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                The Labrador Retriever has steadily become one of the world's most popular breeds.This popularity has been attained not only because of the breed's primary function as a remarkable retriever, but also because of its sound temperament, trainability and versatility. Labradors are widely used as seeing eye dogs, as assistants for the disabled, as search and rescue dogs, in bomb and drug detection work, hunting companions, therapy dogs and as beloved family companions.
                This interpretation will help to underline the essential characteristics of the Labrador without which any individual dog is not representative of the breed and does not possess breed "type." While it is critical that the Labrador be "sound," evaluation of the breed solely on this factor is incorrect and detrimental. No true evaluation of the breed can take place without a thorough knowledge of breed "type": those defining characteristics which distinguish the Labrador from all other breeds and help it accomplish its work as an incomparable retriever.
                While judges, breeders and exhibitors must always evaluate individual dogs against the breed standard, it is equally obvious that no standard is absolutely perfect or totally comprehensive. This is true of the Canadian Kennel Club Labrador Retriever Standard which, for example, makes no reference to the breed's double coat, or undercoat, an essential characteristic of the breed. The standard is equally vague about such essentials as the proportion of skull to muzzle, the proportion of body length to height, and the proportion of leg length to depth of body. The old cliche that "standards are written for those who already know the breed" is certainly true of our standard.
                The purpose of this interpretation is not to rewrite or replace the standard but to clarify and supplement the standard with knowledge that has developed over the decades within the Labrador Retriever community about essential breed characteristics. Any true evaluation of the Labrador must move beyond the sound, showy, "generic" dog to an understanding and appreciation of those qualities which typify the breed and distinguish it from all others. Without Labrador type there is no Labrador

GENERAL APPEARANCE

                The general appearance of the Labrador should be that of a strongly built, short-coupled very active dog. He should be fairly wide over the loins, and strong and muscular in the hindquarters. The coat should be close, short, dense and free from feather.

Commentary
                The opening section of the standard emphasizes those qualities which make the Labrador what it is: a powerful, rugged , athletic retriever. Any evaluation of the Labrador must be done with the dog's function as a working retriever foremost in mind. Working Condition should not be confused with "Field Trial Condition". The Labrador is a strong,stocky, powerful dog but he must not be cloddy or cumbersome. Neither must he be weedy or racy. Moderation should be the key when considering the Labrador Retriever.

                The breed should display not only power but agility and athleticism, as suggested by the word active", and should not only be powerful enough to retrieve heavy game, but agile enough to capture game that is only wounded. Labradors should be able to retrieve a large goose or run down a wounded pheasant. Labradors should be capable of a days work which requires agility, strength and stamina. But it must be remembered that the breed's work is not that of a setter or spaniel. Although some Labradors are used to flush upland game, their primary function is to retrieve, which requires athleticism and the power necessary for short, intense bursts of speed --note the standard's emphasis on strongly built, short coupled, and muscular hindquarters.
                The other emphasis in this section is on correct, close, dense, free from feather coat, a necessity for a dog who must be out in all types of foul weather and who must often wait quietly in wet or freezing conditions for the next retrieve. A poor quality coat would fail to protect the dog against the elements. Although the standard does not specifically give the proportions for the breed's outline, the general appearance should be that of a slightly off-square dog rather than rectangular. Distance from withers to elbow should approximate distance from elbow to ground.

SIZE

                Approximate weights of dogs and bitches in working condition dogs: 60 to 75 pounds (27 - 34 kg); bitches 55 to 70 pounds (25 - 32 kg).
                Height at shoulders-- Dogs: 22-1/2 to 24-1/2 (57 - 62 cm) inches; bitches: 21-1/2 to 23-1/2 inches (54 - 60 cm).

                Commentary:
                Size in Labradors has recently become a contentious issue. Obviously, Labradors within the standard's range are acceptable. Animals outside these ranges may either lack the power and strength or the agility to do the work required of the breed. In practice, many breeders strive for a medium sized dog that possesses both power and athleticism. To meet these requirements the Labrador must be in firm, fit condition, not fat and flabby, nor thin and racey. It should be noted that today's Labrador, in show condition, may carry more weight than described in the official standard, provided it is well muscled and not fat.

