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Old 01-11-2017, 10:52 AM
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MK2750 MK2750 is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Sylvan Lake
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Originally Posted by Skyline View Post
Thanks for the info guys I do realize that silver is not a pure bred lab but the wife saw one and she is pretty set on it now, I just want to make sure that I can train it for upland.
The only way to be sure is to buy from proven field lines from a reputable breeder. If not, we would all just save a bunch of money and pick up a dog at the pound or Kijiji.

Another purest here, blacks out hunt yellows more often than not and both out hunt the mutants and half breeds 9 times out of 10.

There is a lot more to this than elitist snobs wanting to look down at another outdoorsman although that can be the case as well. The Labrador breed is being destroyed from two angles and some where in the middle is common sense.

Field trial breeders put the prize ahead of the breed as often as the British show crowd. Bigger, faster, stronger and hyper with excess energy will win you more trials and stout, pretty and soft will win you more shows. A true Labrador is both and neither.

If you look at established breeders, you will find a waiting list and a monopoly on true hunting dogs that often spans the country and many generations. Even if the breeder has not been around for a very long time the dogs he chooses will have a proven bloodline that has been around.They do not pick breeding stock to the extremes because they are cool, aggressive or display any traits out side of the breed standard.

IF we do choose to purchase animals that do not conform, we are encouraging the delusion of the breed. For example; if we all insisted on lighter colored dogs, breeders would continually choose the lightest yellows from the litters for stock. Eventually they would be mostly white (Polar Bear) and the true yellow genetics would be lost. On the other extreme, if we insisted on bigger and more aggressive dogs, breeders would choose them as breeding stock. We would risk loosing the fun loving good natured Labradors that we can bring in to play with our children after the hunt.

Quality hunting Labradors that conform to breed standard are getting harder to find and everyone that purchases a designer dog to better fit their particular situation is a part of the problem. Regardless of if it to point pheasants and run large or a pretty shade of color to look cool, both are equally to blame.

If you want a silver dog, buy a Weimaraner. If you want a pointer buy a German Short Hair. If you want a tough dog buy a Chessie, If you want a guard dog buy a Sheppard. If you want something in between, by all means roll the dice and buy a cross breed, BUT please don't register it or call it a Labrador.

Registering a dog is as simple as having two registered dogs, making a phone call and filling out some papers. No one comes by and verifies via DNA testing or other means. It is for the most part an honour system. The love of money truly is the root of all evil and as long as we are willing to pay big money for genetic misfits the ruination of breeds will continue.

Last edited by MK2750; 01-11-2017 at 11:07 AM.
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