Labrador Retriever

[blackdog]

I posted in general discussions concerning an add in our local paper for a black and gold lab. Several DOLers responded with the option to look at a certain link which I am sure we have all seen before.

SO I thought I would ask the other Lab breeders - have they ever bred, or seen someone else breed a mismarked Lab like the add or the link refers to?

Never bred one Mercedes but have seen 3 litters of "Black and Tans" in my 30 years experience.

They are a recognised mismark in the same way as Liver Pointed yellows are incorrect.

But recognised mismarks in Labradors are not new.

Many of us have experienced the white spot on the chest of blacks (permissable in the breed standard but not desirable).

And occassionally that small white spot can stretch from elbow to elbow - yikes.

Or worse still from the point of the sternum right down under the belly.

I have a book written many many years ago by Mary Roslin-Williams that has a photo of two "hailstone" labradors.

Blue black coats covered in white spots - extrordinary really - quite outstanding type but incorrect coat colour.

And here's one that I will admit to - I once bred a simply stunning yellow dog that had (wait for it) - a black patch on one ear!!

And bred from the very best bloodlines in the country too BTW - he went to a magnificent home on limited register.

The family had a young son with spina bifida and they trained the dog as an assistance companion for the lad.

A black mismark on his ear didn't stop that dog fulfilling his destiny.

But I certainly didn't jack up the price and sell the dog as a "rarity" or a "curiosity" either.

[KJ]

I have had a brindle in a litter, in fact my Teddy has a brindle litter sister!lPhoto of puppy it is the first puppy in the brindling section......(thanks to Kirsten written beside it!)

[mikelli]

We had a little girl with a black spot on her ribs, when she was born I rubbed and rubbed, thought it was blood, but no, it never came off, she had a lovely home and was a much loved family member.

[sandgrubber]

I posted in general discussions concerning an add in our local paper for a black and gold lab. Several DOLers responded with the option to look at a certain link which I am sure we have all seen before.

SO I thought I would ask the other Lab breeders - have they ever bred, or seen someone else breed a mismarked Lab like the add or the link refers to?

We don't know what the lab in the add looks like. The link shows one of a few possibilities . .. I would say a less likely possibility. Semi-brindles and black-and-tans are more common see the Wing-N-Wave pages on Lab colour genetics). Occasional spots, especially on the chest, are not at all rare (I'm told that a certain Gr Ch has a white star that is routinely corrected by dying).

It is well established that brindle and black-and-tan mismarks can appear from Labs of excellent breeding. They are highly visible and automatic disqualifications, but I wouldn't say they are a disgrace. Cosmetic defects, in my book, are far less serious than health defects or defects of temperament. I have two brindle-type mismark Labs who stay in my boarding kennel. Both are well bred, but apart from unfortunate colouring, they're regular Labradors.

[Tapua]

I just had a litter of 12 black 2 had a few white hairs which disappeared by 8 weeks but no other missmarks. I think Assistance Dogs and the Guide Dogs get alot of miss marked pups. Of course the colouring does not affect the purpose/destiny of the pup but its interesting isnt it that they missmarks come up.

[lab_called_Marli]

Hey all

WOW i havent been on here for a few month's now , not sure if anyone remember's me hahaha

My question is , How can i prevent my Lab from destroying its own Bed ?

We had bought a kennel at first for Marli but she ended up chewing it and destroying it ( as it was one of those wooden one's bad mistake self to note get maybe plastic next time ) So she now has one of those beds that sit about 5cm of the ground and have four metal corner's with the mesh stuff in the middle.

The problem is the one we have is the bed that has in each corner four little gap's about the size of your fist but enough for Marli to get her teeth into, she has already completely wrecked one to piece's ( meaning she ripped all the mesh off ) got her a second cover and has started again.

I did try a home job went and got the strongest tape on the market and taped up the four corner's but this morning she had chewed past one corner lucky i woke up early enough to take the bed away from her.

any other ideas to prevent this ?? i have tried putting Hash over it but wasnt strong enough , im looking for maybe some old skool ideas ?? as those spray things are rubbish that they say prevent dogs from chewing as i found out my dog LOVES citrus stuff so they wont work either.

the worst thing will be if she does wreck this one again i did find a shop that sell's bed's that are completely covered and have NO gaps for the teeth to get into but they are also more $$$$

any ideas please let me know !

P.S

i have given her more toy's etc she is just over 6 months old..

[macka]

Hi Lab Called Marli,

For general discussion you ought to post your question in the "Those crazy Labradors" thread in the breed subforums here: http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...amp;start=18030

This thread is more for education about the labrador breed.

