Any pictures of working type Labradors? Photos

I would love to see some photos of people's working type Labs

I will never know if my dog is a working or show type, as he's a rescue and we have no info on him at all.

But we *think* he may well be from working lines originally, as he seems to be leaner and taller than all the Labs we know or see in the parks around here.

Anyway, thanks in advance for any pics of your lovely Labs!

Mine are a mix, I can point you in the direction of a few pics if you like? They both have show bred sires, but the dam is a mixture of working and show.

Sure, would love to see them

Our trainer thinks Dexter is a mix of show and working, but we don't think so. Not that it matters, I'm just curious

Hi Tabitha

Because Labradors are so numerous, the vast majority of dogs being bred are actually 'pet' bred rather than dedicated show or working bed. Pet bred would generally describe a Lab with a real mix of dogs in its background, bred from multiple generations of dogs that are pets and are not shown or worked. Most pet bred Labs tend to resemble a working bred (leaner in body & face) Labrador more than a show one, namely because unlike show type Labradors, pet breds dogs are not specifically bred to to 'type'. This does not, therefore, mean that every Labrador which is lacking in 'type' is a working bred Labrador...a Labrador is only a working bred if it comes from a known working background, it's parents are workers, grandparents are workers, and so on. The vast majority of lean looking Labradors do not fall into this category so are technically not working bred. They are just not bred to standard, which is why they vary considerably.

Anyway, after that long winded answer...



Dog on left is an exactly 50-50 split between working and show lines from a dual purpose kennel, and dog on right is 100% working lines from a well known working kennel.

This is a link to a thread I put up asking for a critique, Indie is older than Tau, they are out of the same dam, different sire.

http://www.dogsey.com/showthread.php?t=130672

Thank you, that makes sense

So if literally all the Labs I see at our local park do resemble the 'typical' show type, does that mean they are probably from 'show' breeders?

I have yet to see a single Lab in our area that looks like anything but a show type.

They are such a gorgeous colour!

Both bleach in the summer, but Tau is very pale.

Don't get too hooked on the differences between show and working - which was very eloquently explained above - most fall into neither category.

I have a working lab from an excellent working (Field Trial) pedigree but he is big. Most of the labs on the shoot round here are much smaller and finer than the ghastly Rottweiler looking labs you see at Crufts

I saw your post in the pictures and your dog is an excellent weight. Its not so much that working labs are naturally lean, more that they are very fit, fed appropriately and do what they were bred for.

I think you have a lovely looking dog and if you weren't so far away, we could get together and trying a bit of gundog training with him

Thank you very much for your kind words about Dexter - and also the lovely idea about the training! If we were nearer to each other I would definitely take you up on that, I think he'd love it

I have made enquiries, actually, about gundog trainers in my area. There only seems to be one nearby but I spoke with him a while back. When Dex and I have completed our current, very basic training, I will be back in touch with the gundog man

Working Lab, one of mine (Bailey)





Show Labs, NOT MY DOGs..

Bailey is beautiful

He looks similar to Dexter in build, actually.

Ah yes, the show labs look just like the ones we see at our local park! Your pics really do illustrate the difference in build - many thanks indeed!

By the way - how old is Bailey?

Bailey is 18mths old now, he was 11mths when that picture was taken.

Mine is definetely NOT a working lab...

Ah yes, that pose looks familiar....! I don't know if it's a Lab thing but Dexter often assumes that position too

My friends with other dogs say theirs don't, and my old dog, a Rough Collie, never did.

My terrier mix ("almost" a Parson Russel)!



BTW, they love "Pink Floyd" songs... Lua, the lab, often places her head beside the subwoofer!

When it's cold Sapeca (the terrier) sleeps in a more proper way!

Maybe, maybe not

If only life was so simple - here's some pictures of my gang - some of them from a petbred background (working and show) bred to show - some are working / show, others are solid show - see if you can work out the difference ;-) (Tarimoor - you are forbidden from answering ;-) )

All have been shown (bar the baby) - and all had some degree of success (some much greater than others which I would expect)

Dog 1


Dog 2


Dog 3


Dog 4


Dog 5


Dog 6


Dog 7

Lucan my 18mth old Lab from 100% working lines:-
Yes he's holding 3 toys.





Freddie my son's 100% pet bred:-



Comparing the two, Freddie is heavier boned with a bigger head, although my Lucan is a good inch taller.

1. Pet
2. Show x working
3. Pet x show
4. Show x working
5. Pet x show
6. Show
7. Show

My guesses anyway.