Hey lab owners! I've had this Lab for over a year... and i was told it was an English Lab, but i suspect it's looking more like an american lab as she grows older. What do you think? Thanks for your help!
Hello and welcome . Here in the UK , we use different terms to describe the two types , we have show bred which is what you call English , and field bred which you call American . It is difficult to tell from this photo as its only really head and shoulders , but the head looks very like a show ( English ) bred Labrador to me . The show bred usually have a broader head and a more stocky body , whereas the field bred are usually thinner in the snout with a more streamlined body . Whichever she is , she is beautiful .
He has a pretty blocky head, but to be honest, unless you know he has show winners or field winners in his recent pedigree, the terms "show bred" or "field bred" (or your equivalents) are fairly meaningless and he's simply "pet bred", which is what the vast majority of Labs are. This will probably be a mix somewhere down the line of both "sides" of the breed, and the breedings done for other reasons than perfect conformation or the best working ability - hopefully for the perfect pet temperament, which is the most important thing of all for dogs that are expected to live in a home environment. At the end of the day, they're all Labradors and to try to label a dog that hasn't been bred specifically for one discipline or the other (or, even better, both) is meaningless.
She's a great looking girl and very photogenic! She actually reminds me rather a lot of my boy, Teller, they have similar faces/expressions.
Yes, his pedigree will tell you a lot. My boy is from a show kennel. He has Canadian, British and U.S. dogs behind him. Your boy does have a lovely head. Did you get him as a puppy?
You can tell more by the height and weight than by the head shape. I think her nose and ears look a little more like a field bred dog, but her profile would be a better descriptor. They are all great dogs regardless.
