Labradors And Agility

[RallyValley]

Sas I think the issue the OP was discussing was could a lab be winning, not could a lab compete.

Edited March 31, 2010 by valleyCBR

[Kavik]

Yes Lincoln will def be jumping 600 ;)

My agility instructor said something to me once I will never forget, it was when I was unsure about Tobys agility carrer because he had broken his leg so young, he said a dog is only in the ring for a minute or so and won't do more then 20(? forgotten the right amount) obstacles. Unless you train jumps for like an hour a day a few jumps a day won't have a huge impact on a healthy dog. I limit my training over jumps with Toby and train at a lower height at home because of his leg. Except for the handling side of things jumps are pretty much the same object as the day before and the day before that. ;)

Sorry reading your post I got confused as to which one was your dog I had it right the first time then changed it!

[RallyValley]

It's fine Kavik. Bronson is my friends lab and Masons (the lab's) cousin so I knew Masons Mom would get the reference.

Edited March 31, 2010 by valleyCBR

[poodlefan]

I wouldn't thought a Lab was considered a big dog to start with? What's so wrong with a Labs conformation that it can't handle Agility?

For some dogs, their conformation doesn't make it impossible but it does make it more difficult. For the size of a Lab's leg length, it has to propel a hell of a lot of body and weight over a significant height. Contrast a Labrador and a Hungarian Vizsla's conformation and note that they will jump the same height in agility. The dog with the longer leg length in proportion to height and the lower body weight will have the athletic advantage.

Which of these two dogs of approximately the same height is going to get over jumps and narrow dog walks more easily. Bear in mind that the Lab will probably be up to 10kg heavier too.

Edited March 31, 2010 by poodlefan

[RallyValley]

It also depends on Lab type. This is Bronson, a show bred lab from WA who is 10 and represents when a different 'type' was in fashion (and one I personally prefer). He is the absolute max height for a lab but at 10 going on 11 has no joint problems and will still do the jumps in my backyard, he is and always has been a very active dog.

[Monah]

Nice Viz!!! ;)

[poodlefan]

Nice Viz!!! ;)

He's Australian Grand Champion Heiderst Sachmo aka Cooper. ;)

[Mas1981]

I wouldn't thought a Lab was considered a big dog to start with? What's so wrong with a Labs conformation that it can't handle Agility?

For some dogs, their conformation doesn't make it impossible but it does make it more difficult. For the size of a Lab's leg length, it has to propel a hell of a lot of body and weight over a significant height. Contrast a Labrador and a Hungarian Vizsla's conformation and note that they will jump the same height in agility. The dog with the longer leg length in proportion to height and the lower body weight will have the athletic advantage.

Which of these two dogs of approximately the same height is going to get over jumps and narrow dog walks more easily. Bear in mind that the Lab will probably be up to 10kg heavier too.

I agree 100% with you , if you look at the 2 dogs which one looks naturally more able to jump? Sure they both might make it over the jump or obstacles but which one is the most naturally athletic?? and which one would it be easier for, of course the light boned dog. Here is a pic of my dog, we have been told he is a bit too heavy at the moment and would need to lose weight if i want to join agility, he isnt fat or overweight so he would have to be half starved to shift anything off him. There are many labs with different shaped bodies etc and a friend of mine has a very lightly built girl who is very agile and she will do well, then there are the heavyset ones, and I wouldnt use them for agility its not fair.

[perfect partners]

I wouldn't thought a Lab was considered a big dog to start with? What's so wrong with a Labs conformation that it can't handle Agility?

We get comments in the Dane world that Danes are too big, however in our breed if they are bred well they should be able to do agility without any problem however when training there are some obsticles they should not do until later as their growth takes longer.

There are thousands and thousands of Danes that do Agility in America, in Australia so many clubs discourage it through lack of education and also they just don't know how to train such a big dog to do certain obsticles.

Last year the Australian Dane community lost Csaba who was an amazing Agility Dane with I think every title possible.

We went to agility classes and had to pull out because they had no idea how to deal with us.

