well behaved and learning something new every single day. If I’m ever in the market for another Labrador retriever, I know exactly who to come to!

    HD

    Heather D.

    Verified owner · Mar. 2024

    Working with Sleepy Hound Farm was a breeze. From the beginning April had great communication and helped us find the right puppy for what we were looking for. The puppy was just as described and growing to be a very bright and attentive dog - very well mannered. You can tell she puts a lot of care into raising and getting to know her puppies.

Photos

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Health testing is one key piece of responsible breeding and is performed on breeding dogs to prevent the presence of heritable conditions in their puppies.

Health testing is one key piece of responsible breeding and is performed on breeding dogs to prevent the presence of heritable conditions in their puppies.

Health testing is one key piece of responsible breeding and is performed on breeding dogs to prevent the presence of heritable conditions in their puppies.

Health testing is one key piece of responsible breeding and is performed on breeding dogs to prevent the presence of heritable conditions in their puppies.

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