Overweight Show Labs?!

Hey,

I've just come back from a morning spent watching the labs showing at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern. Meg and Riley turned 6 months today and are going to their first show tomorrow so i wanted to go and watch some to see how everythings done.

Anyway, i was quite shocked that almost every lab there was very overweight!! We've had trouble with Chloe (meg and rileys mum) being overweight and she's had a number of medical problems from it so we're very careful with the puppies. So, as you can imagine i was quite disappointed to see that this is obviously what the Kennel Club seem to think is acceptable for these dogs!! I didnt notice any other breeds that looked particularly overweight, just the labs! I was even more shocked to see that even the puppies were fat!! My two we've been very careful with and i like to think they're a nice weight. Nice and lean but obviously well covered too..

So.. am i the only one who's noticed this? Is this common in dog shows with labs? I've actually noticed at Crufts the last few years that the labs always seem to be overweight... Im thinking my dogs wont be thought of as 'big' enough so wont have much chance in showing!! Im certainly not going to put their health at risk for the sake of a few rosettes though...

Jess

OOOOO jess!!! dont get me started, i cant stand seeing those fat labs!!!
It annoys me so much, they dont look like they can deal with a 20 min walk on the lead!
Its very sad, the standard of dogs winning these days, call me weird but i like to see a fit well muscled lab!

I have seen this to some degree with the German Shorthairs, some of them carrying too much weight and looking like they would struggle to do a days work, although not as bad as it sounds with the labs. I wouldn't worry too much about showing yours and their chances, there are bound to be judges who prefer 'slimmer' dogs. I think its just the way shows work, some you suit and some you don't. At the end of the day as long as you love your dogs and are proud of them thats all that matters

same with horses too

Ooh i know Jess,
the thing is yes they are show dogs/pets but they were bred for a purpose to do a good days work, thus this should be the standard they are judged against, i9 think it is attrocias (sp?) i would love to see these overweight Labs do a good hard day in the rivers and over the fells retireving, they couldnt, and it is trhere stupid owners fault, ooh it gets to me. They should be toned with a good amount of power behind their gait not a bunch of flab!

Jess, Het is 100% right, i forgot to mention it in my post, some judges do prefer the slimmer show labs, so dont worry and enjoy those gorgeous dogs of yours!

Oooh, dont worry, im not too bothered about my two!! They are both pets before anything else so even if the showing doesn't work out it wont bother me too much!

I have to agree with Lu-1 though. Labradors weren't designed to prance around show rings!! They're working dogs and, in my opinion, every labrador that shows should be capable of doing a days work! Not one of the labs i saw today would have been able to do that.

But... Hopefully my two will have fun at least tomorrow!!

Hi jess it really annoys me too!!! i went to crufts this year and i did not see one lab that had oscar build they were all overweight and to be honest unattractive, and since this is my fav breed it is hard to say!but i dont get why you would want your lab like that as gems said i like my labs fit and well muscled not a lab that stuggles to do a ten min walk, oscar looks like your rileys build people alwalys complement oscar on how fit he looks and how we keep him in good shape in comparision to other labs they have seen and thats how i like them, so i think it depends on the judget, im pleased you are not changing your 2!!
And is riley still improving from last time we spoke?hope so hes gorgeous!

Hi Zoe,

I have the same with my two pups! People always stop and talk to them (they dont have much choice really - Pups love people!!!lol) and they always comment on A) their beautiful coats, B) Their lovely kind temperments (usually if the people have kids), C) how well behaved they are, and D) How healthy, fit and slim they look!! Every single time! I can almost tick them off as the people say them It is nice that people will comment on how healthy and fit our dogs are but surely thats a sign that theres something wrong if its rare to come across a healthy looking dog? Labs are well known for eating anything and being prone to being overweight (Chloe was overweight when we bought her at 8 weeks old and we're still struggling to get the weight off her 4 years later!) but for the Kennel Club to promote this by having overweight dogs at one of the most famous dog shows in the world really does shock me! You'd think at Crufts the dogs would be the healthiest they could be, but thats clearly not the case. I have to say, and this is only from the one show i attended lol, but with dog showing a lot does seem to depend on who you are. I found it to be the same with horse showing. I was stunned by one guy showing a hugely overweight "Chocolate" lab pup bitch who was literally orange (not moulting, her coat was just totally the wrong colour!!) on her body and he ended up about fourth! Im no expert on dog showing, but surely they have to be the right colour?!

It really is quite strange... Hopefully i'll see a different side to it at the little open show im attending tomorrow! I really hope i do..

Jess

I don't go to dog shows or anything but several labs in my neighboorhood are very overweight. One man who lives down the road has a lab about the same age as Jake. They always used to play together well until one day his overweight dog jumped on Jakes back. Now Jake is very muscular but he is also slim and the weight of this dog on his back made him yelp. Ever since that day Jake goes ballistic every time we see him. The man tells everyone that will listen to him that Jake "can be nasty" Funny that as Jake goes to classes and gets on with every other dog we meet in the street. I don't have the heart to tell him that Jake simply doesn't like his dog because his dog is far too fat.