Labrador Retriever

Family: gundog, retriever

Origin: Canada

Date of Origin: 1800s

Breed For: water retrieving

Lifespan: Approx. 12 Years

Recently Used For: water retrieving, assistance, obedience competition, retriever field trials

Avg Size of Male: Height: 56 - 57 cms Weight: approx. 30 Kg

Avg Size of Female: Height:54.5 - 56 cms Weight: approx. 30 Kg

Temperament:

Few breeds so richly deserve their popularity as the Labrador retriever. Devoted, obedient and amiable, the Lab is good with children, other dogs and other pets. It will be a calm house dog, playful yard dog and intense field dog, all on the same day. It is eager to please, enjoys learning and excels in obedience. It is a powerful breed that loves to swim and retrieve. It needs daily physical and mental challenges to keep it occupied, however; a bored Lab can get into trouble.

History:

The original Labradors were all-purpose water dogs originating in Newfoundland, not Labrador. Not only did the breed not originate in Labrador, but it also was not originally called the Labrador retriever. The Newfoundland of the early 1800s came in different sizes, one of which was the "Lesser" or "St. John's" Newfoundland the earliest incarnation of the Labrador. These dogs medium-sized black dogs with close hair not only retrieved game but also retrieved fish, pulled small fishing boats through icy water and helped the fisherman in any task involving swimming. Eventually the breed died out in Newfoundland in large part because of a heavy dog tax. However, a core of Labradors had been taken to England in the early 1800s, and it is from these dogs, along with crosses to other retrievers, that the breed continued. It was also in England that the breed earned its reputation as an extraordinary retriever of upland game. Initially breeders favored black Labs, and culled yellow or chocolate colors. By the early 1900s, the other colors had become acceptable, although still not as widely favored as the blacks.

Upkeep:

Labradors are active and sociable dogs. They need daily exercise, preferably in the form of retrieving and swimming. Owners with swimming pools either must fence them out or be prepared to share the pool with dog. The Lab coat sheds water easily. It needs weekly brushing to remove dead hair. Although Labs can live outdoors in temperate climates, they are much happier indoors with their family.

Health:

Health • Major concerns: Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD), gastric torsion, retinal dysplasia/skeletal dwarfism, muscular dystrophy, elbow dysplasia • Minor concerns: cataract, Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD), Central Progressive Retinal Atrophy (CPRA), pyotraumatic dermatitis • Sporadic Cases: diabetes, entropion, distichiasis • Suggested tests: hip, elbow, eye