Hey everyone!! I want to show the lab that we are going to get. Bet seen as though we are still looking, could someone tell me what judges look for? She will be chocolate. I would like to know what disqualifications there are, what to look for as a puppy, and just general info. I'm not new to the ring, just new to the lab ring. Any help is greatly appriciated!

I just spoke to my mom and she said Nolie may be black OR chocolate. I dont know if there are certain things chocos need cause of their color, but yeah.

Hi Sophie!
Here is a link to the AKC standard:
http://www.akc.org/breeds/labrador_retriever/index.cfm
Next time you are at a show, go over to the lab ring and ask some of the exhibitors who are standing around waiting to go in. They can tell you a lot, and they will be able to show you things to look for on their own dogs (topline, stop, rear angulation, otter tail, etc.). Reading the standard is good, but it is also good to be able to see some of the things for yourself! They might be able to give you some tips, too.
Good luck!

You're in Camarillo? Hey, that's not too far away from us in Santa Clarita. You may consider getting involved with a local labrador retriever club (we are members of the High Desert Labrador Retriever Club) because most of the people who are local breeders or people who show are members of such clubs.

Also, when you are going to pick a breeder, they should know if there are any of the pups that are show quality: if that's the case, they usually want to keep them for themselves or place them in a show home. They will be able to tell you what to look for and what makes a certain dog show-quality and others not. You may have to pay more for a show puppy than a pet puppy, but it is because not every litter of labs has show quality pups in it, even when they are bred for that. Your breeder should be actively showing his/her dogs...

If you aren't interested in showing conformation, but rather obedience or agility or rally or ??? then you will probably be able to get by with a pet bred dog. Again, the breeder may be able to help you decide, based on personalities and such.

Thanks, that was a great reply. In fact, my rents and I used to live in Santa Clarita when we first moved to the US!! I know I want to show the lab, but my rents are now undecided about male or female. It will probably be a pure black male. My mom will most likely add a post on here, saying some stuff, as I am agreeing with you and there isnt much more that i can say. Thank you so much, and I hope we can join your club!!! :) :) :)

You may consider getting involved with a local labrador retriever club (we are members of the High Desert Labrador Retriever Club) because most of the people who are local breeders or people who show are members of such clubs.

You are in High Desert? Then you know the Martins!!! My new pup Grace is a Wynmar pup!!

I agree, if you want to get into showing, it helps to get involved with a local club. I am in the LRCSC. We had a male that we got 4 years ago from a decent breeder and I tried to show him, but he has too many faults for showing. Not DQ's, but just other things. We opted to train him for competitive obedience instead.

We just got a choc female to show. I was on lists with 6 different chocolate breeders. I had to go through extensive interviews before I could get reputable breeders to talk to me and consider selling me a full female pup. In all cases, the breeder was going to pick out the show pick for me. Remember there are only 1 or 2 show quality pups out of a litter IF the parents are of excellent quality. But as a newbie in showing, you most likely won't get the first pick, so to start out, you'll get the best of the ones the breeder didn't want to pick. Which isn't always bad. I got lucky with first pick...and that my pick...the only choc female was show possible. Otherwise, I would have had to go on to another breeder.

Since I just went through this, feel free to ask me any questions!

You are in High Desert? Then you know the Martins!!! My new pup Grace is a Wynmar pup!!

Small world, eh? :D

I am a newbie to the club, but got to meet them at the show in Ventura a couple weeks ago. Very neat people... and helpful, too! I haven't met anyone so far that I haven't liked. They are all a very welcoming group to us newcomers, too! ;)

I've been told that it is easier to finish a male than a female as far as earning their CH, but that is just something I've heard, since I can't show our newly spayed girl in the conformation ring anyhow. Maybe in another year or so, we'll see about getting another....

Instead, we're focused on competitive obedience and rally-obedience at this time... the latter is a bit more "fun" for Libby, who just turned a year old.

If you want a really good puppy and you are just starting out, perhaps a good breeder will offer to co-own the pick of a litter with you. You can handle and show the dog, who would live with you, and when the time comes to breed, the breeder will pick the stud. The details of the arrangement vary from breeder to breeder, but this might be a good way for you to get started in labs.

Co-owning is a great way to get a good pup. Just make sure that you like the breeder enough to want to do that. I have heard some horror stories and for me, one reason I chose my breeder was that I did not have to co-own since she knew me from our Lab Club. Which is the reason it's helpful to join a local club.

From your photo in your sig, you look young, which is a GREAT bonus for you. See if you can find a breeder willing to mentor you. Clubs love NEW blood. And if you can get in with a breeder, you can learn from the ground up.

Co-owning is a great way to get a good pup. Just make sure that you like the breeder enough to want to do that. I have heard some horror stories and for me, one reason I chose my breeder was that I did not have to co-own since she knew me from our Lab Club. Which is the reason it's helpful to join a local club.

