Difference between Lab and British Lab?

[JJK]

Is there really a difference between the two?

[Todd Caswell]

Nothing... There are a some titled dogs that are imported each year, but for the most part the breeders in the US that are marketing the "Gentlemens GUN DOG" are breeding untitled dogs without doing health clearences and have no proven track record.The first that come to mind are the Wildrose dogs no titles, no track record and Micheal Stewart is a VERY good business man butt not a dog trainer. Smoke and mirrors baby.

Would I ever own a BL yep but it would have to come dirrectly from the UK from titled parents that are proven.

[scsavre]

I have one, no idea if it is really British or any of that mumbo jumbo. Its just a guy that my dad gets dogs from. For all I know it was crated in from over seas.

They say the BL's are smaller, stockier, smarter and calmer.

Mine is a 48lb female. She is very stocky and surprisingly calm and pretty darn smart.

I guess I have never heard any one say the BL is a better hunter, and mine has yet to show it.

[gspman]

The British Lab barks with an accent.

[topcat3820]

The British Lab barks with an accent.

... and drink tea .

[caseymcq]

The dogs being sold as British labs are typically a smaller, blockier lab. It is physical attributes. That are the difference. Some will also say the dogs are typically calmer. If the dogs have a title it will typically be associated with a show championship. Titles aren't unique to field trials.

Good breeders, regardless whether the dogs are British or not, will have health clearances.

We had a litter a few years ago, both parents had eyes, hips and elbows cleared. If we breed again we will probably go another step and get EIC, CNM, etc. Although, from what I have read those diseases are most commonly associated with field / trial - bred labs.

Regardless if it is a British lab or a non-British lab... it is still a lab

[scsavre]

And have bad teeth

[Todd Caswell]

The dogs being sold as British labs are typically a smaller, blockier lab. It is physical attributes. That are the difference. Some will also say the dogs are typically calmer. If the dogs have a title it will typically be associated with a show championship. Titles aren't unique to field trials.

Good breeders, regardless whether the dogs are British or not, will have health clearances.

We had a litter a few years ago, both parents had eyes, hips and elbows cleared. If we breed again we will probably go another step and get EIC, CNM, etc. Although, from what I have read those diseases are most commonly associated with field / trial - bred labs.

Regardless if it is a British lab or a non-British lab... it is still a lab

Acually if you go on youtube and search British FT there are some pretty good videos, there trial are completetly different than ours but fun to watch. I just can't stand how there marketed here in the US. Your right a lab is a lab.

[jdog]

i dont know i think mine asked me the other night to pass the grey poupon

[JJK]

What is the standard for a lab?

Why are so many so different?

Like some weighing 100+lbs and others with legs not much longer than a basset hound.

[fishfearme]

Is there really a difference between the two?

Yes about 30# and 10 pair of chewed up shoes.

[caseymcq]

... I just can't stand how there marketed here in the US. Your right a lab is a lab.

I won't argue with you there. I have seen a lot of "marketing" with labs. I think now the Brit craze might be cooling off with the hightened intrest in "Reds" and to a lesser extent "Whites" and "Silvers".

You are right there are the British field trials but it seems here the show champion title is the biggie because it is mostly a title earned on physical attributes and somewhat demeanor.

[DHost21]

I have no proven facts about this it is just my observation but i have a six month old british lab and my brother has a 6 month old lab and the british lab is 30# compared to 38# for my brothers both are suppose to be small but 8 pounds seems like a pretty big difference they are the same age almost exact. My dog the BL is way calmer and seems to grasp tricks and commands better but my brothers dog the regular lab is more athletic it seems. Like faster and can jump better and stuff so with good training i think his might be better hunter but the better house and people dog forsure is my BL as of now

[Hookmaster]

I have a female British Lab. Full grown and trim, she is at 48 #s. The breeder said their females are usually around 55 #s. She is very fast and has springs for legs. The breeder tracks the lineage to the dogs in Britain and usually the stud dogs come over for a while and then go back. Very mellow dog but does she have bird drive. She had a stint with a professional trainer who raises GSP and he liked the dog a lot and has trained many from the same breeder. She did very well for ducks this fall (her first season) and had comments from my buddies on how well she listens, especially in the cabin. I didn't get her out in the field for pheasants because I was having too much fun on the ducks. I went British for the calmer disposition and have not been disappointed. I have hunted around many labs and several figit and whine in the duck blind. No better way to ruin a duck hunt than to have a dog that won't sit still or whines. I'm sure this is somewhat due to their training or lack thereof but a good part is genetics. The Brits demand and breed for the calm disposition, ease of training and good hunters.

[PGE-Hound]

I think there is a big difference between the two and it all comes down to the differences in culture and field trials that are done in the U.K. vs U.S. A british lab should be civil while in the field, where as a U.S. lab might be more hyperactive. Barking or whining is not allowed in british trails and results in DQ. You should not have to use a electric collar to train a british lab. Though that doesn't mean all british or american labs are like that, I think it comes down to the qaulity of the breeder.

