blacklabrador

Therein lies the problems. If they just dropped the silly name they'd be in with a shot for being taken seriously and set apart from the cross breeding frenzy. I agree. Labradoodle is such a pooncy name. Poo-dor is a much more apt.

LOL Lola has crazy zoomie pug eyes. He is gorgeous.

It would be "only in my opinion" if I was the only one with that opinion. Two pictures of typical American field labs. This isn't just about being lean. It completely lacks substance, there is no depth to the chest, the legs are gangly (christ check out the length of that stifle!), it's arse high, it has no rear angulation is roach backed, low tailset and the head and expression? It doesn't even come close to fitting the standard. But if that's what you think a labrador should like then you go ahead and breed em. If you want to discuss deterioration of the breed standard in America then this is where the discussion lies - not in general adverts posted by people who are trying to pass of crossbreeds as pure.

I think that's the point people are trying to make. You are expecting ethics out of advertisers. Its a deterioration of ethics and not a deterioration of breed standard. Yes the US have lovely labradors also. They tend to separate them into the terms "English Lab" and "American Lab". Mariner is in the pedigree of all my labs - both the ugly and the good looking ones. It only takes one bad mating to bring it down. You either perpetuate good conformation or you bring it down. Crossing an English lab with an American field lab is one mating that will ensure poor conformation of the resultant pups, regardless of who is in the pedigree. Plenty of hunters with guns in the UK as well, but they are working with decent looking dogs. Thats only in your opinion Give me this: or this any day! (Both US field titled labs, from a field kennel, one is actually a conformation Ch. too!) Over this (Crufts 2010 Lab BOB winner) Both of those "field bred labs" are not typical of what is out there working. They often lack spring of rib and depth of brisket, correct leg length and have round eyes, harsh expressions and narrow heads with long ears, more appropriate to a GSP.

I think that's the point people are trying to make. You are expecting ethics out of advertisers. Its a deterioration of ethics and not a deterioration of breed standard. Yes the US have lovely labradors also. They tend to separate them into the terms "English Lab" and "American Lab". Mariner is in the pedigree of all my labs - both the ugly and the good looking ones. It only takes one bad mating to bring it down. You either perpetuate good conformation or you bring it down. Crossing an English lab with an American field lab is one mating that will ensure poor conformation of the resultant pups, regardless of who is in the pedigree. Plenty of hunters with guns in the UK as well, but they are working with decent looking dogs.

Would have thought the same thing... The work Vs show debate rages for many breeds. It really is a discussion for another thread.

her belly button? ringworm?

My two US field labradors look horrendous? What is your experience observing or handling US field labradors, in any countries field bred lab? My experience is seeing countless online pictures of what is known as a "field bred labrador" in America. Some examples here. http://labtails.blogspot.com/ I don't need to handle them to know that they don't fit the breed standard. They probably retreive and work like demons, however they don't fit the breed standard and to someone who has spent some time observing and striving for a breed standard they look terrible. Whether your dogs fit the breed standard or not is not my concern. If you'd like an opinion on how they look then your local show will have a judge ready and willing to critique them. I have a labrador here who is from well known working lines in Australia. He is my heart dog, he has a wonderful working drive and would retrieve until his legs gave out. But he's a terrible example of a labrador and it took me 6 months of showing him (my first labrador) before I realised just how bad his conformation was. I still love him and he's a great old man to have around the place.

My pups have been told a firm "quiet" for barking from the beginning. I've never had issues with barking except with a pomeranian. All the bigger dogs only bark if there is something to bark at ie someone at the door, someone walking a dog past the property. They also quieten the first time they are told unless there is a possum in the yard or a bush turkey in the neighbours yard. Start how you mean to go on. Don't allow incessant barking as a pup if you don't want them doing it when they are older. Play barking when interacting with others is hard to stop and they grow out of it, but barking at stuff, or barking for attention are things you probably want to stop.

It's a bit more difficult to be kennel blind if you have evidence from having your dogs judged that they don't meet the standard according to the many people they've been shown under. Do breeders have to show? Not at all. Sitting for a whole day in the heat, waiting for your 2 minutes of glory (or not) is not for everyone. Should breeders be breeding dogs that OTHER PEOPLE SEEK TO EXHIBIT??? Damn straight.

I don't see any connection with a deterioration of the breed standard. False advertising maybe. The US do have horrendous looking "field labs" who work beautifully in the field but are quite removed from the breed standard. But that's a completely different discussion than advertisements that BYBs have posted where there's no policing of what they are advertising.

:p I adore Lakelands.. mine were absolutely wonderful, terrific happy chappies perfect kids dogs too. Hey Blab, take a look at them as well, non shedding. very healthy long lived breed too. I shall do.... I know a breeder.

Not keen on them. I think I'd go a schnauzee over one of those.

Thanks Monah - that's a great idea. I am not looking for a dog any time soon. Just enquiring about a few breeds for the future. I cannot fathom living without my beautiful labs so I'm forcing myself to look beyond them being with me. Planning a non-shedding breed next time.

Yep I've read the breed standard. I want to talk to people who know about them.