Labrador Retriever dog breed

Labrador Retriever dog breed

The Labrador Retriever ("Labrador" or "Lab" for short), is one of several kinds of retriever, and is the most popular breed of dog (by registered ownership) in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The breed is exceptionally friendly, intelligent, energetic and good natured, making them excellent companions and working dogs. Labrador Retrievers respond well to praise and positive attention. They are also well known as enjoying water, since historically, they were selectively bred for retrieving in water environments as 'gun dogs' and as companions in duck hunting.

Appearance
As with most breeds, the appearance can be described both in general terms, and also by reference to standard criteria used in dog shows. Different countries will have different lines of Labrador, which will differ in appearance.

Overview of appearance
Labradors are relatively large with males typically weighing 27 to 36 kg (60 to 80 lb) and females 23 to 32 kg (45 to 70 lb). They are energetic, outgoing dogs. Their coats are short and smooth, and can be black, yellow, or brown (called "chocolate") in color, in that order of frequency. Puppies of all colors can potentially occur in the same litter. The majority of the characteristics of this breed with the exception of color are the result of breeding to produce a working retriever. The colour is determined primarily by two genes. The first gene (the B locus) determines the density of the coat's pigment granules: dense granules result in a black coat, sparse ones give a chocolate coat. The second (E) locus determines whether the pigment is produced at all. A dog with the recessive e allele will produce little pigment and will be yellow regardless of its genotype at the B locus[1]. Variations in numerous other genes control the subtler details of the coat's coloration, which in yellow labs varies from white to light gold to a fox red. Yellow labs can have black or pink noses; chocolate and black labs's noses match the coat color. A very light color sometimes called 'silver' is not officially recognized, but is sought by some owners and therefore unusually light colored yellow and chocolate labs may be described this way by unscrupulous breeders.

As with some other breeds, the English (typically "show") and the American (typically "working" or "field") lines differ. Labs are bred in England as a medium size dog, shorter and stockier with fuller faces and a slightly calmer nature than their American counterparts which are bred as a larger lighter-built dog. No distinction is made by the AKC, but the two classifications come from different breeding. Australian stock also exists; though not seen in the west, they are common in Asia. (See #Physical lines and variants)

The breed tends to shed hair regularly throughout the year. Lab hair is usually fairly short and straight, and the tail quite broad and strong. The otter-like tail and webbed toes of the Labrador Retriever make them excellent swimmers. Their interwoven coat is also relatively waterproof, providing more assistance for swimming. The tail acts as a rudder for changing directions.

Many people unfamiliar with retrievers find that the Lab is quite similar to the Golden Retriever in size, general shape, and general color, especially when young and especially to Goldens with lighter coats. Their personalities are also quite similar, with both breeds being intelligent, friendly, receptive to praise and easy to train. The most obvious difference is the short straight coat of the Labrador Retriever (the Golden has long wavy fur) and the Lab's thick, otter-like tail compared to the Golden's plumed tail.

Colour
There are three recognised colours for labs:[2] black (a solid black colour), yellow (anything from light cream to gold to fox-red), and chocolate (medium-dark brown). Yellow labradors have the greatest variation in shading of the three recognised colours; the so-called "golden" and "white" labradors are more correctly described as shades of yellow. A separate shade, so-called 'silver', is not recognised by any of the well-known labrador breed standards and is often considered dubious.


The Lab's head is broad and clean-cut, with ears that hang close to the head.

In yellow Labradors, the nose can be black, brown or pinkish (known as "snow nose").

Yellow Labradors, unlike the other color variants, have a wide variety in the phenotypical outcome; ranging from cream to fox red.

This Lab is chocolate, which wasn't always recognised as an acceptable coat colour, although it can now be shown alongside other colours.

Show standards
Please note that, like any animal, there is a great deal of variety among labs. These characteristics are typical of the show-bred or bench-bred lines of this breed in the United States.

Size: Labs are a medium-large but compact breed. They should have an appearance of proportionality. They should be as long from the shoulders back as they are from the floor to the withers. Dogs should stand 22 1/2 to 24 1/2 inches (55.9 to 62 1/4cm) tall at the withers and weigh 65 to 80 pounds (30 to 36 kg). Bitches should stand 21 1/2 to 23 1/2 inches (54 1/2 to 60 cm) and weigh 55 to 70 pounds (25 to 32 kg). (By comparison under UK Kennel Club standards, height should be 22 to 22.5 inches (55.9 to 57.2 cm) for males, and 21.5 to 22 (54.6 to 55.9 cm) inches for females)
Coat: The lab's coat should be short and dense, but not wiry. Acceptable colors are chocolate, black, and yellow. There is much variance within yellow labs
Head: The head should be broad with a pronounced stop and slightly pronounced brow. The eyes should be kind and expressive. Appropriate eye colors are brown and hazel. The lining around the eyes should be black. The ears should hang close to the head and are set slightly above the eyes.
Jaws: The jaws should be strong and powerful. The muzzle should be of medium length, and should not be too tapered. The jowls should hang slightly and curve gracefully back.