Go to britishretrievertraining dot com, then click on the "british way" tab. Part 3 breaks down the difference between the two. It makes a good read.

[Todd Caswell]

Quote:

You should not have to use a electric collar to train a british lab. Though that doesn't mean all british or american labs are like that, I think it comes down to the qaulity of the breeder.

Thats part of the marketing [PoorWordUsage] I'm talking about. You don't HAVE to use a collar to train any retriever but witht the programs we have today why wouldn't you? Much easyier on the the dog IMOP. Collars aren't allowed in the UK (doesn't mean they don't use them). Another one I hear is they don't need to be FF well there again no retriever has to be but it's a intricle part of a time proven program.

Iv'e seen calm US dogs and calm UK dogs and high maintnence dog from both sides as well.

[PGE-Hound]

It only has to deal with the marketing when you are dealing with incompetent BL breeders, like what you posted earlier. There are some traits that can only be bread into your dog. This is where you get the difference between the two. If you can find a breeder that holds true to the "British way" then you are getting a dog that shows what British labs are suppose to be.

[Ufatz]

How do you know what a good one looks like?

Go back and find a picture of Cork of Oakwood Lane. We had a puppy and he was the most beautiful Lab I've ever seen. Find a photo of Piper's Pacer. Find a photo of the legendary dog owned by head of GM. Find a photo.......you get the idea.

But look for dogs bred several decades back. THOSE were BLACK Labradors......the TRUE Labrador Retriever.

Okay boys......I'm braced......lemme have it!!

ha Ha Ha.

[JayinMN]

I need to get rid of my English ivory and get a British. I want to be trendy too!

[Ufatz]

Look for a photograph of King Buck......

Could not think of dogs name when I posted. He was actually on a US postage stamp.

[Todd Caswell]

How do you know what a good one looks like?

Go back and find a picture of Cork of Oakwood Lane. We had a puppy and he was the most beautiful Lab I've ever seen. Find a photo of Piper's Pacer. Find a photo of the legendary dog owned by head of GM. Find a photo.......you get the idea.

But look for dogs bred several decades back. THOSE were BLACK Labradors......the TRUE Labrador Retriever.

Okay boys......I'm braced......lemme have it!!

ha Ha Ha.

You lost me explaine yourself

[caseymcq]

How do you know what a good one looks like? ...

Since you asked...

The second picture is with my daughter at the age of one and the dog is three as reference to size. She was about 19" at the shoulders and weighed 60 lbs.

And one more just for good measure...

Ok, I'm done... for now

[scsavre]

Mine is actually less athletic too. Maybe more powerful but slower due to her stockiness. Mine has all the traits that people have said the BL's should have. But you should be able to get that from any breed.

I have never needed a color either. I am not against using one.Used em on other dogs. I just havnt had too.

I just looked at some of the prices wow. Thats alot of money.

[Todd Caswell]

Old news paper clipping about King Buck

King Buck, a Black Labrador,

handled by T. W. "Cotton" Pershall,

former Winona trainer; and

discovered here in the trials of

1951, won the national retriever,

trial at Weldon Springs, Mo., Sun

day.

The runner-up dog was Ready

Always of Marianhill, 1951 nation

al champion, known locally a,

Lucky, and handled by William

Wunderlich of the Big Talk Ken

nels, Winona.

King Buck is owned by John 0lin

in, Alton, 111., and has been a sen-

sational dog throughout the late

trials of 1952. He ran here in both

the Golden Retriever Club of Amer

ica and the Tri-State Hunting Dog

association trials this spring. The

best King Buck did here was to

win a certificate of merit.

King Buck is a dog that broke

into the big time suddenly and was

sold to a big: kennel for a smali

fortune by its original owner. Winona

was the scene of its sensational

break into big time trials. Its

owner, E. F. Walters, Omaha,

entered the dog in the Tri-

State trials here in 1951 in both the

non-winner and open all - age

takes. It placed fourth in the non-

winner only to go into the open all-age

and win first place. The dog

.vas purchased by Olin afterwards

'or $6,500, it was rumored at the

time.

There were 32 entries in the National

Retriever Trial Club event,

Deluding three Winona dogs:

sticky Spider of Kingswere and-

Timbertown Trigger. The trials

an three days and consisted ten difficult

series

[Ufatz]

Thanks Todd. And thanks Casey for your pictures. The conformation of your dog is what the breeders and marketers today like to call "British Lab" regardless whether it is bred just outside Buckingham palace, Bismark Germany or Bismark North Dakota.

When you own a British Lab you have to wear a tweed vest, wear a deerstalker hat and carry a Purdy.

It doesn't matter as long as a guy is happy with his dog and it's mutual.