I have been watching the breed dogs on the telly, something I don't normally do as it is the agility, obedience and flyball which interests me. One thing that really struck me about the dogs is that many of them appeared overweight to me, especially the gundogs. I'm not talking massively obese, but just, well, fat! Is it just because I am used to lean, very fit working dogs, or is it the done thing in breed to have a chunky hound? Does anyone else think some of the dogs a bit porky? I have to admit to liking my dogs on the lean side, but that is mainly because they work and I don't want to risk injuries.

Intrigued, Claire and three very slim collies...........

Its very hard to tell the weight of many of the breeds without being hands on.I have been accused on another board of having overweight hounds and although my dogs are allowed to maybe put on a few ounces at certain times of the year they are definately not overweight.
I assume you are refering to the breeds such as the lab ...the 'show' type of such breeds can look very heavy compared to the working type ...however unless you get to actually feel the dogs I would reserve judgement on wether they are fat or not.I have 2 males who are built very differently...I can get them both to the same level of fitness and leaness but one will always look heavier than the other.
I am noy saying that some of the dogs you saw may not have been fat but that unless you can actually get your hands on the dog its very hard to assess

Hi Archer, I see a few labs and retrievers at shows, mainly obedience as they aren't usually fast enough for agility, and the difference is amazing. The working dogs come from working lines and are so much more stream lined. I wonder if a lot of it is line based rather than owners imput. I have got Border Collies and Working Sheepdogs. My BC comes from working lines, and is real collie shaped; long and stream lined with medium coat and long racey legs. BC's from breed lines, of which I know a few, are chunkier, shorter bodied and legged, and longer coated, all of which would be useless out on the fields with sheep. An average breed collie would get exhausted long before a working collie would, because they don't seem physically designed to do their original job. Baffeling really, considering the KC breed standard is meant to reflect the dogs original purpose.

I do take your point about hands-on, but even so, that retriever wobbled all the way round the ring! :p

Claire

I think theres a vast difference with what people see as 'fit'.I had a 'discussion' on another board where I commented on a photo that was posted saying the dog was too lean for my tastes.You could see every rib in the dogs body and it was hollowed in behind the ribs.I was told that it was fit and that ALL body fat had been stripped from the dog.
At the end of the day if the dog is fat it should be penalised by the judge...but then one could argue if you had a fat well constructed dog should you place it bellow a fit dog with conformation faults?? At the end of the day construction is genetic and faults will be passed on...fat although arguably(sp?) genetic will not affect construction of puppies and can be dealt with by exercise and diet....NOT saying fat is right though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Archer

Erm sorry Claire but I think you'd find my show collies would match your wuss's pace for pace they do mine :D

Sadly many of the gundogs & other groups think weight means substance but it doesn't I have 4 cavaliers & none of them weighs over 20lbs & none of them is fat. The one who looks the heaviest actually weighs in end on the upper end of the breed guidelines of 18 lbs but he does  have masses of coat, my  smallest boy weighs 15 lbs & was described by one judge as needing to lose 7 lbs :O

Show Labs. always look on the over indulged side to me :) They do seem to waddle a bit. I much prefer the outline of a working Lab. On the other hand. I did think the boxer in the working group, could have done with a little bit more body on him. Just a bit too lean for my liking :)

I thought the boxer's weight was fine - I didn't like his forehand action - he appeared on the TV to be pinning badly.

My new SWD is just pure muscle, but one of the photographer's at Crufts said right let's have the fat one next !!  There isn't an ounce of fat on him, was really upset by it actually !!

Well, you know if your dog is not fat so don't let it bother you. :-)

Did anyone see the obedience teams come on? If you noticed the American team with their Goldies you will have seen what I meant. They are a lot slimmer and more streamlined that the breed dogs. That is what I am used to looking at, that is what I would imagine a Goldie to look like, so when I see the show dogs, you can understand more why I thought they were so fat!

BTW, I am not saying all breed collies are slow, I do know some who are bloody fast, I was generalising. There is a BC breeder who goes to my agility club, and every single one of her breed collies runs like a snail! They are too lazy to even jump 2'6"!!! They win loads in the breed ring, but can't run for toffee. I have yet to find anything other than a greyhound or wippet that could beat Indy going flatout! He has been timed as faster than the Crufts dogs at flyball. And he's the BC! The other two are WSD but no where near as fast. But then he is working BC lines, not breed. Again, that is all a generalisation. Nothing can be written in stone.

Claire

I know you were generalising Claire :D I've also got a couch potato wuss who you would never believe was farm bred LOL.

lol@Gillian

Sometimes wish mine would have couch potato days. Eldest is approaching 11 and still refusing to slow down. :rolleyes: