# My Black Lab is Very Tall?



## AlexandraParker (May 16, 2012)

Meet my pup, Ziggy. 
He was born on December 21, 2010, and he is a BIG BOY. I got him from a friend for free, my friend told me that he came from a Lab breeder, but because of the length of his legs, I am asked a lot if he has another dog mixed in (usually Great Dane). His lips and eyes are droopier than I generally see in Labs (he is a slobber-er), and his tail is more curly than otter-like. Also, he is just a year and a half and is about to break 100lbs! Instead of spending money on a test, I decided to ask you guys what you think... Does he look full breed? If so, why do you think he is so tall?


----------



## georgiapeach (Mar 17, 2012)

I also used to have a tall lab (RIP Chipper!), that looked a lot like your dog. I didn't think that he was pure bred, but a gentleman we ran into while camping said that he is probably from field trial stock, rather than conformation stock. He hunts with labs, and he said he thought that Chipper was pure bred. The field dogs tend to be taller and rangier, he said. I've also had an English lab (also called a block head lab or an otter tail lab) before, and he was shorter, more compact, and had an thicker, shorter tail.


----------



## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

My understanding is that there are "English" labs, which tend to be stocky and blocky and from conformation stock, and "American" labs, which are tall and rangy. I have a friend with a black American lab and he's tall and skinny like your guy - standing next to an English lab, it's hard to believe they're the same breed, but there it is. Your guy looks like a purebred American lab to me. And a cute one!


----------



## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Hunting-bred Labs are tall and rangy, yes, but not that big. Hard to send a giant dog crashing through the reeds to get a duck. They're usually around 50-60 pounds.

His ears don't look quite Lab-ish either. I would guess he does have some Dane mixed in.


----------



## Bordermom (Apr 28, 2010)

It's possible!

Around here (Calgary area) there are some BIG goldens. As in 27 at the shoulder, over 100 lb monster sized moose dogs. Almost all of them come from 'we saw an ad in the paper' kind of places, so I'm guessing there's some byb's with big big goldens. I used to have people ask if my golden (who was 21 at the shoulder, the right size for a girl) was a toller...

I've also seen big labs like that too, the field breeders don't usually care if the dog is big, and the byb's don't either!


----------



## MusherChic (Nov 6, 2010)

I also have a tall lab whom I think came from either hunting stock or a byb and poor breeding. She's about 26 inches at the withers and about 75lbs (I keep her at minimum weight due to Hip Dysplacia).

Your guy looks like he could be mixed with dane or he could just be from hunting stock. In the pic of him lying down, he sorta looks like he has the build of a dane... 

How tall is he at the withers? 

(Oh and welcome to the forum!  )


----------



## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Really, I've never seen a big hunting Lab *shrug*. They just can't do the work if they're huge. I could believe BYB-pet-bred, but not hunting-bred. Unless hunters in other areas like 'em bigger.

There are some huge Goldens here, too. Out neighbors had one that was over 100 pounds. But I've never met a hunting Golden.


----------



## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Looks full Lab, and has a great, shiny coat.


----------



## Miss Bugs (Jul 4, 2011)

probably just a pet bred lab, looks like a lab to me. you should see the range at the daycare I work at, most are within the medium size range but there are a few that are almost twice the size, and a few that are midget sized..like 17" at the shoulder if that. they are all purebred, one of the midget ones is actually a show bred dog, she is just really small..no larger then my Toller...and my Toller is small for a Toller lol


----------



## rotten (Mar 13, 2012)

This is the american breed standard for labrador height and weight, measure him youself?
Size, Proportion and Substance
Size--The height at the withers for a dog is 22½ to 24½ inches; for a bitch is 21½ to 23½ inches. Any variance greater than ½ inch above or below these heights is a disqualification. Approximate weight of dogs and bitches in working condition: dogs 65 to 80 pounds; bitches 55 to 70 pounds.

I paid a LOT of money for my working line pedigree GSD. He is 2 inches too tall to show! Yet has long pedigree working line. So my would be show dog, is useless, but my working dog works just fine


----------



## Dan gerster (Jan 18, 2020)

hamandeggs said:


> My understanding is that there are "English" labs, which tend to be stocky and blocky and from conformation stock, and "American" labs, which are tall and rangy. I have a friend with a black American lab and he's tall and skinny like your guy - standing next to an English lab, it's hard to believe they're the same breed, but there it is. Your guy looks like a purebred American lab to me. And a cute one!


My dog blazer was a tall lab found him in a dog shelter he was around n.v d 2 years when he found me .he became a truckers dog rode all over america for 12 years .he was tall thin black lab his weight was 85 pounds no fat on his bones


----------

