Labradors - Showing and Working Types? (opinions on the separation of 'types'?)

I have mentioned this before in other threads but i thought i'd put it up as a debate to get some other opinions on it.

I decided this after a very um, "Interesting" conversation with someone at my local Pets At Home today when i took Riley down to buy him some treats! I managed to bite my tongue (very unusual for me lol) but this was basically what he was saying.

Firstly, he said Riley was a nice dog and asked if we worked him. I said no, though we're thinking of trying Field Trials with him, but currently we are showing him and his sister. The guy then went on to say that we should not be showing Riley as he is the wrong type of Labrador

I asked him what he meant by this and he said that Labradors come in two 'types'. Working which is what he said Riley was - Longer legs, taller and slimmer. Then there are the Showing types which are a few inches shorter, much shorter legs and 'heavier'.

Now, i have mentioned many times on here that i thought the show labs were far too short and very fat. They seem almost 'stumpy'! Riley is almost an inch under the breed standard maximum height, but people think he's taller as he is slim..

Anyway, thats beside the point i guess lol What i dont understand is why labs seem to have been put into these two different categories. As far as im aware the Kennel Club has not reclassified them in this way. In my opinion, a Show lab should be an example of the best of the breed. That is a breed which should be able to do a days work, they are in the Gundog group after all! I dont think many of the 'show labs' could do this, and therefore they are surely getting away from the breed standard? If it is the case that there are now two different types of labs then i think the Kennel Club should acknowledge this and reclassify them and have showing classes for Showing Type labs and Working Type labs..

Anyway, i just wanted other peoples opinions on this.. I know there aren't many people who show labradors on here, but im sure most of you could imagine your own breeds being seperated like this and maybe give me your views on how you'd feel about that. I personally find it really annoying that these dogs that are NOT traditional labradors (WORKING gundogs) are being put as the 'model' of the breed..

But i've ranted on enough Opinions please!

Well I'm not too up on these things - but Chuck is a Field Trial Labrador - and he is from Sandringham lines - and very lovely. he is definately taller, rangier, and not as fat as some show labs seem to me. I don't know much about it - but i would say there are definately 2 types - and I would rather the type I have personally - but that's just my taste.
I hope I've helped a bit.

xx

That's Chuck - not a great foto - and he's fat at the moment (bad thing! lol) but he's a lot rangier than the show labs I've met - and definately different - I would say not a show winner either - bless him!

xx

I agree that the so called working type is nicer.. But i dont think two types should exists.. That was the point i was trying to make, im no good at explaining things though! lol

From what i can tell, in every other breed in the gundog sections at least, the show dogs are an example of the breed as a whole, and that means that they are capable of doing a days work! I think this should be the same with labs. I dont understand why they are the only breed who seem to have changed this way..

P.S Chuck is lovely!

No way should the KC split the breed into two types...There's no need, If anything the lab that won the gundog group at crufts (was it 2004?) was not your typical fat, short legged one.

I have seen some labs that do well at open shows and also work in the field. As you say a gundog should be able to work and be shown!

hmm. i see your point. I don't know why either - and I kno from the stuff I've read on pointers they can work and show... but labs do definately seem to be seperate. which is a shame - I was told when we got chuck that he would never be any good for show - so we never bothered. I think tha's a shame because he's a handsome boy.

xx

I cant remember the one that won the group at Crufts to be honest

What really annoys me is that my dogs are NOT from working lines at all. They have champions and show champions in their pedgiree going back many generations but no 'working' dogs. Their grandmother was used as a gundog, but she was show bred. The only difference is that Riley is kept slim and is exercised so his legs have grown at a normal rate.. But the guy seemed to think he's a working dog and therefore he shouldn't be shown.

silly man.

my chuck is from working lines - and has over 20 FTCh's in his ped (i think - i'm sure we counted 40 actually but memory fails me) NO show champs at all.

xx

I'm going to get killed for this

Showpeople exagerate and destroy breeds. The list of ruined breeds is long. Take for instance the Bulldog. Can you imagine a modern day bulldog taking down a bull? I can't The standard tells something and showpeople see it and go to the extreme and exagerate. I have a golden rule which states that if you want a good dog go to people who work with it and preferable the job it was ment to do. I train malinois and am rather strict on what i want so i look around befor i buy. And 2 years ago I visited numerous breeders including showbreeders and here are a few things that struck me:

At one point i was with a breeder who stopt competing in agility because after each training his dog limped. The reason he stopped was that with a limping dog he wouldn't be able to become champion For me this dog has a hidden flaw.

On websides you read excelent character If you visite the breeder you find every character except the one a Mal has to have.

In the one and only show i visited this millenium i saw how Mr Pollet (the guy who has approved the English translation of the FCI standard) putting a female Mal first that should have been excluded due to fear problems as stated in the standard the result of this is that the owners desided to breed her

My next mal is going to be one without papers but i know the father and mother (in fact i witnessed the mating yesterday) and thier background including other offspring of the same combination. All are working dogs


Greetings


Johan

Murph's from show lines and is a biiigggg dog! he is stocky but not short, although his mum is short. Here's Murph