Labrador Retriever

If dog is man’s best friend, then the Labrador Retriever must be his soul mate. – Unknown

The Labrador Retriever descends from dogs native to Newfoundland who were taken to England by fishermen and then subsequently re-introduced to Newfoundland. He was a retriever and all purpose water dog. 

The name Labrador was given to this dog by the Earl of Malmesbury and other breeders in England in order to differentiate them from the Newfoundland dog. The Labrador Retriever was originally called the lesser Newfoundland or the St. John’s dog.

Introduced to Britain in the 1800s, the Labrador developed into the most popular breed in both North America and Britain. They were brought to the Poole area of England, then the hub of the Newfoundland fishing trade, and became prized amongst the gentry as sporting dogs. Many fishermen originally used the Lab to assist in bringing nets to shore; the dog would grab the floating corks on the ends of the nets and pull them to shore.

The Labrador Retriever is among the oldest of the recognized breeds and has been known by many names throughout his history including the St. John’s Dog, Lesser St. John’s Dog, Newfoundland Dog, Lesser Newfoundland Dog, Little Newfoundlanders, Newfoundland Water Dog, Labrador Dogs, St. John’s Labrador Dogs, Black Water Dog, Lesser Labrador, Smaller Labrador, English Retriever, and English Labrador.

Photos displayed courtesy of Irene McArthur, Jaqhs Labs, Ontario

“Lexus Prince”

The Labrador Retriever is affectionate, loyal, and good natured.

An excellent family pet, the Labrador is great with children and easy to train. Friendly and intelligent, this breed should never be aggressive. However, as a devoted family member, the Labrador is not happy when left alone for long periods or if kept confined. He needs daily contact with his people.

This dog is extremely active and has a high energy level. He needs lots of exercise and is, of course, particularly fond of water. A Lab will retrieve sticks from the water all day long!

The Labrador Retriever is believed to be the most popular breed in the world. He holds the number one position on the list of most popular dogs in Canada as well as Australia, New Zealand, Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States.