Labrador breeder recommendation?

[Michiyo-Fir]

I notice that Deep Run Retrievers differentiate their breedings by American field lines and English show lines.

Are labs really differentiated like that? Is there no English field lines and American show lines??

or just English style as they call it which I take to mean the more blocky, show type dogs?

Vs American style that is the lighter boned field dogs?

[Kat09Tails]

Originally Posted by Michiyo-Fir

I notice that Deep Run Retrievers differentiate their breedings by American field lines and English show lines.

Are labs really differentiated like that? Is there no English field lines and American show lines??

or just English style as they call it which I take to mean the more blocky, show type dogs?

Vs American style that is the lighter boned field dogs?

There are varying degrees of labrador all over the place. There are also english field lines and american field lines, english show lines and American show lines. There are also breeders who work with varying degrees of performance and field lines. Also if a breeder has been breeding for a particular variety of hunting for a long period of time their hunting temperament choices will be different from another breeder.

http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/english-american.html

I think this link will help you

[Saluki-Sue]

There is one written standard for the labrador, but sadly like in most everyother breed. people have changed the breed in a profound way to suit what they like to look at and what they believe the dog should be. So we have the "american or filed" style look, very tall, very lean and very, very over active. Then we have the "english/bench" style look. Which is a bit more to the standard, but over done in the other way very heavey boned,stocky with a blocky head, most of the show dogs are far over weight and just over the last 10 years or so are breeders of well bred dogs proving that their lines can hunt like the out of control poorly bred field style dogs.

I'm a lab snob in this way, when people say oh you have english labs, because my dogs are correct. I say only one is an import from England the othe is from Maine, but they are both very well bred which is why they look the way they do.

[Izzy's Valkyrie]

http://aldwycklabs.com/Aldwyck_Labs/MAIN_PAGE.html That's where Becket, the gorgeous Black Lab I dogsit for came from. The breeder does sports with her personal dogs and has recommended actually keeping the dogs in shape instead of sausage shaped. Of course that's up to the owners to do but overall, good people.

[MicksMom]

Originally Posted by Saluki-Sue

...I'm a lab snob in this way, when people say oh you have english labs, because my dogs are correct. I say only one is an import from England the othe is from Maine, but they are both very well bred which is why they look the way they do.

I'm kind of the same way. But I get a lot of, "My Lab is an English Lab" from people while they look down their noses at my (now) 70 pound, 22 1/2 in Lab. To which I simply reply, "Well, Caleb is right smack in the middle of the standard for a male Lab." Basically implying that the "English" 100+ pound Lab they have isn't as high and mitey as they think.
I was at the point when Caleb was a puppy, tho, that I was ready to answer the question, "Is he an English Lab?" with, "Well, I've traced his pedigree back to some very famous Labs in England, so I guess so."

[*blackrose]

Originally Posted by Izzy's Valkyrie

http://aldwycklabs.com/Aldwyck_Labs/MAIN_PAGE.html That's where Becket, the gorgeous Black Lab I dogsit for came from. The breeder does sports with her personal dogs and has recommended actually keeping the dogs in shape instead of sausage shaped. Of course that's up to the owners to do but overall, good people.

Thanks for the link, I'll have to check them out!

[Saluki-Sue]

I love the "I have an english lab" people, then I see their dog and yup, it's a big fat blob with a pointy head. Pet people think the only thing that makes a bench bred lab, bench bred/english is how big they are. I love to ask these people what breeder they imported their dog from and see the look on their faces.

I love to see a nicely built lab who fits the standard right down the middle. Ok, I like to see a fit lab period. There so far and few between, even my boys are fatties right now and it makes me nuts knowing I let them chunk up over the last few months.

[javadoo]

Originally Posted by Saluki-Sue

I love the "I have an english lab" people, then I see their dog and yup, it's a big fat blob with a pointy head. Pet people think the only thing that makes a bench bred lab, bench bred/english is how big they are. I love to ask these people what breeder they imported their dog from and see the look on their faces.

I love to see a nicely built lab who fits the standard right down the middle. Ok, I like to see a fit lab period. There so far and few between, even my boys are fatties right now and it makes me nuts knowing I let them chunk up over the last few months.

Here's my "English" (lol) lab Moka:
Nicely built and very fit.




I have 2 bench bred labs, Java and Moka....both on the slim side. Moka is 50.4 lbs, Java is 60 lbs.
I had a woman at the park ask me recently if they were English labs. To save an explanation I said yes. She said that she didn't think they were at first because she had never seen a skinny English lab. Most of the ones she sees are fat...and their owners insist that because they are English labs they're supposed to look like that.

[Saluki-Sue]

Very pretty dog and very fit. It's a breath of fresh air to see a pretty, well buit, fit lab. At some point I'll get photo up of my boys. They are not as fit as they could be at this point, but I love my little rolly pollys just the same.

[MicksMom]

Originally Posted by Saluki-Sue

I love the "I have an english lab" people, then I see their dog and yup, it's a big fat blob with a pointy head. Pet people think the only thing that makes a bench bred lab, bench bred/english is how big they are...

Don't forget the ones that are as tall as a small Great Dane. Or a head like a Rottweiler.
Unfortunately, there are extremes on both sides (field and bench).

Originally Posted by Saluki-Sue

...I love to see a nicely built lab who fits the standard right down the middle. Ok, I like to see a fit lab period. There so far and few between, even my boys are fatties right now and it makes me nuts knowing I let them chunk up over the last few months.

I hear a lot of "Wow, it's so nice to see a Lab that isn't over weight or over done" from staff at pet supply stores, etc. My vet comments on it every year, too.

My guy last April.



And in June (just part of the reason he isn't over weight. )