American vs. English Labs ... what's the difference anyways?

Whenever you are researching Labrador Retrievers, you will quickly notice two terms that continuously pop up in various places, "American" and "English." These words describe the two different types, or varieties, that have shown up in the breed. "English" labs more closely follow the breed standard and are known more officially as "show-line" , while "American" labs are primarily bred for purely working purposes and are known more officially as "field-line"

American Labs (field line)

Field line labradors are very different from English labs in both conformation and temperament. They are commonly used for hunting purposes and are longer and leaner in appearance. Oftentimes, their personality is more high strung and hyper and may not fit into every family's lifestyle (I am speaking in general terms, not every single field line labrador is like this!).

English Labs (show line)

Show line labradors on the other hand, are sweet, quieter family dogs. They have a blockier, stockier, and shorter build, but still, move with ease and agility when used for hunting. This makes them extremely versatile as they can go out in the fields to assist a hunter and come right back inside after a day's work and lay in the living room with the family. Showline labradors are also the dogs you see in all national dog shows as they strive to follow the AKC's breed standard - http://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/LabradorRetriever.pdf

The biggest thing that sets show-line labs apart, however, is their incredible temperament. They are very mellow and laid back, but always ready to keep up if you have an active family. They adapt to any environment and are phenomenal with children. Responsible breeders use this trait as their starting point and standard for every litter of puppies. You cannot go wrong with a show-line or "English" Labrador when it comes from a reputable and responsible breeder.

Here is a side by side comparison of the two different varieties

Typical American Lab v. Typical English Lab

You may be saying, wow! These don't even look like the same breed! And you are so right! The AKC even considered separating the types into two different breeds at one point because of all the differences. Here at Big Creek Labradors, we focus on the show line variety, as we have fallen in love with their temperament and lovely appearance. If you are looking to add a Labrador Retriever to your family, I encourage you to continue research on the two types. Make sure you understand the many differences and choose the variety that will fit your family's lifestyle best.