She's chunky....???

1195 Views 7 Replies 4 Participants Last post by LabDecalLady, Apr 2, 2007

Discussion Starter · Apr 1, 2007

I've heard a lot of people talk about the general public not knowing what a lab is really supposed to look like due to so many BYB's and the split between field/show, etc. etc. but I finally had my first official run in with one, lol!

I took Sienna to the dog park, and there were about 20 dogs. On a side note, she finally took her first swim! Until now, she has only gone up to her neck, but she went all the way out! Then I couldn't get her to stop swimming. Anyway, I started chatting with a lady. She had a few dogs, 2 rescues, and a GSD puppy. She asked me how old Sienna was and if she was a purebred lab...get that a lot already. I said yes, and that she was 8 months old. She followed with "Wow, she's really a chunk isn't she" with a semi-disgusted look on her face.

I couldn't hardly believe it, lol. I didn't really know how to respond other than to say, well actually she is the perfect weight for her body type. Then I smiled and walked away. In what world is this fat?

I kinda chuckled about it, but I felt a little offended. Before someone suggests it, I can promise you that is was not said in gest, or in a funny way. She looked at me like I'm feeding her table scraps and crap dog food and not watching her weight or something :

Geesh

Anyway, sorry cause this isn't particularly conformation related, but this is where I usually post. I'm not saying Sienna is the perfect representation of a lab, but I think she is a rather moderate specimen in the range of labs I've seen, and I couldn't believe someone would dare call her fat

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blacklab

· #2 · Apr 1, 2007

She doesn't look overweight from where I am sitting! Perhaps the lady is used to seeing the working type labs? (I get the feeling that they are not as heavy set as the English type?)

Sometimes (often) people mistake a lab with good spring of rib as being overweight. I often have to explain that they are meant to be barrel shaped, heavily set and not look like pointers. (and I keep my dogs so I can feel ribs through their coat).

I think people have a stereotype in their head with labs. "Labs get fat easily" etc. I had an experience with this recently with a family who bought two pups from me. I saw them when the pups were 4 months old and was appalled to see how thin the pups were. I could feel their spines protruding and they were a good 2 inches shorter than my boy from the same litter. These people had been scared to death by their vet who had put fear into them about letting the dogs get fat "because they are labradors". The owners are lovely and soon corrected the problem and now the pups are great.

Keep Sienna at the right weight and don't worry about what anybody else says. She is going to get a whole lot more substance than that before she's finished growing. I like her... that kid's got potential

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Tatyana

· #3 · Apr 1, 2007

I think Sienna is in great weight. Even for people who are used to seeing field type Lab, she should not look "fat." The lady did not know what she was talking about. Just because someone does rescue, does not mean that they are Lab experts (they are wonderful for doing rescue work of course).

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Canyon Labradors

· #4 · Apr 1, 2007

She looks great to me....
...and now you know for your self how dumb the public can be. She was probably used to see those tall skinny pet-bred labs.

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DostaffLabs

· #5 · Apr 1, 2007

I think she's just PERFECT!!! ;D

Don't let anyone like that offend you... Kinda have to brush it off your shoulder. Most of the public aren't use to seeing a correct lab!

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Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 2, 2007

Looks perfect to me, and I'm a field trialer.

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Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 2, 2007

She's not chunky - she looks lean to me.

People aren't used to seeing the bigger heads, legs, feet, and tails on these guys. You will get used to it and develop a tougher skin. Last year I was at a pond with the kids fishing with my dad and I had Clint with me. Another fisher came over and asked what kind of dog he was and after I told him he rolled his eyes "I have a black Lab at home and that is NOT a black Lab." I went on with my typical answer "This is a show type dog and you probably have a field type." He went on again "Mine comes from champion lines and I've been told by my vet he's just beautiful. This big hulk could not retrieve a duck if you bribed him" - pretty much exact words. "Well he's got hunting titles to prove he can." and I walked away obviously ending the conversation. The guy went back over to his fishing spot. My dad went nuts - "Why didn't you tell him off?" It's not worth my effort. So my dad went back to my car and got a bumper and chucked it into the pond to send the hulk jumping in and swimming like a black alligator.

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Discussion Starter · #8 · Apr 2, 2007

Thanks guys...she is quite lean actually. She has a nice barrel on her when viewed from up top, but if you actually feel her it's obvious that she doesn't have any excess fat.

I know my girl is a good weight. I think I was most apalled at the lack of common decency just in general. Even if I saw someone's dog that was truly fat (that I didn't know), the last thing I would do is to go up to them and tell their dog looks like crap. I guess it still surprises me how generally rude people can be

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