Fat Labradors: A Thought

[sandgrubber]

I've had 14 Labbies in the boarding kennel over Easter. Among them, they dispayed the best and the worst stereotypes about the breed. All all of them are gutsers. There's a wide range in how much rib and waste-line they show. I have to confess, to me they look better slightly rounded: the really lean one look skinny and tend to act food obsessed. And thinking about the breed origin and job description, which is big on swimming in cold water and working when cold and wet, I think the breed might be nudged a bit in the direction of marine mammals, where a layer of blubber is entirely healthy and the lack of fat results in reproductive failure, if not death.

I have a couple hundred Labbie clients in my kennel. One is diabetic . .. and I do believe chronic obesity can be unhealthy. But might it be wrong to place Labs in the same class as hot climate dogs, bred for working in hot, dry conditions?

Curious to know how others see this.

Edited April 5, 2010 by sandgrubber

[kirst_goldens]

i also work at a boarding kennel and have seen the extremly fat labs and some lovely fit looking labs..

i think that if they are a pet not working - as most are, then if ur theory is correct the extra layer is unecessary?? Just a though

I also think that the leaner the better on their joints and better in the long run

[RallyValley]

I think a Lab in condition to participate in a field trial should be the ideal weight as this is the closest to 'original purpose' most retrievers in Australia get. However I am probably biased coming from a breed where all dogs are dual purpose so that is the shown and accepted condition, with many dogs competing alternately.

[Bjelkier]

My Lab is lean and although he needs to be that way due to bad hips, I believe he looks better this way too.

I dont think Labs need extra weight on them, even a little. Most are pets and its very unlikely that they will be jumping into icy water any time soon.

[macka]

Maybe if you have a working lab and they get most of their exercise swimming, a layer of fat could be excused.

However for your average pet that extra weight is simply going to put more pressure on the joints.

I see so many overweight labs around and I find it very upsetting. Labs that are so full of joy and life but can barely run around the park from all the blubber they are carrying. It's cruel.

Edited April 5, 2010 by macka

[poodlefan]

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever was bred to work in conditions that at times involved breaking ice to enter the water. It is leaner than Labs.

Most working Labs are leaner than any pet.

Most water retrievers rely on insulating or quick drying fur. I fail to see how a dog bred to work all day retrieving on land and water could possibly benefit from being fat.

The strain on joints, liagments etc would outweigh any inulating benefit from all that weight.

[melzawelza]

I also work at a kennel and see hundreds and hundreds of labs, and I have to say it's extremely rare to see one that isn't OBESE let alone just overweight. Whenever I see a lean, fit lab I always congratulate the owner.

I used to live win a young lab and her owner kept her so incredibly lean and fit. She was just a stunner and I loved seeing her out and about. The vet told my housemate to keep doing what she was doing because she was the healthiest lab shed seen in a long time. When I'm on my laptop I'll post a pic.

[melzawelza]

I also work at a kennel and see hundreds and hundreds of labs, and I have to say it's extremely rare to see one that isn't OBESE let alone just overweight. Whenever I see a lean, fit lab I always congratulate the owner.

I used to live win a young lab and her owner kept her so incredibly lean and fit. She was just a stunner and I loved seeing her out and about. The vet told my housemate to keep doing what she was doing because she was the healthiest lab shed seen in a long time. When I'm on my laptop I'll post a pic.

[luffy4688]

My Lab is lean and although he needs to be that way due to bad hips, I believe he looks better this way too.

I dont think Labs need extra weight on them, even a little. Most are pets and its very unlikely that they will be jumping into icy water any time soon.

He does looks good! :rofl:

[RallyValley]

Sorry just to clarify, I think Labs should be fit and lean and well muscled like field trial dogs and most Cheapeakes are. I don't think you should be able to feel 'blubber', any bulk on a lab (and almost any breed actually) should be muscle, not fat.

[Mas1981]

I dont think there is any excuse for a lab to be overweight, if you dont overfeed them and exercise them daily then they wouldnt be obese.

