The Labrador Retriever is one of the most popular breeds in the world, in fact, it is the most common breed of dog in the United States. If you have just adopted a Labrador as a new member of the family, you may be wondering whether or not it is a purebred animal. In reality, you can only guarantee that it is a purebred Labrador if it has a pedigree that proves it. Otherwise, you will only be able to compare its characteristics with those of its racial standard to guess whether or not it is a purebred. Regardless of whether or not he adapts to a racial standard, you must remember that what is truly important when adopting a new companion is to guarantee that we can adapt to his needs and make him one more member of the family.
If you're wondering how to tell if a Labrador is pure, keep reading the next article on our site.
Is it important that your Labrador is a purebred?
The fact that your Labrador is purebred will only be relevant if you intend to participate with him in some dog show or contest that thus requires it. The fact that a Labrador is purebred implies that its predecessors were also purebred, which guarantees that to a great extent it will maintain the characteristics of its official standard. For this reason, some contests or exhibitions require as an essential requirement that the participants be purebred.
However, if it is not among your plans to participate in this type of contest or exhibition, It will be irrelevant whether your Labrador is purebred or notRemember that what is truly important when adopting a new partner is not that they meet any racial standard, but that we can include them as one of the family and adapt to their needs so that they are happy and we achieve a good coexistence.
In any case, if you are curious about how to know if a Labrador is pure, perhaps, to better understand those needs and adapt to them, continue reading the next sections in which we explain how you can find out.
Physical Characteristics of the Labrador: Official Standard
The official standards of the different dog breeds are established by canine societies, with the FCI (International Cinological Federation) being the most prestigious canine society at an international level. The FCI describes and updates the different breed standards, using them as a reference for the perfection of a breed in its dog shows and competitions.
The most important characteristics included in the official Labrador Retriever standard published by the FCI are:
- General appearance: medium-sized dog and strong build.
- Size: males have a height at the withers of 56-57 cm and females 54-56 cm.
- Weight: The weight of an adult Labrador can range between 27-36 kg in the male and 25-32 kg in the female. female.
- Head: it has a broad skull with a defined stop (fronto-nasal depression). The nose is wide and the muzzle is powerful, but not sharp. The eyes are brown or hazel , medium in size, and intelligent in expression. The ears are not very long or thick and should hang slightly back on either side of the head.
- Neck and Body: The neck is robust and powerful. Ends in a broad and deep chest, with well sprung ribs. The loin is wide, short and strong.
- Cola: it is a distinctive characteristic of the breed; in fact, it is described as " otter tail" because of its particular appearance. It is very thick at the base and progressively thins towards the tip. It is medium in size and does not have fringes, although it should be well covered with short thick hair. You can wear it more or less high, although never curled on the rump.
- Limbs: Well developed, with well angulated knees and well lowered hocks. The feet are round with well-developed pads.
- Hair: must be short, dense, hard and without wavesor fringes. In addition, it has a waterproof undercoat. Coat color can be completely black, chocolate/liver or yellow Yellow color can range from light cream to reddish. They may have a small white spot on their chest.
Labrador Character
To ensure that a Labrador is pure it is important to pay attention to its character, also included in the FCI breed standard. Thus, the Labrador is a dog with a very good temperament, of an affable and docile character It is a very sociable breed and ideal for families with children of all ages and other animals, since it never usually shows signs of aggressiveness or shyness.
Stands out for its intelligence and ability to adapt to different situations and tasks. In fact, it is a dog used in very diverse activities, such as a guide dog, a therapy dog, a police dog for tracking explosives and drugs, a dog for tracking and rescuing people, etc. Although it is still under study, they are dogs that have been trained to detect diseases such as cancer or diabetes in people. For all these reasons, there is no doubt that the Labrador is one of the most intelligent, docile and obedient dogs that exist.
However, it should be borne in mind that this is a very active breed Its characteristic nervousness means that, if not receives enough daily activity through walks, exercises or games, becomes quite destructive within the home. For this reason, before adopting a Labrador it is important that you make sure that you can adapt to its needs and dedicate the time it needs to it every day. Likewise, you should be concerned about providing him with an adequate education from an early age to avoid unwanted behavior in his adult stage. To do this, don't miss our video:
How to know if a Labrador is pure?
If you are wondering how to know if a Labrador retriever is purebred, you should know that the only document that can certify that it is a purebred specimen is the pedigree This document guarantees that the ancestors of the animal are purebred and that they have been crossed with other purebred specimens.
In Spain, the only canine society authorized to process and issue this document with international recognition is the Royal Spanish Canine Society (RSCE). When a breeder has a litter of purebred puppies, he must notify the RSCE and officially register the litter. If the procedures are correct, the RSCE grants the breeder proof of registration in the Book of Spanish Origins (LOE) for each of the puppies. This receipt will be delivered to the permanent caregiver, who may request the official pedigree of their dog from the RSCE. The pedigree may also be processed by the breeder himself, who will transfer said document to the final caretaker.
Taking all this into account, the reality is that you can only guarantee that your Labrador is purebred if the breeder gave you proof of registration in the LOE or, failing that, the pedigree Otherwise, you won't be able to ensure that it is a pure specimen, although you will be able to intuit it if it meets most of the features included in its official standard.
What if your Labrador is a mongrel?
As we have already mentioned, the fact that your Labrador is a mestizo will be irrelevant unless you intend to participate with him in a contest or exhibition in which they demand animals with pedigree. That your Labrador does not have this document will only imply that one of his ancestors may not have been purebred and, therefore, that his characteristics could differ in some way from his official standard.
We must not forget that the value provided by the pedigree is relative. Racial standards are traits subjectively selected by certain organizations to define a particular race. In addition, these standards change over time, which means that traits that are considered typical of a breed today may change in the future. Likewise, it is important to bear in mind that there are breeders who do not comply with the freedoms of animal welfare and, of course, that the protectors and shelters have many dogs, among which we can find pure and mestizo Labradors, willing to receive a second chance.
In short, you should not worry about whether your Labrador is purebred or mestizo, since what is truly important is that when you adopt him he becomes another member of the family with whom you can share the best experiences. When adopting, remember to always do so responsibly and bearing in mind that love does not understand races, much less racial standards.
