I have 2 Show lines...and also fostered a 3rd show line recently. All three are stocky. My oldest is barrel chested, huge head, short legs. He is not fat though. The foster we had was massive, he did lose weight but he was sheer muscle and bone, not fat on him when he left us, but again very stocky. Some show lines are built this way and it is perfectly normal for them to have a chunky look. Our youngest lab is now 20 months old (Benson) looks really stocky compared to his extreme field bred cousins now. There is a general difference in temperament, between field and show bred labradors,with field being more sensitive and a keener drive to retrieve/work. Show line bred labs more laid back and possibly more of a challenge train initially. I think it really, really depends on how that line is bred as has already been mentioned. What I would look for in the position of choosing a puppy again, is information regarding previous litters, experience of the breeders, what were their previous litters like? Are they still on contact? How easy were they to train? As well as obviously seeing the parents and viewing health records.
All this has me wondering about Scooby. I have absolutely no idea where he comes from, but he is tall (gangly legs), long neck, pointy head, lanky body (probably slightly over weight), long slim tail - seems to fit "working line", but really, in my heart, I couldn't care less - he's a super pet. If I were choosing a puppy, my eyes have been opened to the minefield that it is. Good wishes Meg, in choosing your companion.
These are just my personal experiences. My first lab Brady was a field "American" lab. I bought him for $300 impulsively from an ad in the paper 16 years ago. I knew nothing about American vs English or health clearances or training. I just thought labs were cute and friendly. My boy was an absolute dream. A breeze to train, avid retriever, sensitive and eager to please, naturally stayed by my side off lead, and pretty chill. Again I knew nothing about training, so I attribute all of this to just a good lab temperament and always told people "he just came that way". He had a naturally fit build and not a single joint issue his entire life. He died of cancer at 9 1/2. ;( My current lab is a show line ("English") lab. I researched the heck out of breeders, health clearances, lineage, etc and paid exponentially more for him. I went into it thinking that show labs were more laid back and less hyper. And I did like the look of the blockier head, sad eyes and chubbier faces . Myles is 7 months now and what I can say is that he has been an entirely different experience for me than my first. I'd almost think they were different breeds. He's been much much harder to train, and I was not expecting that. So while I put a lot of emphasis on health clearances in my research, if I had it to do all over again I would have tried to get more information on history of temperament. Myles was described to me as being more shy than his litter mates. Well so far he loves absolutely everyone. He is the most adorable thing for sure, and hilarious! He is bursting with personality, really can't find the shy thing at all. BUT his training is a big challenge for me. So my experience having had both now is that field labradors ARE easier to train. And that is something to take into consideration if it matters to you. As far as build, I think the US show labs can definitely be on the heavier side. But I do think it's a combination of genetics and preference. Many show line breeders here (US) whether they show their dogs at all, tend to keep their dogs heavier. Myles is trimmer than some of his litter mates, but that has a lot to do with the fact that I want him to be trim so I really watch it. But he still looks like a chubbo compared to his field line best friend. (I may or may not sometimes call him "Pudge" ) Some of his beefiness may have to do with the fact that Myles will not engage in retrieving or any type of running for very long. His hobby of choice is digging for a giant rock and then chewing it into smaller pieces. Repeat and repeat. Anyway, again these have just been my experiences. I agree with whoever said to try and research for temperament more than field vs show. Even just being on this forum I've become more aware of just how different each dog can be. Just for fun, here are my boys. Brady and Myles
I have two field types. They are very small, even for field dogs, and have completely different temperaments. They love to be trained and are very active when we're out, but the rest of the day, they are more than happy to snooze on the sofa. I am currently struggling to type, with my right hand pinned down by a little yellow Labrador's head
I've had two show bred dogs. The first quiet and patient, the second more restless and entertainment-seeking. Both people-oriented party lovers with no fear of new situations. Both extremely trainable - they both love/loved training sessions and learning new things.