Here are 2 pics taken of my boy today at his party I recently got him to drop a Kg because I was worried for his joints, he is looking fit and healthy now IMO.

[~*Shell*~]

Lestat (pictured above) is my idea of how a lab should look weight-wise. He's food obsessed but he and Zero are about the same in that regard - they even give me the same "puhleease?" look when I have food near them!

[twoblackdogs]

My bitch is shown as well as Trialled in Retrieving and I always get compliments on her condition, I try and keep her around 28-30 kgs as she is a smaller build.

She is always on the go and eats about 1/4 more than my boy.

My Boy is a heavier boned dog and he normally weighs between 30 - 32 kgs. He is also in very good condition

He Needs to be encouraged to exercise and you can soon tell if he is starting to get a little too heavy.

I have seen lots of dogs too heavy for the more demanding types of exercise that comes with Retrieving and Obedience trials.

It's such a pity these owners can't see how much the dogs are struggling.

How can you find a happy median between what is expected in the show ring and in the Field.

I know I've found it!

[wolfgirl]

This is my girl, I keep her between 27 and 29 kilos which I think is a perfect weight for her. We often get comments like "my gosh a skinny lab" to which I reply "no she isn't skinny just a nice weight" Trouble is so many people are used to seeing very overweight labs it has become a perception.

Too much pressure from being overweight and especially on joints but also the heart has to work so much harder as well.

Edited April 5, 2010 by wolfgirl

[Mas1981]

This is my girl, I keep her between 27 and 29 kilos which I think is a perfect weight for her. We often get comments like "my gosh a skinny lab" to which I reply "no she isn't skinny just a nice weight" Trouble is so many people are used to seeing very overweight labs it has become a perception.

Too much pressure from being overweight and especially on joints but also the heart has to work so much harder as well.

I also get 'look at that skinny black lab over there, he must be starving" but the people who make the comments always have fat labs walking at their sides My boy weighs 31Kg which for a male is not a lot at all, he is only a year so he may grow a bit but I wont let him get fat

[Paulp]

When my boy started flyball and I saw the rigours that the sport would place on him I decided to get some weight off him. I didn't consider him fat but thought he "could lose a couple of kilos". He dropped from 37 kg down to 31-32kg over about 6 months. The interesting thing is that he lost several kgs before there was any appreciable effect on his physique. I assume this was from losing visceral fat. In humans it is visceral fat that is the worst for your health so I think that any lab that is carrying appreciable fat on its frame has plenty of internal fat as well that is detrimental to it's health. So even if your lab is not participating in sport being fat is going to be detrimental to its health.

There are several labs in flyball that are carting around way too much weight, I shudder to think how they will be moving in ten years time, luckily they aren't particularly fast so don't hit the box too hard.

This is Ebon now

My other lab Princess who is a flyball beginner and weighs about 24kgs

[Swizzlestick]

As a vet nurse I rarely see a labrador that is a nice lean healthy weight.

One that was in a few weeks ago looked fantastic. Lean, healthy with a beautiful coat. He was only 3yo, but had lost 12kg in the last year.

Another one we had in two weeks ago (who managed to deglove her tail) was 51.2kg She isn't a very large dog. Her ideal weight would have been about 28kg I'd say. She is so overweight she needs help to get up off the floor. She is now on a strict diet though, and her owner is taking it seriously which is promising.

[RubyStar]

wolfgirl, Pearl looks LOVELY! That is the size I like my Labs to be (which they are) Mine both weigh 24.5kg. I really dislike fat labs.

[OSoSwift]

No they do need need any extra layers of fat. They need good firm strong muscle, enough cover so their bones are not poking out, but the ribs are easily felt under the skin.

Most Labs are overweight/obese. I have seen few I would class as fit and lean.

On the odd occasion I have seen a fit lean one I make sure I tell the owner how wonderful their dog looks.

[tdierikx]

My girl is nice and lean - but there is a slight layer there if you feel her rib area - and she has a bit of "booty"...

She stays lean by playing with the foster pups... *grin*

T.