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Origins & History
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Description
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Temperament
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Exercise
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Grooming
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Photo
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Organizations
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Further web sites to explore
Origins
& History
Labrador Retrievers arrived in
Britain in the 1830s from Newfoundland after they were spotted
by a traveler in 1822. He reported a number of small water
dogs that were 'admirably trained as retrievers in fowling and
otherwise useful'. This breed was bred by the fisherman to
help them bring in their nets - thrown out from shore, the Lab
would swim out, grab the corks attached to the nets, and then
swim back to shore. The Lab with its shorter coat, was
favored over the Newfoundland, which found itself at a
disadvantage with its longer, thicker coat when climbing out of
the icy waters.
Earl of Malmesbury saw one of
the dogs in the early 19th century and immediately arranged to
have some imported. Labs were not originally referred to
as that in England - in fact, Newfoundlands and Labrador
Retrievers were initially referred to as "Greater St. John's
Dogs" and "Lesser St. John's Dogs".
The origination of the name
"Labrador Retriever" stems from a letter written in 1887 by the
Earl of Malmesbury in which he stated, "We always call mine
Labrador dogs, and I have kept the breed as pure as I could from
the first I had from Poole."
The Labrador Retriever
gradually died out in Newfoundland due to a heavy dog tax.
That, added to the English quarantine law, stopped the
importations into England. Once that occurred, many of the
Labradors were bred with other retrievers in England.
Finally, Labrador fanciers stopped the interbreeding by drawing
up a standard for the breed (English Kennel Club in 1903, AKC in
1917).
Today's Labrador Retrievers can
find their lines traced back to two dogs that did the most to
establish the purebred breed - Mr. A. Butter's "Peter of
Faskally" and Major Portal's "Flapper" (pedigrees that go back
as far as 1878).
A willingness to please, the
Lab developed into a breed today that is a good gun dog, show
dog and a guide dog for the blind or disabled. They have
also established themselves as narcotics dogs now as well.
They excel as service and/or therapy dogs.
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Description
The Labrador Retriever was the
most popular dog registered with the AKC in 2005 (146,714
compared to its next most popular breed, the Golden Retriever at
52,560). Partly because of the notion Labrador Retrievers
are great with children, it has become the most popular dog now
- but the Labrador also has large litters as well. One
must be careful when adopting a Labrador as 'backyard breeders'
and puppy mills have capitalized on the popularity of this breed
- because it is a Labrador, that does not insure the common
assumptions of the breed in regards to the individual dog.
Unscrupulous and/or unknowledgeable breeders can end up costing
you a great deal in peace of mind and vet bills.
The Labrador Retriever is about
the same size as the Golden Retriever, but is more muscular.
They are extremely bulky in tone, which can be an issue inside
of the house. More than one favored object has been
knocked off a table by a wagging Lab's tail, which is remarkably
like an otter's tail in many ways!
Most people think 'black' when
the Lab is mentioned, but they come in several colors
(Chocolate, Yellow and Black). Eyes should be brown and
rimmed with black in Black Labs and Yellow Labs - brown or hazel
and rimmed with brown in Chocolate Labs. Yellow Labs range
from a fox-red to a light cream. Yellow Labs are never
called 'Golden'... the Golden Retriever is an entirely different
breed... the 'Golden Lab' is usually a hybrid or 'designer' dog.
The learning rate is quite high
within this breed, but has a lower obedience scale.
Problem solving ranks even lower however. Some Labs may
even show intentional disobedience as a form of dominance.
Although they are known for having a good temper and liking just
about everyone, they can be very selective in their close
bonding with family members. Most Labs can be like
that excessive party-goer... being at all the fun activities,
knowing just about everyone wherever they go, but forming few,
extremely 'tight' friendships along the way. If you are
the chosen 'tight friend', consider it a gift and rarely
bestowed.
Labs have pretty high
thresholds in regards to pain - this is something you as a Lab
owner needs to be aware of and in tune with. As a puppy,
this breed is always active and 'ready to go'... exploring all
of its world can sometimes prove to be a bit dangerous, so it's
a trait you should be expecting from the start until they grow
'older and wiser'.
Labs also have high touch and
noise tolerances by nature. Holler at a Lab (not that you
should) and he's apt to wag his tail. Swat his butt?
He's likely to wag it even harder. Labs are extremely
trainable, but 'harsh hands and tactics' are simply not the way
to go if you want a good dog. Labs are known for jumping
up, stealing things and behaving without conscience around foods
or their favorite things - all things that are trainable, but do
indeed require training from the very start - be it a puppy or a
new adult Lab in your home.
