Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retriever, dog breed from the retriever group.
The Labrador retriever, which is a sturdy, medium-sized dog, has a male from shoulder to ground height of 57.2 – 62.2 cm, weight between 27 – 34 kg, female’s height from shoulder to ground is between 54.6 – 59.7 cm, weight 25 – 31 It varies between ,7 kg. The tail is of medium length, with a pointed tip. The short-haired coat may be black, yellow or dark brown.
It is a very patient and emotional dog. His intelligence, trainability, mobility and obedience are his most distinctive features. Loves to live with people. He wants to establish a very close, loving relationship with everyone, including children. He is also very distant to people he does not like. He loves to play in water and mud.
First bred in Labrador, the Labrador Retriever, which entered even the coldest waters without hesitation, was helping fishermen to draw nets at that time. Although they sometimes react by barking to some of the sounds they hear, they are a breed that can stay silent most of the time. Although it is known that some Labradors are guards, guarding is not the right task for this breed, which can easily trust strangers, bark less and is fond of throats. Today, Labrador Retriever dogs are commonly used as narcotic dogs or guide dogs for the visually impaired. The Labrador Retriever breed makes up about 60%-70% of the guide dogs in Canada. Thanks to their high sense of smell, they are preferred by hunters as tracking, search and rescue dogs, or by security forces in bomb and drug search/find missions.
Labrador Retriever Breed Standards
There is a great deal of variety among Labradors. The following characteristics are typical of the conformation show bred (bench-bred) lines of this breed in the United States and are based on the American Kennel Club standard. Significant differences between U.K. and U.S. standards are noted.
Size: Labradors are a medium-large breed. They should be as long from the withers to the base of the tail as they are from the floor to the withers. The AKC standard includes an ideal weight for dogs of 25–36 kg (55–80 lb) and for bitches as 25–32 kg (55–70 lb). The guidelines for height vary between the AKC, which gives 55 to 62 centimetres (21.5 to 24.5 in) for dogs and 55 to 60 centimetres (21.5 to 23.5 in) for bitches, The Kennel Club which advises that dogs should be 56 to 57 centimetres (22 to 22.5 in) with bitches between 55 to 56 centimetres (21.5 to 22 in), and the FCI which quotes a range of 56 to 57 centimetres (22 to 22.5 in) for dogs with bitches ideal at 54 to 56 centimetres (21.5 to 22 in).
Coat: The Labrador Retriever’s coat should be short and dense, but not wiry. The coat is water-resistant, so the dog does not get cold when taking to water in the winter. That means that the dog naturally has a slightly dry, oily coat. Acceptable colours are black, yellow, and chocolate.
Head: The head should be broad with slightly pronounced eyebrows. The eyes should be kind and expressive. Appropriate eye colours are brown and hazel. The lining around the eyes should be black. The ears should hang close to the head and set slightly above the eyes.
Jaws: The jaws should be strong and powerful. The muzzle should be of medium length and should not be too tapered. The jaws should hang slightly and curve gracefully back.
Body: The body should have a powerful and muscular build.
The tail and coat are designated “distinctive [or distinguishing] features” of the Labrador by both the Kennel Club and AKC. The AKC adds that “true Labrador Retriever temperament is as much a hallmark of the breed as the ‘otter’ tail.”
For more information: Wikipedia