A fit Labrador.

Something Vicki said on another thread about Skye being fit got me thinking.
She is fit and can run and run and is a joy to watch when at full pelt. You may think I would be use to it having labs in the past but sadly I have only experienced it a couple of times.
1st was Storm when he was young but as he got older he had hip and leg problems so never really "run".
Its a similar story with Star, he run alot when younger but with his lung problems and the treatment he was on he would only walk at a slow speed and lost loads of musscle which made him weak, though glad to say he is back to normal now but still prefers to jog about.

So when I see her running at full speed(normally after Jake) and through shallow waters it really is a great sight.

I agree with you.....nothing worse than seeing a Younger Lab, who has been allowed to get fat and unfit......seen it here over the park.

Makes me angry.......love to see labs that can run xxxxxx

My lab runs like the wind!!

But it must be awful if they cant for some reason.

I hate it when I see labs stuck on leads round the woods. Although I realise there are prob good reasons most of the time, cant help but think if some people just spent bit more time training there would be fewer fat labs around!

Unfortunately yes labs do love their food! But nothing better than seeing one run and run.
We have a lot round here, mostly black and chocolate, no yellows but there is an old black one who I see out for a walk and it really, really struggles to do one step in front of the other. It's heartbreaking to watch.

She's a cracker. Looks like a lab should look - healthy and not porky.....

She's a credit to you, Phill

She is lovely Phil, I hate fat labs, you see them all the time in the ring. Obviously if there is a health issue it's diff but I can't stand them in the ring. You ask rips she's the same, lol!

I know and have had my head pecked many a time by her. She also picks on my Star so I dont listen.

It really annoys me seeing the fat ones shown, I was ready to kick off a few times. I speak aswell from once having a fat lab.

Cheers everyone else. I am very proud of her, but dont tell her I am prouder of Star as after all hes been through to be the dog he is, is nothing short of amazing, even if some have a problem with his lugholes.

At the risk of offending anyone, I believe many show-dogs (and not all of them labs, my own breed included) are way too fat to be fit. I congratulate you for having a healthy, happy dog who will live longer as a result

I think it is very sad that we see so many that are over-weight. I know it is an old-adage that labbies are greedy , but so are Rotts!!!!

Too many times I've been in the ring and seen overweight Rotties the same age as Marius, but much weightier. Their owners/breeders think this is what the judges want, but surely, judges should want to see a FIT dog that is full of muscle for it's age not a FAT dog that has had barely any exercise Fat is NOT the same as muscle and should not be an indication of "maturity"

There is a "breeder" I know who deliberately doesn't exercise her dogs off-lead so they look broader - basically I think they are fat! If I let hers off-lead + Marius he would run rings around them. No ribbon/CC/award in the world is worth ruining my dogs health over and too many forget that

Yes that's true, a lot of them are fat, and it's horrid. This coming from someone who has had a "fat" ESS!

To be fair to many Lab owners, it's not an old adage, it's a well known fact that Labs are the greediest dog that has ever lived. Until you've had one, you won't understand what I mean. Those that have had one will be nodding very perfusely right now!

That's no excuse to have a fat one obviously, but it is very, very difficult to keep one slim in it's older years due to the sheer lengths they will go to to eat! Trust me I know, I battled with Woody's weight from day one!

Plus more importantly, the Labs in the ring are fat because that's what the judges want, stupidly! I've spoke to someone at Crufts that shows and works her Labs. In the winter she drops their food down so they're fit to work, in the summer she has to feed them up to get them placed in shows! She tried leaving their weight the same after a seasons work, but was forever getting comments about how her dogs were under weight!