That's a shame you had to stop doing agility with your Danes. There are also quite a few Newfoundlands with agility titles in America yet here people look at you like you are insane if you mention doing it with a Newf. I'm teaching my Newf to do agility obstacles at home using equipment I have for teaching my horses jumping and trail obstacles and I've got some agility DVDs to give me some help. Once I've taught her the basics I'll look around for a club that is open minded! I do think that if you're going to do physically demanding activities with a giant breed it is crucial that they are fit - something I was also fussy about with my horses as well.

[poodlefan]

That's a shame you had to stop doing agility with your Danes. There are also quite a few Newfoundlands with agility titles in America yet here people look at you like you are insane if you mention doing it with a Newf. I'm teaching my Newf to do agility obstacles at home using equipment I have for teaching my horses jumping and trail obstacles and I've got some agility DVDs to give me some help. Once I've taught her the basics I'll look around for a club that is open minded! I do think that if you're going to do physically demanding activities with a giant breed it is crucial that they are fit - something I was also fussy about with my horses as well.

My guess is that Newfs in the USA receive some dispensation for their build and aren't expected to jump 60cm jumps. There are no such dispensations here.

We had a Newf try it at our club. She did not fit in the tunnels or the chute. She also couldn't stay on the dog walk plank - she was too wide.

Edited March 31, 2010 by poodlefan

[Cosmolo]

We had a newfoundland do agility with us- he loved it. Perfect partners, i think your girl would be fine- she's smaller than the newf we had dabble in it.

[Kavik]

I think giant sized dogs would struggle with agility. As poodlefan said the tunnels are a squeeze and the dogwalk and seesaw planks are narrow. Also a giant breed would have to do a lot more work in bending its body to weave.

[Aidan]

Even some of the heavier show labs are still an athletic dog provided they are kept in hard working condition. I don't think agility presents any unusual physical challenges for a lab.

[RubyStar]

I don't think anyone is thinking a Lab of that size being in the agility ring. Well, I'm not! That weight would be horrid on the joints would it not?? Eh, I don't know

This should be able to handle agility better, but surprisingly, she's still a shocker at jumping

My other girl who is approximately the same size/weight, she's the one I'm doing agility with.

ETA: My girls are slim but not the athletic field type Labs.

Edited March 31, 2010 by RubyStar

[Cosmolo]

I think provided experienced people are instructing, dogs are well conditioned and owners have realistic expectations, its no issue for giant dogs to dabble in agility.

[Tiggy]

Masons_mum where did you get Mason from? A lady at my work has a big black Lab from Burberry who's similar to your boy but but even boofier but he's a stud dog.

Edited March 31, 2010 by Tiggy

[Mas1981]

Masons_mum where did you get Mason from? A lady at my work has a big black Lab from Burberry who's similar to your boy but but even boofier but he's a stud dog.

I never got him from Burberry

[Alfie02]

Thanks heaps for all the responses guys . Im glad that the 'show' type labs are still able to do agility if there kept in tip top shape and not overwieght, thas really good to know. I can imagine alot of labs are loving doing agility!

[Lablover]

Hello everyone

I was just wondering, can Labradors do agility? Can their hips handle all the jumping? I love labradors and am hoping to get one at the end of the year, but I am also interested in doing agility, would this be possible with a lab?

Thanks

US bred working line labrador. Gawd, they can be ugly. But you can become used to 'em!

Edited March 31, 2010 by Lablover

[Paulp]

My boy is not purebred, he is a first gen lab X golden retriever so he is from two breeds that love thier food and gain weight easily. I have not done agility with him but he competed in his first flyball comp in Jan last year. At the time he was solid and weighed about 37kgs, most people thought he was in good condition. When I saw the rigours of flyball first hand I decided to get some weight off him to protect his joints in the long term. By cutting back his food by 10-20% for several months before stabilising it again he is down to 32kg. Interestingly he dropped about half that weight before I started seeing any difference in his physique, I think labs are quite good at hiding weight. They aren't great photos for comparison but here he is in his first flyball comp and at his current weight. If I took went down the agility route I think I would do the same thing, get any excess weight off him.