Labrador Retriever

(Breed Standard)

Partha Sekhar Chatterjee

International All Breeds Dog Show Judge

General Appearance 

The Labrador Retriever is strongly built, short coupled and very active. They are broad in skull; broad and deep through chest and ribs; broad and strong over loins and hind quarters.

Characteristics 

They are good tempered and very agile. They have excellent nose, soft mouth and a keen love of water. They are adaptable and devoted companions.

Temperament 

They are intelligent, keen and biddable, with strong will to please. They are kindly in nature, with no trace of aggression or undue shyness.

Head and Skull 

The skull is broad with a defined stop; clean cut with fleshy cheeks. The jaws are of medium length, powerful and not snipey. The nose is wide and nostrils well-developed.

Mouth 

The jaws and teeth closely overlap the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Eyes

They are of medium size, expressing intelligence and good temper; brown or hazel in colour.

Ears 

They are not large or heavy, hang close to head and set rather far back.

Neck 

It is clean, strong, powerful and set into well-placed shoulders.

Forequarters 

The shoulders are long and sloping. The forelegs well-boned and straight from elbow to ground when viewed from either front or side.

Body 

The chest is of good width and depth, with well sprung barrel ribs. They have level topline with wide loins, short coupled and strong.

Hindquarters 

They are well-developed and not sloping to tail; well turned stifle. The hocks are well let down, cowhocks highly undesirable.

Feet 

They are round, compact with well-arched toes and well-developed pads.

Tail

The distinctive feature is that it is very thick towards base, gradually tapering towards tip, of medium length, free from feathering, but clothed thickly all round with short, thick, dense coat, thus giving ‘rounded’ appearance described as ‘Otter’ tail. May be carried gaily but should not curl over back.

Gait/ Movement 

It is free, covering adequate ground; straight and true in front and rear.

Coat

The distinctive feature is, it is short and dense without wave or feathering, giving a fairly hard feel to touch. They have a weather resistant undercoat.

Colour 

They are wholly black, yellow or liver/ chocolate. Yellows range from light cream to red fox. Small white spot on chest permissible.

Size

Ideal height at withers: Dogs 56-57 cms; Bithches 54-56 cms.

Faults 

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note 

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended in to the scrotum.

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