Silver lab

[Happy Gilmore]

I can make just about any retriever the best dog many people have ever seen in a blind. I can't however fix neurological issues, blindness, hip dyspepsia, broken elbows and other genetic issues.

Breeding for color without regards for health is stupid

[actionshooter]

I can make just about any retriever the best dog many people have ever seen in a blind. I can't however fix neurological issues, blindness, hip dyspepsia, broken elbows and other genetic issues.

Breeding for color without regards for health is stupid

Funny I saw this thread, my daughter and I were talking about the yesterday. She works at a vet clinic (3 years) and is starting vet school in the fall. She told me the silvers they have seen tend to have the problems listed above. 

[hunterrcc]

I can make just about any retriever the best dog many people have ever seen in a blind. I can't however fix neurological issues, blindness, hip dyspepsia, broken elbows and other genetic issues.

Breeding for color without regards for health is stupid

Funny I saw this thread, my daughter and I were talking about the yesterday. She works at a vet clinic (3 years) and is starting vet school in the fall. She told me the silvers they have seen tend to have the problems listed above.

My vet as well as my current dogs breeder told me that about 4 years ago and that was why I originally posted about watching out for hips, elbows and other genetic problems with the silvers.  Anyhow I agree the most important thing is getting the dog out a lot young and on birds young.  Go take your dog for a week to the Dakotas when they are young and they will be set for life for bird hunting ducks & pheasants will forever hate your dog!

[ttown]

I have seen those Silver Labs at Circle B and I can tell you they are beautiful and my wife really likes them also.  If I were to get a dog for hunting I would personally stick with the British Lines (Circle B has them.. see Roy)  Those Silver Labs are more like chocolate show labs in Silver fur.. (They are really cool ;)and I sort of want one for at home)

Not that they can't be great hunters in any case but show labs don't seem to have the same drive (my opinion)  .  I am not a dog expert but I went through all of this research when I got my brit lab.  As for Circle B they are great and we just bred with their stud Roy!  They are nice people out there. 

[Happy Gilmore]

When I see a kennel that advertises heavily about how great their dogs are and they've got 15+ bitches pumping out litters I know they do not have time to spend with any of the dogs individually. They certainly don't compete with the dog to "Proof" their advertising and hype about how great the dogs are going to become for the new owners.

Therein lies the issue with the big "British Lab" kennels. They may have a few dogs from England a couple generations back however, they are a lab, they all came from across the sea originally. If you're great grandpa was born in Ireland do you call yourself an Irish National or an American?

Also, as Lee tried to mention in the prior thread which I'm assuming was deleted, testing for PRA on British lines is VERY important. PRA causes early age blindness. It is a cheap genetic test. I see nothing about British labs which is unique or worthy of spending a top dollar. Labrador retrievers come in different sizes just like people do. I've seen the British labs come in that were so poorly behaved and did not have any more desire to learn or change than the worst pound mutt.

The British lab folks will talk smack about all the field dogs and how they are out of control monsters that you can never have in a home. None of this is true. I train for field trials, train with lots of people and have lots of friends who field trial. I'd be willing to be just as many Amateur owned field trial dogs live in the house daily as the average hunters.

My advice to anyone wanting to buy a dog; Check to be sure the pup has the health clearances which are "standard" for the breed. Meet both the sire and dam, make sure they are "good" animals in health, appearance and temperament. Don't just find the first pup advertised and buy it. Call around, talk to a lot of breeders and people involved in dog sports. Form an opinion after doing some research. You're going to have the dog for a long time hopefully, do your part to make sure you enjoy that time. Ignore these issues and you can have a dog which will cost you a fortune at the vet, go blind by the time they are two, have bad hips, blow out elbows etc. It happens to people much more often than you'd think.

Also, beware of the "one year" health guarantee. You can't check a dogs hips until they are 24 months of age. This is a time when the bones have finished growing and about the time other nasty problems like PRA start popping up. So, folks even when you see a "two year" guarantee that isn't enough time to have the hips checked via OFA. Check that out on a lot of these websites folks post up all the time.

