Sleepy Hound Farm
- Elkmont, AL
- Responds within an hour
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 retrieversWhat 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.
Last little girl
ReservedFemale
Reserved girl 4
ReservedFemale
Reserved girl 3
ReservedFemale
Reserved girl 2
ReservedFemale
Reserved girl 1
ReservedFemale
Reserved male 3
ReservedMale
Reserved male 2
ReservedMale
Reserved boy 1
ReservedMale
Boy 4
ReservedMale
Boy 5
ReservedMale
Boy 6
ReservedMale
Boy 3
ReservedMale
Last female
ReservedFemale
Reserved girl 3
ReservedFemale
Reserved girl 2
ReservedFemale
Reserved boy 2
ReservedMale
Reserved boy 1
ReservedMale
Girl 2
Went homeFemale
“Nancy”
Went homeFemale
“Velvet”
Went homeFemale
Boy 3
Went homeMale
“Pinky”
Went homeFemale
Girl 4
Went homeFemale
Boy 2
Went homeMale
“Court”
Went homeMale
“Jackie O.”
Went homeFemale
“Baby”
Went homeFemale
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 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.
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
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Other pick-up locations
Meet at Huntsville Airport (Carl T. Jones Field)
597 miles away
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Meet in Atlanta, GA
530 miles away
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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
April H.
Program update on 18 Apr •…Our beautiful litter of Jewel/Booker babies has sold. They are so shiny and so sweet. A week old now, And already lifting up on their front ends when they scoot around :)
April H.
Program update on 18 Apr •…Chocolate and Chunky!!! Our Rook/Goose litter is growing fast!!! Eyes will be opening soon. If you put a reserve deposit on one of these chocolate chunks, please check your messages for info on puppy selection and pick up dates
April H.
Program update on 12 Apr •…Our sweet Jewel/Booker litter was born this past Thursday night/Friday morning. Only five available puppies left in this litter: 1 female and 4 males. This litter is a once-only breeding between 2 exceptional dogs-please see Booker’s and Jewel’s details for more information.
April H.
Program update on 09 Apr •…This litter has sold out…thanks to all the new owners go putting their confidence in our program. If you still want a dog from us, check out our upcoming all-black Booker/Jewel litter, due any day now. After this litter, it will be several months before we will have any more puppies. If the girls cooperate :)
April H.
Litter update on 09 Apr •…We have healthy chocolate puppies! Born April 7, Rook and her babies are doing great! Only ONE FEMALE left in this popular litter that almost completely pre-sold before whelping. What an honor!
Goose and Rook's litter
April H.
Program update on 01 Apr •…Our puppies are going FAST. 4 reserve deposits on chocolate Rook/Goose litter and 5 reserve deposits on black Booker/Jewel litter. (Booker and Rook in this picture…they are siblings, they don’t have a litter together:) Booker will be the dad of the black litter, and Rook is mother of chocolate litter. Both Booker and Rook are Sleepy Hound Farm home-bred dogs.
April H.
Program update on 23 Mar •Great weekend at Auburn University - learning opportunities like this help maintain and improve my program’s breeding standard.
April H.
Program update on 17 Mar •…Get ready world!! Confirmed litter coming from these two first-time parents! Rook is a Sleepy Farm Hound product of our beloved Dove, and daddy Goose is the perfect match for her! Next week: pics from our puppy count vet visit !
Parent dogs
Dove, mom
Labrador Retriever
About Dove
Very refined dark chocolate female with laid-back, patient demeanor. Friendly with everyone, she has kind eyes and is a companion dog who loves to spend time swimming at the river and riding on boats. Dove had an outstanding litter of 12 healthy puppies in December 2023 and we are planning on more puppies from her in 2026.
Great health testing
DNA Disease Panel, Stargardt Disease, +11 more.Booker, dad
Labrador Retriever
About Booker
Booker is a one-of-a-kind big boy, loved by all who meet him. He is a product of my breeding program and the male pick of the litter from Dove’s 2023 puppies. Booker earned his AKC title of S.T.A.R. puppy at 4 months old and this year we will hopefully acquire AKC Canine Good Citizen Status. The AKC assessor stated that Booker would be an excellent service dog candidate, and the veterinarian who performed Booker’s PennHip x-rays (which were perfect by the way) said her clinic fell in love with him. Booker is a chill guy, and we are hoping to pass these traits to a litter with him over Jewel, our new super-pedigreed dam.
Great health testing
D Locus (Dilute) DNA test, Centronuclear Myopathy (CNM), +3 more.Jewel, mom
Labrador Retriever
About Jewel
Jewel is a recent acquisition to Sleepy Hound Farm. She is a proven producer and brings the BEST of the BEST field lines in her pedigree. Her sire, NFC-AFC Windy City's Mighty Mouse, was the 2016 National Open Champion, both her paternal grandparents are in the Retriever Hall of Fame; these type accolades go all the way through her pedigree along with full health screenings of all ancestors. Jewel will be bred to our own SHF son, Booker. We are expecting one-of-kind pups that will combine Jewel's biddability and Booker's calmness and size. Due to Jewel's genetic makeup, all puppies from this 2026 litter will be black.
Uploaded health tests
Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC), Elbow Dysplasia Finals (OFA, BVA, SV, FCI), +1 more.Rook, mom
Labrador Retriever
About Rook
Rook is a rockstar who loves to please. She is very business-like and very very loyal. She has had two months of professional training; the trainer she would be a “phenomenal” hunt test dog. Rook is responsive and extremely intelligent, not to mention beautiful, with a lower, more muscular stance. She is a Sleepy Hound Farm baby, out Dove and her Aiken-based father, Dry Pond’s White Lightning Brew MH. Rook has a great bone density, a leg at each corner, and a correct stance. She earned great scores on her PennHip hip laxity exam, meaning her propensity for hip dysplasia is very low. Rook is genetically sound and disease-free as evidenced by her Orivet genetic testing results.
Great health testing
DNA Profile, D Locus (Dilute) DNA test, +7 more.
Parent health 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.
- 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.
