THE STANDARD OF LABRADOR RETRIEVER

CHARACTER. The breed of hunting and service dogs. Labrador retrievers are one of the most reliable and obedient kinds. They are children friendly doggeries. They are known for both, upper and lower nose/smell, they fetch shot birds and beasts. Great guide for the blind. Retrievers are the helpers of customs officers and various other security services. These dogs are great swimmers and divers ( the record is 10 meters of depth); they have to move a lot and be active. Labradors may be single-colored, black, chocolate, and yellowish; a small white spot on the chest is allowed. Their fur should be brushed daily.

HEIGHT. Dogs of this breed are large. The height of a male is around 56-57 cm, female’s—54,5 to 56 cm; their weight is 25-30 kg.

HEAD. The head is big, forehead is gentle. The tuber of a crown is intangible. The cranium part of the scull is wide and round. The lines of face and forehead are parallel. The face is medium length, wide but not pointed and the jaws are firm. Nose mirror is big and dark, nostrils are wide. Retriever’s lips are adherent.

EYES. The eyes are medium width, brightly or darkly brown, the look is clever (since 2010 the eye exam is required).

EARS. Ears are pendant, adherent to cheeks, medium size and they are grown above the eye line.

NECK. The neck is strong, without ptosis.

CHEST. It is wide and its bottom reaches elbows.

DORSUM/BACK. The withers are sharp. The dorsum is straight, waist is wide and strong, loin—muscular, almost straight.

LEGS. Front legs are straight and muscular, rear legs are parallel with visible angles of the joints. Movements are light and easy. Fingers tight and vault (since the year of 2010 the dysplasia exam is required).

TAIL. The tail is the distinctive feature of retrievers—beside the base is very thick, slims downward, medium length, not pendulous, gradually grown with thick and rough hair, reminds of the tail of otter as it is kind of round. The dog keeps it fairly high and never tails up its back.

FUR. Fur and underfur are thick, hair are short, straight and slinky.

Weaknesses and defects: narrow head, very distinctive forehead, thrown elbows, convoluted and upturned tail above the dog’s back.

Weaknesses that might lead to disqualification: cryptorchidism, the lack of teeth, inappropriate clench. Supposedly, the Labrador Retrievers are direct posterity of dogs that sailors brought to England from the Newfoundland Island in XIX age. Back then, they were stronger, bigger and had longer hair. English businessmen interbreeded these dogs with pointers. The new dogs became more elegant, had shorter hair, and acquired the features of hunting dogs. The doggery of Great Britain officially acknowledged this breed in 1903 and registered FCI (No. 122).