History

The coat of the black Labrador, like this puppy's, is solid black.The Labrador is believed to have originated on the island of Newfoundland, now part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.[3] The breed is not indigenous to the Newfoundland area nor is there evidence they accompanied early Inuit settlers.[4] It is thought to have descended over time from the St. John's Water Dog (no longer in existence), a crossbreed of native water dogs and the Newfoundland dog (to which the Labrador is closely related), through ad-hoc breedings by early settlers in the mid to late 15th century.[3] 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 rural/agricultural workers, Portuguese "lavradores" or Spanish "labradores", and the village of Castro Laboreiro in Portugal whose herding and guard dogs bear a "striking resemblance" to Labradors.[3] The original forebearers of the St. John's have variously been suggested to be crossbreeds of the black St. Hubert's hound from France, working water dogs from Portugal, old European pointer breeds and dogs belonging to the indiginous peoples of the area.[3] Two breeds emerged; the larger Newfoundland used for hauling, and the smaller short-coat retrievers used for retrieval and pulling in nets from the water. The Lab is of the latter type.

Many fishermen 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. They were brought to the Poole area of England, then the hub of the Newfoundland fishing trade, and became prized amongst the gentry as sporting dogs.[3]

Lab timeline

A chocolate brown Labrador pup.Some of the landmarks in early Lab history include:

1814 - The first known written reference to the Labrador, in "Instructions to Young Sportsmen".
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.
1870 - By this time, the name "Labrador Retriever" had become well established.[3]
1887 - James Howard Harris, the 3rd Earl of Malmesbury wrote in a letter to the 6th Duke of Buccleuch, "We always call mine Labrador dogs and I have kept the breed as pure as I could from the first I had from Poole ... known by their having a close coat which turns the water off like oil and, above all, a tail like an otter." [3]
1899 - Birth of the first Yellow Lab on record, named Ben of Hyde. Photographs of early Labradors, including 'Ben of Hyde', show slight changes to the breeds coat and appearance over the past 100 years.
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 Labradors by the AKC was in 1917; many English dogs were imported post World War I and these formed the foundation of the American variety.

Other names
The Lab and its ancestors have also been known under the following names:

St. John's Dog, Lesser St. John's Dog, Newfoundland Dog, Lesser Newfoundland Dog, Little Newfoundlanders, Newfoundland Water Dog, Labrador Dogs, St. John's Labrador Dogs, Black Water Dog, Lesser Labrador, Smaller Labrador, English Retriever, and English Labrador.[3]

Temperament and activities

Labradors are a very popular selection for use as guide dogsGood-tempered, very agile. Excellent nose, soft mouth; keen love of water. Adaptable, devoted companion. Intelligent, keen and biddable, with a strong will to please. Kindly nature, with no trace of aggression or undue shyness.
– UK Kennel Club standard

Labradors are a well-balanced and remarkably versatile breed, adaptable to a wide range of functions as well as making very good pets. As a rule they are not excessively prone to territorialism, pining, insecurity, aggression, destructiveness, hypersensitivity, or other difficult traits which manifest in a variety of breeds, and as the name suggests, they are excellent retrievers. As an extension of this, they instinctively enjoy holding objects and even hands or arms in their mouths, which they can do with great gentleness. They are also known to have a very soft 'feel' to the mouth, as a result of being bred to retrieve game such as waterfowl. They are prone to chewing objects (though they can easily be trained out of this behavior). The Labrador Retriever's coat repels water to some extent, thus facilitating the extensive use of the dog in waterfowl hunting.

Labradors have a reputation as a very mellow breed and an excellent family dog (including a good reputation with children of all ages), but some lines (particularly those that have continued to be bred specifically for their skills at working in the field rather than for their appearance) are particularly fast and athletic. Their fun-loving boisterousness and lack of fear can result in mischief, and may require training and firm handling at times to ensure it does not get out of hand. Labradors mature at around three years of age; before this time they can have a significant degree of puppyish energy, often mislabelled as being hyperactive.[5] Labs often enjoy retrieving a ball endlessly and other forms of activity (such as dog agility or flyball), are considerably "food and fun" oriented, very trainable, and open-minded to new things, and thrive on human attention and interaction, of which they find it difficult to get enough. Reflecting their retrieving bloodlines, almost every Lab loves playing in water or swimming.

