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Guidelines for Lab Mixes
The Labrador Retriever is America's most popular breed. The sad side
of that distinction is that our shelters are full of dogs that either
have some Labrador in their heritage, or are mistaken for Lab crosses
because they have a few characteristics of the Lab. Many
black dogs are called Lab crosses simply because of their color.
Mixes also present a challenge to LABMED because it is impossible to
determine a dog's true heritage simply from looking at pictures of the
dog. A dog with very little Labrador blood could look very much like a
Lab. A dog with one Lab parent could look only like the other
parent. Because of this, LABMED's members must make some hard
decisions regarding mixes. We can only look at the dog before us and
make a subjective judgement as to whether the dog looks like a Labrador
or Labrador mix.
It is not LABMED's intention to try to definitively determine whether or
not a dog has "some" Labrador blood. Rather, our guidelines limit us
to funding dogs that have strong Labrador characteristics. The dog
must, in the opinion of the LABMED Board, resemble a Lab more than it
resembles any other breed. This is not an easy distinction, and each
LABMED member will vote their own conscience on each Labrador Mix that
is presented to us for funding.
LABMED members will not be looking for perfect Labrador traits, but they
will be looking for characteristics that are within a typical range.
Following are some considerations that will be used by LABMED to come to
a decision on a mixed breed. Characteristics in bold are likely to
disqualify a dog.
Temperament: This is an essential characteristic. Correct Labrador
temperament is characterized when a dog, regardless of how he has been
treated or mistreated, displays no aggression. A Labrador will generally
be excessively friendly even when in distress. A rescued Lab may be
distrustful at first, but this should be a temporary condition.
Particularly with regard to humans, a Labrador should display no
aggression. Serious aggression towards other dogs is also not
acceptable in a Labrador. Even a purebred Lab must display correct
Labrador temperament to be considered for funding.
Tail: A perfect Labrador tail is thick and well coated. A Lab cross
may have a rather gay tail -- one that curves up and may go almost
vertically over the back. Lab crosses may have a thinly coated tail.
A tail that curls completely over on itself is more indicative of a
spitz breed (Siberian, Akita, Elkhound, etc).
Coat: A perfect Lab coat has a thick undercoat and a somewhat harsher
Guard, or outer, coat. Some Labs may have a thinner, single coat. Some
crosses may produce a more bristly coat, but this can also be seen in
dogs with poor coat condition and would not typically be a deciding
factor. However, the coat should be short -- short enough that there
is very little feathering. There may be some feathering on a Lab Mix
tail, but feathering on the ears and waves of feathering on the legs
would be indicative of a longer haired breed. A short wavy coat, which
is correct in a Labrador, is not to be confused with a long feathery
Size: Adult Labs range widely in size from 18-25 inches at the shoulder
and 50-100 lbs. A Lab mix should fit roughly within those ranges but
may be slightly larger or smaller.
Color: Labs should be yellow, chocolate, or black in color. Yellows
can range widely in shade from almost white to fox red. Yellows
generally have some shadings of yellow throughout the coat (i.e. they
are not solid colored). Chocolates can also range from a faded rust to
an almost black chocolate. There are some people who breed "silver"
Labs. This is not a correct color, but it is a color seen in purebred
labs. Consideration will be given to silver Labs if the dog otherwise
appears to be purebred. A Labrador should not be "white".
There may be very small amounts of white markings on a Lab, restricted
to chest blazes and some white on the toes or back of ankle. Some
crosses will have quite extensive blazes that may reach from the chin to
the lower chest. Body white and facial white would be more typical of
another cross, as would merling (speckles). Black and tan markings (as
seen in Rotties and Dobies) would not be typical of a Lab. NOTE:
There are occasional and specifically defined mis-marks in purebred Labs
and this will be taken into consideration on dogs that otherwise appear
to be purebred.
Head/ears/eyes: Head type is extremely variable in Labs and will be hard
to use as a deciding factor in Lab mixes. Some Labs have a very narrow
head with a longer muzzle, and some have almost Rottweiler shaped
heads. A very "puffy" face may be indicative of a SharPei mix. Ears
and eyes will be a more telling factor. While some Labs may have shorter
ears that tend to be slightly more perked, prick ears (like a
Shepherd)or blue eyes would not be typical of a Labrador.
No one of these characteristics would be considered "disqualifying" by
itself. The very hard decision that has to be made is whether the
overall appearance suggests a Labrador Retriever.
In some rare cases where a mix does not resemble a Lab, but is known to
have a Labrador parent, the dog may qualify for funding regardless of
its appearance. In most cases this will occur only if the dog's
mother whelped while in rescue and both the mother and the pups were
part of an application for aid.