NSR: Dog Help

thanks for all the help... Lloyd appreciates it too!
http://photos-324.ll.facebook.com/ph...60268_2963.jpg

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Originally Posted by samthaman

http://www.akc.org/breeds/labrador_retriever/index.cfm

ACK puts the breed standard weight at 50-70 lbs for a male, they describe it as a medium sized dog. 100+ lbs is generally regarded as a Large dog.I therefore maintain that though you may know someone with a 100 lab, that is very very big for a lab.
As I said earlier, it is generally overbred breeds that have a lot of variation, less rigorous breeding standards, and consequently more problems.
Less popular, and more standardized breeds tend to have more responsible breeders that generally attempt to stay true to the breed standard. this is because in rare breeds thats how you win shows, make a name for yourself as a breeder, and then sell more dogs. Popular breeds sell themselves, or in the tragic cases of lassie, rin-tin-tin, air-bud, and the 101 dalmatians, the media sell them.

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Ok, great! But that doesn't change the fact that Labs are getting bigger. It doesn't matter what AKC says - we aren't breeding show dogs. These dogs are working hunters and they're BIG, and not from one breeder. I have hunted with more than a few over 100# (I can think of 3 right now just this year). Mine's a healthy (almost thin) 85#. Just sayin'...:rolleyes: My brother's and uncle's dog are more in line with the "official pedigree", but they aren't as good in the field compared to the larger dogs.

BTW - SW Minnesota is well known for it's upland bird and particularly it's pheasant hunting. Large Labs make great upland dogs. You just have to take lots of water with.

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Originally Posted by arbuckle

thanks for all the help... Lloyd appreciates it too!
http://photos-324.ll.facebook.com/ph...60268_2963.jpg

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GREAT looking Choco!! :D

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Originally Posted by arbuckle

thanks for all the help... Lloyd appreciates it too!
http://photos-324.ll.facebook.com/ph...60268_2963.jpg

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GREAT looking Choco!! :D

Salomon says "hi"!! http://www.flickr.com/photos/9236192...7600461973013/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9236192...7600461973013/

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Originally Posted by The Reverend Floater

There is more than one kind of displaysia, me thinks. The one above and then one that is more relevant to the ligaments, if I remember correctly.

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The OFA list two kinds -- hip and elbow. Both are an incorrectly formed joint.

On another note -- puppy food is higher in protein because the puppy is growing fast but the current thinking is that too much protein is bad for larger dogs -- they grow too fast and the joints are under a lot of stress because they're not fully formed yet. That's why there's "small breed puppy" and "large breed puppy" foods now. We used to go straight to adult food to keep the protein down and slow the development a little.

Samthaman mentioned it, but a general rule of thumb is:

The more popular a breed is, the more health problems they have.

The more popular, the more indescriminate (aka backyard) breeding goes on. Serious breeders check bloodlines, get OFA certificates for their breeding stock and generally try to avoid lines with known problems.

thanks again everyone who helped out with various pointers