Although they will sometimes bark at noise, especially a degree of "alarm barking" when there is noise from unseen sources, labs are not on the whole noisy[6] or territorial, and are often very easygoing and trusting with strangers, and therefore are not very often used as guard dogs.[7]

Labradors have a reputation for appetite, and individuals have been described as willing to eat "anything that isn't nailed down".[8] They are also persuasive and persistent in requesting food. For this reason, the Lab owner must carefully control his/her dog's food intake to avoid obesity and its associated health problems (see below).

The steady temperament of Labs and their ability to learn make them an ideal breed for search and rescue, detection, and therapy work. Their primary working role continues to be that of a hunting retriever.

Health and wellbeing
Main article: Dog health

Some lines of Labs are fast and athletic, as demonstrated by this Lab doing the weave poles in dog agility.Labrador life expectancy is generally 12 to 13 years[9], and it is a healthy breed with relatively few major problems. Notable issues related to health and wellbeing include:

Medical conditions:

Labs are somewhat prone to hip dysplasia (and possibly other forms, such as elbow dysplasia), especially the larger dogs, though not as much as some other breeds. Hip scores are recommended before breeding.
Labs are sometimes prone to ear infection, because their floppy ears trap warm moist air. This is easy to control, but needs regular checking to ensure that a problem is not building up unseen. A healthy Lab ear should look clean and light pink (almost white) inside. Darker pink (or inflamed red), or brownish deposits, are a symptom of ear infection. The usual treatment is regular cleaning daily or twice daily (being careful not to force dirt into the sensitive inner ear) and sometimes medication (ear drops) for major cases. As a preventative measure, some owners clip the hair carefully around the ear and under the flap, to encourage better air flow.
A Labrador that undertakes significant swimming without building up can develop a swelling or apparent kink known as swimtail. This can be easily treated by a veterinary clinic and tail rest.
Labs also suffer from the risk of knee problems. A luxating patella is a common occurrence in the knee where the leg is often bow shaped.
Eye problems are also possible in some labs, particularly progressive retinal atrophy and retinal dysplasia. Dogs which are intended to be bred should be examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist.
Weight:

Labs are often overfed and are allowed to become overweight, due to their blatant enjoyment of treats, hearty appetites, and endearing behavior towards people. A healthy Lab should keep a very slight hourglass waist and be fit and lithe, rather than fat or heavy-set. Excessive weight is strongly implicated as a risk factor in the later development of hip dysplasia and diabetes, and also can contribute to general reduced health when older. Arthritis is commonplace in older, overweight labs.
Exploration:

Labradors are not especially renowned for escapology. They do not particularly jump high fences or dig, although some labs may climb or jump up for fun or to explore. As a breed they are highly intelligent, and capable of intense single-mindedness and focus if their interest is caught. Therefore with the right conditions and stimuli, a bored lab could "turn into an escape artist par exellence."
It is also worth noting that Labradors as a breed are curious, exploratory and love company, following both people and interesting scents for food, attention and novelty value. In this way, they can often "vanish" or otherwise become separated from their owners with little fanfare. They are also popular dogs if found. Because of this it is good practice that labradors are microchipped, with the owners name and address also on their collar and tags.

Variants and crossbreeds

Physical lines and variants
Differences in the physical build of the dog have arisen as a result of specialized breeding. Dogs bred for hunting and field-trial work are selected first for working ability, whereas dogs bred to compete for show championships are selected for what judges look for in the show ring. There are significant differences between field and trial-bred (sometimes referred to as "American") and show-bred (or "English") lines of Labradors. In general, show-bred labs are heavier, slightly shorter-bodied, and have a thicker coat and tail. Field labs are generally longer legged, lighter, and more lithe in build. In the head, show labs tend to have broader heads, better defined stops, and more powerful necks, while field labs have lighter and slightly narrower heads with longer muzzles. Field-bred labs are commonly higher energy and more high-strung compared to the show-bred lab, and as a consequence may be more suited to working relationships rather than being a "family pet." Of course, each individual dog differs. Some breeders, especially those specializing in the field type, feel that breed shows do not adequately recognize their type of dog. Talk of officially splitting the breed is also sometimes supported.