COAT AND COLOUR

                The coat is another very distinctive feature, it should be short, very dense and without wave, and should give a fairly hard feeling to the hand. The colours are black, yellow, or chocolate and are evaluated as follows:
                (a) Blacks: all black, with a small white spot on chest permissible. Eyes to be of medium size, expressing intelligence and good temper, preferably brown or hazel.
                (b) Yellows: Yellows may vary in colour from fox-red to light cream with variations in the shading of the coat on ears, the underparts of the dog, or beneath the tail. A small white spot on chest is permissible. Eye colouring and expression should be the same as that of the blacks, with black or dark brown eye rims. The nose should also be black or dark brown, although 'fading' to pink in winter weather is not serious. A 'Dudley' nose (pink without pigmentation), should be penalized.
                (c) Chocolates: Shades ranging from light sedge to chocolate. A small white spot on chest is permissible. Eyes to be light brown to clear yellow. Nose and eye-rim pigmentation dark brown or liver coloured. 'Fading' to pink in winter weather not serious. 'Dudley' nose should be penalized.

                Commentary:
                The outer coat is close, short and dense and has a "hard" feeling, yet not as harsh as a terrier coat. There is often a slight wave down the back in good textured coats. The coat should look healthy but not shiny, rather it has a matt finish. Shiny coats are often single coats with no undercoat. The Canadian standard makes no mention of undercoat; this is a serious omission. There should be a soft dense water-resistant undercoat that provides protection from water, cold, and rough terrain. Depending on climate, time of year, and oestrus, the coat might be thinner and have less undercoat. But there should always be some undercoat present and the outer coat should give evidence of a good hard texture.
                The Labrador's coat blunts the angles and hollows of the dog and gives the typical rounded appearance of the breed which should be created from coat rather than from fat. Wooly coats, soft coats, lack of hard texture, and single coats without undercoat should be severely penalized as these coats are not suitable for a working Labrador.
                There are few hunting experiences as pathetic as sitting in a waterfowl blind with a sodden, freezing Labrador who is miserable because his coat offers no protection from the elements. The Labrador is a natural dog and there should be no trimming, scissoring or sculpting of the coat other than to trim the hair between the pads and remove the corkscrew hair from the tail, if desired. Sprays and other artificial enhancements of coat also have no place in the breed and should be looked upon unfavourably. The Labrador should be shown in a clean and natural condition and should be capable, if having the proper coat, of doing a mornings work in the field and be in the conformation ring in the afternoon without any preparation other than a good combing or brushing.
                In the Labrador, all three colours have equal value. Each Labrador should be held to the same standard of perfection regardless of its colour. When judging the Labrador, colour must not be a consideration. In some geographic locations or at certain times, one colour may be superior, but this is only a localized occurrence and is not true of the breed as a whole. In all colours a small white spot on the chest is permissible, but most breeders would prefer not to have such a spot. On occasion white hairs may be found between the pads, on the stomach and groin, and under the guard hair near the base of the tail. Not usually visible, these white hairs should not be considered faults. In yellows, the colour may vary from fox red to almost white. Again no shade is more acceptable than another.
                There are also shadings in individual coats with the ears, hocks and back being usually a darker shade and underparts and back of hind legs being lighter. Some yellows have a mask of darker yellow hair around the muzzle sometimes reaching up as far as the brows. If this gives a hard, atypical look and ruins expression, it should be penalized. Yellows with bad coats tend to have soft, fluffy coats with plenty of undercoat but no hard guard hair. Occasionally blacks with poor coats tend to have single, shiny coats with no undercoat. Black and chocolate coats are particularly affected by the sun. Black coats will typically take on a brown cast and chocolate will look very faded and patchy. Coats with brindle or tan markings are totally unacceptable and should be so severely penalized as to be unworthy of an award. Some Labradors have cow-licks which should only be considered faults if they interfere with expression.

HEAD

                The skull should be wide, giving brain room; there should be a slight stop, i.e. the brow should be slightly pronounced, so that the skull is not absolutely in a straight line with the nose. The head should be clean-cut and free from fleshy cheeks. The jaws should be long and powerful and free from snipiness; the nose should be wide and the nostrils well developed. Teeth should be strong and regular, with a level mouth. The ears should hang moderately close to the head, rather far back, should be set somewhat low and not be large and heavy. The eyes should be of medium size, expressing great intelligence and good temper, and can be brown, yellow or black, but brown or black is preferred.

