Posts Tagged ‘labrador retriever’

History: Settlers on the isle of Newfoundland, Canada, are responsible for helping to develop the Labrador breed. The progenitor of the Labrador Retriever was the St. John's Water Dog, which also gave rise to the Newfoundland.

The St. John's Water Dog was used by fishermen on the island to help bring in their nets. The St. John's Water Dog was taken to England in the 1800s, but it was not until later that the Labrador breed began to emerge on its own.

This is due mostly to the fact that the Earls of Malmesbury worked to refine the breed and promote it. Because of their efforts, the Labrador Retriever won recognition as a separate breed in the late 19th century. Read the rest of this entry »

The Labrador Retriever is a sturdily built, medium to large sized dog used primarily for hunting and as a companion. The dog is strongly muscled with a powerful jaw, but is renowned for its delicacy in carrying objects in its mouth. The male dog should be between 22 ½" to 24 ½" at the withers, with the bitch an inch less in both measurements. A top weight for the dog would be 80 pounds, and 70 pounds for the female. The Labrador coat can be yellow, chocolate, or black, and the colours must be solid. A touch of white on the chest is permitted. Read the rest of this entry »