Chambray Labradors Illustrating The Breed Standard
11/10/2010
Illustrating The Breed Standard
The series of informative articles recently published to the website, "How A Winner Is Made" and "How To Present A Winner" has brought about many inquiries concerning the verbiage used in the written Labrador Breed Standard and how it actually applies to a real life dog.
There seems to be much confusion on understanding the written "blue print" and then taking that information and attempting to build something with it.
The following offering will use real life photos of dogs to illustrate certain passages of the Breed Standard.
The full Labrador Retriever Breed Standard may be downloaded at the AKC's breed pages http://www.akc.org/breeds/labrador_retriever/
|
The photo above
illustrates the proper way to measure a dog for the following Breed
Standard descriptive:
Proportion--Short-coupled;
length from the point of the shoulder to the point of the rump is equal
to or slightly longer than the distance from the withers to the ground.
H to W is the height measured from the ground up to point W which is
the Withers.
P to L is the length distance from the Point of Shoulder (P) to the Rump
(L).
If you actually take a ruler and
measure the 2 lines above against each other, you will see that PL is
slightly longer than HW, exactly as the standard calls for below:
Labrador
Retriever Breed Standard
Size,
Proportion and Substance
Size--The height at the withers for a dog is 22½ to 24½ inches;
for a bitch is 21½ to 23½ inches. Any variance greater than ½ inch above
or below these heights is a disqualification. Approximate weight of dogs
and bitches in working condition: dogs 65 to 80 pounds; bitches 55 to 70
pounds.
Hogan pictured above
under Labrador breeder judge Carl Liepman ( judged the Labrador
Retriever Nationals) winning a
Group I, then went on to win a Best In Show minutes later!
Proportion--Short-coupled; length from the point of the shoulder to the point of the rump is equal to or slightly longer than the distance from the withers to the ground.
The dotted red line across the elbows is equal to one half the height at the the withers & the brisket extends right to the elbows!
Distance
from the elbow to the ground should be equal to one half of the height
at the withers. The brisket should extend to the elbows, but not
perceptibly deeper. The body must be of sufficient length to permit a
straight, free and efficient stride; but the dog should never appear low
and long or tall and leggy in outline. Substance--Substance and
bone proportionate to the overall dog. Light, "weedy" individuals are
definitely incorrect; equally objectionable are cloddy lumbering
specimens. Labrador Retrievers shall be shown in working condition
well-muscled and without excess fat.
|
The photo above describes the chest area:
*"Chest
breadth that is either too wide or too narrow" "the Labrador Retriever
shows a well-developed, but not exaggerated forechest".
Dog above exemplifies the breed standard for correct chest.
The red line
illustrates the following:
**The underline
is almost straight, with little or no tuck-up in mature animals.
Neck,
Topline and Body
Neck--The neck should be of proper length to allow the dog to
retrieve game easily. It should be muscular and free from throatiness.
The neck should rise strongly from the shoulders with a moderate arch. A
short, thick neck or a "ewe" neck is incorrect. Topline--The
back is strong and the topline is level from the withers to the croup
when standing or moving. However, the loin should show evidence of
flexibility for athletic endeavor. Body--The Labrador should be
short-coupled, with good spring of ribs tapering to a moderately wide
chest. *The Labrador should not be
narrow chested; giving the appearance of hollowness between the front
legs, nor should it have a wide spreading, bulldog-like front. Correct
chest conformation will result in tapering between the front legs that
allows unrestricted forelimb movement. Chest breadth that is either too
wide or too narrow for efficient movement and stamina is incorrect.
Slab-sided individuals are not typical of the breed; equally
objectionable are rotund or barrel chested specimens.**The underline is almost straight, with little or
no tuck-up in mature animals. Loins
should be short, wide and strong; extending to well developed, powerful
hindquarters. When viewed from the side,
the Labrador Retriever shows a
well-developed, but not exaggerated forechest.
Tail--The tail is a distinguishing feature of the breed. It
should be very thick at the base, gradually tapering toward the tip, of
medium length, and extending no longer than to the hock. The tail should
be free from feathering and clothed thickly all around with the
Labrador’s short, dense coat, thus having that peculiar rounded
appearance that has been described as the "otter" tail. The tail should
follow the topline in repose or when in motion. It may be carried gaily,
but should not curl over the back. Extremely short tails or long thin
tails are serious faults. The tail completes the balance of the Labrador
by giving it a flowing line from the top of the head to the tip of the
tail. Docking or otherwise altering the length or natural carriage of
the tail is a disqualification.
|
The photo above describes the Forequarters area: "The shoulders are well laid-back, long and sloping, forming an angle with the upper arm of approximately 90 degrees" see 90 degree angle formed by the withers to point of shoulders and point of shoulders to elbow Ideally, the length of the shoulder blade should equal the length of the upper arm. Those two measurements are exact with the dog above!
