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LabradorNet is now on Facebook!
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Click here to go to the Breeders' Tools. Lots of information and database.
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New at LabradorNet:
Who is Who in the world of Labrador Retrievers
Click here to consult the list.
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What are we doing with our dogs, and why?
(by Jack Vanderwyk)
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Sandylands Sovereign of Suddie.
A fine example of a Labrador
in the second half of the 20th century.
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Forced by the preferences of judges, some breeders are breeding
Labradors with shorter legs.
The breed is being mutilised this way.
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Labradors never had short legs.
Organisations who stimulate breeding such Labradors
do therefor not preserve the breed
while they should.
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People who would like to breed obedient Beagles with one uniform colour,
are welcome to do so,
but please, don't call them "Labradors".
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Lord Home's Nan, born in 1855, long before Labradors were even registered.
Photograph taken in 1867, when she was 12 years old.
A normal bitch with a normal size.
Should we mutilise this breed because some judges like to see
sausages on legs?
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This is the original		  
This is today's champion
Why don't we take a close look at the famous labs of the past?
 
Ardmargha Mad Hatter		  
Ballyduff Marina		  
Ballyduff Marketeer		  
Balnova Sultan
 
Belltarn Niuma of Newinn		  
British Justice		  
Broyhill Hennings Casino		  
Charway Ballywillwill
 
Cornlands Kimvalley Crofter		  
Follytower Merrybrook Black Stormer		  
Garvel of Garshangan		  
General of Garshangan
 
Keysun Crispin of Blondella		  
Lawnwoods Hot Chocolate		  
Lindall Mastercraft		  
Mardas Berberis
 
Martin of Mardas		  
Fabracken Comedy Star		  
Poolstead Preferential		  
Reanacre Mallardhurn Thunder
 
Receiver of Cranspire		  
Rocheby Royal Oak		  
Sandylands My Lad		  
Sandylands Tweed of Blaircourt
 
Trenow Brigadier
(Photos courtecy LabradorNet GenPed)
 
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Ever since 1996, in my articles on LabradorNet, I have been warning for dwarfism in Labrador retrievers. (Read the article.) I hoped dwarfism wouldn't reach us, in Europe, but unfortunately it came to us and nobody seems to know what is going on. Recently I visited a show in the Netherlands and I witnessed I dwarf Labrador becoming number 1 in puppy class (bitches). The English "all-round" judge didn't bother to check the age of that puppy and probably didn't have a clue what a 28 week old Labrador bitch should look like. This bitch had the build of a 12 to 14 week old puppy, and it was clear to every Labrador breeder present that this puppy was a dwarf. However, not to the judge, and not to the judges who preselected the dogs for the final parade. The only judge who obviously noticed the dwarfism was the Irish judge who selected the 25 preselected dogs for the ten best puppies in show. He dismissed the bitch, and rightly so. 
Nevertheless the Dutch breeder of this dwarf is as proud as Punch, and she will probably advertise the puppies of this dwarf bitch as "champion material". So ignorant people will buy these puppies, thinking that they own first class Labradors, and breed these dogs. Dwarfism - a serious defect - will spread in the Labrador genes, and the defect will spread through Europe.  
Who could have stopped this at the start? The judges. Who should stop this as long as it's not too late? The breed clubs and the kennel clubs. I'm counting on you. 

Jack Vanderwyk 
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This article in Portuguese
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 Further reading:
Should there be any difference
between show dogs and working dogs?
(Are there "American" Labs and "English" Labs?)
by Jack Vanderwyk
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 The List of American Labradors (1986 - 2008)
Click here to view the list
 
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and sponsored by Joe Batt's Arm Labradors.
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