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X-Last-Updated: 1992/07/02
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs,news.answers
From: [e-mail] (Cindy Tittle Moore)
Subject: rec.pets.dogs:  Labrador Retrievers FAQ
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Organization: University of California at Irvine: ICS Dept.
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Archive-name: dogs-faq/labradors

This is the breed-specific FAQ for Labrador Retrievers.  It is not posted on a
regular basis, but may be obtained via anonymous ftp at pit-manager.mit.edu
under /pub/usenet/news.answers/dogs-faq/labradors. Or, send email to
[e-mail] with

send usenet/news.answers/dogs-faq/labradors

in the subject line, leaving the body empty.

AUTHOR

Liza Lee Miller, 18 May 1992.

DESCRIPTION

AKC Breed Standard:

General Appearance: The general appearance of the Labrador should be
that of a strongly built, short-coupled, very active dog.  He should
be fairly wide over the loins, and strong and muscular in the
hindquarters.  The coat should be close, short, dense and free from
feather.

Head: The skull should be wide, giving brain room; there should be a
slight stop, i.e., the brow should be slightly pronounced, so that the
skull is not absolutely in a straight line with the nose.  The head
should be clean-cut and free from fleshy cheeks.  The jaws should be
long and powerful and free from snipiness; the nose should be wide and
the nostrils well developed.  Teeth should be strong and regular, with
a level mouth.  The ears should hang moderately close to the head,
rather far back; should be set somewhat low and not be large and
heavy.  The eyes should be of medium size, expressing great
intelligence and good temper, and can be brown, yellow or black, but
brown or black is preferred.

Neck and Chest: The neck should be medium length, powerful and not
throaty.  The shoulders should be long and sloping.  The chest must be
of good width and depth, the ribs well sprung, and the loins wide and
strong, stifles well turned, and the hindquarters well developed and
of great power.

Legs and Feet: The legs must be straight from the shoulder to ground,
and the feet compact with toes well arched, and pads well developed;
the hocks should be well bent, and the dog must neither be cowhocked
nor be too wide behind; in fact, he must stand and move true all round
on legs and feet.  Legs should be of medium length, showing good bone
and muscle, but not so short as to be out of balance with rest of
body.  In fact, a dog well balanced in all points is preferable to one
with outstanding good qualities and defects.

Tail: The tail is a distinctive feature of the breed; it should be
very thick towards the base, gradually tapering towards the tip, of
medium length, should be free from any feathering, and should be
clothed thickly all round with the Labrador's short, thick, dense
coat, thus giving the peculiar "rounded" appearance which has been
described as the "otter" tail.  The tail may be carried gaily but
should not curl over the back.

Coat: The coat is another very distinctive feature; it should be
short, very dense and without wave, and should give a fairly hard
feeling to the hand.

Color: The colors are black, yellow or chocolate and are evaluated as
follows:

(a) Blacks: All black, with a small white spot on chest permissible.
Eyes to be of medium size, expressing intelligence and good temper,
preferably brown or hazel, although black or yellow is permissible.

(b) Yellows: Yellows may vary in color from fox-red to light cream
with variations in the shading of the coat on ears, the underparts of
the dog, or beneath the tail.  A small white spot on chest is
permissible.  Eye coloring and expression should be the same as that of
the blacks, with black or dark brown eye rims.  The nose should also
be black or dark brown, although "fading" to pink in winter is not
serious.  A "Dudley" nose (pink without pigmentation) should be
penalized.

(c) Chocolates: Shades ranging from light sedge to chocolate.  A small
white spot on chest is permissible.  Eyes to be light brown to clear
yellow.  Nose and eye-rim pigmentation dark brown or liver colored.
"Fading" to pink in winter weather not serious.  "Dudley" nose should
be penalized.

Movement: Movement should be free and effortless.  The forelegs should
be strong and true, and correctly placed.  Watching a dog move towards
one, there should be no signs of elbows being out in front, but neatly
held to the body with legs not too close together, and moving straight
forward without pacing or weaving.  Upon viewing the dog from the
rear, one should get the impression that the hind legs, which should be
well muscled and not cowhocked, move as nearly parallel as possible,
with hocks doing their full share of work and flexing well, thus
giving the appearance of power and strength.

Approximate Weights of Dogs and Bitches in Working Condition: Dogs --
60 to 75 pounds; bitches -- 55 to 70 pounds.

Height at Shoulders: Dogs -- 22-1/2 inches to 24-1/2 inches; bitches
-- 21-1/2 inches to 23-1/2 inches.

