Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever is a versatile and affectionate dog with an exceptional desire to work in partnership with people. Equally at home as part of a family, in the shooting field or in a wide range of dog sports, the breed is renowned for its steady temperament, trainability, and willingness to work under demanding conditions, particularly in water, where its strength and endurance truly excel.
Compared with other retriever breeds, the Labrador Retriever is generally more powerfully built and straightforward in both character and working style, while retaining the breed’s characteristic soft mouth and kind, friendly nature.

Breeding Requirements

Health and Genetic Testing

How to Qualify Your Dog for Breeding

Responsible Breeding

Breed Standard

	Overview of the FCI Breed Standard
Country of Origin	United Kingdom
Height	Ideal Height at the Withers: Dogs: 56–57 cm. Bitches: 54–56 cm
General Appearance	General Appearance: Strongly built, short-coupled, very active; broad in skull; broad and deep through chest and ribs; broad and strong over the loins and hindquarters.
Coat Colour	Coat: Distinctive feature: short, dense coat without wave or feathering, giving a fairly hard feel to the touch; weather-resistant undercoat. Colour: Whole-coloured black, yellow or liver/chocolate. Yellow ranges from light cream to fox red. A small white spot on the chest is permissible.
Gait	Gait: Free, covering adequate ground; straight and true in front and rear.
Head	Skull: Broad with clean-cut head; cheeks not fleshy; stop defined. Facial Region: Nose wide, with well-developed nostrils. Muzzle: Powerful, not snipy. Jaws: Medium length, strong.
Dentition	Strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. the upper incisors closely overlapping the lower incisors and set square to the jaws.
Eyes	Medium-sized, expressing intelligence and good temperament; brown or hazel.
Ears	Not large or heavy, hanging close to the head and set rather far back.
Neck	Clean, strong and powerful, well set into the shoulders.
Body	Back: Level topline. Loins: Broad, short and strong. Chest: Of good width and depth, with well-sprung barrel ribs; this effect must not be achieved by excessive weight.
Tail	Distinctive feature: very thick at the base, gradually tapering towards the tip, of medium length, free from feathering, but thickly covered all round with short, dense coat, giving a rounded appearance described as an “otter” tail. It may be carried gaily, but should not curl over the back.
Limbs	Forequarters General Appearance: Forelegs straight from the elbows to the ground when viewed from the front or side. Shoulders: Long and well laid back. Forearms: Straight, with strong bone. Feet: Round and compact, with well-arched toes and well-developed pads. Hindquarters General Appearance: Well developed; croup does not slope towards the tail. Stifles: Well bent. Hocks (Rear Pasterns): Hocks well let down. Cow hocks are highly undesirable. Feet: Round and compact, with well-arched toes and well-developed pads.
Temperament	Even-tempered and very agile; possessing an excellent nose, a soft mouth, and a strong love of water; an adaptable and devoted companion; intelligent, eager and biddable, with a strong desire to please; kind and friendly in nature, with no trace of aggression or undue shyness.
Faults	Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault, the seriousness of which should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on its ability to perform its traditional work.
Disqualifying Faults	Aggressive or overly shy dogs. Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
Note	Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

A Brief History

The Labrador Retriever originated in Newfoundland (now part of Canada) and was brought to Great Britain in the early 19th century. Its ancestors were the St. John’s Dogs, smaller water dogs used by local fishermen to retrieve fish, nets and other equipment from the water.

In Great Britain, the Labrador Retriever was further developed, particularly by the British aristocracy, as a specialised gundog for retrieving game. Emphasis was placed on excellent scenting ability, willingness to work in partnership with its handler, a steady temperament, and reliable retrieving both on land and in water.

Over time, the Labrador Retriever became one of the world’s most popular retriever breeds. Today, it continues to excel not only in the shooting field but also in a wide range of roles, including assistance and guide work, animal-assisted therapy, search and rescue, and a variety of dog sports. Thanks to its steady temperament and friendly nature, it is also one of the world’s most popular family dogs.

Breeding Requirements

	pes / fena
Ideal Height at the Withers	56 – 57 cm / 54 – 56 cm
Dentition	*Scissor bite only; teeth may be missing except for incisors and canines.
Show award obtained after 12 months of age	At least two show results are required. One of them must be obtained at a Club Show or Specialty Show with the CAC title on offer (a Regional Club Show does not fulfil this requirement), organised by Retriever Club CZ or Klub chovatelů loveckých slídičů (KCHLS). The required minimum qualification is Very Good (VD) at both shows. The second qualifying show may be obtained at any International Show, National Show, Club Show, Specialty Show or Regional Club Show.
Working Trials	Retriever Working Aptitude Trial (OVVR) or any hunting working trial or competition that includes a retrieving assessment.**
Hip and Elbow X-ray Examination (DKK + DLK)	HD A/A to C/C ED assessment mandatory, max. 1/1*

Notes
- *The bite must be a scissors bite. M3 teeth (the third molars in the lower jaw) are not considered functional teeth and are therefore not included in the total tooth count.
- *Dogs with incomplete dentition may only be bred to a partner with complete dentition.
- **Dogs with a DKK result of A/C to C/C may only be bred to dogs with a DKK result of A/A to B/B.
- *** As of 1 September 2026, the maximum permitted ED result for breeding approval is 1/1.
  Dogs that fulfilled all breeding requirements before 9. 1 September 2026 may apply for breeding approval under the previous rules until 30 October 2026.

A list of FCI Group 8 breed judges authorised to measure height at the withers and verify the bite and dentition outside the show ring for breeding approval of retrievers can be found HERE.

Recommended Health Testing for Breeding Dogs

Annual ophthalmological examination (PRA/CAT/RD)

The examination screens for inherited eye disorders. Both planned breeding partners should be examined, including dogs that are genetically clear of prcd-PRA.

Recommended Genetic Tests for Breeding Dogs

PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy)	When planning a mating, it is recommended to choose a pair where at least one of the prospective parents is PRA clear / N/N.
EIC (Exercise-Induced Collapse)	When planning a mating, it is recommended to choose a pair where at least one of the prospective parents is EIC clear / N/N.
HNPK (Hereditary Nasal Parakeratosis)	When planning a mating, it is recommended to choose a pair where at least one of the prospective parents is HNPK clear / N/N.
CNM (Centronuclear Myopathy)	When planning a mating, it is recommended to choose a parental pair so that at least one of the prospective parents is CNM clear / N/N.
SD2 (Skeletal Dysplasia 2 – disproportionate dwarfism)	When planning a mating, it is recommended to choose a parental pair so that at least one of the prospective parents is SD2 clear / N/N.
DM (Degenerative Myelopathy)	When planning a mating, it is recommended to choose a pair where at least one of the prospective parents is DM clear / N/N.
STGD (Stargardt Disease)	When planning a mating, it is recom