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Temperament
Labrador Retrievers seldom
understand the word 'fear' and this can have its downside.
If you do find one that is fearful, you can almost assume it
stems from consistent and continual fear-bases experiences the
dog has had over a long period of time.
Either extreme side of the fear
issue can be detrimental to both you and the dog depending on
the environment you intend to bring them into - too fearful and
you'll seldom experience the true inbred qualities of this
magnificent breed - not fearful at all and when faced with other
aggressive or domineering breeds, the Lab might get the short
end of the confrontation. It's a delicate balance and one
you need to observe before you adopt or rescue. Bear in
mind, however - seldom does a dog show its true colors when out
of its element... standing in a kennel at a rescue event does
not allow a dog to show you their best sides.
There is a difference between a
dog's ability to be a "guard-dog" versus a "watch-dog". Having
said that, as a breed, this dog is unsuited to be a "guard-dog"
and its ability totally depends upon the individual dog.
The Labrador is an alert "watch-dog" however.
Intelligence, learning rates
and obedience are three separate issues. While one dog
breed might excel in learning rates and intelligence, their
tendencies towards obedience might not go hand in hand.
This breed is good in obedience (if properly trained) when compared to other dog
breeds of this size category. In learning rates when compared to other breeds,
this breed is very fast.
The same holds true in terms of
emotional stability and behavioral constancy - each varies
individually and separately as issues in each breed. In
this particular breed, they are considered "stable" in the
emotional stability issue, and are constant in behavioral
constancies... probably why this breed is so well liked in fact!
Socializing with humans as a
family - with or without children - can vary greatly with each
dog breed. This breed socializes well within a 'family'
environment once they know and trust all the members of the
'human pack'. This breed is considered
'exceptionally good and tolerant' of considerate and respectful
children - however, each dog is an individual and should be
regarded as such. It can not be said strong enough that a
child's welfare and safety must be paramount in any situation -
not only for a child, but for the dog's future as well.
In
terms of territoriality, this breed is moderate. With regard
to dominance of familiar people, this breed is average. As for
visiting strangers, this breed is friendly. With other
(strange) dogs, this breed tends to be about average in
submission/dominance.
Once on a
task, it is sometimes hard to change a Lab's mind... and almost
impossible to convince some individual dogs at all. Don't
be fooled by the 'happy, happy' excited mood of the Lab when
young - after grown, this turns into a self-willed state of mind
if not properly trained and curtailed in youth. Some Labs
have necks like bulls and will hardly notice you pulling on a
leash with all your strength!
Rankings for:
-- Stress when left alone: Average
-- Used for personal protection: Medium to high
-- Used as a guard dog: Low to medium-high, not commonly
used as a guard dog however
-- Barking: 'Alarm' barkers, usually only consistently
barking if it is a behavioral issue
-- Level of aggressiveness: Should be low unless poorly
bred; seldom a biter
-- Child friendly: High to very high, especially if raised
with the child
-- Socializing with other animals: About average
(Special note:
Personality traits as listed above are not only genetic ones,
but are formed by time left with the mother, size of litter,
growing environment - and sadly - treatment by humans.
There are exceptions to every rule and these rankings are given
as a suggestion only to be used in your decision after careful
research and observation of your potential new canine member).
Rescue/Adoption:
Unless very abused, most Labs
make good rescues and adoptions. Things to look for are an
alertness at your approach, interest in you and positioning of
the ears and facial muscles. A Lab that cowers in the back
of a kennel requires EXTRA care - it's just not normal for them
to do this. If you have children (and especially small
children), this is probably not a good choice for you at all.
A Lab less than 3 years old by
nature will chew - over three years old or more, and it's
probably a behavior issue you'd have to address. Chewing
and destruction issues are usually human-generated by the dog
being left alone too much, not enough exercise and/or human
interaction. Labs stay 'puppies' until about three years
old, when they've grown out of the puppy/teenager stage and into
the adult one.
House soiling is not a normal
trait for this breed as it is in other breeds - if this becomes
an issue after several weeks of an adoption, getting to the vet
and checking out any physical issues is a definite must!
If adopted at an early age, you
must control his tendency to chew or 'mouth' your hands.
This can be easily addressed by providing them with a box of
toys of their own... and I do mean 'their' own. Small
children in the home must learn to leave the dog's toys alone
and the dog must learn to leave the child's toys alone - no
other option is available for this breed and its tendencies.
