Bolo Pads On Labradors

[Labkisses]

Hello Labrador Breeders

Can anyone please tell me your experiences of 'bolo pads' in your litters and what you think about them. One of our chocolate pups has a white stripe on her chest and patches on the pads of her feet.

We are finding buyers all keen on purchasing this little pup but after we mention that she has these markings they back off, probably questioning if our dogs are truley purebred or not. How do you react to things like this?

Thanks in advance.

[Aziah]

Can we have a pic please so we can see? Sounds interesting (the markings)...

I feel it's important you take the time to explain (cut and paste from a web source or the like) the markings and that they occur randomly on occassion (or why ever it is they occur)...this might stop them thinking that the pup isn't purebred?

[MissMonaro]

Yes we have had it in our pups....and if you do research on it you will find it dates back to the early labs.

I'll find a link for you.

White marks on the chest are permissible, just not desirable.

As for the Bolo spots....I tell my puppy ppl that it can be traced back to the very early Labradors and tell them the story and I never have people not buying a pup because of it. Most find the story fascinating.

[MissMonaro]

Labrador Mismarks

BOLO PADS...

In 1916 the Labrador Club was formed in England with support from Lord Knutsford (Munden Kennel line) and Lady Lorna, Countess Howe (Banchory Labradors). Some chocolate labs are said to trace back to FC Banchory Night Light from the Banchory Kennel. He was a black dog born in 1932 in England. Night Light comes from the line of Dual Ch. Banchory Bolo (1915) who appears to be a carrier of the chocolate gene from Buccleuch Avon. Sh. Ch. Banchory Bolo was also known for carrying a trait of white hairs under the feet (Bolo pads).

In the late 1930's Chocolate Labradors were known to be at two kennels: Tibshelfs & Cookridge. Some of these lines connect down to NFC-AFC Storm's Riptide Star from Buccleuch Avon and Banchory Bolo.

Bolo Spots/Marks

This is called a "Bolo spot" or bolo mark. Its named after CH. Banchory Bolo one of the early Labs who had these spots and passed them on to his get and future generations. Bolo spots are found on the back of the leg above the pad. This is NOT considered a mismark.

More pictures

Edited May 18, 2010 by MissMonaro

[puglvr]

That is hugely interesting. I have a female black pug who has these spots. And she is not a good black colour, she actually is lacking in pigment and her grandmother would be classified as chocolate by those who don't know bacause of the same lack of pigment.

[Bisart Dobes]

This is very interesting - thanks for posting this - I've learnt something today .

Dobes have white spots come through sometimes. A few lines here have quite prominent white marks on their prosternum. Some have white toes which tend to disappear as they age - we had one with white toes in our last litter, which disappeared by about 4 mths and now he has just a white stripe down one toenail, his speed stripe .

It seems that your puppy's markings are so minor I find it interesting that people are put off by it - do they lessen or disappear with age ?

[Labkisses]

Thanks everyone for their replies and thank you MissMonaro for posting those links.

I have added a link to our website so anyone enquiring about our chocolate female is aware before contacting us. We did end up selling her last night and the new owners arent concerned whatsoever after they checked the link and I spoke to them about it

After checking over the little girl with the markings, some have already seemed to have disappeared under her feet. The one on her chest is still there though and probably wont disappear as it is quite long. I think it makes her unique in a way

I've tried to attach a photo of her but my files are too big

[FHRP]

My Vizsla has Bolo pads Interesting that these things attract a name and special attention in some breeds Like "Futaki" horns and the "Esterhazy saddle" both of which can be found on Vizslas, and although their naming is unique to the breed, the physical traits certainly aren't. My young Vizsla has white spots, described as Bolo pads in Labs, on three of his feet/legs. He has no white on his toes (which can occur in the breed and is acceptable if not above the knuckle) and only a very slight roaned white patch on his chest (again acceptable). His pigment and colour is excellent for the breed. Interesting that buyers are baulking at the pup with Bolo pads, often I find people are attracted to the pup which is slightly different to the others! I know I often am

[shellbyville]

I have a boy that passes on his white spot on his chest to some of his black babies and also occasionally the white hair on the paws turns up in some of my pups. He was the first of any of my pups to have this... I was devastated, the white flash was quite significant when he was a pup. I ended up giving him to one of my kids (adult child). The dog is 2 now and the white flash is now just a small white strip and hardly noticeable. So remember that a largish white flash on your puppy will most likely not end up being very noticeable or will be much smaller on a grown dog. Also the white on the paws is hardly noticeable as an adult as well. I have heard bolo pads referred to as 'lucky paw', which is kind of cute.

I have had a few pups with a bit of white and have never had any trouble selling them. I wouldn't sell one with a lot of white to a show/breeding home, but to a pet home it is no problem.

Edited May 19, 2010 by shellbyville

[sandgrubber]

I have had a few litters with white spots, never Bolo pads. Great story btw. I find people like the white spot on pets . . . one family named the pup 'Stella' for 'star' (Spanish and other Latin languages). They were quite disappointed when it shrank down to a few white hairs

[gundogs xoxo]

My old chocolate girl has white under her paws and greyed at a very early age. One of the links about bolo spots said they wondered if there was a link between the white spots and greying as a adult?? I have had a few puppies with white pads in my choc puppies but not on the blacks... never had puppy families question it though.

[MissMonaro]

Interestingly enough....my first chocolate labrador started to go grey around the muzzle around 14 months of age. I used to chuckle to myself when ppl would come up and say "aww how old is the old dear?" ...and watch their faces when I told them how "young" she was.

She also has bolo spots and also produced them in her pups. And it wasnt uncommon for one pup in the litter to appear with a small white spot on the chest and some with white hairs on the feet.

The white hairs on the feet would disappear and the spots on the chest would also all but disappear as well.

[Wyn]

Labrador Mismarks

BOLO PADS...

In 1916 the Labrador Club was formed in England with support from Lord Knutsford (Munden Kennel line) and Lady Lorna, Countess Howe (Banchory Labradors). Some chocolate labs are said to trace back to FC Banchory Night Light from the Banchory Kennel. He was a black dog born in 1932 in England. Night Light comes from the line of Dual Ch. Banchory Bolo (1915) who appears to be a carrier of the chocolate gene from Buccleuch Avon. Sh. Ch. Banchory Bolo was also known for carrying a trait of white hairs under the feet (Bolo pads).

In the late 1930's Chocolate Labradors were known to be at two kennels: Tibshelfs & Cookridge. Some of these lines connect down to NFC-AFC Storm's Riptide Star from Buccleuch Avon and Banchory Bolo.

Bolo Spots/Marks

This is called a "Bolo spot" or bolo mark. Its named after CH. Banchory Bolo one of the early Labs who had these spots and passed them on to his get and future generations. Bolo spots are found on the back of the leg above the pad. This is NOT considered a mismark.

More pictures

And in fact it has long since been thought that the appearence of Bolo spots suggested that the litter was a "typey" litter, or in other words true to type, and I would have to say so far that has, for the most part been correct.