Labrador Retriever: A Brief History and Overview

The Labrador Retriever comes not from Labrador, but from Newfoundland which is in close proximity of Labrador. In the 1700's they were called a St John's Dog or Lesser Newfoundland Dog. In the early 1800's the Earl of Maimesbury, who instigated the Labrador title, imported the breed to England. England recognized the breed as a Kennel Club breed in 1903 and later in 1917 the Labrador Retriever Breed was first registered by the AKC in the USA.

In the beginning, these dogs helped the Newfoundland Fisherman by swimming out to meet the boats, which could not come close to shore, and hauling the full fishing nets to men waiting on shore. They would also retrieve fish that fell off hooks.

Their medium size made them easy to haul in and out the boats and water. Their water repellent, short, dense coats, which helped provide great resistance to cold and reduce ice build-up made them naturals for helping the fishermen. It is thought that as the temporary settlements onshore turned into more permanent ones, the dogs began helping with the hunting as well as fishing.

The Labrador Retriever is now widely classified as a Sporting Dog, and considered a "flushing" dog that will retrieve the game for the hunter once it is down. They are most commonly used to hunt both upland game birds and waterfowl. There is thought that some are working on perfecting pointing with this breed.

The pure bred Labrador Retriever comes only in 3 colors: black, which some say is the most sought after, pale to deep chocolate, and yellow, which can range from cream to a moderate reddish-brown.

Due to its wonderful, stable temperament and one-of-a-kind nose the Labrador Retriever is perfectly suited for work as a sniffer dog for contraband at border checkpoints and airports, a guide dog for the blind and an assistance dog for a handicapped person. This breed is also a superb choice for competition events such as hunting tests, rally, agility, and obedience.

Over the years, here in America the Labrador Retriever has quickly become a favorite family house pet. Rolled up into this one breed are all the attributes needed in a family dog for an active household. These dogs are friendly to most people, especially children, they get along well with most other animals, they are anxious to please, energetic, fun to teach tricks and games to, and easy to train.

Whether you are looking for a family pet, show dog or service animal, the Labrador Retriever is a terrific choice. They are very loyal and with an average life span of 12 to 13 years, you are assured many years of love and happiness.