It is important to meet your puppies parents. Molly's mum was a very tall but lightly built girl who just radiated friendly good nature, very reassuring during Molly's teenage. Had I not met and liked Honey I would have been convinced I'd got a 'wrong un'. Molly was part of a second litter from the same mum and dad. I am pretty sure the breeder would not have used the same dog again if his progeny had proved difficult. And she would know, she seemed to keep a pup from each litter. What I am trying to say is that despite research you can get a lively one. As JulieT and I know. On the other hand, Naya's Harley has always been a chilled dog. BTW Nice butt Charlie. Good to see a nice muscles on a Labrador bum. I sometimes look at Molly (who also has a muscley bum) and wonder if I am under feeding her, but I think it is many decades of seeing fat Labs and not realising that is not the way they are supposed to be
He thanks you. He says his butt is looking even better these days now he is back on his treadmill sessions, but he is still building his left side back up to full bottomed splendidness. He'll get me to take a pic for you in a couple of weeks.
Heh, I love a muscular bum. I'm always squeezing Shadow's muscles. He seems to really pack the muscle on around there first. For a little'un, he's turning into a bit of a beefcake
My flickr pic of Charlie has disappeared....why? what is going on with flickr these days!!!! No, now it's back.....
YAY you guys are great! And I love the photos of your pups, thanks so much. My situation right now is like Mylestogo's. I found this breeder on craigslist. i dont know anything about him. he says he has papers for the parents? but the pups arent AKC...? i need to talk to him more today. i def want to meet the parent's though. i need to find out more. havent met him in person yet. probably today. i'm also worried about being overwhelmed by a puppy i would like to find an adult english/show lab, but they seem to be hard to find here and if you do they go so fast! lol
Try not to fall in love with a puppy . You need to check what health checks were performed on the parents prior to the mating and ask to see the reports/results. Check that the parents are fully registered and again ask to see the papers. If the parents are fully registered I'm not sure why the pups aren't. It's a straightforward process to register. If the parents aren't registered the pups can't be registered either. Ask about any other litters the parents have produced for health and temperament. Meet both the parents and see how they react to you as it can be an indicator into the pups future characters. Good luck
You sound really excited to have potentially found a puppy or a breeder of a puppy... Finding a breeder on craigslist though might not be the best way. I think, ideally, you would really shop around for a good breeder. Do a lot of research about health testing, and know everything about the sire and dam before making up your mind they are suitable parents. And then you might have to join a waiting list. I know this sounds like a complicated way to buy a puppy. If you look at the stories of people on the forum who have dogs with health problems, you'll know it's really worth it. There are awful inherited diseases that Labradors suffer from, unfortunately. Good breeders will lay out all the health tests for you without you having to ask. Bad breeders will tell you they don't matter.
Thanks guys, you're right...(im so impatient ) ... I will definitely ask those questions to the breeder and see how we feel about the whole situation.
Harley is a field lab. She isn't KC registered, but both parents were. The breeder breeds for police sniffer dogs. In all honestly I didn't check health papers before we brought her, but did get them dads when we picked her up. It was agreed we wouldn't breed from her without permission. I think we have been really lucky in terms if behaviour - she is very driven, brilliant out on walks, ignores most dogs and even when she doesn't she says hi and moves on very quickly. She doesn't wander far, but runs a lot . She slept through the night at an early age, even now will sleep 10/11pm -10/11am . She gets very excited when she sees certain friends (Kate and Marcus, our dog walkers and a few others), but as soon as she sees a ball or dummy she's all business. At home she is really chilled......don't get me wrong, she has her moments, but it takes shorter time to calm her down. Her lead walking still isn't brilliant, but is getting better. Her health wasn't good as a pup but it was all to do with her sensitive tummy. She's on a BARF diet now and is doing really well. In hindsight I would of asked for health checks upfront and found out more about them as breeders. Good luck in your search
I would not find a breeder on Craiglist. I think especially if you want a show line lab, you can expect to be on a waiting list. I was on one but Myles' litter ended up having 7 males so I got one earlier than expected. Whatever you do, ask for a copy of their health clearances. Both Myles parents have hips rated as Excellent (that's how they are rated in the US). But Myles papa is a carrier for PRA. So it's important that he was only bred to a non carrier so that Myles will never be effected. These are just some of the important things to know before getting a puppy and a copy of health clearances will tell you those things.
