I see many different size and build labs around. Many are short and stocky compared to the type you see as working which seem taller and slighter build. So what type are these guide dogs? are they from working gundog lines or show lines? And are the shorter, stocky ones just from home breeding?
The VAST majority of Labradors are pet bred, meaning they are not from any specific lines (show lines or working lines). They tend to be bred from generations of pet dogs with the odd show or working type dog back in the 4th or 5th generations. Looks wise they tend to vary considerably but they are usually slightly longer in leg, taller and rangier. Coat types can vary from the 'proper' double coated hard coat to a thin, single coat. Typical pet bred Labrador: Show bred dogs are typically shorter in leg, have lovely chunky heads and carry more substance on the body. Coats are true to the breeds form; double coated, 'hard' to touch and completely waterproof. Olé is a lovely example of a show bred male: Working bred dogs can look like anything and everything, from very lean and leggy to moderate with a nice head. Labradors use for Guide Dogs tend to commonly be Golden Retriever x Labradors. The resulting dogs from this breeding tend to look like purebred Labradors because the short coat type is dominant over the Golden's longer coat type. In terms of lines, Guide Dog associations have been using their own lines for donkeys years in most cases. My mums friend puppy walks for Guide Dogs for the blind and most of the pups are from generations of guide dogs bred to guide dogs. If you go back way into the generations, the lines are a mix of show and working which is why they vary in type so much.
Crikey that looks like an American show bred Lab, I really dislike the short legs against the depth of chest.
I have got a breeding bitch for the guide dogs and she is half golden retriever and half black lab but looks just like a tall black lab. The guide dogs in the uk said when I got her that the lab x golden makes one of the best guide dogs so maybe you are seeing them.
Too deep in the chest for my liking, I was always told the length of leg should be approximately equal to the depth of the chest.
But don't forget they need a deep chest for lung capacity, the lab us after all a water dog, bred to retrieve from water, the dog in the pic looks to have a good deep chest, correct coat type and tail. It's my type of lab, it resembles the original standard ( look at old photos) more more than many if the working/ pet bred labs you see today, Coat for instance on Many working labs look incorrect for the standard. Each to their own but for me I prefere this type.
They're not bred specifically to work in water, but as an all rounder, which is why they've done so well as an all round gundog and at field trials. The correct chest is a barrel shape, but the correct leg length should be equal to the depth of chest, if you measure from the elbow down to the ground, that's what I've always been told and it always looks more well balanced to me. My flat coat with an oval chest has great lung capacity, but as a breed they are more racy, bred to work on grouse moors where speed is required.
I know they are an alround gundog, hence the variety in types in the working world, but the original purpose of the lab is a water dog, bred to work in water... I wonder how many working bred labs have the correct coat type these days, they should have a water resistant undercoat, the flatie is not a lab and its function is completely different to the lab, as you say they should be more racy with a turn for speed, the lab requires a barrel chest with lung capacity to do its original job. P.s...just done a small experiment , I've just measured depth of chest to length of leg on the black dog, and they are almost the same, I guess it's an optical illusion making the legs look to small.
The St John's dog or lesser Newfoundland was the original water retriever, however, their temperament and ability to retrieve was spotted by the English gentry, and that was used to create an all round retriever, bred to work on shoots. So they weren't bred to be water retrievers, but really bred away from that, if that makes sense. I know FCR's aren't Labs, I was just pointing out that lung capacity isn't simply related to one shape of chest Well you must have a different way of measuring to me, from the elbow to the ground that dog is shorter than in depth of chest by my measurements.
Withers (between shoulder blades) to bottom of chest, elbow to ground. Millimetres between the measurement
Basically, if you can see the same amount of space below the chest to the ground, then the chest and leg measurements are *equal*
I think the vast majority of guide dogs these days are purposely bred crosses, the majority being Lab/Golden. All guide dogs are KC registered on the Activity register, using the affix Guidewell. I think they may use a secondary affix too, I will try to remember to check when the next supplement comes out.
