Labradors don't fetch awards, just our game birds and our hearts

Stout was taking an afternoon walk earlier this week. He had his head down and was doing research on dogs previously in the area. There was a burst of noise from the woods on his right, and eight deer came racing single file across the incline of a field.

The big guy made a couple of false starts, then sighed and his back slouched. It was a gesture that said:

"I could give chase, but even if I was to close the gap and cause the herd to kick it into high gear, who would be impressed? I'm merely a Lab, and the dog world still would look at me as being too thick and too sad-eyed to matter."

There are many people who think these are glorious times for Labrador retrievers, what with the title role in "Marley and Me," and the exposure gained in Clint Eastwood's current clunker, "Gran Torino."

These are yellows, as is Guinness Stout, the AKC-registered name chosen by my stepson. The lad moved to Florida a few years back, but the Lab decided he was better suited to the cooler temps of his home state. He's now helping to build the new Twins ballpark with his quick destruction of endless squeaky toys purchased in Hennepin County.

Movie exposure aside, the fact is that February is the cruelest month for Labs. You can see the extra melancholy in those already sad eyes as they watch snow turn to mush and realize:

"Ah, it's February -- time for us to be dissed once again at the Westminster Kennel Club show."

The Best in Show has been awarded since 1907, with the exception of 1923. You don't think there's an anti-Lab conspiracy? It was also 1923 when Labrador retrievers debuted as a breed at Westminster.

It was upsetting enough to be reminded again this week that a Lab had never won in Best in Show. Worse yet, a Lab had never won the Sporting Group.

Dave Frei, the TV play-by-play voice for Westminster, was asked during a Monday radio interview about the unending snub of America's most popular breed.

"Maybe this is the year," Frei said. "We have some beautiful Labs in the show."

Don't patronize us, Mr. Frei.

We know there is a perception among judges that a Lab would prefer to be stretched out on a favorite rug, hoping to have its belly scratched, than be in the show ring.

Stout's certainty of this bias against his relatives was on full display as the Sporting group was judged Tuesday. We watched together from the Sleep Number bed (Stout likes it at 40), but he started snoring before the bad news became official:

The group winner was Stump, a 10-year-old Sussex spaniel, who then went on to score an upset victory in Best of Show.

The Lab-breed representative -- a black called James -- finished fourth in the group. We should be proud of this, I'm told.

Wendy McCance, an officer with the Labrador Retriever Club of the Twin Cities, said: "I've seen James. He's a beautiful dog. Really, the group placements and Best in Show are nice, but breed wins are what matter to an owner.

Linda Oldham owns Barbaree Labs in Hopewell Junction, N.Y. She owns and breeds Labrador retrievers and also is a registered show judge.

"You must realize that Westminster, with its television coverage, is most interested in introducing the public to different breeds," Oldham said. "You could've asked people in your neighborhood a couple of days ago if they knew what a Sussex spaniel looked like and the answer would've been no.

"They know now, after seeing Stump on Tuesday. In that way, Westminster's telecast was a success. But what Labs failing to win out of breed doesn't change is what great Labs always will be:

"Wonderful family pets and outstanding water-retrieving gun dogs."

Stout couldn't have said it better.