Either the breeders KNOW that you can't get a OFA before 2 years so they intentionally put that in their contract or, they don't know enough about health standards themselves yet, they are breeding dogs like rabbits.

[JJD]

Sentimental value is fine for shopping. Not fine for breeding animals.

Just being matter of fact- If you find a Silver Lab breeding that has the standard lab health clearances let me know. Also, something to prove the dogs have been bred for more than a color. Field titles and/or high level obedience titles through the pedigree which "proof" the pedigree. Unfortunately, you won't find any because silver lab is a novelty item to make a breeder more money where money isn't due.

I'm just being very matter of fact. This doesn't mean a dog you own or your friends dog isn't a good dog. I love all dogs. I really do. I do NOT love all breeders and the lies they tell to sell. Folks who do the most marketing with web pages and false claims usually have the worst dogs. The more someone writes on their webpage about how great their breeding program is usually means it's not that good.

If you see a website that says something like, "We breed the best dogs in Washington" I'd run like hell because they don't.

We breed the best dogs in WA is almost always an opinion rather than provable fact.  Another that makes me head for the hills says "great hunters" because either the sire or dam retrieved a duck once. 

[pens fan]

Being a direct family member of Circle B, I know how hard they work at making and keeping and getting quality dogs. They have often times gotton dogs from across the pond, only to have them not meet the quality standards they set. Those dogs were returned.
As for silvers...whatever meets your fancy. I wanted a chocolate lab for years and got one. Why? I thought they looked more natural in a field or boat. I never worried about ability, that was my job to make happen.
Circle B had red labs for a while. Some people wanted that color. If there was a purple lab, I'm sure that would become popular. And Circle B would find quality purples.
Seems like some people like to complain about "backyard breeders", and then have problems with larger kennels. Can't be satisfied unless they are b$@ching.

[Revwrangler]

Wow sorry guys. I didn't mean to start an argument. I just had some questions, but thanks for all the input.

[Happy Gilmore]

Let's see some health clearances and not just litter advertisements.

[Happy Gilmore]

Then, let's see some training proof the dogs have some ability in the field. I can get pups with full health clearances and wicked awesome pedigrees for $800 regularly as long as black is ok

[Happy Gilmore]

Any hunt wa member who wants a dog with real health guarantees get in touch with me, WRL, pointnlab, Conway kennels and you will get straight answers, no BS and a pup at a right price. All the folks who train dogs first then breed what is proven are a tight group and talking with folks gets you access to the breedings which are the best and proven to be not just talked about on ads.

[Happy Gilmore]

http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/showthread.php?103363-silver-british-lab/page5


Here is a thread on a national retriever forum about silver labs. Good read.

[ttown]

Happy Gilmore is so interested in these Silver Labs.....

I think deep down he wants one.  Circle B has a litter coming up you can get on the list!!   

[Happy Gilmore]

People wait in line for Miley Cyrus tickets too

[AspenBud]

Not being a lab guy I have no vested interested in any of this other than to say that I vaguely remember something about chocolate labs having a higher instance of musculoskeletal problems than their yellow and black counterparts. So much so I want to say they were a case study for my wife when she went to veterinary school. I'll have to follow up with her on that.

I've also heard that this has been addressed through better breeding???

Regardless, I would be very careful about intentionally picking a breeding with such a rare paint job. If silvers are out of chocolates you are really starting to focus on a very small gene pool, one that can potentially have all sorts of problems...

Buy what you want. You're the one who has to feed the dog, pay for any potential medical issues, and if silver is pleasant to look at for you go for it. But you would be well advised to look for all of the standard health certs (OFA Hips, Elbows, EIC, CNM) and some proven ancestors that were able to be titled in either hunt tests or field trials. You will greatly increase your odds of having a healthy dog as well as one that can do the job if you follow that advice.

You have a lot of choices out there with labs. That's a good thing in that there is something out there for everyone, but it also means you need to be very diligent in your research and be picky about what you buy and who from.