I hope someone can help me.
We bought our first labrador. She is 5 weeks and of course still with her mum and breeder.

Now I saw that she has a little dark stripe on her nose. She is a brown one.
Is this a fault?
I'm from Holland so forgive my simple English.:(

Not necessarily. See what happens as she grows a few more weeks. Are you getting her for showing purposes or as a pet? Congrats on the new baby!

Is it a dark stripe or does the hair stand up a bit....Alfie has this and we call it his zipper.

Scatty has a good question, is it a dark line on the nose itself, or is it a dark line of fur on the bridge of the muzzle?

Thank you for your fast replies.

Can't show a pic because I've not enough posts.

Its what ScattIt way says. A zipper.
Its my intention to show her and therefore I wondered if it is a fault.

Welkom :).
uw Engels is beter dan mijn Nederlands, maar ik kan het beter pratten.

Congratulations with your upcoming Chocolate Lab puppy.
It sounds like a "zipper". Check with your Netherlandse Kennel Club, or ask the breeder, to see what "standards" are preferred in the show ring. Is this a pick of the litter puppy? Here, if the zipper isn't too noticeable, it's not a fault. Our Opal has a slight zipper on her forehead and I think it adds character.

Goede middag Canada.
Ook van ons woont daar familie. Leuk om antwoord te krijgen in het Nederlands.

Great idea. I'm going te ask the Kennel Club.
I cannot imagion it should be a big fault but would like to be prepared.

Thanks!

I just wanted to say :welcome: from DamiAn and Cadbury

Here, if the zipper isn't too noticeable, it's not a fault. Really?? My understanding from actually showing and spending time with breeders that show, the zipper isn't a fault at all.:D

Well, thank you for the warm welcomes.

I've send a message to the Dutch Kennel Club and will let you know their answer.

Allready got an answer from the Kennel Club.

Its called a ridge. Hairs are growing to the other site.
At show the judge will mention it as a little fault and its heritable. Offspring may get the ridge/zipper too.

So whats whisdom?

Really?? My understanding from actually showing and spending time with breeders that show, the zipper isn't a fault at all.:D

We had an English judge here for PSLRA a few years ago who didn't care for cowlicks (she called them Calf licks in her critiques-- that still sticks in my head!:D). Some feel they detract from the kind expression, so like everything else, there are preferences.

They are also common in Goldens, same issue there that some judges don't like them, others don't care.

My Sonya has a very faint one above her eyes, almost on top of her head and it does, imo, change the look a little. Anne

Allready got an answer from the Kennel Club.

Its called a ridge. Hairs are growing to the other site.
At show the judge will mention it as a little fault and its heritable. Offspring may get the ridge/zipper too.

So whats whisdom?

If she is otherwise a knock out puppy, I wouldn't let a zipper/cowlick/ridge bother me. It's personal preference. Some people hate them and some judges, I suppose do too. My boy has a horizontal zipper and one judge thought it was from a halti rubbing across his muzzle. His zipper hasn't prevented him from winning three Best of Breeds, however.

Anne and 3colors you gave me a wake up call.

We are breeders of horses for almost 20 years. I did several judgecourses for horses and I know that if its a good dog that zipper will be not that important.

It looks very much businesstalk from me. At first I will say that I'm totaly in love with the labrador but on the other side I like to go for the best and hope this little girl will stay with us for a very very long time.

Thank you all!

@Windycanyon.

We do have calfknees with horses but never heard of cowlicks. It must be little white spots?
Like to learn a lot.

Anne and 3colors you gave me a wake up call.

We are breeders of horses for almost 20 years. I did several judgecourses for horses and I know that if its a good dog that zipper will be not that important.

It looks very much businesstalk from me. At first I will say that I'm totaly in love with the labrador but on the other side I like to go for the best and hope this little girl will stay with us for a very very long time.

Thank you all!

Any one who comes from a horse background understands structure, movement and has an appreciation for entire animal. There are definitely worse things than a zipper that would eliminate a puppy as a show prospect. Good luck with your new girl. I hope she holds it together over the next few weeks and is the standout in her litter.

Any one who comes from a horse background understands structure, movement and has an appreciation for entire animal. There are definitely worse things than a zipper that would eliminate a puppy as a show prospect. Good luck with your new girl. I hope she holds it together over the next few weeks and is the standout in her litter.

Yes its funny to see that most things of exterior all are the same. For example a good shoulder is the same for horses and dogs.
Years ago we bred and showed bouviers belge des flandres.
Now we go for the lab because of his caracter.
We are proud grandparents and looking forward te see our grandson grown up with this lovely puppy.
At the other side "Grandma" would like to go back showing, training and so on.

The only thing I've to learn is about the head of the lab and then I saw the zipper that made me unsure.
Again I'm very gratefull for your help.

Our little Caithlynn is so very welcome in our family!

@Windycanyon.

We do have calfknees with horses but never heard of cowlicks. It must be little white spots?
Like to learn a lot.

Cowlick = calf lick = zipper = ridge of hair growing together vs straight.... all the same thing! Who has a good photo to post? Anne

OK, now I understand.
Found this:
http://www.justlabradors.com/forum/index.php?topic=86664.0

Here she is our little girl:

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/8994/rood.jpg

She's adorable. I have one under my chair not much older, very similar in side profile. What's her lineage? My girl's grandpa is a Swedish import so maybe we have some cousins or something! :cool: Anne

I don't have her pedigree yet.
Her mum is Let’s Love Betty Boo of Dalwhinnie (Bo)
Le Grand Cocher Bright Eyes Gizmo x Let’s go for Tradition of Dalwhinnie.

Her dad has Swedisch blood.

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Cow lick is when the hair grows in a different direction...looks like a cow licked it as when she licks her calf for cleaning. Their hair is usually long enough that it lays in a different direction during cleaning.