                Commentary
                Labrador expression is an essential of the breed. The gentle and intelligent expression which should be typical of the breed can not be overemphasized. A hard, mean look is abhorrent. The head should possess both strength and a gentle expression which reflect the character of the breed. The head is wide and strong but without exaggeration, clean cut and without wrinkle. The head is at its widest between the ears and tapers only lightly to the eyes, and must not give the appearance of being wedge shaped. The skull may show some median line which disappears as it moves towards the back skull. The occipital bone is not conspicuous in mature dogs, although puppies under a year can often exhibit pronounced occipital "bumps" that hopefully will break as they mature. A fault frequently seen today is the extremely undesirable overdone Rottweiler look: great, huge heads with overdeveloped cheek muscles, hard expressions and over developed stops.
                The stop should be easily discernable but moderate. Brow ridges help in defining the stop. Insufficient stop is often seen in association with wedge shaped heads and too obliquely set eyes which impart an undesired "foxy"expression. The skull and foreface should be on parallel planes and of approximately equal length. Small, toy-like, snipey muzzles are very incorrect since they render dogs incapable of properly retrieving game. The bridge of the muzzle should be straight. The muzzle is slightly deeper from stop to underjaw than it is from nose to underjaw. In other words, when viewed from the side the muzzle tapers very slightly from stop to tip. The muzzle should be strong and appear almost square, with good underjaw. It should not be long and narrow nor short and stubby. Lips should be tight and clean cut with sufficient padding to fill out the foreface and create a strong appearance to the muzzle.
                Lips should not be pendulous, although there are often slight flews. There should be only a little wrinkle at the corner of the mouth. The nose should be wide and the nostrils well developed for scenting power. In black and yellow dogs the nose should be black. In chocolates pigmentation should be brown. Nose colour in yellows will frequently fade, particularly in winter, and should not be faulted. Noses without pigment are a fault. Also, as yellows mature, frequently the nose pigment fades but the eye rims will remain dark. This is not be be confused with lack of pigment. In the revised American Kennel Club Standard (March, 1994) noses without pigment (pink noses) are a disqualification. Eyes should reflect kindness and intelligence. They are of medium size, set well apart, and neither protruding or deep set. Eyes are set straight, not obliquely. They have sometimes been described as "diamond shaped", not round. Eye rims should be tight to protect against debris when the dog is working. No white should be visible when the dog is looking forward. In blacks and yellows the preferred colour is brown, sometimes described as dark hazel or the colour of burnt sugar. Yellow eyes are very objectionable as they create a hard, staring expression. The British have always detested black eyes and now the Americans have listed black eyes as undesirable. Black eyes, however, have a much less detrimental affect on expression than do yellow "headlight" eyes. Chocolates' eyes will usually be lighter than blacks or yellows, a hazel colour, but they should not be yellow or staring. Eye rims are black in blacks, black or dark brown in yellows, and brown in chocolates. Chiseling of the bony structure under the eyes adds to expression and the appeal of the head. Ears hang close to the head and are not so large as to appear houndy or so small as to seem out of proportion to the head. They are medium sized, set well back on the skull, and should be carried close to the head reaching about to the bottom of the jaw line. They will reach to the inside corner of the eye when pulled forward. When the dog is alert, the inside corner of the top fold of the ears will break almost even with the top of the skull and the fold will have a slightly downward angle. The fold of the ear should not break above the skull and should not square off the head as in a Rottweiler or Bullmastiff.
                Teeth are described in the standard as strong and regular with a level mouth.Most breeders have taken "level mouth" to mean a scissors bite. Although a level bite is acceptable it is not preferred. The standard says nothing about undershot, overshot, or misaligned teeth, but these have always been considered by breeders as serious faults in a retriever. Missing teeth are also not mentioned in the standard. It is not uncommon to see one or two missing premolars in Labradors. In the past this has not been considered by most breeders to be a serious fault, but Canadian breeders and judges are becoming more concerned about missing teeth, particularly if this involves more than one or two premolars. Full dentition is preferred. However, as in all things related to the Labrador, the yardstick should be how this will affect work in the field. The experience of most hunters is that one or two missing premolars does not affect retrieving ability. Whiskers need not be cut, but may be if so desired.

NECK

                The neck should be medium length, powerful and not throaty.

                Commentary:
                The neck should be of medium length, strong and clean, enabling the dog to carry heavy game. It should balance the dog and have a moderate arch which flows smoothly into the shoulders without a "break" or roll of flesh. The neck should not be "stuffy", neither should it be overly long and weak. There should be no excess skin (dewlap) on the throat.