There are also slight personality and physical differences between the black and yellow lab. Black labs have dominated the field trial and hunt test scene (Fergus, 2002). Because the lighter variants are a recessive trait, breeding for a litter of yellow or chocolate pups requires mating two dogs with those traits. This means that dogs from these litters were selected for traits other than nose, biddability, intelligence, and hunting desire (Fergus, 2002). Because even a pairing of black labs may produce chocolate or yellow offspring, this rule does not hold 100% of the time. Even so, many serious field trialers and hunters prefer black labradors over the other variants to increase the odds of solid hunting genes (Fergus, 2002).

Lab nose and skin pigmentation

A Dudley Labrador Retriever. The nose and lips are pink or flesh-colored, the defining aspect of Dudley pigmentation, as compared to the more standard brown or black.Because Lab coloration is controlled by multiple genes, it is possible for recessive genes to emerge some generations later and also there can sometimes be unexpected pigmentation effects to different parts of the body. Pigmentation effects appear in regard to yellow labs, and sometimes chocolate, and hence the majority of this section covers pigmentation within the yellow lab. The most common places where pigmentation is visible are the nose, lips, gums, feet, and the rims of the eyes, which may be black, brown, light yellow-brown ("liver", caused by having two genes for chocolate), or several other colors. A lab can carry genes for a different color, for example a black lab can carry recessive chocolate and yellow genes, and a yellow lab can carry recessive genes for the other two colors. DNA testing can reveal some aspects of these. Less common pigmentations (other than pink) are a fault, not a disqualification, and hence such dogs are still permitted to be shown.

The intensity of black pigment on yellow labs is controlled be a separate gene independent of the fur coloring. Yellow labs usually have black noses, which gradually turn pink with age (called "snow nose" or "winter nose"). This is due to a reduction in the enzyme tyrosinase which indirectly controls the production of melanin, a dark coloring. Tyrosinase is temperature dependent - hence light coloration can be seasonal, due to cold weather - and is less produced with increasing age (2 years old onwards). As a result, the nose color of most yellow labs becomes a somewhat pink shade as they grow older.

A coloration known as "Dudley" is also possible. Dudleys are variously defined as yellow labs which are unpigmented (pink) (LRC), yellow with liver pigmentation, or "flesh colored" (AKC), rather than having black or brown pigmentation. A yellow lab with brown or chocolate pigmentation (for example, a brown/chocolate nose), is not a Dudley. Breed standards for Labradors considers a true Dudley to be a disqualifying feature for a show lab ("Disqualification: A thoroughly pink nose or one lacking in any pigment"). True Dudleys are extremely rare. (See: Albinoism).

Breeding in order to correct pigmentation often lacks dependability. Because color is determined by many genes, some of which are recessive, crossbreeding a pigmentationally non-standard yellow lab to a black lab may not correct the matter or prevent future generations carrying the same recessive genes. That said, pigmentation is often not an issue with animal lovers for whom such issues are often unimportant, and only has significance for those involved with showing and breeding.

Color names
Although kennel clubs and registries recognize the Labrador in variations of only three colors—black, yellow, and chocolate—some breeders sell light-colored yellow Labrador puppies as a "white" labrador, the dark yellow Labrador puppies as "fox red," or chocolates possessing the dilution factor as "silver Labradors". The "silver" color is nonstandard and would disqualify them as show dogs. The AKC currently registers "silver" labs as chocolates.

'Silver', 'blue', 'grey', and 'charcoal'
The earliest advertisements for "silver", "blue" or "gray" labradors date back to the 1950s in the western United States. To date, "silver" labradors have not appeared outside of the United States from the breeding of native chocolate Labradors. There is scepticism about their origins and no major kennel club standard supports a separate listing for such dogs; a US-based kennel where "silver" labradors initially were reported kept Weimaraners in the kennel (a breed with not-dissimilar appearance and a silvery-grey color due to the dilution factor). A so-called "charcoal" color has also been offered for sale by some breeders, obtained by crossing black labs with "silver"; these are also not recognized and are disqualified from show.

Side-by-side visual comparison between chocolate and "silver" labradors with the Weimaraner.
Chocolate lab and Weimeraner mixThe Labrador Retriever Club, Inc.'s position on "silver" labradors:

"There is no genetic basis for the silver gene in Labradors. The silver color is a disqualification under the Standard for the breed. The LRC does not recognize, accept or condone the sale or advertising of any Labrador as a silver Labrador. The Club opposes the practice of registering silver as chocolate."
This is in part, because current DNA tests do not have the ability to assess and identify a difference between the genes of so-called 'silver' labs, and the general labrador population. DNA technology can identify parentage, and certain well-investigated biological diseases and other well-known conditions, but do not have the capability of exploring the origins of the so-called 'silver' appearance. Despite the incorrect claims of some fans, there is currently no scientific data, either published or preliminary, which has mapped any silver gene in Labs.

