OUR STORY
More Than 30 Years of Labradors, Family, and a Commitment to Doing It Right
Summer’s End Labradors is a small, family-run Labrador Retriever breeding program located on our family property in Oologah, Oklahoma, just north of Tulsa.
Our story began more than 30 years ago with a love for Labrador Retrievers and a desire to provide exceptional dogs for families and hunters. Today, our program remains intentionally small, allowing us to be thoughtful about every breeding and focused on the qualities that matter most to us: temperament, health, structure, and natural working ability.
WHERE IT BEGAN
A Family Legacy
Summer’s End began with my parents, Tom and Vicki Summers, more than 30 years ago. They had a tremendous heart for raising excellent dogs and placing them with families who would love and enjoy them. Over the years, their breeding program included dogs for both families and hunters, with Labrador Retrievers always holding a special place at Summer’s End.
My siblings and I grew up surrounded by dogs and by the work that goes into raising them well. Breeding, caring for puppies, talking with families, and watching those puppies leave for their new homes were simply part of life.
After our parents passed away, the Summer’s End name and what they started became even more meaningful to me. When my wife and I chose to continue the Labrador program, we knew we wanted to honor that history while building a program that reflected our own family and the standards we believe in today.
CARRYING IT FORWARD
Summer’s End Today
Today, Summer’s End Labradors is something my wife and I are grateful to continue together with our children. Our program looks different than the one I grew up around—we intentionally breed on a much smaller scale, typically raising only one or two litters each year.
Keeping our program small allows us to be very intentional about the dogs we breed and the bloodlines we bring into our program. Over the years, we’ve worked to raise the standard of our breeding program through extensive health testing, carefully selected pedigrees, and a clear vision for the kind of Labrador Retriever we want to produce.
For us, this isn't simply about producing puppies. It's about continuing something that has been part of our family for decades while continuing to be thoughtful about the health, temperament, structure, and ability of each generation we produce.
Our children are growing up around many of the same experiences I did—dogs, puppies, animals, and life in the country. Seeing that love for animals continue into another generation makes Summer’s End especially meaningful to us.
WHAT WE VALUE
The Labrador We Believe In
We love the classic Labrador Retriever—a Labrador with beautiful structure and substance, an unmistakable Labrador head, and most importantly, the temperament that has made this breed such an exceptional family companion for generations.
But we also believe a Labrador should still be a Labrador. Our goal is a dog that can relax with the family, be trusted around children, and then light up when it’s time to head outside, hit the water, explore the farm, or spend a day hunting in the field.
TEMPERAMENT
Loving, dependable, and comfortable as part of the family. We want Labradors that enjoy people and have the kind of disposition that makes them wonderful lifelong companions.
HEALTH & STRUCTURE
Health is at the foundation of our breeding decisions. We select dogs from health-tested bloodlines and place a strong emphasis on hips, elbows, heart, eyes, genetic testing, and the sound structure of the English Labrador Retriever.
NATURAL ABILITY
We value the natural drive, intelligence, trainability, and enthusiasm that have always been part of the Labrador Retriever—whether that means retrieving in the field, jumping into a pond, or simply joining the family for another adventure.
Family companion. Hunting partner. A Labrador capable of being both.
As a breeder, we believe in the traditional black, yellow, and chocolate colors of the Labrador Retriever.
Life At The Farm
Raised in the Country. Part of the Family.
Our family has called this property in Oologah home for over 40 years. It’s where we’ve raised our family, where our children have grown up, and where our Labradors get to enjoy the kind of life they were made for.
With woods to explore, ponds to swim in, a creek, open ground, and plenty of wildlife, there is rarely a shortage of something for our dogs to investigate—sometimes they enjoy the wildlife a little too much!
Our Labs have room to run, opportunities to swim and retrieve, and plenty of interaction with our family. We believe those everyday experiences are an important part of raising well-rounded Labradors that are comfortable with people while still retaining the natural enthusiasm and ability of the breed.
MORE THAN A PUPPY
It Starts With a Conversation
One of our favorite parts of raising Labradors is getting to know the families who are interested in one of our puppies. We enjoy talking about our dogs, their bloodlines, health testing, temperament, and the Labrador Retriever breed—and we’re always happy to answer questions.
We believe choosing a puppy is an important decision, and we want families to feel comfortable taking the time to learn about our program and determine whether a one of our labs is the right fit for them. Sometimes those conversations are short. Sometimes they last quite a while. Either way, we’re glad to spend the time.
That connection doesn’t end when a puppy leaves our home. We love hearing how our labs are doing as they grow, seeing pictures and updates, and being available when our families have questions along the way.
Some of the most meaningful moments for us come years later, when a family who has already loved one of our labs returns to us for another. There may be no greater compliment to what we do.