From your photo in your sig, you look young, which is a GREAT bonus for you. See if you can find a breeder willing to mentor you. Clubs love NEW blood. And if you can get in with a breeder, you can learn from the ground up.

Yea, I'll be 13 september 1st, i just look a few years older. i didnt know that breeders would like me better if i was young. I thought they wanted older and wiser people to show their dogs. I really want to join a club, that way, from what you said, my chancesof everything seem better. Thank you sooo much!! I'll have to show my mom this post and see what we can do!

Actually, junior handlers are pretty sought after, from what I can tell (I haven't been in the showring yet... just learning myself). One of the people who we're working with for competition obedience has a daughter who is one of the top (if not the top) junior handlers in the nation, and people all over the nation are trying to get her to show their dogs.

That is great that you're getting started early on! It will be a huge perk in the show ring. Colleges will also look at that type of involvement, and there are lots of scholarships out there for people who have an obvious love for and lots of experience with animals.

Welcome to the board Sophie! Nice to have you here.

I haven't read through all of your posts yet so forgive me if I'm asking something you've already answered.

Do you already have a breeder and a litter picked out??

No we don't. My mom is going crazy on a search for a breeder who has puppies avalible or that will be avalible soon. my mom and dad did take me to look at a litter But we would like another lab that has the same kind of face as Beau. For that they need to have english in them. I'm not really involved with the search, I'm on a hunt for names, lol.

Sophie, definately look into Jr. Handling. Check out the AKC page and I think they can mail you info or its all on the web.

There are many wonderful breeders in this area. But sometimes you need to start looking and expect to put your name on several lists before pups are born. If your mom wants some suggestions of places to call, give her these websites...they breed show quality pups, although remember that not all pups in a litter are of the right look for show:

http://www.blueknightlabs.com/upcoming.html
http://saddlehilllabs.com/Litters%20Sired.html

I was on several lists before I got Holly!!! Always, there weren't enough puppies and I was too far down the list OR the litter didn't even end up happening. We had one female who had a false pregnancy!!! So, patience is key!

Patex, you are so right. The first two litters I was waiting on, turned out neither female was pregnant. Grace is from the 3rd list I was on, but she was the only choc. female, so if she hadn't been nice, I would have had to go on to the 4th litter...which I only got on because a breeder friend from the club called the breeder of the litter and vouched for me.

Actually, junior handlers are pretty sought after

We place pups with Junior Handlers in our aria all the time, and I am sure there are breeders in your aria that do the same. The trick is,,,, you need to seek them out,,,, they will not know about you through osmosis.

tom

Small world, eh? :D

I am a newbie to the club, but got to meet them at the show in Ventura a couple weeks ago. Very neat people... and helpful, too! I haven't met anyone so far that I haven't liked. They are all a very welcoming group to us newcomers, too! ;)

I've been told that it is easier to finish a male than a female as far as earning their CH, but that is just something I've heard, since I can't show our newly spayed girl in the conformation ring anyhow. Maybe in another year or so, we'll see about getting another....

Instead, we're focused on competitive obedience and rally-obedience at this time... the latter is a bit more "fun" for Libby, who just turned a year old.
Real small world, a few years back I met Dian Welle..Blueknight Labradors, on line. She had a geat website and was a member of the High Desert Labrador Club. How amazing :ex:

Co-owning is a great way to get a good pup. Just make sure that you like the breeder enough to want to do that. I have heard some horror stories and for me, one reason I chose my breeder was that I did not have to co-own since she knew me from our Lab Club. Which is the reason it's helpful to join a local club.

From your photo in your sig, you look young, which is a GREAT bonus for you. See if you can find a breeder willing to mentor you. Clubs love NEW blood. And if you can get in with a breeder, you can learn from the ground up.
Your absolutely right, retriever clubs are always looking for new blood!!!! I've never shown a dog, but I was 17 when I got involved in retriever field trials and joined a local club. Those people took me in with open arms. Now 6 years later, at 23 I'm usually still the youngest one running trials.


Good luck agility4me, I'll be rooting for ya!!!!

Real small world, a few years back I met Dian Welle..Blueknight Labradors, on line. She had a geat website and was a member of the High Desert Labrador Club. How amazing :ex:

Wow! I was at a recent HDLC meeting that was at Dian's house- her dogs are gorgeous! She just actually had an entire litter (8-9?) of chocolates out of one of her champion bitches, Jasmine. Her son, who is a police officer, was involved in a very serious car accident (he was driving on-duty in a police car and was run into by a dually pick-up) a couple of weeks ago. Doing well so far, but he has months of reconstructive surgery ahead of him. Keep the family in your thoughts and prayers...

Anyhow, don't want to keep hijacking this thread, sooo...... ;)

agility4me- didn't you get a puppy or two recently? Are they show puppies?

Good luck with everything!