Quote: Meredith Hamilton

Working labs from hunting kennels do not look like that. They are athletic, not pathetic.

Please try not to take this the wrong way but field labs are no more correct than heavy stumpy legged bench labs if they are being bred to standard which is for a cold water retriever. Heavy bone, heavy chest, thick otter tail, are where the form follows the function.

The problem is that one bird doesn't hunt the same way as another and the lab has gained popularity as a pointer of upland game rather than a waterfowl retriever and by selecting for those qualities has made labs that look more like setters in everything but coat.

That said yes, alot of showlabs do look fat. Some of it is coat, alot of it is conditioning which encourages the porker look to get those heavy hindquarters. But even so a properly conditioned lab doesn't look like a german shepherd in body structure anymore than a conditioned quarterhorse looks like an off the track thoroughbred.

Always glad for more info, Melissa. I have one, a mix, most likely, but labs have never been my favorite breed I don't know much about what the conformation should be.

I love my dog's temperament, personality, and brains, but I don't think I'll ever be able to find his unique qualities in another lab or mix thereof.

Willow the knuckleheaded wonderdog is my first and last lab. They are not my thing but I do appreciate the type for what it is, she is considered bench bred and has JH and MH on both sides of her pedigree. I don't keep up with her conditioning as much as a showdog would require but even so ... she's pretty thick throughout and has about as much grace as a drunk cow which works perfectly if we were sitting in a blind and a half dead duck was falling into salt water in November. If I conditioned her via weightpull and swimming she'd look like an angus steer.

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/30062_1454224916223_1251322075_1306905_193170_n.jpg

I did love this years westminster's final lineup. That deerhound was lovely in so many ways.

I thought lots of the dogs looked fat . Few had waists.

Ingrid,
Wow that was an amazing video. They jump like deer. Thank you so much for posting it.

 Quote: kristi molina

When it comes to describing the dogs, they sometimes say things like "this dog lives on a farm, real working dog here" but I always thought show dogs were like kept in a bubble. How in the world does a herding dog look so perfectly white and groomed? Can show dogs really be working dogs as well?

It really depends on the breed to be honest. Short haired - moderate haired breeds tend to have an easier time staying in show coat and usually as a result have a better time being able to be a "real dog".

Also some breeds care a bit less about coat modifications (which is cheating) than others. coloring shampoos, chalks, powders, and even hair pieces do occur in a fair number of coated breeds. I even had a few lab show folks tell me to simply dye my girl's bolo spots black so she'd have a better chance at all breed shows.

I used to hear snickering on occassion about a hair weave falling out in the poodle or bichon ring.

There is often as well the definition of what is a working dog to consider. Chasing sheep 3 x a year, having a TDI certificate, etc for some people is owning a working dog.

I'm in the Ingrid R club when it comes to show dogs should be able to do as they were bred.
My group placing Ch Border Terrier was often doing earth work the day before a show. Even if I had a dig him out I still did nothing but brush the dirt out before going to the show. Gotta love a correct terrier coat!
I hate to say it but I was in that very rare group in the dog show world that believed in owning "real" dogs. Even a smaller group that had dogs that could/did actually proved it
In addition to his being an AKC CH he was also "Best Colored Terrier" in the breed ring at a number of working terrier shows that were always judged by true working terrier judges. They were most often brought over from hunt clubs in GB. True terrier men/women!
My only terrier now is a JRT that is 15 and retired from earth work long ago. I've hunted with both his parents and all four of his grand parents. That's how I based my selection. Not how purdy he is.....thank heavens!
I now have two working line GSDs and have absolutely nothing good to say about the American show line GSD. Fact is I don't have a lot of good to say about the majority of the AKC show world and that's after 12-15 yrs in the breed ring. 5 CHs on four different terrier breeds. All owner handled and a couple of CHs handling for other folks dogs! it's been almost 20 yr since I've been in the AKC breed ring.
I still want them to do all that can be accomplished.
Thunder has his SCHIII, CDX, HT, TT, CGC and is also trained for SAR and Cadaver search. Sloooowly working on his UD. I'm getting lazy in my old age.
Trooper is a coated, lovable idiot with his TT and CGC. Working on his CD.
BTW, Thunder has never had a prong, choke or e-collar on and has never had a leash correction in training to his titles. All marker trained!

The GSD actually seemed a bit less extreme than in the past several years. Still not good but hopefully a very small start on reversing a, imho, disgusting trend in the breed show lines.

Collies do seem to have a problem with their teeth. At least I know 2 of mine certainly did. I know it was the tarter problem (despite annual and sometimes semi-annual teeth cleanings) that got me learning more about nutrition and especially raw feeding.

I liked the Deerhound that won as well as the Smooth Fox Terrier.

Edited by Elaine Haynes (02/19/2011 04:04 AM)
Edit reason: correct a typo

 Quote: Betty Landercasp

I thought lots of the dogs looked fat . Few had waists.

I just watched a few of the videos of breeds and I was surprised at this, is this just the video perhaps?? or are they just pudgy? Trying to put it nicely

 Quote: Bob Scott

Thunder has his SCHIII, CDX, HT, TT, CGC and is also trained for SAR and Cadaver search. Sloooowly working on his UD. I'm getting lazy in my old age.
Trooper is a coated, lovable idiot with his TT and CGC. Working on his CD.
BTW, Thunder has never had a prong, choke or e-collar on and has never had a leash correction in training to his titles.

All marker trained!

That is SOOOOOO cool! I've heard(read) that you guys got SchH3 with only marker training, and I have a local trainer around me who's got an amazing dog who's never had a correction on the field. I know it's possible, but it still is awesome. What an achievement.