Viewed
from the side, the elbows should be directly under the withers, and the
front legs should be perpendicular to the ground and well under the
body. see elbows under withers, legs
perpendicular to the ground and well under the body.
Pasterns should be strong and short and should slope slightly from the perpendicular line of the leg.
Forequarters
Forequarters should be muscular, well coordinated and balanced with the
hindquarters. Shoulders--The shoulders are well laid-back, long
and sloping, forming an angle with the upper arm of approximately 90
degrees that permits the dog to move his forelegs in an easy manner with
strong forward reach. Ideally, the length of the shoulder blade should
equal the length of the upper arm. Straight shoulder blades, short upper
arms or heavily muscled or loaded shoulders, all restricting free
movement, are incorrect. Front Legs--When viewed from the
front, the legs should be straight with good strong bone. Too much bone
is as undesirable as too little bone, and short legged, heavy boned
individuals are not typical of the breed. Viewed from the side, the
elbows should be directly under the withers, and the front legs should
be perpendicular to the ground and well under the body. The elbows
should be close to the ribs without looseness. Tied-in elbows or being
"out at the elbows" interfere with free movement and are serious faults.
Pasterns should be
strong and short and should slope slightly from the perpendicular line
of the leg. Feet are strong and
compact, with well-arched toes and well-developed pads. Dew claws may be
removed. Splayed feet, hare feet, knuckling over, or feet turning in or
out are serious faults.
|
Hindquarters plain and simple should
look like any of the dogs pictured above and below.
Giving the appearance of
strength and power! No cow-hocks seen here as is too often seen in the
Labrador ring!
Toes slightly behind the point of rump, not the
weak rears where the legs are held and carried underneath the dog,
both
standing still and when moving because of severe weakness as is also
seen in many dogs now showing!
|
Hindquarters
The Labrador’s hindquarters are broad, muscular and well-developed from
the hip to the hock with well-turned stifles and strong short hocks.
Viewed from the rear, the hind legs are straight and parallel. Viewed
from the side, the angulation of the rear legs is in balance with the
front. The hind legs are strongly boned, muscled with moderate
angulation at the stifle, and powerful, clearly defined thighs. The
stifle is strong and there is no slippage of the patellae while in
motion or when standing. The hock joints are strong, well let down and
do not slip or hyper-extend while in motion or when standing. Angulation
of both stifle and hock joint is such as to achieve the optimal balance
of drive and traction. When standing the rear toes are only
slightly behind the point of the rump. Over angulation produces
a sloping topline not typical of the breed. Feet are strong and compact,
with well-arched toes and well-developed pads.
Cow-hocks, spread hocks,
sickle hocks and over-angulation are
serious structural defects and are to be faulted.
Judges need to look at more than the head and front of Labradors! The rear assembly should be the strongest part of a working dog! Too often judges put up dogs that are weak, cow-hocked individuals and in some cases it has become an accepted norm because of the numerous dogs being shown with this serious structural defect!
Disqualifications
-
Any deviation from the height prescribed in the Standard.
-
A thoroughly pink nose or one lacking in any pigment.
-
Eye rims without pigment.
-
Docking or otherwise altering the length or natural carriage of the tail.
-
Any other color or a combination of colors other than black, yellow or chocolate as described in the Standard.
Editors Note: I
guess you can tell that as a Labrador breeder I have a huge pet peeve!
Too many weak rears being bred by supposedly serious breeders! Standing
from behind a dog, the hocks should never cower inwards towards each
other. There are some breeders that constantly produce dogs whose hocks
at times touch each other while standing still!
Worse yet, while in
movement, because of the severity of the cow-hocks, the feet clown-step east and west instead of
in-lining and pointing forward underneath
the mid-section of the dog! The look from behind a dog should be an open U and not a V or
worse an "hour glass figure" with the hocks curving inwards!
"Sacre bleu mon Dieu!"
PSS: Watch for another "informative diatribe" coming soon about "Disqualifications", mainly Pigmy-sized Labradors!!!!
Home Page
click above to go back to
Home Page