Any pictures of working type Labradors? Photos

Your dog is totaly lovely, great expression

That first show dog is FAT and the last one - wow - its a black rottie - yuck - sorry I really dont like to see that

Not bad - none of them are all pet (but I can see where you are coming from on one) - was debating typing the answers out - but waited to see if anyone else was going to have a bash before I do ;-)

You may want to go and read the breed standard for Labradors - that black (and I have no idea who it belongs to) is a beautiful specimen of a dog - lovely clean lines, excellent topline, correct barrelled rib - good tailset and correct coat type - maybe slightly over-done to how I like my dogs, but nothing Rottie like about it at all.

Labrador breed standard - written (and barely changed in over 40 years) by predominantly working folk and some show -

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/109

And there are Working dogs and FT CH's out there that prove beyond all doubt you don't need to be a whippet to get a title.

Within the show-lab world, how much of a diversity of opinion is there? I admit to knowing a grand total of ............................(drum-roll please).................................1 person who breeds labs and judges them in the show ring too and rather a lot more people who own or breed and own labs purely as working dogs and about 2 people who keep them just as pets.

In other words....I am definitely not an expert!!!

The person I know who is involved in showing and working is absolutely mad keen on keeping to dogs that will hold their own at a show and in the field; although looking at his dogs, they do not seem to be quite as short-legged / large bodied as some of the pictures of show-labs that I've seen.

Also, amongst the workers, there is still a huge range in types. I've seen labs that look almost like foxhounds in build that specialise in picking up on big, hilly country and I've seen quite small, very lightly-built labs that work almost like HPRs but without the 'P' and seem to do more beating than anything else and I've seen some labs that are actually quite chunky, solid dogs too. The one thing that they all have in common is that they are in hard, muscular condition and really seem to thrive on work.

Another question (I'm nosey) I read somewhere that labs evolved gradually over time and owed a lot to Newfoundlands (or whatever types evolved into Newfoundlands) and to foxhounds. To me, this would make sense (I think) But where did I read it? Was I imagining it?! Have I just read too much?!!!

You will see divergence in the showring - not so much in type (as in Lab types can vary enormously) - but in substance.

So many people (sadly) insist Show Labs are fat when in fact they know little (or nothing) about them - have never been up close and personal with one, no less actually put their hands on one.

The point is - a Lab is a substantial stocky broad dog required to have stamina (not speed) - it was built to do an honest days work in the field for which it needs substance, not dive over hedges and rivers like a whippet - if the requirements of the owner have changed - that is very different to how they have changed their Lab.

There are a an increasing number of kennels out there that both show and work their dogs to some degree and some of these dogs are getting certificates and placings on both sides of the fence and take both equally seriously.

Yes, the Lab has changed since the last dual CH - but then so has life and the people who own, work and show them - historically - the people owning these dogs lived in settings where shoots were probably commonplace and shows probably less so -but they had the time & money to do both.

Today it is more often 'normal' people who do these things, so they hold down jobs, run businesses, raise families, keep homes - and seldom have bottomless pockets (which probably also explains declining entries at all levels of showing) as fuel is just so darn expensive

I've taken my purest bred showdog in the ring, and it was written in his critique (which was superb) that he was "light on bone" by the judge, if they had said that about any of my other dogs I could have accepted it - but was truly shocked when they said it about this one who has much more substance than any of my other dogs.

As for the divergence between showbred and working bred -my most working bred girls are my two eldest - with some very elite working lines behind them - but it's actually the grand-daughter of one of them who is strongly now showbred who has the strongest instincts and I can vouch would have the stamina to go all day. My showbred boy also has an extroardinarily strong retrieving / working / biddavble instinct - but what he wouldn't have is the stamina needed to go all day.

Sitting firmly in the show camp, but liking dogs with slightly less substance (but being able to appreciate a well constructed and chunkier labrador) - I had almost been brainwashed into believing all working labradors were longer legged and less stocky - but having seen pictures in the dog papers of FT CH with substance - many of these could easily pass muster in the showring - no - they probably wouldn't make SH CH any more than a showbred SH CH would make a FT CH - but there is definitely far more overlap than many like to believe.

Ok - as no-one else seems willing to have a punt - here are the answers ;-)

1. Dad Show x Mum Pet
2. Dad Show x Mum Pet (half sister to 1 - same mother)
3. ALL show and maturing by the month month
4. 3/4 show (mum full sister to 2)
5. Dad Show x Mum Pet (full sister to 2 and mum to 4)
6. Oh yes, he's ALL show
7. 3/4 show x working

Thanks - that's really interesting. I know I've seen labs on all shapes and sizes out shooting

I've been having some quite serious back problems of late, which have confined a lot of my activities - I still show - but atm - not as often - however, I really do wish I had more interest in the working side - as I have at least two (and quite probably 3) who I believe would step up to the mark in terms of working - 2 of them are eligible to take their SGWC - so who knows - if I can motivate myself, I know they would really enjoy it - my boy is never happier than when he is retrieving bless him (having said that - I've yet to see the cheeky monkey miserable either )

Both also have very gentle mouths

My guess
Dog 1...Pet/show
Dog2 ...Pet/working
Dog 3..pet/show
Dog 4..SHow
Dog 5..Pet/show
Dog 6..Show
DOg 7..SHow

Woody our rescue Lab, now passed on sadly, but a fab dog! 50% show, 50% working.....

Here is my 100% working lines lab Kimi

It's interesting isn't it ;-)

Here you go

1. Dad Show x Mum Pet
2. Dad Show x Mum Pet (half sister to 1 - same mother)
3. ALL show and maturing by the month
4. 3/4 show (mum full sister to 2)
5. Dad Show x Mum Pet (full sister to 2 and mum to 4)
6. Oh yes, he's ALL show
7. 3/4 show x working

2 and 5 are litter sisters, 1 is half sister to 2 and 5 (same mum) and 4 is daughter to 5

Yes very interesting
They are very lovely labs....
I would like to show a lab in the future..

This is Maple, completely utterly 100% working lines from an extremely good lineage. She is also a slightly different colour to most 'show' type labs, and this is dark yellow. They go even darker than this and then its called fox red.

Lovely!

My Lab is darker than any of the Labs in our area; he's golden/strawberry blonde, but not as dark as your girl

Stunning colour - she looks almost fox red in that pic.

You do get fox red Labs in the showring as well ;-) I've seen some so dark they are almost red ;-)

I daren't scan the picture in - in case I'm breaking some copywright laws or something, but in the latest Shooting Gazette on Page 10, there is a photo of a 1911 painting, showing 2 labs regarded apparently as being brilliant examples of lab-ness.

I'll leave it to you all to sneak into WH Smiths and take a sneaky peak, rather than spoil it be telling you what sort of build they had

Yep, I think the breeder of my boys sire has a couple of fox red show types.

Hamish, Working Lines



Blade Working Lines, Hamish's Son.



Horace, Working Lines, Not my dog. Related to Blade, an uncle or something like that.

Gorgeous!

Wow that Hamish is one handsome boy!!