Interesting read about condition of bench labs

[fidgetyknees]

Saw this in multiple people's pages on Facebook so I thought I would share. Not looking for a debate, just saying the article is interesting.

Update: Fat Labs at Westminster | SlimDoggy

[Berna]

There was a thread about these Westminster winners before the crash. They are definitely not my type, but fortunately I have a choice, as a buyer, to select a breeder who breeds the type I like.

Unfortunately, threads like this usually heat up very quickly.

[dxboon]

Everyone who thinks the breed is headed in the wrong direction should "get in the game," and start showing Labs you feel best conform to the standard. Maybe join your local Lab clubs, or the national Lab club, get a breed mentor who produces what you think is the correct Lab and become a reputable breeder yourself, get your judging license, put up dogs you feel most closely embody the Labrador standard in your estimation. If enough of you are competing, judging, advocating for what you think is a correct Labrador, maybe you'll get the change you want.

[Archie]

I'm just getting into all of this, so I largely try to keep my mouth shut. BUT, I do have a breeder mentor who often points to some labs, particularly in the states and calls them "overdone" and I'm inclined to agree. So, I guess this issue also varies between countries, which is interesting.

There's a little chocolate girl here in Canada who has hunting titles and is doing really well in the show ring. I think she's a great example of the breed and she's neither lean nor has that overdone "fat" look which some do have (whether or not they are actually overweight is another discussion).

But, I think that too much of the general public have been scared into thinking their labs need to be skinny. There's a student at the University where I work who uses a seeing eye dog and she proudly talks about her thin, fit lab. That dog's hip bones are showing - he's too skinny imo.

All about moderation, in my opinion, and yes as dxboon says, participation if you want to cry out for drastic change.

[Snowshoe]

It's interesting the letter calls for Labs to be shown "in working condition." Since the weight stated in the standard (for Canada and the U.S. and they differ for males) is said to be working condition weight does that mean dogs will be weighed? And does it mean dual U.S/Canadian champions, males, must necessarily then conform to a smaller weight allowed range to accommodate that?

ETA: What is working condition? Who's going to define that?

[Georgie]

Everyone who thinks the breed is headed in the wrong direction should "get in the game," and start showing Labs you feel best conform to the standard. Maybe join your local Lab clubs, or the national Lab club, get a breed mentor who produces what you think is the correct Lab and become a reputable breeder yourself, get your judging license, put up dogs you feel most closely embody the Labrador standard in your estimation. If enough of you are competing, judging, advocating for what you think is a correct Labrador, maybe you'll get the change you want.

Totally agree as the often used quote says" be the change you want to see in the world". If the trend and demand is for a particular size and shape, eg, like the extremes we are seeing whether it skinny or overweight, then how can judges pick a winner? If the only dogs that are presenting to championships are like the chocolate lab in the photo then what are they to do? Disqualify and refuse to judge? I imagine that there are lots of involved parties and alliances etc and some people who do not "want to rock the boat". But as Dxboon says, as lab owners we can and need to be the ones that drive the change.

It's not easy though because labs are so darn popular and there are so many wrongly assumed stereotypes of labs that it can be an incredibly frustrating task. I also agree with Archie's comments too that some people think their labs need to be skinny. With this flux between really skinny and really overweight people have forgotten what a healthy lab looks like.

[Tanya]

I'm just getting into all of this, so I largely try to keep my mouth shut. BUT, I do have a breeder mentor who often points to some labs, particularly in the states and calls them "overdone" and I'm inclined to agree. So, I guess this issue also varies between countries, which is interesting.

There's a little chocolate girl here in Canada who has hunting titles and is doing really well in the show ring. I think she's a great example of the breed and she's neither lean nor has that overdone "fat" look which some do have (whether or not they are actually overweight is another discussion).

But, I think that too much of the general public have been scared into thinking their labs need to be skinny. There's a student at the University where I work who uses a seeing eye dog and she proudly talks about her thin, fit lab. That dog's hip bones are showing - he's too skinny imo.

All about moderation, in my opinion, and yes as dxboon says, participation if you want to cry out for drastic change.

ok dying to know who the pup is could you please tell me in PM?

[Charlotte K.]

Not the Canadian chocolate but last year's at Westminster:
This is a matter of public record and on the Westminster KC website. There is a video, too. The chocolate dog who went BOS (best of opposite sex) is Grand Champion Epoch's Moccasin Joe.

[barry581]

I don't show, and have no desire to. I have had a love affair with this breed for 30 years, and this topic has been a constant for that entire time. I showed for a time when I lived in the UK back in the mid to late 80's. Lot's of talk about this dog or that dog being to fat, not in working condition, etc, but still winning. Nothing has been done to correct the problem. The dog's are bigger and fatter than they've ever been, and still all the complaining. I've been to a couple shows here in the US, and I was surprised and saddened at the condition of some of the dogs I saw. When I was at Cruft's 2 years ago, it was the same, a lot of big, overweight, over done dogs. But there were also a lot of what I considered very nice, fit looking dogs. I'm going again this year, so it will be interesting to see how the dogs look.

I can only hope that breeders who show, and ultimately the judges take this to heart, really look at the standard, look at pictures of champions from the past, and breed dogs that look as though they could do a days work in the field.

[Berna]

The Lab that has won the BOB in the last two years (if I am not mistaken) at Crufts is Loch Mor Romeo. He even won Best in Show two years ago.