Hello everyone, I'm knew here and this is my first post, me and my boy Scout are from North Wales UK. I'm wondering if there are any Labrador experts on here, or anyone really who wants to give their views. :-D I bought my Scout 4 and half years ago when he was 8 weeks old from a family friend, when I went to view Scout, I was able to see all his siblings and both parents, they were all chocolate coloured but quiet a few of the litter had white on their chests (event though I know a white spot on chests of Labradors is allowed) Scout doesn't have a white spot on his chest, but he is 'ticked' with white hairs all over his body, a few here a few there etc. he has quite a few on his chest too. All seemed normal when we picked Scout up and his parents looked all Lab to me, although they were both overweight by quite a bit. As Scout has gotten older and since he was about 7-8 months old I have been inundated with people asking me on a daily basis if Scout is a lab cross with a German shorthaired pointer, they ask me this because Scout is tall, he is 27inches at the withers, and because of his conformation, and looks and how he moves etc. and because he has a good tuck up and is lean etc. I know there are 2 types of Labrador, show/bench and field/American and there are distinct differences between the 2 types and Scout resembles the field/American type so that's what I tell people he is, Scout didn't come with papers either and I was told this was because his parents were under a year old at the time of mating, they are supposed to be 5 years old now, but they look older, anyway, I have looked at Scouts parents pedigrees, or at least his dams side because I can't find any info about his sires parents etc and on his dams side it goes 5 generations back, and on each generation there is at least 1 field award winner or champ and there are 2 show champions on the 5th generation, but I have found pictures of them all and all of them are short, stocky type of lab all are black except for scouts parents who are both chocolate and his dams parents were both chocolate and both Scouts parents are short and stocky and his dad has a proper blocky head, Scout is also much taller than both his parents. I have been told that Scout is tall and gangly because he was neutered at nearly 8 months, I have asked my vet about this and she said, that's not really true and there are conflicting reviews on the matter, I have been told that it's likely Scout is a cross because there are very few true field bred chocolate Labrador lines and not many American types in the uk. Anyway, it would interesting to see what you guys think [http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2870/10230724624_5c49a64d97.jpg] more photos further along in post Thanks so much Holly ;D
Re: Pure bred lab? Hi Holly and welcome to you and Scout from me Helen, Hattie 6 years and Charlie 2 3/4 years. How interesting about your boy. I am no expert at all a pure novice but Charlie is our rescue Labrador x Pointer (GSP) so we have been told, he too has white ticking and a white patch on his chest, he also stands 27" at the withers and is slender, he was castrated at 6 months by the rescue centre. If you look on this forum under "still practising" there is a picture of Charlie, maybe this will help you. Just out of pure interest does Scout run off? sorry to ask but if you have ever read any of my posts you will understand the question : There are many, many Labrador experts on here that will have valued opinions on this. I wonder could you post a picture of him and we could compare and the experts can cast the expert eye? What ever he is I am sure you love him all the same, but odd that he is so different from his parents. Enjoy this forum and we look forward to your posts. Helen xx
Re: Pure bred lab? Hi Helen and thanks for the welcome That is interesting, my Scout was 7 months when he was castrated and some people tell me that is why he's gangly and lean, but I have been told by my vet that is not the reason, and although he is lean, he does have muscle, there isn't any fat on him at all. Scout does run off, but not all the time and not that far away, sometimes when walking in the fields he may see cat and run after it so far but then come back because he remembers that he is generally scared of cats, but I do own a cat and they get on well! and he does have a tendency to range quite far from me on walks, he loves to go off sniffing everything and will go far and wide to do so! I will look at your pic, I posted a pic with my first post and waiting for it to come up as it says they have to be looked at by a mod first : so it should be up soon. Thanks again Holly xx
Re: Pure bred lab? Hi Holly, I have just posted on the picture of Charlie to make it more accessible for you. Charlie is lean, very muscular and gangly with very large paws. Differing opinions on the castration too young causing growth, I was told it does but who really knows. Can't wait to see a picture of Scout. Number 2 Scout on the forum also Helen xx
Re: Pure bred lab? Cool, you don't hear many dogs called Scout to often! Scout also have very large paws, they were his most prominent feature when he was pup! ;D Thanks again Holly xx
Re: Pure bred lab? Hello, and welcome from me, Julie and Charlie, 7.5 month chocolate (100% all show) lab. Can't help with the question, sorry, really just wanted to say hi. The only thing I know about what you ask, because I looked into it, is that early castration does mean growth plates close more slowly so often means a slightly taller dog, and this effect is statistically significant, but this really isn't that obvious - it's not likely to cause a really noticeable difference (ie I think your vet is right). And a totally meaningless fact - one of Charlie's friends is a chocolate lab called Fletcher. His owner says he is a pure bred lab and hugely tall! Charlie is 21.5 inches now, and looks like a dwarf against Fletcher! I reckon Fletcher is a good 5 inches taller than Charlie.
Re: Pure bred lab? Hollys picture of Scout is in her first post. He's an athlete that's for sure! I've only had one dog Holly and I know I've seen a HUGE variety of shapes and sizes ;D Welcome to the forum!
Re: Pure bred lab? Thanks for the welcomes everyone! Scout is a lot taller than both his parents and all the labs where I live Julie, he looks down at them as if to say ''why you so short'' I can't seem to see my pic on my post though?
Re: Pure bred lab? That's weird I pressed approve and I can see it May have to wait for Pippa's help ! Sorry ! Btw Riley met Kate's Sam and Sam is easily 8kgs bigger and several inches taller than Riley. It was little and large ;D
Re: Pure bred lab? I agree Labs come in many shapes and sizes , but I wonder if the difference with Scout is the white ticking, muscular body and the far ranging behaviour - Oh I know it so well Helen x
Re: Pure bred lab? Forgot to say that when we do see a picture of Scout, Stacia has owned GSP's and has Labs she will be the lady to give her opinion. Lets hope she is around tonight. H x
Re: Pure bred lab? Great stuff, I will try to get photos up of his head close up on here if I can, I just tried by clicking insert image and a couple of brackets with img came up for some reason ??? When I have been talking to people, I had people arguing with me saying Scout can't possibly be pure bred lab, I even had someone ask if I was from German because they thought Scout was pointer! One man who I talked too had been involved with labs for over 30 years, breeding and training them etc and he said Scout must be a cross, either that or poorly bred.
Re: Pure bred lab? You need a flickr account or photo bucket or similar. Then when you pop the link that you can get from your photo in between the two sets of brackets and that embeds your photo in your post. Hope that helps