[curly sue]

Any breed standard it is always open to different interpretations by different people.

But if one reads the Labrador Retriever breed standard one word keeps cropping up - BROAD.

Nowhere does the standard say anything about fine, snipey, tall, sloppy topline, exposed ribcage etc.

It would be a worthwhile exercise for all to read the breed extension (you can find it on the ANKC website).

The extension was written to assist judges and breed enthusiasts to better understand the breed standard.

It does this by "interpreting" some of the terminology and putting words and descriptions into laymans terms.

The Labrador RETRIEVER was never intended to race around madly, crashing thru undergrowth, leaping fences and swimming expanses of water the width of Sydney harbour. Most Labs in the UK (for 100 years) have been used to simply pick up at a shoot.

Picking up is very different to the work that other gundogs are expected to do.

Some breeds flush game, others point game, some will spring game - all are expected (and can) mark and retrieve game.

But somewhere along the line trial enthusiasts began trying to get their Labs to be great all rounders.

Labs are not built like a GSP or a Weimaraner or a Viszla.

The desire to breed a faster, leaner more enthusiastic Labrador began in England in the 1960's.

One retrieving kennel in particular began winning all of the trials with labs that resembled Black Kelpies.

Sure they were fast and tenacious - their retrieving instinct was incredible.

But very few readers would realise that the owner/breeder of these particular dogs had 12ft high fencing at his kennels.

The dogs were mad - almost impossible for others to control - but boy could they compete at field trials.

In my opinion that is not the type of labrador as described in the breed standard!!!!!

Excellent post,, but I would go even further to say that some dogs being shown are far too small, not "broad" enough. We know over here for the most part, if an Australian judge is judging the labs, the finer dogs with no head coat or tail will win every time and they do, The dogs are strung up like a skinned rabbit which might give them reach of neck but also gives them a straight front with no angulation, which is completely incorrect. I love showing under the UK judges as they always want the dogs on loose leads. So my plea would be to Judges is this a labrador is HEAD, COAT, TAIL, they should be a powerful dogs that moves with reach and drive, not trit trot around the ring like a hackney pony , with their tail stuck up in the air, and please please please don't look for under coat along the back, I am very tempted to ask the next judge that looks for undercoat along the back if they are looking for fleas, undercoat is found along the side/ ribs etc. My dogs are completely show lines, but boy can they work , and so they should, I am very sad to said that a lot of the dogs being shown these days couldn't do the job they are bred to do, that been said, a number of breeds are in the same boat.

[Just love my dogs!]

Hey all

WOW i havent been on here for a few month's now , not sure if anyone remember's me hahaha

My question is , How can i prevent my Lab from destroying its own Bed ?

We had bought a kennel at first for Marli but she ended up chewing it and destroying it ( as it was one of those wooden one's bad mistake self to note get maybe plastic next time ) So she now has one of those beds that sit about 5cm of the ground and have four metal corner's with the mesh stuff in the middle.

The problem is the one we have is the bed that has in each corner four little gap's about the size of your fist but enough for Marli to get her teeth into, she has already completely wrecked one to piece's ( meaning she ripped all the mesh off ) got her a second cover and has started again.

I did try a home job went and got the strongest tape on the market and taped up the four corner's but this morning she had chewed past one corner lucky i woke up early enough to take the bed away from her.

any other ideas to prevent this ?? i have tried putting Hash over it but wasnt strong enough , im looking for maybe some old skool ideas ?? as those spray things are rubbish that they say prevent dogs from chewing as i found out my dog LOVES citrus stuff so they wont work either.

the worst thing will be if she does wreck this one again i did find a shop that sell's bed's that are completely covered and have NO gaps for the teeth to get into but they are also more $$$$

any ideas please let me know !

P.S

i have given her more toy's etc she is just over 6 months old..

Good question. I would like to know the answer to this too!

[spoilt lab lives here]

Best advice, Wait it out. My boy is 4 and has only had priveliages of a bed in the last 6 months. He would destory everything else and then sleep on the ground. Tough love but he is enjoying the beds these days. Occassionally I hear him having a chew even now and I take it off him for a while and give it back while he is supervised and he doesnt touch it.

To this day he will not leave a blanket in his kennel, he drags it out onto the grass.

[Tapua]

My husband solved the bed chewing problem by welding a steel frame with a mesh base to which we fitted -snuggly -conveyor belting - so far nothing destroyed - as yet! Not warm and cuddly like a blanket but they are off the concrete which works for me!

