I am totally new to the sport of conformation.

I have purchased 2 young boys (18 and 4 mo) with a pedigrees I admire to get myself started on learning to show. I have been working with a local lab breeder for sometime now. And I have a mentor who breeds some of the top dachshunds in the country. I have learned alot from her concerning health and line breeding practices. She is truely a blessing to me! Unfortunately, I live in the middle of nowhere, and everything is so far away from me. breed specific info is what I am missing in my education.

To get to my questions-
How do you pick a foundation bitch?

I have been to many shows but I am so shy, how do you approach someone to start a conversation, they seem so busy with the showing?

What is the proper amount of "lay back of shoulder" in a labrador? I am so used to looking at the doxies, I unsure what to look for in my own dogs.

Whats the best resource for pedigree information? research? I'm basically self taught so far studying pedigrees and photos, getting an idea of what dogs/lines are behind what I like.

If you haven't already, look through some of the archived threads on this forum (shoulders/fronts are addressed in the last one).

http://woodhavenlabsforum.com/breedersforum/index.php?board=6.0

Go to www.alibris.com and www.abebooks.com and www.dogwise.com and purchase some good books and study them. The first two sources are for rare, old and used books. Many of the books below are actually out of print.

anything written by Mary Roslin Williams
("Dual Purpose Labrador" and "Advanced Labrador breeding" the newer edition is called "Reaching for the Stars")
"The Ultimate Labrador Retriever" by Heather Wiles-Fone
"The Versatile Labrador Retriever" by Nancy Martin
Labrador Retrievers Today by Carol Coode
The Complete Labrador Retriever by Helen Warwick the blue edition is newer.
"K9 Structure and Terminology" by Gilbert & Brown is good also when trying to understand structure. Subscribe to breed periodicals like the Labrador Quarterly and the ILR.

Attend a Labrador specialty show - preferably the Labrador retriever Club of the Potomac which showcases some of the best Labradors in the world, but any specialty is good as you will see a better depth of type than at most all-breed shows. Watch all of the judging too. When you see a person leaving the ring whose dog you liked ask them then if you can talk to them, not before they go into the ring. If they have other dogs to show get a business card and speak to them after they are done showing dogs.

Where do you live? There are at least 40 Labrador Specialty clubs in the United states alone including Alaska and Hawaii! You may live near a club and not even know it. Be polite. Contact the people whose dogs you admire. Don't ask them about other people's dogs. Attend seminars and handling classes with your dogs. Be honest with yourself about your expectations in what you want in a dog and understand that many breeders will not be willing to part with a nice bitch to someone they don't know. Build a relationship with a person you like. Help them at shows by holding dogs outside the ring and keep your eyes and ears open. Never pass up an opportunity to have dinner with people you meet at shows. At dinner listen to what they have to say. Always understand that poop happens and a great puppy can fall apart as an adolescent, not pass it's clearances and end up as a great pet but not a foundation bitch. It's not anyones fault, it happens. Try to be positive. It's a great ride

Thank you, that was helpful info. I have put the books you mentioned on my list.
I have been reading quite a few books from my mentors book collection that (most are out of print now). I have a good start in that respect (also a BA in pre vet sci, thought I wanted to be a vet before I got distracted with obedience training - that is what i do now.)