Hi, whilst visiting a breeder last week I was told that it is possible to determine what your puppy will look like by taking a look at the parents.  I have been told that bitch puppies will always resemble the mother in build etc and dog pups resemble the father?  I am looking for a labrador bitch pup and wonder if this is true. Thanks for any help.

If only it were that easy! But it isn't, I'm afraid. Not all girls resemble their mothers and boys their fathers. It's pot luck as to which genes they inherit.
:)

and you need to go a good deal further back than the sire and dam, else if you breed two black dogs you would always get black pups, which you don't.

Do little girls grow up to look like their mom & little boys grow up to look like their dad?  :)
Same with dogs  :)

If it was the breeder that told you this, I would go to a different breeder as this one doesnt seem to know even the basics when selecting breeding stock.