Dog Breeds – American Vs British Lab

Dog Breeds – American Vs British Lab

You must have heard the terms - "American lab" & "British Lab" - they are confusing and wrongly coined terms.
To put it simple a lay one understands is a lab having ancestry from U.K. is a British lab and one with American ancestry is America lab – simple isn’t it?
The correct way to differentiate the breed is to split them into – Show Labradors and Field Labradors.

Show Bred
A show bred Labrador generally is shorter on leg, has a heavier body, thicker tail and coat than a field bred lab.

Most show bred Labradors have a shorter muzzle and wider head than a field bred Lab.

Field Bred
Field dogs tend to have a lighter body and longer legs. Their coats aren't as thick and their tails tend to be thinner.

The field bred Labrador's head is generally not as wide as a show bred Lab and the muzzle tends to be longer.

English "Show" Breed	American "Field" Breed
Shorter on legs Heavier body Thicker tail Thicker coat Shorter muzzle Wider head	Longer on legs Lighter body Thinner tail Thinner coat Longer muzzle Skinnier head

There are many Labs which are crossed between the two main types of show bred and field bred. They might not resemble either type.

Its important to have an idea on which type you prefer before you start looking for a puppy. This does not mean that a show bred Labrador might not be a delightful hunting companion or that a field bred Labrador might not be correct and able to compete in the show ring.

Links
http://www.labbies.com/history.htm
http://www.britishretrievertraining.com/britishway/brit_vs_us.html