FOREQUARTERS

The shoulders should be long and sloping. The legs must be straight from the shoulders to the ground, and the feet compact with toes well arched, and pads well developed.

                Commentary
                Ideally the shoulders are well laid back and form an angle of approximately 90 degrees with the upper arm which is approximately the same length as the shoulder blade. Straight shoulders and short upper arms are faults too prevalent in the breed. The lack of reach which these cause and the resulting short, choppy, "hackney" gait is not conducive to a hard days work. Also considered a serious fault are Labradors which are "loaded" in the shoulders with heavy bunched muscles that restrict movement. Front legs are well boned, strong and straight. Too much bone is as undesirable as too little. Bone should be heavy but certainly not massive. Massive bone may be seen in association with the overdone Rottweiler look mentioned previously. Legs should be well under the body and perpendicular to the ground.
                Elbows should be held close to the body and should appear to be directly under the withers. A plumb-line dropped from the withers should fall just behind the dog's elbow. Tied in elbows or "being out at the elbows" should be severely penalized because of their contribution to improper gait. Distance from withers to elbow should be approximately equal to the distance from elbow to ground. Short legged, out of balance Labradors are too common and are not typical, neither are "leggy" specimens lacking in depth of body. Pasterns should be short and strong and should slope slightly from the perpendicular line of the leg. There should be no narrowing of the bone in the pastern. Feet should be compact with well-arched toes and webbing between the toes. The feet are neither hare nor cat feet, since neither could withstand the type of work in the water and the field that Labradors perform. Pads should be thick and strong. Dew claws may be removed. Splayed feet, hare feet, feet turning in or out are very serious faults.

BODY

The chest must be of good width and depth, the ribs well sprung and the loins wide and strong, stifles well turned, and the hindquarters well developed and of great power.

                Commentary
                The forechest is well developed, but the prosternum is not exaggerated. The chest is of medium width and should not be pinched or narrow. Neither should it give the wide appearance of a bulldog type front. The chest should taper between the forelegs which permits unrestricted foreleg movement. In mature dogs the chest will usually reach to the elbows and will be approximately the width of a man's hand between the forelegs. There is a greater spring of ribs in the breed than in other retrievers, but the ribs should not be completely barrel shaped. The ribs spring from the backbone like the staves in a barrel but then should narrow to a "keel" where they meet the breast bone. In cross section the ribs would look more round than oval as they spring from the spine. Slab sided or barrel-shaped Labradors are very undesirable. This greater spring of rib produces a wide, strong back that does not narrow appreciably through the loin.
                There should be no noticeable appearance of a waist on a mature dog when viewed from above. The loins should be short, strong and wide. The ribs run well back, and the Labrador is more short coupled that other retriever breeds. The back is level and there is no slope to the loin. The back should not be slack, roached or swayed.
                Soft, dipped, top lines are all too common in the breed. Bitches will be a little longer cast than males. The underline has a very slight curve from the bottom of the chest to the loin, but there should be no apparent tuck up, particularly in a mature dog. Sometimes immature bitches in particular will have a tuck up but this should disappear as they mature and have a litter.

HINDQUARTERS

Stifles well turned, and the hindquarters well developed and of great power. The hocks should be well bent, and the dog must neither be cowhocked nor be too wide behind; in fact, he must stand and move true all around on legs and feet. Legs should be of medium length, showing good bone and muscle, but not so short as to be out of balance with rest of body. In fact, a dog well balanced in all points is preferable to one with outstanding good qualities and defects.

Commentary:
The Labrador has a well turned, moderate stifle, and over angulation should be avoided, as should a straight, weak rear assembly. Do not reward angulation, such as found in an Irish Setter, which is over angulation in a Labrador. Too much rear angulation inhibits drive by creating imbalance between the front and the rear and produces a sloping topline not typical of the breed and too little rear angulation results in lack of drive. The toes should be only slightly behind the point of rump when the dog is standing. The hindquarters should give the impression of tremendous power which will propel the dog through water or over the roughest terrain. There should be a strongly muscled second thigh. The hocks should be well bent but short and strong. Cow hocks or sickle hocks are to be penalized. Viewed from the rear, the hind legs are straight and parallel with good bone and apparent muscle. When viewed from above the Labrador should look slightly wider in the rear than the front because of the muscling in the rear. "Banana" rears, hindquarters with good turn of stifle but no second thigh or muscle, are sometimes seen in the breed, although not as frequently as they once were. Balance is essential in a dog required to work hard.