If you've adopted an older Lab and notice chewing or destructive
behavior, you'll have to teach him what 'his' toys and dog chews
are for.
The chewing and 'mouthing'
trait is just an inbred tendency and what makes him such a good
Retriever and gun dog (they are known for having a 'soft mouth'
- crucial in a gun or sporting dog). Take away his 'job'
and role in life, and as a human owner, you must find him
something else to do in order to fill the void. Excessive
chewing and/or destruction is YOUR sign you're not spending
enough time with this dog... they can't speak the human
language, but are giving you the information you need to adjust
their environment.
The most cited 'reasons' for
Labs ending up in rescue or at shelters are: 1) Behavior
problems (not a 'born with' issue, but something that is always
caused by a lack of necessary training - even an 'old' dog can
be trained), 2) "I'm allergic" (there are solutions for both you
and the Lab - see your vet before you consider this), 3) "He/she
is just TOO active for me" (Labs stay active to overly active
until they are about four years old - if you're not prepared for
four years of activity, don't adopt/rescue or buy a Lab puppy),
4) "I'm moving and my new place doesn't allow dogs" (a Lab's
lifespan is usually 10 or more years - don't adopt/rescue or buy
unless you know what YOU'RE doing in your life for the next 10+
years).
A MUST READ for anyone
considering adoption of a Labrador Retriever:
Labrador Retrievers - K9web.com
Note: Purebred Puppies
Labrador Retrievers are now a
'dime a dozen' because of their popularity. All are not
equal by a long shot. If you insist upon buying a
purebred, require the breeder show you (and provide you copies
with the contract and receipt) of both health
clearances of the parents (OFA certificates - hips and elbows,
CERF - eyes done yearly).
In addition, this breed has
been almost divided now into two purebred types - show
(predominantly the English strain) and field (predominantly the
American strain). Many show dogs are almost built like
Rottweilers, Bulldogs and Pit Bull types with their massive
chests and overall muscular physique. The field dogs are
leaner and less massive in the chests. The strongly bred
'field' line seldom makes a good family dog because these dogs
practically levitate in energy 24/7. While this works fine
in a field environment, you certainly don't want this in a
family dog.
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Exercise
Labs tend to be more active
inside the house than outside - although they certainly do enjoy
outside activities! The inside activity level probably
stems from their desire to know what's going on, even if they
weren't invited to participate in the activity! 'Playing
catch' inside the house is an open invitation to a Lab - even if
it's just the kids who wanted to play!
Labs seldom realize just how
big they've grown - what worked as a puppy doesn't always work
once they're full grown. And yet? Once they're full
grown, lots of things that were previously out of their reach
are now accessible (like food or goodies). Training,
training, training - diligent and with an assertive but kindly
hand is a 'must' if your Lab is to grow into the dog you wanted.
You can expect a Lab to stay 'overactive' for the first three to
four years of their life.
Labs have a tendency to put on
weight if not exercised consistently and on a regular basis.
Retrievers by nature, this means an involved exercise pattern -
not simply letting them out the backdoor into the yard, for Labs
won't exercise on their own without your help. If you by
nature are a couch-potato type, this is not the right type of
dog for you to have.
Born for the water, the Lab
will easily dive into any water it finds. Owners with
pools must have secure fencing around them, and must teach the
dog how to find the steps for it to climb out. The bulk of
this dog makes it almost impossible to climb out of a pool once
it is in the water without steps in fact. Never leave this
dog alone at a pool - its interest in the world around them can
easily cause them to dive headfirst into the pool without
thought to its own safety. Secure fencing at ALL times is
an absolute!
Labs are great for walkers,
backpackers and nature explorers. For this dog, getting
there is almost the most fun of all - not the destination.
Speed is not their strongest trait, its the 'staying power' and
consistency of the journey that matters most to them. They
also enjoy jogging, biking, swimming and trips to the beach or
lake, as well as agility and 'fly-ball'.
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Grooming
Labs have a weather-resistant
undercoat. The outer coat is usually short and very dense.
When wet, this will have a 'doggy' odor. But Labs usually
love the water, so weekly baths shouldn't be a problem at all.
Many Lab owners supplement their pet's diet with additional
small amounts of oils to produce that gloss the coat is capable
of.
Brushing once a week will help
remove some of the hair and increase the beauty of the coat.
Labs shed somewhat all year round so be prepared.
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Photo
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Organizations
associated with this breed:
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Other
web sites to visit:
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Breed: the Labrador
Retriever