Distinguishing Between English and American Labrador Retrievers
The Labrador retriever is one of the most beloved canine breeds. Over time, this breed has undergone changes in body type which attribute to what it was bred to do. These changes have produced two distinct labels of Labrador that relate to their frame and physical features. These two styles are commonly referred to as English and American style, but they should be more accurately described as show dogs and field dogs because how they were bred was what caused the variation in build, not where they were bred.
Show dogs, or “English” Labrador retrievers possess a build that adheres to breed standards, hence their title as show dogs. They are of standard height, with a thickset frame, and large head. Their bone structure is thick and they have a heavy coat.
Field dogs or “American” Labrador retrievers are much taller than show dogs. Their bone structure is less dense and their coats are lighter. They can also be distinguished by having a more slender muzzle.
While these differences can be attributed to breeding dogs for show, guiding, therapy, rescue tasks or hunting, many Labrador retriever establishments state that it is completely plausible that despite whether a litter was bred to be either style, it will produce puppies that will grow to exemplify qualities of either style. Issues such as health, adaptability to training, and temperament, although there are many stereotypes, cannot be determined by whether the Labrador is “English” or “American” style. Consult a breeder for the aforementioned qualities.
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The information you posted about labs is so useful, I am waiting for your next post….
I don’t normally comment on blogs… but I still like the pictures of dogs on your site…
what??…
I had no idea their was a diffrence betwn american and english labs!!! i lerned somthing today