TAIL

                The tail is a distinctive feature of the breed; it should be very thick towards the base, gradually tapering towards the tip, of medium length, should be free from any feathering, and should be clothed thickly all round with the Labrador's short, thick, dense coat, thus giving that peculiar 'rounded' appearance which has been described as the 'otter' tail. The tail may be carried gaily but should not curl over the back.

                Commentary
                The Labrador's otter tail is unique to the breed. The base is very thick and has been compared to the thickness of a man's wrist. The tail tapers to a point; the corkscrew of hair that often appears at the end may be removed for neatness, if desired. The thickness and round appearance of the tail are the result of the Labrador's coat. Dogs with atypical coats will not have a correct otter tail. Tails are free of feathering, although "bushy" tails with quite long hair on the underside are seen all too frequently. The tail follows the topline, which is straight, and the tail is an extension of the spine. The Labrador tail comes straight off the topline since there is no slope of the croup as in the Golden Retriever. The tail can be carried gaily but should not curl over the back or be carried straight up. The tail should be carried either straight out, or at no more than 30 degrees from the horizontal. Curled or overly curved tails detract from the balance of the dog.
                Long thin tails are serious faults, but short, out of balance tails which look like they have been stuck onto the end of the dog are equally faulty. Docking or any alteration of the natural carriage of the tail should be severely penalized. In the American standard such alterations are a disqualification. The tail should reach to the hock, although there is no need to check the tail length by bringing it down to the hock. Rather look for the tail that balances the dog.

GAIT

Movement should be free and effortless. The forelegs should be strong, straight and true, and correctly placed. Watching a dog move towards one, there should be no signs of elbows being out in front, but neatly held to the body with legs not too close together, and moving straight forward without pacing or weaving. Upon viewing the dog from the rear, one should get the impression that the hind legs, which should be well muscled and not cow-hocked, move as nearly parallel as possible, with hocks doing their full share of work and flexing well, thus giving the appearance of power and strength.

                Commentary
                Movement in the Labrador should be sound, strong, and powerful. The Labrador is a dog that must be able to work in the field, but its work is not that of a setter or pointer. The Labrador should have good reach and powerful drive, but it is not correct for the Labrador to have the extended reach of a setter. The Labrador should be thought of as a Quarter horse: able to work all day at a normal pace and capable of sudden bursts of speed. Movement should be free and effortless and short, choppy, inefficient movement should be severely penalized, but do not expect a Labrador to race around the ring like a setter. Any movement which interferes with performance, such as side-winding, hackney-like gait, paddling, crossing over, close behind or weaving should be severely penalized as inappropriate for a working dog. At faster speeds the Labrador will tend to converge toward the center of gravity, but should not single track.

                Temperament Commentary: Temperament is not directly mentioned in the standard, yet it is as important a part of the breed as the "otter" tail, double coat, or retrieving instinct. The standard does indirectly indicate some aspects of temperament when it states that the eyes should express "great intelligence and good temper" and the skull should have "brain room". The Standard calls for intelligence and good temper, but does not define what good temper is in the breed. Over time, breeders have come to define "good temper" in a Labrador as marked by a kindly, outgoing, tractable nature. A Labrador should be friendly, confident, eager to please, adaptable, "non-aggressive", and trainable. Certain characteristics might not be able to be fully evaluated in the breed ring; however, the friendly, confident, outgoing nature of the breed should be evident. Mature animals who exhibit shyness or aggression should be severely penalized. Male dogs might be on less than friendly terms with other males but there should be no evidence of a desire to attack other animals in the ring. In his 1933 book on the Labrador, Leslie Sprake listed the common faults inherent in the breed: "heavy shoulders and clumpy neck, a dipped back, and a somewhat short muzzle." These are some of the major faults that still appear in the breed. But, Sprake also noted, "the amiable, dignified and persevering disposition" of the breed which, fortunately, is the case today. Early writers on the breed frequently use the word, "sagacious" (intelligent, wise, sound in mind) to describe the Labrador's character. It is this soundness of mind that makes the Labrador such a trainable retriever and wonderful companion. Without Labrador temperament; there is no Labrador.