# Why is my Lab so tall?



## huntergirl (Jan 6, 2011)

Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum :wave:
I have a 3yr old male Labrador Retriever, and I was wondering why he is so tall. He measures 28 inches at the wither, and weighs about 110 lbs, and doesn't have an ounce of fat on him! He is all muscle.
I was looking at the breed standards for Labradors, and the height for males is between 21-24 inches, and Hunter isn't even close to that. 
He looks like he is pure lab, but when I got him, only the mother was there. He doesn't (to me anyway) resemble any breeds that are as big as he is...
I was just wondering what you all thought about him.

Thanks 


Oh, and here is a pic:


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## WashingtonCowgirl (Mar 8, 2010)

Do you have a face picture? I take it he isn't registered?


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## marsha=whitie (Dec 29, 2008)

What kind of breeder did you get him from? that could explain a lot...


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## Pai (Apr 23, 2008)

If he was neutered before puberty, that could be why. Neutering before a dog is full grown interferes with growth plates closing at the proper time.


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## huntergirl (Jan 6, 2011)

We got him from a Amish family, they just had the female, and said the male was a lab too. No, he isn't registered. And he is still intact.


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## Pai (Apr 23, 2008)

huntergirl said:


> We got him from a Amish family, they just had the female, and said the male was a lab too. No, he isn't registered. And he is still intact.


Then it's just his breeding, then. If breeders do not select for proper breed traits on purpose, they can be easily lost in several generations if not quicker.


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## Deron_dog (Feb 21, 2009)

I have to agree its his breeding, but he is handsome.


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## huntergirl (Jan 6, 2011)

Deron_dog said:


> I have to agree its his breeding, but he is handsome.



Thank you!

He was the biggest pup of the litter, which was quite big as well. I think there were 12-14 pups born.


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## Deron_dog (Feb 21, 2009)

That's pretty normal, my dearly departed Lab Deron's litter was 13 strong, and Wally my Lab Mix (Deron's younger brother) was from a 12 pup litter. Oddly enough Wally was the largest of his litter but ended up being the smallest as an adult.


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## huntergirl (Jan 6, 2011)

So now I've been wondering, what type of breeding would produce such tall Labs? Hunter's dam was the average size of a Lab bitch.


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## Mdawn (Mar 3, 2007)

Who knows? lol There might be a bigger breed of dog somewhere back in the history...even a few generations back. It's hard to tell why your Lab is so tall; could be a lot of reasons. I have a Lab myself and he's MASSIVE. He's not real tall like your dog but he has a HUGE barrel chest and very large head. He weighs in much more than standard Labs too (120lb). With him, I suspect its poor breeding but it could also be because somewhere back in his "line" another breed was thrown in there. Hard to tell.

*He's the dog in my avatar...the dog in my signature is a Mastiff...Just in case it was confusing...lol*


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## TStafford (Dec 23, 2009)

People are also breeding Labs really big now days so there may be a one that was bred to be really tall that was mixed in. 

There are breeders next to my Papa that claim to be breeding for male Labs that are 120-140 (their site says they are smaller though). They are all really tall (taller than Porter who is 26") but some a more lanky like your dog.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

It's very possible that he has something like a great dane as a grandparent as well. I don't say that just because of his hieght but also because his body structure is very different for an intact purebred male lab.


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## TStafford (Dec 23, 2009)

Keechak said:


> It's very possible that he has something like a great dane as a grandparent as well. I don't say that just because of his hieght but also because his body structure is very different for an intact purebred male lab.


He is much more waisty than a Lab.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

TStafford said:


> He is much more waisty than a Lab.


 that, and his angulation and tail set are off for a lab but are more correct for a Dane.


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## TStafford (Dec 23, 2009)

Oh, yeah he is. I can see it better if I hide his head and just look at his body.


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## QuidditchGirl (Apr 9, 2010)

Keechak said:


> It's very possible that he has something like a great dane as a grandparent as well. I don't say that just because of his hieght but also because his body structure is very different for an intact purebred male lab.


His body actually looks a lot like my Sirius, and I know he is lab x great dane.


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## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

I think he may just be a badly bred lab.

For example, Papillon standard says Paps need to be 8-11", acceptable to 12" but 12" is a fault. That usually makes a dog between 6-10 lbs. However, 20+ lb Paps show up in shelters and from bad breeders. It's not that abnormal. They're usually 14-15" or even taller.

He looks great though. If all labs had that kind of body structure I'd be getting one right now lol.


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