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Labrador Retriever Characteristics:
The gentle, intelligent and family-friendly Labrador Retriever from Canada continues
to be the most popular breed in the United States. This versatile hunting breed
comes in three colors, yellow, black and chocolate and because of their aptitude
to please their master they excel as guide dogs for the blind, as part of search-and-rescue
teams or in narcotics detection with law enforcement.
Appearance: The height at
the withers for a dog is 22½ to 24½ inches; for a bitch is 21½
to 23½ inches. Approximate weight of dogs and bitches in working condition:
dogs 65 to 80 pounds; bitches 55 to 70 pounds. The Labrador Retriever is a strongly
built, medium-sized, short-coupled, dog possessing a sound, athletic, well-balanced
conformation that enables it to function as a retrieving gun dog; the substance
and soundness to hunt waterfowl or upland game for long hours under difficult
conditions; the character and quality to win in the show ring; and the temperament
to be a family companion.
Grooming: A double-coated breed which
sheds seasonally, regular grooming keeps their coat at its water-resistant best.
History: Labrador Retrievers, originally
from Newfoundland, were initially used to work alongside fisherman, helping to
pull in nets and catch fish that escaped from fishing lines. After being crossed
with Setters, Spaniels and other Retrievers, the Labrador Retriever honed its
skills as a true retriever. From this point in the breed’s history, "Labs,"
as they are affectionately called, were bred primarily to perform as an efficient
retriever of game, with a stable temperament suitable for a variety of activities
beyond hunting.
About Vanna: If every you wanted
a sweet companion with the drive to retrieve, it would be a Lab like Vanna. She
is typical of the breed. Vanna has been trained to play retriever baseball and
can't get enough. Vanna comes from American & Canadian champions but what
I'm most impressed with is her hips. Most champion Labs are rated as "Good".
Vanna comes from a line with hips rated as "Excellent" which was not
easy to find but important considering the Labrador Retriever is genetically
predisposed to the disease. Vanna is a very well behaved sweet and loyal companion.
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