Breed Clubs - South Africa
- Alaskan Malamute
- Australian Shepherd Dog
- Basenji
- Boerboel
- Borzoi
- Boston
- Boxer
- Bulldog
- Chinese Crested
- Chow Chow
- Corgi
- Dachshund
- Dobermann
- French Bulldog
- German Shepherd
- Golden Retriever
- Great Dane
- Greyhounds & Whippet
- Irish Wolfhound
- Jack Russell Terrier
- Labrador Retriever
January/February 2010
Order the Labrador back issue ...
- Miniature Dachshund
- Miniature Schnauzer
- Pomeranian
- Poodles
- Rhodesian Ridgeback
- Rottweiler
- Saluki
- Scottish Terrier
- Setters
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Spaniels
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- White Swiss Shepherd
- Xoloiztcuintle
- Yorkshire Terrier
Labrador Retrievers
It is recommended that only reputable breeders should be approached when seeking breed information or if you wish to purchase a puppy.
See the advertisements in either this month's issue, our classifieds section, or our back issues featuring your breed of choice. Alternatively contact one of the clubs listed below for breeders in your area.
National |
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Labrador Retriever Kennel Club |
Labrador Retriever Kennel Club
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| Field Trial Club | Field Trial Liaison Council
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Gauteng |
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Gundog Group Club |
The Gundog Club
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| Field Trial Club | Transvaal Field Trial Association
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| Field Trial Club | Transvaal HPR Field Trial Club
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Kwazulu Natal |
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| Gundog Group Club | Natal Gundog Club
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Western Cape |
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| Gundog Group Club | Cape Gundog Club
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| Field Trial Club | Cape Field Trial Club Chairman: Mrs. H.J. Kessler Phone: 082 977 5956 gavalat@absamail.co.za |
Fact File - Labrador Retriever
| KUSA Group | Gundogs |
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| FCI Group | Group 8: Retrievers, Flushing Dogs, Water Dogs |
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Original Function |
Retriever, gundog | |
| Modern Function | Pet/Companion, Retriever, Show Dog, Detector Dog, Guide Dog, Therapy Dog | |
Appearance |
Strongly built, short-coupled, very active; broad in skull; broad and deep through chest and ribs; broad and strong over loins and hindquarters. Eyes expressing intelligence and good temper. | |
Weight |
Ideal weight: Dogs: 35 – 38kg Bitches: 32 – 35 kg |
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| Height | Ideal height: Dogs: 56 – 57 cm Bitches: 55 – 56 cm |
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Coat Colour |
Only whole colours acceptable. Black, yellow or liver/ chocolate. Yellow ranges from light cream to red fox. Small white spot on chest permissible. Not acceptable to refer to yellow Labradors as blond, beige, white, wheaten or golden! | |
| Coat Texture | Distinctive feature – short, dense without wave or feathering, giving fairly hard feel to the touch; weather-resistant undercoat. Many breeders regard a slight wave as indicative of the correct coat. | |
Grooming |
Thick double coat requires regular brushing to get rid of loose hair. Show dogs with a particularly thick coat may need trimming of the coat of the tail to retain rounded, broad at the base and tapering appearance, described as an otter tail. | |
Personality/Temperament |
Good-tempered, intelligent, keen and biddable, with a strong will to please. Kindly nature, with no trace of aggression or undue shyness. Very agile with excellent nose, soft mouth and keen love of water. Adaptable, devoted companion. | |
Compatibility with other dogs |
Excellent | |
| Compatibility with cats and other animals | Excellent | |
Compatibility with people/children |
Excellent | |
Living Space – Indoors/Outdoors |
Both indoors and outdoors. Although they will adapt to outside living, they thrive on attention and love to be close to their human companions. | |
Space and Exercise |
Need moderate amount of space, but need to be stimulated with games and to be taken out for exercise and to allow them to investigate. If bored can become destructive in the garden. | |
Trainability |
Exceptionally intelligent, keen and biddable with a strong will to please. | |
Suitability as Watchdog |
Because of excellent sense of smell will quickly pick up on stranger activity and make noise. Is alert but will not necessarily be aggressive towards strangers. | |
Noise Factor |
This becomes a factor in large groups or if a single dog does not get stimulated or exercised. | |
| Average Lifespan | 12 – 14 years | |
| Feeding | Particularly important to feed high-quality dog food - follow manufacturers recommendations for age and weight, but also look at individual need, especially for very active dogs as well as spayed / neutered animals. | |
Health |
Generally healthy breed, but look out for hip dysplasia and other joint problems. No diseases typical of this breed, but responsible breeders should have reports on X-rays of hips, elbows and eye tests of both parents. | |
| Availability | Enquire via the Labrador Retriever Kennel Club of South Africa (www.labclub.org.za) for reputable breeders and healthy puppies. Due to popularity of the breed, a lot of indiscriminate breeding is taking place. Be prepared to wait for well-bred puppies! | |
| Some questions to ask Breeders | Ask about temperaments and, if possible, see both parents. Ask about hip and elbow scores and eye tests for both parents. Are the puppies registered with KUSA; are they de-wormed and vaccinated? |