The molecular biologist and geneticist Sharon Wagner of wigwaglabradors.com wrote an analysis that concluded "Silver breeders also blatantly lie. They have information on their websites that talk about DNA testing done by the AKC and a researcher at UC Berkley. Both are not true. AKC never did any genetic mapping of silver Labradors nor do they have any plans to do so since they are a registering body only and the Labrador Club of America writes the standard for the breed. Also Dr. Neff at UC Berkley was never looking into whether or not silver Labs were purebred or not which is also a moot point since DNA testing can only prove parentage at this point and is not specific enough to search for breed markers..."

The dog breed information site dogbreedadvice.com states in its Labrador FAQ that " 'Silver' Labradors are purely a scam and are either crosses with Weimaraners or very light chocolates." [22]

In an article entitled "Do Silver Labradors Really Exist?", on labbies.com, the author states:

Given the fact that much inbreeding was performed during the early history of the breed because of the small gene-pool, expression of the silver trait would have occurred at least frequently enough for someone to take note of its existence. This was, indeed, the case with the expression of the "black and tan" trait. Early history cites cases of puppies born with tan points (as found in Dobermans, Rottweilers, etc.). This trait was attributed to early interbreeding with Gordon Setters. There is no record, however, of silver Labs or any similar color documented in the stud books spanning the years 1878 to at least 1948 (though other color oddities are documented). This strongly suggests that the silver color is not a color that was present (indigenous) in the early ancestors of the Labrador breed. Therefore, the color must have been introduced sometime after the 1940s. The instances of silver Labs appearing, albeit rarely, in litters from the general population that bear no common ancestors within several or more generations suggests that the gene has been in the population for quite a few decades (This does not necessarily rule out the possibility of more recent interbreeding to purposely achieve or increase frequency of expression of the color).

It concludes, "This scenario [ie, recognition] is most likely not to happen in the near future. As such, breeders, either established or novice, who may consider breeding for silver will most likely find many doors closed to them in terms of breeding to the best Labrador bloodlines."

'White' and 'fox red'
The "fox red" and so-called "white" labs (more properly referred to as "cream" by the AKC) are perfectly acceptable shades for a Yellow lab in the show ring. However, note that these shades are registered as "Yellow" by the AKC, despite the misleading claim of "AKC White Labradors" advertised by some breeders:

"Yellows may range in color from fox-red to light cream, with variations in shading on the ears, back, and underparts of the dog." (AKC)

Common Labrador crossbreeds
The Labradoodle is a popular designer dog that combines a Labrador with a Poodle. Labrador-German Shepherd and Labrador-Border Collie crosses are also popular for their intelligence and working qualities. Other Labrador crossbreeds are noted on the American Canine Hybrid Club website with some having pages on dogbreedinfo.com.

Famous Labs
Zanjeer, a police sniffer dog who detected arms and ammunition used in 1993 Mumbai (Bombay) serial explosions. Zanjeer was born on January 7, 1992, and was inducted into the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad on December 29, 1992. He was trained at the Dog Training Centre of the Criminal Investigation Department in Pune. During his service, his haul was excellent. He helped recover 57 country-made bombs, 175 petrol bombs, 11 military bombs, 242 grenades and 600 detonators. His biggest contribution to the police force and the city was the detection of 3,329 kg of RDX. He also helped detect 18 AK-56 rifles and five 9mm pistols. He died at a veterinary hospital in Parel.
Buddy, U.S. President Bill Clinton's Labrador
Seamus, Clinton's other Labrador, received for Father's Day
Koni, Russian President Vladimir Putin's Labrador Retriever
Vincent, from Lost, played by the famous dog Madison
Marley, "The World's Worst Dog", featured in journalist John Grogan's book Marley & Me
Bouncer, from Neighbours
Ubu Roi, of UBU Productions
Zeke the Wonder Dog (1&2), mascot and frisbee fanatic for the Michigan State Spartans
Jet (formerly Boots), adopted by the fictional detective Nero Wolfe who claims labradors have "the largest brain pans" and are therefore the most intelligent breed
The Andrex Puppy, featured primarily in UK television spots for the Andrex brand of toilet paper, known in elsewhere as Scott or Cottonelle, also featuring the puppy mascot.
Luath, from The Incredible Journey
King Buck, the first black lab to appear on a US postage stamp.
Sadie a black Labrador who saved the lives of dozens of soldiers in Afghanistan by detecting a bomb. Recipient of the Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross.

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