Labrador Breeder

^^^ personally I don't like her looks ! Head or body !

Amen. A Lab should be a healthy mix of sturdy dog and 'light' retriever. A nice square jaw (but not too big. and nooo pointy needle noses), otter tail, Lab ears (NO hound ears!), huge, adoring eyes, and a big grin on their face. THAT is a Lab. Not a huge fat blob, not a thin toothpick. And of medium height; Labs are not a giant breed, people. To explain...a sort of mix of show and field. Not leaning towards any one extreme.

Maybe she still has her babyweight on?

I've been known to ask someone what their lab like dog was mixed with to be told they are 100% lab ! Whoops !!!

I do that all the time too. Owners usually lecture me about it too. >_<

I think Virgo is beautiful.

I just tell them I have failing eyesight ! The perts of being senior ! LOL!

LOL! Theres the benefits! Virgo is awesome! I love the looks of her. And Whisper too of course! Whisper has muscles, unlike most labs I've seen. I need to get you guys a video of this girl in action! lol (And the most attractive thing about breeders, are the puppies are cute!) lol, of course thats the downfall of every human. Everyone loves puppies. Except some people of course. But, you have to find the correct breeder I know.

She looks like a bitch that's been bred a few times...actually...I see frills down the bottom...how old?

IMO they should not be light...a certain amount of fat gives on bouyancy and keeps a wet dog working in cold temps (like Labs originally worked) warmer for longer.

I think Polar Bear when I see them, not Coyote...made for cold climes and wet work...like Newfs...with which they share a heritage.

I try to never comment on a dogs weight (aside from is he/she too thin?) unless I can lay hands on it...personally.

They have annoying midi music on their website :yikes:

Ditto. I find it hard to believe that is just the camera adding ten pounds...

I DO like her face, though. But in all seriousness Virgo is what I love to see in a Labrador. Maybe with a slightly different head, but her body is absolutely my ideal for a Labrador.

The bitch in question is close to 6 years old as well...and has been bred at least once. I would also suggest those slamming this dog check the site for other pictures of her in different condition.

I had a post cued up earlier today, but deleted it.

However, now I will say it.

Those of you denigrating this lovely bitch who is nearly a veteran in public here, using a photograph lifted from her breeder/owner's website, should be ashamed of yourselves.

6 years old? Is that an excuse? The average lifespan of a Lab is around 12, I would think a barely middle-aged dog can still be athletic. It's true, that feeling a dog is a lot more accurate than judging based on pictures, but that dog is beyond stout. And so are several others.

I mean, obviously this dog isn't carrying baby weight!

(Photos removed - Requested by owner)

Sorry, Redyre, but I'm not ashamed of sharing opinions. I think the dogs are very cute - it's not like I'm calling them hideous! D; Maybe it's because I have been around quite a few field Labs, and have relatives who breed field Labs, but that is not an ideal Lab, to me. We are all entitled to our own opinions, and that does not embody a healthy dog who can perform it's job, or what the breed should be, in my opinion. Sure, a Bullmastiff should have a solid body type like that... but a Labrador Retriever, whose work involves running, as well as swimming, for hours at a time? I've seen plenty of field trial dogs, and I'm sorry, but NONE of them are of that form.

If your going to post one picture of the bitch and criticize her, you might as well post all of them the owner was nice enough to share with the public on his website along with all the information on the bitch unless I'm to assume everyone clicked on her page instead of looking at just that one in the thread.

Did anyone see the picture of her in 2004?

OK.

2007
(Photos removed - Requested by owner)


I admit that she does look much leaner in 2004. That's nice to see. But, regardless of age, I feel that a dog who is being shown should be in the condition that they would be to work... after all, the standard, and the judging, is based around recognizing dogs that can ably perform the work they are bred for - based on their structure and movement.

I don't have a personal vendetta against this dog in particular or this breeder in particular! The picture was just an example. I am not a huge fan of most conformation (exclusively) Lab breeders, to be honest.

I do agree with that. I know plenty of people who overfeed their dogs right before a show and I sit there wondering how they would ever get into a hole (and they are placed above dogs that are leaner yet more correct). I've been known to do it to - but my dog is far from fat who burns it off quicker than she can finish her food dish.

It looks like she places frequently in classes so I wonder how she is in person.

To be truly honest, I'm not a fan of field or show labs. I look and say I want the head from that one, the front from that one, the tail from him, the attitude and drive from her.. and BAM I have my perfect Lab. But I doubt that I will ever be able to do that. It takes an extremely special Lab for me to go "wow that's gorgeous" (in the confo/working aspect) and that's probably why I'll never go through a breeder and get a rescue IF IF IF I decide to ever get my black Lab. Way too picky in some breeds, and they are one of them.

But I would never judge them on an online forum without the owners here to defend the dog, especially if he never knew the pictures are here in the first place. I don't really think that's any one's place, and from the short period I looked at his site he seems to be responsible and don't seem much harm in what he is producing... now BYBs/mills....

IMO, he is being responsible, and shows his dogs, and tests them. This is my opinion though.

I don't like the look of the really thin labs sorry to say virgo turns me off i like them stocky. My girl is only 8 weeks old pictures in genral thread and she is from stocky parents. The breeder of her got the parents from overseas and brought them into australia. My girls parents have been health tested but have no papers, Which i don't mind. My goldie has papers and there just packed away in a box and left there. I believe you only need papers if you want to show. Labs need to have some fat on them to withstand cold tempertures, All i'm saying is i prefer the stocky labradors yes they may look fat but there more solid then lean.

Many people, GONZO, would have you hearing from their attorney had you stolen pictures from their website and used them to publicly denigrate their dog.

Breeders of field trial labs generally care nothing about their appearance. I have seen several that approached 27" at the shoulder and looked like dane crosses, but they could work.

Regardless, to post the photo of that older bitch, who has obviously been bred, and to hold her up to ridicule on her "condition", (which often cannot be seen in photos), is just not cool.