RECOGNIZED

American Kennel Club
Australian National Kennel Club
Canadian Kennel Club
FCI
Kennel Club of Great Britain
United Kennel Club
(this list is incomplete)

HISTORY

The Labrador is a native of Newfoundland, although not of Labrador
itself.  It is actually from the St. John area where St. Johns water
dogs have flourished for decades.  The Labrador Retriever,
Newfoundland, and Chesaspeake Bay Retriever all share common ancestry
with the St. Johns dog.  The double coat of a Labrador is short and
oily, which is perfect for shedding icy water.  These dogs originally
helped haul fish nets toward the shore, retrieve dropped objects and
even rounded up stray cod which escaped on the surface.

In the 1820s, the English sporting gentry were quick to see the
potential of the Labrador as a gun dog.  Dogs brought over from
Newfoundland were probably bred into existing retriever lines,
developing the dog into the Labrador we know today.  It is unknown
when the breed was named "Labrador Retriever," but it was some time
after the breed arrived in England.

Labradors were imported to the United States during World War I.  At
this point, the AKC still classified them as "retrievers," it was not
until the late 1920's that the retrievers were split up into the
breeds we know today.

CHARACTERISTICS AND TEMPERAMENT

The main characteristics of the Labrador are their coat, tail, and
temperament.  They have a double coat which means that they have a
soft, downy under coat which keeps them dry and warm in cold water and
a hard over coat that helps them repel water.  Their tail, described
best as an otter tail, is thick at the base and tapers to a narrower
point.  It should not be carried over the back nor should it have a
curl to it.  It should, however, be at exactly coffeetable height and
always be ready to swipe a table clean.  Their temperament is their
best feature.  Labs are very loving, very people oriented dogs.  They
are happiest when they are with you.  Labs are retrievers and will
bring you things they find laying about your house or yard.  They tend
to be quite patient with children and wonderful family dogs.  They are
not guard dogs.  They may bark protectively, but will generally not
act more aggressively.  Labs are wonderful people dogs, more likely to
lick someone to death than hurt them.

In the U.S., there are two distinct "lines" of labradors, field lines
and show lines.  Field line labradors have been bred exclusively for
field, or hunting ability, and not for conformation.  As a result,
field lines tend to produce larger, more slender and energetic
Labradors than show lines, which tend to be correct in conformation and
calmer of temperament.  There is some dissension between the two
groups, with field people claiming that show lines have lost much of
their hunting and retrieving abilities, and show people claiming that
field lines do not much look like labradors any more.  When choosing your
puppy, you should keep in mind the types of activities you want to do with
your dog and choose a breeder and dog accordingly.  Keep the temperament
and other attributes of the dog in mind when you are choosing a breeder and
discuss them with that breeder to ensure the best possible match!

Labrador Retrievers are *very* people-oriented dogs, and will become
easily bored if left to their own devices.  They can be extremely
destructive when bored or frustrated.  They require attention and
handling: just because they are very easy to train doesn't mean that
you can get away with doing the minimum.  Labradors are just not
independent enough to be treated this way.  This breed also requires
plenty of exercise, and becomes frustrated at the lack of exercise.
Also, since Labradors love to eat, it is extremely easy to wind up
with an overweight dog if it is not properly exercised.

SPECIAL MEDICAL PROBLEMS

Labradors are susceptible to hip dysplasia as well as other joint
problems.  All breeding stock should be x-rayed and certified clear of
hip dysplasia by the OFA (Orthopedica Foundation for Animals).

Labradors are also susceptible to an eye disease called PRA
(Progressive Retinal Atrophy).  This insidious disease of the eyes
eventually causes blindness.  It is believed to be inherited by a
simple recessive mode.  This means that for a dog to be affected, both
parents must be either carriers or affected themselves.  The problem
is that this disease has a late onset where the dogs do not show
symptoms until they are over four years of age, in which case they may
have already been bred.  Carriers show no symptoms.  All breeding
stock should be examined annually and have their eyes cleared through
CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation).

Cataracts and retinal dysplasia are also common problems seen in
labradors.

Other issues to discuss with breeders are epilepsy and other joint
problems (elbows and shoulders).

REFERENCES

1.  Books

Nicholas, Anna Katherine.  _The Book of the Labrador Retriever_. TFH
Publications, Inc., Ltd., 1983, 478 p.

Martin, Nancy.  _Legends in Labradors_. Spring House, PA, 1980, 211 p.

Howe, Lorna.  _The Popular Labrador Retriever_.  Popular Dogs
Publishing Co., Ltd., 1959, 135 p.

Williams, Mary Roslin.  _Advanced Labrador Breeding_. H.F. & G.
Witherby, Ltd., 1988, 151 p.

Howe, Lorna and Geoffrey Waring.  _The Labrador Retriever_.  Popular
Dogs Publishing Co., Ltd., 1975, 207 p. (this is a revised version of
the above title by Countess Howe).

