Labrador Retrievers!

Like benedict said there is a diffrence. My 3mon. Lab pup Mangmu looks more like a fieldtype, but is so beautiful that I plan on showing him. Check his pedigree for titles like micksmom said. It doesn't mean your pup will be a star if you one day decide to hunt or show him, if they're Ch. titles. I've seen dogs from field lines be great show dogs and I've seen show dogs be great field dogs. It's mainly about heart and drive. We might be able to tell ya if he's a field or bench bred if you put some side shots of him on here.[]

Thanks all of you for the replies! I'm leaning towards him being more of a field type; he has a HUGE head, and he is not a small dog (last week at the vet he clocked in at 78 pounds, and the vet said that he was right at what he would consider ideal for his frame), but he is very trim, much, much lankier than those pics posted on Benedict's "fat pets" [] thread. You can feel his ribs and backbone pretty easily, and he has a very defined waist.

If I can get him to stand still long enough I'll get a side-view pic posted... thanks again for the input [] As I said before, it only really matters because I'm curious! At some point I'd like to look into obedience or agility, but right now we're working on the basics [&:]. He was so poorly socialized (and spent so much time in his crate) at his old home that seeing other dogs, people (and squirrels!) is still overwhelmingly exciting at times!

I have two labs, my Mom has one, my uncle has 2- we are kindof a lab family.  As to your question.  Zoe (mine-black) is a bench type lab as is Lacy (my Moms)  I can walk Zoe within a foot of a bird and she will not go after it.  My Mom's lab (Lacy) is afraid of animals.  Zuma and my Uncles labs are more field labs- Zuma chases and catches flies and if a duck or goose lands on my dock- she goes insane.  From the time she came home she noticed birds in the sky and any little furry thing that was in her field of vision, but she does have a very soft mouth- when my daughter and I play ping pong, she retreived the ball without breaking it.
 
So, I think it can be done but you will want to make sure you do not have a field type lab- look for a blocky head and stockier build instead of long and lanky- I understand this to be the difference in the two-
 
Labs are the best- if you really want to interact and live with your dog- mine hate being separated from the family though- If I put them out- because they are wet or dirty, the look of them gazing longingly into the window with those huge brown eyes and anxious brows gets me every time!

I am a Black Lab owner!!!!  His name is Jackjack and he is my baby and I LOVE labs.  He's the first dog I have ever been solely responsible for and he's been a great and challenging first dog.   He's got a page...[linkhttp://www.dogster.com/dogs/130430]http://www.dogster.com/dogs/130430[/link]  check it out.   Thanks!!

Labs are my favorite kind of dog!! I don't have a lab or any dogs at all but I'd REALLY love to own a lab one day. My boyfriend's mom just had to put her 16 year old male  lab, Shane down about a year and a half ago. A few months later she came home with a female black lab, Maggie who is now a little over a year old. I love her. My boyfriend's sister has a yellow male lab, named Luke. Her boyfriend has 4 chocolate labs, 1 female, and 3 males.

Sounds like yall have got Labs everywhere lilhoney42380! I love Labs! Would'nt have any other breed!

*LOL* I know, it's great!! Labs are so loving, smart, and affectionate. I taught Maggie how to sit the first day she was brought home in about 20 minutes. I was not only impressed with her but with myself as well! I also taught her "puppy belly." Whenever we go over there I say, "Hey Maggie! Puppy belly!" and right away she lays down on her back for a belly rub. It's hilarious and eventhough she's about 50 lbs now we still call it "puppy belly." She loves it. I love her so much that I'm thinking of adopting a black lab from the local rescue.

The names of the chocolate labs escaped me yesterday but today I remember. The female is Sadie and the males are Cletus, Jr, and Bear. Jr and Bear are Sadie and Cletus' sons from their second litter. I think my boyfriend's sister's boyfriend has now decided that it's time to get Sadie spayed!

Here's a pic of Maggie! Awww, look at that face. 

ORIGINAL: monkeybear

p.s. I do realize that this is a stupid question, but is there any way for me to figure out if Riley is a "field" lab or an "English" lab? He is registered, and I have his papers, and obviously it doesn't really matter, but I am curious to learn more about his background. All I've really done was a quick google search that yielded nothing. Suggestions?

 
I think everyone hit on the main points to look for in a field bred.  Leaner, lankier, more muscular bodies.  More "leggy".  More narrow head/jawline with a less pronounced stop.  One thing I didn't see mentioned was the tail.  Alot of field breds do not have the trademark otter tail.  They have a thinner tail.  Most often what you will see is sometimes called a sickle tail because of it's shape.  It's a shame the breed has split into different types.  That's what happens when you have one group breeding for ability and instinct alone and not conformation and another breeding strictly for conformation with little regard for purpose.   I guess it happens to alot of breeds.  It's a pet peeve for me.  I can't stand the short, fat, stumpy Labs they're putting in the ring and I hate it that the field dogs have all but lost their otter tails.  Oh well.

I just went to my local AC on Friday just to look around. There were at least 5 Black Labs there that had been dropped off and were waiting for good homes. []

ORIGINAL: Shelties4me

ORIGINAL: monkeybear

p.s. I do realize that this is a stupid question, but is there any way for me to figure out if Riley is a "field" lab or an "English" lab? He is registered, and I have his papers, and obviously it doesn't really matter, but I am curious to learn more about his background. All I've really done was a quick google search that yielded nothing. Suggestions?

I think everyone hit on the main points to look for in a field bred.  Leaner, lankier, more muscular bodies.  More "leggy".  More narrow head/jawline with a less pronounced stop.  One thing I didn't see mentioned was the tail.  Alot of field breds do not have the trademark otter tail.  They have a thinner tail.  Most often what you will see is sometimes called a sickle tail because of it's shape.  It's a shame the breed has split into different types.  That's what happens when you have one group breeding for ability and instinct alone and not conformation and another breeding strictly for conformation with little regard for purpose.   I guess it happens to alot of breeds.  It's a pet peeve for me.  I can't stand the short, fat, stumpy Labs they're putting in the ring and I hate it that the field dogs have all but lost their otter tails.  Oh well.

 
I know what you mean. In England though in order for a Lab to compete in shows it has to have some sort of a field trial or hutning certificate certifying that it has hunting ability which is what we should do here. Those Labs in the show ring are to stumpy to do what they were originally bred to do. The people who bred the foundation dogs of the Lab breed would frown on the Labs in the show ring. That's one of the reason's I want to show Mag. He's a good exampLe of a true Lab. Substanshal build, but not stumpy. Block head with a nice stop and muzzle, never snipey looking.