{"id":15817,"date":"2026-02-25T01:10:33","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T00:10:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.retriever-klub.cz\/labrador-retriever\/"},"modified":"2026-09-10T10:48:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T08:48:22","slug":"labrador-retriever","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.retriever-klub.cz\/en\/labrador-retriever\/","title":{"rendered":"Labrador Retriever"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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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. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Breeding Requirements<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Health and Genetic Testing<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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How to Qualify Your Dog for Breeding<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Responsible Breeding<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Breed Standard<\/h2>\n\n
<\/th>Overview of the FCI Breed Standard<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Country of Origin<\/td>United Kingdom<\/td><\/tr>
Height<\/td>Ideal Height at the Withers: Dogs: 56\u201357 cm. Bitches: 54\u201356 cm <\/td><\/tr>
General Appearance<\/td>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.<\/td><\/tr>
CoatColour<\/td>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.<\/td><\/tr>
Gait<\/td>Gait: Free, covering adequate ground; straight and true in front and rear.<\/td><\/tr>
Head<\/td>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.<\/td><\/tr>
Dentition <\/td>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.<\/td><\/tr>
Eyes<\/td>Medium-sized, expressing intelligence and good temperament; brown or hazel.<\/td><\/tr>
Ears<\/td>Not large or heavy, hanging close to the head and set rather far back.<\/td><\/tr>
Neck<\/td>Clean, strong and powerful, well set into the shoulders.<\/td><\/tr>
Body<\/td>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.<\/td><\/tr>
Tail<\/td>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.<\/td><\/tr>
Limbs<\/td>ForequartersGeneral 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.HindquartersGeneral 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.<\/td><\/tr>
Temperament<\/td>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.<\/td><\/tr>
Faults<\/td>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.<\/td><\/tr>
Disqualifying Faults<\/td>Aggressive or overly shy dogs. Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.<\/td><\/tr>
Note<\/td>Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n
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A Brief History<\/h2>\n\n
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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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Breeding Requirements<\/h2>\n\n
<\/th>Dog<\/th>Bitch<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Ideal Height at the Withers<\/td>56 \u2013 57 cm<\/td>54 \u2013 56 cm<\/td><\/tr>
Dentition<\/td>*Scissor bite only; teeth may be missing except for incisors and canines.<\/td>*Scissor bite only; teeth may be missing except for incisors and canines.<\/td><\/tr>
Show award obtained after 12 months of age<\/td>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 chovatel\u016f loveck\u00fdch sl\u00eddi\u010d\u016f (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. <\/td>The same breeding requirements apply as for dogs.<\/td><\/tr>
Working Trials<\/td>The same requirements apply as for bitches.<\/td>Retriever Working Aptitude Trial (OVVR) or any hunting working trial or competition that includes a retrieving assessment.**<\/td><\/tr>
Hip and Elbow X-ray Examination (DKK + DLK)<\/td>HD A\/A to C\/C**ED assessment mandatory, max. 1\/1***<\/td>The same breeding requirements apply as for dogs.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n