Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever is the most popular breed of dog for 2005 AKC registration. This is because of the exceptional characteristics that this breed possesses. Labrador Retrievers are known to be one of the fastest learning breeds of dogs adaptable to lots of functions as well as making very good pets. They are a balanced and remarkably versatile breed.TEMPERAMENT:
Labrador Retrievers are outstanding and famous for it being an excellent and loyal companion who responds well to commands, praises and even affection. They are easily trained, good natured, and are very obedient dogs. Labrador Retrievers are harmless and great with children because of its friendliness and intelligence. They instinctively enjoy holding objects and even hands or arms in their mouths, which they can do with great gentleness. They are, however, prone to chew objects, though, can be easily trained out of this behavior. As a rule, Labrador Retrievers are not excessively prone to territorialism, destructiveness, aggression, hypersensitivity, pining, insecurity, or other difficult traits which manifest in a variety of breeds, and as the name suggests, they are excellent retrievers.
GENERAL APPEARANCE:
The Labrador Retriever is a strongly built, medium-sized, short-coupled, dog possessing a sound, athletic, well-balanced conformation that enables it to function as a retrieving gun dog; the substance and soundness to hunt waterfowl or upland game for long hours under difficult conditions; the character and quality to win in the show ring; and the temperament to be a family companion. Physical features and mental characteristics should denote a dog bred to perform as an efficient Labrador Retriever of game with a stable temperament suitable for a variety of pursuits beyond the hunting environment.
The most distinguishing characteristics of the Labrador Retriever are its short, dense, weather resistant coat; an "otter" tail; a clean-cut head with broad back skull and moderate stop; powerful jaws; and its "kind," friendly eyes, expressing character, intelligence and good temperament.
Above all, a Labrador Retriever must be well balanced, enabling it to move in the show ring or work in the field with little or no effort. The typical Labrador Retriever possesses style and quality without over refinement, and substance without lumber or cloddiness. The Labrador Retriever is bred primarily as a working gun dog; structure and soundness are of great importance.
LIFE SPAN:
10-12 years..
HISTORY:
The Labrador Retriever is believed to have originated on the island of Newfoundland, now part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is thought to have descended from the St. John's Water Dog (no longer in existence), a crossbreed of native water dogs and the Newfoundland to which the Labrador is closely related. 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. Other origins suggested for the name include the Spanish or Portuguese word for workers, "labradores", and the village of Castro Laboreiro in Portugal whose herding and guard dogs bear a "striking resemblance" to Labradors.
Many fisherpeople 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 first known written reference to the Labrador Retriever is in 1814 in "Instructions to Young Sportsmen". In 1823 sporting artist Edwin Landseer painted a black dog with white markings titled "Cora. A Labrador Bitch," by which time it appears the breed was already firmly established, with several of the nobility either owning or breeding them by the end of that century. The first Yellow Lab on record, named Ben of Hyde, was born in 1899.
The modern Labrador Retriever is among the oldest of the modern "recognized" breeds; according to the American Kennel Club, pedigrees exist back to 1878. The Kennel Club recognized the Lab in 1903. The first registration of Labrador Retrievers by the AKC was in 1917; many English dogs were imported post World War I and these formed the foundation of the American variety.
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