Labrador
Retriever
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 Description:
Although the Labrador Retriever as it is known
today was developed in Britain, originated from
dogs found along the East coast of Canada. These
dogs had been known variously as the Black Water
Dog, the Lesser Newfoundland, or the St John's
Dog; they were descendants of dogs taken there
by explorers, settlers and fishing crews. The
dogs, found to have excellent hunting and fishing
abilities, were brought to England early in the
1800's where their "modern" development
carried on. Crossed with other local sporting
breeds, the strong and sturdy Labrador Retriever
became, and continues to be, England's most popular
gundog. The Labrador Retriever or simply Lab for
short excels in obedience and field trials, needs
plenty of outdoor exercise and especially enjoys
swimming.
Height:
The height of a Labrador Retriever is
22.5 - 24.5" (57.2 - 57.2cm) for dogs, 21.5
- 23.5" (54.6 - 54.6cm) for bitches.
Weight: The
weight for a Labrador Retriever is 60 - 75 lbs
(26.8 - 26.8 kg) for dogs, 55 - 70 lbs (24.6 -
24.6 kg) for bitches.
Coat Type:
The Labrador Retriever's dense coat should
be smooth and feel hard. The solid body color
varies from black, to chocolate, to yellow (light
cream color to fox red). The coat is easily cared
for with regular brushing with a slicker type
brush.
Temperament:
The Labrador Retriever's easy-going and friendly
manner make him an excellent addition to families
with children. The Labrador Retriever is easy
to train and, by nature, is a true sporting dog.
Labs love swimming and will play fetch in the
water for as long as you will!
Health Problems: Labrador
Retrievers are susceptible to hip dysplasia and
all breeding stock should be x-rayed and certified
clear. They are also at risk for several eye problems
including progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), cataracts
and retinal dysplasia, therefore all breeding
stock should be examined annually. Other problems
are: skin allergies and problems such as Acral
Lick Dermatitis (lick granuloma), thyroid, and
epilepsy, the latter being highly suspected to
have a genetic component. On the whole though
Labrador Retrievers are generally very healthy
dogs.
Special Interest:
Besides being the most popular gundog
in Britain, the Labrador is the most popular dog
in the USA and in Canada, topping registration
charts in both countries. The Labrador has gained
world-wide recognition as a good police and war
dog, and also makes an excellent seeing-eye dog
for the blind; in fact, one Labrador Retriever
in Tel Aviv worked as a guide dog for over 14
and a half years!
Classifications:
AKC: Group 1 - Sporting Dogs
ANKC: Group 3 - Gundogs
CKC: Group 1 - Sporting Dogs
FCI: Group 8 Section 1 Retrievers
KC: Sporting - Gundog Group
NZKC: Gundog
UKC: Gun Dog
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