Beck, Elizabeth.  _Train Your Own Labrador_.  Country Life Limited,
1965, 88 p.

Howe, Dorothy.  _The Labrador Retriever_.  T.F.H. Publications, Inc.,
Ltd., 1984, 352 p.  With additional chapters by Anna Katherine Nicholas.

Warwick, Helen.  _The New Complete Labrador Retriever_, 3rd Edition.
Howell Book House, Inc., 1989, 322 p.

Curtis, Bette Kaleel.  _Life With Labradors_.  Hoflin Publishing, Ltd.,
1989, 149 p.

Berndt, Robert J. and Richard L. Myers.  _The Labrador Retriever_.
William W. Denlinger, 1983, 127 p.

Wolters, Richard A.  _The Labrador Retriever: The history . . . the
people_.  Petersen Prints, 1981, 200 p.

2.  Breed Rescue Organizations

Since Labradors are currently the #1 dog in the U.S. (surpassing
Cocker Spaniels in AKC registrations for the first time in 1991),
there is a extra special need for supporting breed rescue.  Older
Labradors are often available from a variety of situations.  Most are
well-cared for dogs that simply need a new home.  If you are
interested in rescuing an older dog, please contact your local
Labrador Retriever Club and ask about their rescue program.

3.  Breeders

Disclaimer: These breeders have been recommended in good faith by
readers of rec.pets.dogs.  However, you are still responsible for
verifying that a particular breeder meets your needs to your
satisfaction.

Laura Toms
Moraine Labradors
Dublin, Ohio
[e-mail]

Vicki Blodgett
Delby Labradors
Santa Cruz, California
[e-mail]

4.  Breed Clubs

Labrador Retriever Club, Inc.
Mr. Christopher G. Wincek, Secretary
9690 Wilson Mills Road, Chardon, OH 44024

Golden Gate Labrador Retriever Club
Debbie Morton, Secretary
14885 Holden Way, San Jose, CA  95124

Labrador Retriever Club of Southern California
Kathy Judd, Secretary
2568 Damien Avenue, La Verne, CA  91750

San Joaquin Valley Labrador Retriever Club
Marsha Campbell, Secretary
142 Helen Avenue, Modesto, CA  95354

Labrador Retriever Club of Greater Denver
Cheri Schlaack, Secretary
7348 Gore Range Road, Littleton, CO 80127

Labrador Retriever Club of the Pioneer Valley
Karen C. Davis, Secretary
770 Taintor Street, Suffield, CT 06078

Labrador Retriever Club of Central Connecticut
Carolyn B. Allen, Secretary
504 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT  06437

Labrador Retriever Club of Southern Connecticut
Kim Cassedy, Secretary
2540 Redding Road, Fairfield, CT  06430

Labrador Retriever Club of Hawaii
Marie Tanner, Secretary
96-138 Kuahelani Ave, #120, Mililani, HI 96789

Winnebago Labrador Retriever Club
Barbara Holl, Secretary
1291 Joliet Street, Dyer, IN  46311

Labrador Retriever Club of Greater Boston
Leslie Forkner, Secretary
21 Hale Road, Stow, MS  01775

Huron River Labrador Retriever Club
Jan Stolarevsky, Secretary
19919 Bartell Road, Gregory, MI  48137

Labrador Retriever Club of the Twin Cities
Linda Weikert, Secretary
Rural Route 1, Box 221, Wanamingo, MN  55983

Mid-Jersey Labrador Retriever Club
Dorothy E. Black, Secretary
27 Sunset Drive, High Bridge, NJ  08829

Labrador Retriever Club of Albuquerque
Juxi Burr, Secretary
4401 Yale NE, Albuquerque, NM  87107

Labrador Retriever Club of the Piedmont
Rita M. Powell, Secretary
320 Beechwood Drive, Greer, SC  29651

Raleigh-Durham Labrador Retriever Club
Robbie Haskins, Secretary
2828 Industrial Drive, Raleigh, NC 27609

Miami Valley Labrador Retriever Club
Hendrika C. Case, Secretary
4495 Wallace Road, Oxford, OH 45056

Rose City Labrador Retriever Club
Donald Downen, Secretary
955 Edina Lane,
NE Salem, OR  97301

Dallas-Ft. Worth Labrador Retriever Club
Terry Ivy, Secretary
2701 Landershire Lane
Plano, TX  75023

Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomoc
Dorathea George, Secretary
1140 Hillendale Way, Prince Frederick, MD  20678

Puget Sound Labrador Retriever Association
Barbara Ironside, Secretary
4117--143rd Avenue SE, Snohomish, WA  98290