Chocolate labs - are they a relatively new "invention"?

[giddly]

Probably a stupid question, but i went to see a friend yesterday who has a beautiful chocolate lab puppy. It got me thinking - when I was a child (I'm quite ancient) I only remember yellow and black labs. Now I would say chocolate is probably the most popular colour for a lab round here, but I think I only cam accross the first one about 20 years ago. Are they a new strain, or did I just lead a very sheltered life prior to this? Also the lovely "red" ones seem new too.Are they a distinct type, or just a very dark yellow one / very light brown one?

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

I think they just don't breed from dogs like that. I expect only the best ones are kept for breeding.

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

Are there different standards of labs? You see all kinds of shapes. I like the slim little ones, a few shooting friends of ours have lovely lithe looking dogs. When we were little our dps had a huge chunky lab and they said he was a Sandringham lab. Never heard the term since.

[dotdotdotmustdash]

Can I ask a perhaps daft question? How does a breeder select for 'good' traits? Is it a question of only breeding from dogs with the desired temperament/intelligence etc? What happens to the dogs who don't have these qualities? Presumably they aren't 'culled', or am I being naive? How can a breeder tell what an adult dog will be like when they are puppies? Do they hold back animals with undesirable traits, or sell them on? And if they do, how do they know that someone else won't breed from them anyway?

I'm not a breeder, I only have only ever had rescue dogs and collies at that but I do lurk on dog forums so I'll have a go at answering this.

For working dogs, in this case labs, the dogs will be assessed at a very young age for their working ability, their stamina, their readiness to learn and ability to use their mouths softly and be calm when it's required amongst other things. For show-type pups they must have no obvious problems that make them unsuitable for showing, and then they are assessed for 'type' and show potential. The young dogs who don't make the cut, but are temperamentally sound, will be sold as pet pups. Nothing wrong with that, they're well-bred and their parents should be healthy if they have proven working ability. Good breeders will have performed all the recommended health tests on the breeding dogs and have done their best to find the best mate for their dog, not just a sire because it's local, convenient or cheap.

If a dog has a really undesirable trait that will restrict it's life some breeders will put it down as soon as it's obvious. Others will sell or give away the pup at a reduced price if they find the right home. There is very sensibly, a condition that the pup must be neutered at maturity. Good breeders will take responsibility for the pups they produce for the rest of the the dog's life and should always take it back, what it's age.

Reputable breeders will register their pups with the Kennel Club as pedigrees, but they have an option to place a restriction on the registering of their progeny. This is an attempt to stop pet-owners from breeding their dogs. It doesn't always work as obviously they can't stop the dog being bred from, but it does cut down the profits of any pet-owner who can't sell registered dogs.

[dotdotdotmustdash]

whatever it's age

[BOFster]

Thank you for that- really interesting, I've always wondered how it works!

[HotPinkWeaselWearingLederhosen]

My labs lovely wiggle still isn't back
First time she's been on limited exercise due to being poorly and hurt too, I thought I'd dropped her food enough, she still managed to pile on 5kilo! It's shifting, slowly.

[Fav]

My lab was bred as a gun dog. IME, there seems to be a wider type as the breeders select for temperament, health, trainability (not sure that's a word!) rather than looks, as show dogs tend to be bred for.

My local vet was telling me that dogs bred as gun dogs tend to be healthier and suffer fewer of the typical lab inflictions, as it's not in their best interest to breed dogs that may have hip problems by the time they are 4.

My girl's father was a field trial champion, and I think his genes have passed on, as my dog was incredibly easy to train.

At the training class we went to, there was a huge bouncy chocolate Labrador. His owner could barely control him. Every few minutes he'd go booming through the group to find someone to play. He was gorgeous. Naughty, but gorgeous :)

[MehsMum]

little, you are obviously a good lab owner! I wasn't saying all pet labs are lardy, just that lardy and no recall tend to go hand in hand.

It's more that show/pet bred labs tend to be more chunkily built than working-line ones, and are generally more placid (most working dogs seem to produce uppers within their own bodies... nothing else explains it...)

[littlewhitebag]

Mehsmum I wasn't taking offence - don't worry. My lab is lovely but she isn't perfect. She has what i call "lab ears" so she will recall if nothing much is going on but goes deaf when something more interesting comes along.

Mostly she is wonderful and she has such a huge personality that it is hard to be cross when she takes off after a rabbit/deer/other friendly dog and refuses to come back.

[NCISaddict]

When I got my first collie, 20 years ago, the breeder insisted, and I had to sign an agreement, that I would neuter and never breed as she had an undershot jaw plus was not suitable for working due to being scared of sheep. Suited us as we had no intention of breeding ever with any dog we have.

The fox red Lab I grew up with was the calmest dog I've known. Apparently i grew up learning to walk holding on to him, he was our protector and friend growing up. A lovely dog whom I credit with making me a dog lover and, I hope, a good dog owner today.

[MehsMum]

Little, it's not just labs who have 'lab ears'... As was demonstrated this morning when certain canine decided he could smell pheasant.

[Labtest7]

I have a 17 month old chocolate and he's no different intelligence wise from the black and golden I have owned in the past. None of my dogs have been overweight even when older. The previous two both died aged 12. This is Toby, as you can see he is an Adonis of the dog world!

[Elliptic5]

He is beautiful , eyes the same colour as my lab.