Mid-Jersey Labrador Retriever Club, Inc. - MJLRC.org

ᗩTTᗴᑎTIOᑎ 𝕃𝔸𝔹ℝ𝔸𝔻𝕆ℝ 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒
𝐌𝐈𝐃-𝐉𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐒 𝐀 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐏𝐀𝐆𝐄!!!!! 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰. 𝐃𝐨 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞

https://www.facebook.com/WWW.MJLRC.ORG?mibextid=kFxxJD

March 2024 Mid-Jersey LRC has a brand NEW fb page ! All info about our club, events w/results and general posts will now appear on our new page. Please use link below. We’re looking forward to seeing you all “ on the other side “ !

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553499055008&mibextid=YMEMSu

MJLRC - Mid-Jersey Labrador Retriever Club The Mid-Jersey Labrador Retriever Club, Inc., formed in 1974, is the second oldest sanctioned AKC Labrador club

Mid Jersey LRC 2024 Specialty
Three days of back to back shows at our wonderful host hotel Lehigh Valley Best Western, Bethlehem PA. Room block open (610) 866-5800
$109/night up to (3) dogs in room no charge

Mid-Jersey LRC and Keystone LRC are co-hosting Farm Dog Certification Tests on June 1st. Pass both tests and get your dog AKC Farm Dog Certified ! Go to MJLRC.org for event premium list.

Mark your calendars ! Mid-Jersey LRC Spring Match is just around the corner ! Great indoor facility w/ large space for crate setups and bathrooms. Lot of parking right outside entrance and large fields to walk your dogs. Always a good turnout with yummy breakfast and lunch.

Mid-Jersey LRC ! Come check us out

Let’s get those youngsters out and show them how much fun the show ring can be !
Breed - Stephanie Wolfinger and Mia Bjornskov. Obedience - Annette Pierce. CGC - Joan Burroughs

Written by AKC judge and Labrador Retriever breeder Jan Grannemann

Here is a new article that I just wrote. I am tired of people calling our labs fat and I think I may have gotten an idea of why they do. Let me know what you think.

Jan Grannemann

ARE LABRADORS FAT?

I had the pleasure of presenting the Labrador Retriever Judges’ Seminar in Orlando, Florida this year for the AKC National Dog Show. During the Hands-On portion of the seminar, I was showing the judges how to do a breed specific hands-on examination. I had a nice black bitch on the ramp and was looking down on her, pointing out her nice spring-of-rib and short clearly defined loin, when a licensed AKC Poodle judge asked why I was showing them a fat lab?

The lab in question was in very nice shape. She was nicely muscled up, her loin/waist was clearly defined and easy to see, and her individual ribs were easy to feel under a correct double coat. There were no rolls over her shoulders. She was in excellent shape.

As I was saying, “she is not fat,” it dawned on me. This is a poodle judge and their dogs have tuck-ups – labs do not. Are people and judges looking at our labs with their level underlines and immediately thinking fat? Is this why so many people comment that a winning Labrador on TV or in a picture, is fat?

I had shown pictures of labs with no tuck up in the seminar. I also stated why labs do not have a tuck-up. Our standard, which should have been read prior to the seminar by all attending judges states, “The underline is almost straight, with little or no tuck up in mature animals.”

The lack of tuck up is because the foundation of the Labrador Retriever was a water dog and as such needed to move their center of gravity back toward their rear. The Labrador is a swimming dog. In his book, “The Dog In Action,” McDowell Lyon states these things about water dogs –

1. “Retrievers take us into water as well as over land. On land, their physical requirements are relatively those of the springer or quartering dog which would work at a walking pace and stay close to the hunter but in water, they meet entirely different problems which must be considered in their make-up.”
2. “It is an advantage to the swimmer for the center of gravity in the body to be moved back toward its center, taking weight off the forehand. This distributes the weight more evenly over the submerged area and the front feet do not have to fight so hard to keep the head afloat. The swimmer’s main drive comes from the back legs; the front feet add very little to this but do keep the animal from doing a head dive. When the dog is carrying heavy game, this is still more important.”
3. “A dog’s center of gravity depends on leg length, body height, and length and weight of the head and neck. A poor center of gravity requires more muscle power for movement and results in inefficient movement and wasted energy” (splashing with the front feet).
4. Lyon said that “it is important to move the center of gravity back in the swimming dog and this was done in the Labrador by having a relatively (my underline and bold print) smaller head, a shorter neck, and level under line. Whereas the Chesapeake Bay Retriever has a larger head and a longer neck than the Labrador.” He also has a tuck up, so how does he move his center of gravity back? He does this by having a raised rear.

I have watched other breeds that are not water dogs swim. I am always shocked by the amount of splashing front feet and wasted motion as they head out to get their birds. They are working extremely hard to swim. I see this type of motion in Labradors as young puppies or older dogs learning to swim. But almost always when the lab reaches out to take ahold of the bird several things happen. First, they reach out to the bird by laying their head on the water. This normally brings their topline and rear end up out of the water. They are in balance and can level out and swim naturally. Their front feet are no longer used to keep their head above water. Their level topline and raised rear can now drive them forward and their otter tail can guide them where they want to go. All of this happens because they are water dogs and their center of gravity has been moved back.

I am tired of hearing about our fat labradors. Yes, some of them can stand to lose some weight and get in better shape. But I am going to make sure that I stress why Labrador Retrievers have a level underline when mentoring judges and other people about our breed! It is part of what makes our breed so special and allows them to do their job correctly while expending less energy. Plus, it is in our breed standard!

AKC UPDATE - Major Points for Reserve Winners -
Opportunities for Majors at Specialties
(Starting July 3, 2024)
A modification to Chapter 16, Section 1 of the AKC Rules Applying to Dog Shows was approved by the Delegate body at their December meeting. The modification provides all specialty clubs the option for the Reserve Winners Dog and Reserve Winners Bitch to earn a three-point major provided that the number of dogs competing in the regular classes of the Reserve Winner’s s*x totals at least twice the number required for a five-point major, in the region in which the event is held. Previously this option was only available at a breed’s National Specialty. Clubs must opt-out on their event application if they do not want this option available at their specialty show. This option is available for events held on or after July 3, 2024.

Labrador retrievers come in only three colors- Black Yellow (all shades from almost white to dark fox red) and Chocolate. Only 3 acceptable colors in Labrador standard.