Labrador breeder recommendation?

Michiyo-Fir

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#41
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

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#42
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
 
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#43
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.
 

MicksMom

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#45
...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.
:lol-sign: 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

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#46
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#47
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

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#48
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.
 
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#49
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

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#50
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).


...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. :))

 

*blackrose

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#51
See, and I think that is part of my problem when looking at various breeder's websites. I take one look at the pictures of their breeding dogs in show and my mouth drops and I think, "Good God, what a tub of lard, I don't want that." But if the dog was slimmed down (like yours, Java - your girls are gorgeous, BTW), I may have nothing against its structure. (Although some dogs I see it seems like they were crossed with a mastiff at some point due to their heads and crossed with a Basset at another due to their short legs. o_O) But even if I don't mind their structure, I really don't know if I want to support a breeder that finds nothing wrong with packing 10 pounds on their dog for the show ring, even if they slim them down when not showing.

I wish I could find a nice, dual purpose Labrador. It actually saddens me how few there are. I have a few breeders I've managed to find that I like, but with as popular as Labs are I really wasn't expecting it to be this difficult.
 

javadoo

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#53
See, and I think that is part of my problem when looking at various breeder's websites. I take one look at the pictures of their breeding dogs in show and my mouth drops and I think, "Good God, what a tub of lard, I don't want that." But if the dog was slimmed down (like yours, Java - your girls are gorgeous, BTW), I may have nothing against its structure. (Although some dogs I see it seems like they were crossed with a mastiff at some point due to their heads and crossed with a Basset at another due to their short legs. o_O) But even if I don't mind their structure, I really don't know if I want to support a breeder that finds nothing wrong with packing 10 pounds on their dog for the show ring, even if they slim them down when not showing.

I wish I could find a nice, dual purpose Labrador. It actually saddens me how few there are. I have a few breeders I've managed to find that I like, but with as popular as Labs are I really wasn't expecting it to be this difficult.
You need to find a breeder you like, that is reputable, does all clearances and has the look you like. Chances are, their structure will be good...then you keep your dog at a weight you like.
Java and Moka's breeder thinks my girls are too thin. Their mom is 82 lbs, their dad is over 90 lbs.
My girls could carry more weight, but I don't like the look of more weight on labs, so I keep them leaner and slimmer.
Just because they can carry the weight, doesn't mean they should.
I like the big, blocky labs...with an athletic look. So I look at bench/show breeders for that...but then I will decide what weight I think they look best at.
 
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#55
Very pretty kid. Yea, love the giant labrador and the comment that comes from the people who go out and seek out a "breeder" who breeds for this type. I don't want a show dog, just a pet. Who ever said a pure bred pet dog had to be anything less then fitting the standard and whelped to health test bitch and dog. But then who wants one of those facny labs that don't have HD, EIP or any of the other health issues that come with pet dog breeding.
 

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