Structural Characteristics of a Labrador Retriever

Bred originally in Newfoundland, Labrador retrievers were the companions of fishermen. The breed would help fishermen reel in nets and snatch fish that wiggled loose from fishing lines. As time went on, fishermen bred the dog with setters, spaniels and other retrievers, and hunters and other outdoorsmen began using the Labrador for game retrieval, especially waterfowl.



Today the breed is generally just called a Lab, and now the dog has become a staple for families with small child because of the dog's good temperament. The Lab possesses a notable structure and build.
  1. Size

    • A Lab is a stocky, well-built animal. At the withers -- the ridge at a dog's shoulder blades -- a male Lab should be about 22 1/2 inches to 24 1/2 inches. A female dog should be between 21 1/2 and 23 1/2 inches.. A male weighs between 65 to 80 pounds, and a female ranges from 55 to 70 pounds.

      Labs can gain muscle easily. Breeders do not consider skinny or excessively obese animals to be in prime shape.

    Coat

    • Thick and water-resistant, a lab's coat is instantly recognizable. The hairs should be short and straight but very dense. The coat should feel hard to the touch.

      The Lab has an undercoat, which gives the dog's coat its water-resistance and makes it ideal for swimming and retrieving waterfowl. The undercoat also traps body heat, protecting the Lab from cold.

    Tail

    • The tail is a defining feature for the Lab. The dog has well-defined muscles at the base of its tail, and the tail tapers off to a point. The lab's thick coat extends to the tail, and it never feathers out. It's this thickness that leads some breeders to describe it as otter-like.

      When relaxed, the tail hangs down. When at attention or at work, the lab keeps its tail straight or rising slightly above its back. A well-formed tail never curls. Most breeders do not dock a lab's tails, and it's a practice that the American Kennel Club frowns upon docking, too.

    Head

    • The skull is wide and well-developed. It slopes with the brow protruding slightly, so the skull is not in a straight line to the nose.

      The face is typically terse and muscular, without drooping and fleshly cheeks. The jaw is square and "neither long and narrow nor short and stubby," according to the United Kennel Club. Lips curve toward the throat. The nose is wide and should be black on black and yellow dogs and brown on chocolate labs.