[lab_called_Marli]

Hey all ,

WOW i havent been on here for about 6 months now , Marli turns 1 tomorrow YAY some treats coming her way hahaha. i have just got a question..

what temperature can labs handle ? as it is coming heavily into winter now here in Sydney i was just wondering because Marli Perfer's to be outside , she does have a kennel with plenty of blankets and some of those throw rugs that keep the warmth in them.

Labs being known to handle the cold i was just wondering ,

[Lab lady]

Some like the cold, some don't.

You need to remember what they we breed to do,

swim to retrieve fishing nets and I'm sure the waters off the Newfoundland coast weren't all that warm

How they cope during winter will depend a lot on the individual and the amount of coat they are caring. Labs from colder climates will usually have a coat with a heavier undercoat than those in the warmer areas.

[lab_called_Marli]

mmmm doesnt really answer my question hehehe , how can u tell if they arent handling being outside in the winter then ?

[labsrule]

mmmm doesnt really answer my question hehehe , how can u tell if they arent handling being outside in the winter then ?

Probably with the whining at the door wanting to come inside or barking and being unsettled outside, or with reluctance to want to go outside when it is cold

[lab_called_Marli]

Hey all ,

well it is the middle of winter that's for sure hahaha..

Question :

I bought marli one of those cover's you bought on the dog i forget what the exact wording , it one of those really good one's with really warm fur on the inside of it to help make her body warm , anyway whenever i put it on her she tries to rip it straight off and will keep biting at it till she gets it off. any ideas how i can stop this ?? ( i end up taking it off her and she doesn't get to wear it )

as i know it would be a benefit to her if she wore it during this winter period.

[Joan of Arc]

Personally, if she has a good kennel to escape to that is lined and has lots of warm bedding in it she shouldnt need a coat. having said that, where are you situated? It is only 5 degrees here today and so if I was home the dogs were inside. Not that they were necessarily 'suffering' outside but why should they be out when I'm home.

How old is she now? She should be starting to build a nice winter coat but if she is still a pup it might not be good enough until her adult coat comes in.

Put the coat on her, then keep her distracted by playing with her, treating her for not chewing at it etc. She will soon learn to ignore it.

[aussielover]

Question about labrador puppies:

Do they all go through a long and leggy stage?

My puppy has a playmate/boyfriend who is one week older than her, but seems much stockier, where as Mindy is now quite long legged and lean.

This puppy is also smaller than my puppy and shorter in body as well. His legs seem a bit thicker though, maybe he will go through a growth spurt soon though? What do the experts think?

RE: destructive/ naughty lab myth-

Just wanted to add, that my puppy is one of the best puppies, has not destroyed a single item in my home (apart from her toys and stuff we give her), toilet trained very quickly, extremely quick learner (better than my aussie shep) knows over 20 commands, brings in the paper in the morning, great with other people, kids and dogs but can ignore distractions when neccesary, excellent recall, so affectionate and loving, i couldn't ask for a better puppy!

At the moment she is curled up at my feet and work, I don't even need to tie her up.

Having said that, I am not an expert or experienced trainer, we have only done basics at puppy school and we are starting obedience next week, so it is entirely possible to have a well behaved lab with minimal effort (in my short experience). While she is not a "perfect" puppy (wouldn't that be boring?)- we've had a few accidents inside, some mouthing and jumping issues (now resolved), I persoanlly think she is turning out to be such a great little dog :p She could probably be perfectly behaved with someone who actually knew what they were doing!

If anyone is thinking about getting a lab, please don't be put off by people saying that are crazy, pyscho, out of control etc, because its just not true- if you put a bit of time and effort into early training and mental stimulation you'll be rewared with a great companion

[macka]

RE: destructive/ naughty lab myth-

Just wanted to add, that my puppy is one of the best puppies, has not destroyed a single item in my home (apart from her toys and stuff we give her), toilet trained very quickly, extremely quick learner (better than my aussie shep) knows over 20 commands, brings in the paper in the morning, great with other people, kids and dogs but can ignore distractions when neccesary, excellent recall, so affectionate and loving, i couldn't ask for a better puppy!

At the moment she is curled up at my feet and work, I don't even need to tie her up.

Archer was great as a pup too. Never destroyed anything, great recall, etc etc.

Now at 10 months he has destroyed every single one of my pot plants and his recall has vanished! :p

Not saying Mindy will do this but they can go through a challenging phase during adolescence so be prepared.

[aussielover]

aww, but archer's so cute! He seemed well behaved at the meet the other day though.

Yeah, I am waiting for Mindy to go thru the teenage period, just enjoying the good behaviour while it lasts :p

Hoping her recall remains ok though as there aren't any fenced parks near me.