Labrador Retriever is a friendly, affectionate and playful companion, but also versatile working dog breed. No wonder that they are the most popular dogs in the world. There are 20 interesting facts about labrador retrievers. 

labrador


Origin 

The labrador retriever's history can be traced back to newfoundland coast in canada. The fishermen were seen to use a dog of similar appearance to retrieve fish. Their history dates back to 1700s and their first ancestor is known as saint john's water dog. 

Number 2 hunters - labs were originally bred for hunt. They started out as skilled duck and waterflow retrievers and when they were imported to england in 1800s they were also used to retrieve game on land. They were also used for flushing and pointing. When hunting labs are very hard working and almost tireless. 

Versatility 

Today labradors are not only used for hunting. Thanks to a high trainability, great working ethic eagerness to please and versatility and high adaptability labs are used for many many purposes. That includes tracking search and rescue, bomb and drug detection therapy and assistant work. Actually most of the guide dogs in the world are labrador retrievers. 

Almost extinct

It's hard to believe that this amazing breed was once on the verge of extinction but it's true in their homeland - the Newfoundland The government of newfoundland taxed families for owning more than one dog which caused that many newborn pups were killed because people cannot simply afford to have them. In the 1880s the breed was nearly wiped out in this region. Luckily they were already favorite dogs of england, so they did not extinct completely. 

Long puppyhood  

Labs are extremely playful dogs that love all kind of plays and outdoor time with a lot of exploring. And they mature quite slowly, some of them have this playful puppy-like personality for many many years, even when they are physically completely adult. This definitely is a good thing because you will never be bored with the lab ,but you must entertain their body and mind on daily basis. 

Soft mouth 

All the retriever breeds love chewing and just putting things into the mouth. When the Labs are young they can bite nip and chew pretty hard, it really can hurt But they grow out of this stage pretty quickly and in their adulthood they are extremely gentle with their mouth.They were trained to be like this to be this gentle, so they can pick up the gamebirds shot by their owners without damaging them. 

American vs English 

This is strongly built an athletic dog breed with broad and deep chest and ribs strong over loins and hind quarters.There's a slight difference between the field and conformation dogs. The field, sometimes also called as American Labs are more athletic, leaner, taller with slightly less broad faces and a slightly longer nose. On the other hand the conformation lab also known as the English lab is shorter and stockier, with fuller faces and slightly more laid back nature. 

Size 

This is medium to large sized dog breed with average height between 54 to57 centimeters, which is 21 to 22 inches and weight is typically between 25 to 36kilograms which is 55 to 80 pounds. The females are naturally a little bit smaller than males. 

Companion 

Labradors are just perfect companions for every oneor better to say for everyone who is capable of providing them with at least few daily longer walks and some mental stimulation. It doesn't matter if you are single or big family, if you are just graduated or if you are retired, the labrador is extremely adaptable and loving and they are just perfect for everyone. Labs are known for being totally friendly, playful, gentle, outgoing, eager to please, intelligent and highly trainable. 

Novice owners  

Most of the dog breeds that are recommended for novice dog owners are small dog breeds, but if you are novice who is looking for medium to large sized dog breed then the labrador retriever is one of the best choices you can make. It is especially thanks to their eagerness to please. You can also check out the labrador retriever's relative, the golden retriever, their personalities are extremely similar. 

Famous labs 

There was andstill are many famous labrador retrievers around the world Some of them are famous as assistance dogs like Endal, who is known as the most decorated dog in the world. Some of them are known for being companions of the most powerful people in the world including vladimir putin, bill clinton or prince william. Others are known for their police and military work like Jake, who was helping to find people after the September 11 attacks and later he was helping with search and rescue after the hurricane katrina. If you would like to find out more about the famous Labrador retrievers. 

Water lovers 

Labrador retrievers are just made for swimming they have webbed toes, rudder like tail and most importantly they have practically waterproof coat which is protecting them even from very cold waters. 

Color 

Speaking of the coat you can find this breed in three different colors the popular black and yellow and less common chocolate. Black was the favorite color among early breeders, but over the years yellow and chocolate labs have become popular as well. There are also so-called silver labs but those are not recognized by any kennel club yet. 

Shedding 

If there is one disadvantage of owning a labrador the nit's definitely the constant shedding. You should be prepared for it, labs truly shed quite a lot and because of that, you should brush their coat regularly, even daily to minimize the shedding. Other than that the maintenance is quite easy and they do not need any additional grooming. Just like with all dogs you should regularly check their eyes, ears, teeth and nails and clip them or clean them if needed. 

Dog sports 

Labs are not only showing their versatility as working dogs, they also excel at various dog sports They have the best results in dock diving and hunting trials but they can also compete in rally, obedience or even in agility. 

Exercise  

Labs need daily proper physical and mental exercise. They were bred to work for long hours, so they just need some kind of a job in their life. Daily longer walks are must especially with younger dogs. They will love almost all the interactive play times and food puzzle toys. Actually they will enjoy everything that is somehow related to food. Just like all the retrievers most of them love retrieving so they will enjoy playing fetch and they even enjoy longer training sessions, well if they are rewarded with treats of course. If you will not provide them with enough exercise they can be bored and can develop some unwanted behavior like destruction. 

Popularity 

Today the labrador is the most popular dog breed in the world and you can find them on every continent and in most countries of the world. They are the number one dogs in many european countries usa, canada and australia. 

Name  

Labrador retriever name is very descriptive. They are named retriever because they were originally bred for retrieving and labrador is a geographic and cultural region within the Canadian province of newfoundland and labrador which is the place of origin. Actually they first appear in the newfoundland but this name was already taken, so they were named as labrador retrievers. 

Obesity 

Labs just love to eat and they will probably eat until they die but. Because of this because they don't know when to stop they can easily become overfed and obese which is definitely bad for their health. It's highly recommended to not feed lives with human food even though it's hard to resist their begging eyes. You should properly measure the amount of food you are giving to your lab and of course exercise them regularly so they can stay healthy and fit. 

Health 

Labradors are generally healthy and they have great average lifespan between 11 to 14 years The biggest health concern is hipdysplasia and other joint and bones problems. Because of their deep chest they can also suffer from bloating. Epilepsy is another health issue associated with this breed. Other health issues that don't occur that often are progressive retinal atrophy, ortitis externa and hereditary myopathy.