Overview
The Labrador Retriever is one of the most commonly kept dogs in the Western world. Bred to retrieve game on land and water, it combines a soft mouth with stamina and a love of swimming.
Its cheerful, willing nature suits families, and it excels as a guide, assistance, rescue and therapy dog. It is smart and needs both physical exercise and mental stimulation.
History
The breed began in the 1830s, when St John's water dogs from Newfoundland reached Britain on trading ships. British landowners such as the Earls of Malmesbury and Home and the Duke of Buccleuch bred them as gun dogs.
The name Labrador Retriever was common by 1870. Liver or chocolate pups were noted in the 1890s and the first recorded yellow was born in 1899. The Kennel Club recognised the breed in 1903.
Appearance
A sturdy, athletic dog with a broad head, kind expressive eyes, a strong muzzle and hanging ears. The distinctive thick tail is often called an otter tail.
The short, dense, water-resistant coat comes in black, yellow or chocolate. Show-bred dogs tend to be heavier, field-bred ones lighter and leaner.
Temperament
Labradors are warm, sociable and playful, getting on with children, visitors and other pets. They are eager to please and usually easy to train, though they can stay puppyish and boisterous for years.
They are strongly food-motivated and love water and fetching. They need company, as they are not natural guards and dislike being left alone.
Care and exercise
Provide at least an hour of daily exercise, ideally including swimming or retrieving, plus training games. A bored Lab may chew or dig.
The coat sheds steadily and needs weekly brushing. Labs love food and gain weight easily, so measure meals, limit treats and keep the dog lean for joint health.
Health
Labradors are somewhat prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, obesity, eye diseases such as progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts, and exercise-induced collapse. Ear infections and hepatitis occur. Chocolate dogs have been found to live somewhat shorter lives.
