field Labs way more energy

[alixb]

I'm glad to hear this. I thought some of it was anxiety (since I brought her to the city from the country). She can be a great indoor dog too. my friends at the dog park always ask "what's she like in the house?" she is great actually, once she'shad all her food & treats, she goes into her designer crate & is in for the night

[TuMicks]

Alix, I can't remember. Is Hope your first Lab?

[Coalman]

Interesting from Libby's Labradors web site. Libbys Labradors-Welcome

English vs American Labradors
English type dogs are mellow, kind dogs by nature. They are extremely easy to train as they have a strong desire to please and receive praise. Their drive is at a medium level. They will play ball or retrieve ducks but are just as happy to go on a ride in the car or sit and watch television. They are always happy to let you select the activity and enjoy your company immensely. It is this trait that makes the English type lab the breed most chosen to be guide dogs in both the U.S. and Canada. Their moderate temperament makes them a great dog to have around children and animals of all kinds.

The American, or Field type lab is a tall dog, ranging about 27 to 30 inches and taller at the shoulder. The head is usually narrow and the muzzle is long. The dog will almost have a greyhound appearance, with a long whip like tail. Dogs selected by field enthusiasts or gun dog breeders are most highly prized when they will work all day without tiring. They have a strong drive to retrieve and would be happy to play ball all day.

[TuMicks]

Eeeuuwwww...

Coalman! Miss Libby needs to visit some FT's and/or HT's to revise the way she characterizes field lab phenotype.

[Anna Scott]

Wish someone had read that first description to M as her sire's side is all English and British Isle field trial lines. I sometimes think people use the term English lab as a synonym for bench or show lines. The English field trial lines are just as energetic and finely put together as American bred dogs. M is 57lb of go, go energy, with a whippy (gay) tail and is only about 20 to 22 inches at the shoulder. The first lab I saw imported from England was not as described in the first paragraph either.

[TuMicks]

I think Miss Libby got the field lab energy level, drive and stamina about right, though. That's why we love 'em!!!

[Coalman]

Sometimes we mistake Belle for a whippet.

[IRISHWISTLER]

Eeeuuwwww...

Coalman! Miss Libby needs to visit some FT's and/or HT's to revise the way she characterizes field lab phenotype.

X2

Irishwhistler

[TuMicks]

TRAD is a handsome guy. That's for sure.

[IRISHWISTLER]

TRAD is a handsome guy. That's for sure.

TuMicks,
I concur with ye, but then again I am far from impartial on the matter.. As for Miss Libby, it does seem to me that she is confusing the "ENGLISH" bench dogs with the British Field performance bred dogs. For that matter, she seems to consider the English, British, and American Labs as seperate breeds and they are not. Labs are a distinct breed and clearly some bloodlines have been selectively bred for specific traits.

TRAD comes from selective breeding of field performance dogs from UK and Irish bloodlines and he looks very little like what is most often thought of as the "English / bench dogs". Me thoughts are that ye cannot generalize too much as their can be much overlap of the various traits and I consider every dog an individual unto itself.


Me handsome lad TRAD sharing a layout blind with me on a hunt for Canada Geese earlier this season. TRAD is all about birds, highly focused and loves to work / hunt. I love his intensity as he looks over the decoys toward the skyline for approaching birds.


TRAD is a highly athletic and bird driven British field dog, generally not what most folks would attribute to English bench dogs.


REV (left) and TRAD (right) both are agile, handsome, and highly athletic dogs. Both are bird driven and great game finders, markers, imtelligent, biddable, and have "on - off" switches. REV is a bit taller and TRAD a tad more compact. Both were bred to hunt and are awesome at what they do. No doubt that their overall performance is based both in genetics and in the formalized training they have been afforded.

Cheers,
Irishwhistler