History of the Labrador Retriever - Where Did They Come From?
The history of the Labrador retriever is rather fascinating. These dogs are classed as sporting dogs or, more specifically, flushing dogs that will collect game for hunters once it has been shot down, whether on land or in water.
Just as the history of the Labrador retriever, they are still used today in hunting for upland game birds or waterfowl. They are also being bred to be 'pointers'. Many Labradors are just adored family pets and rarely come close to a live bird! They are favored for their lovely disposition and gentle nature.
In 1903 the Labrador retriever was recognized in England as a Kennel Club breed and was registered in the United States in 1917. The breed was initially called a 'St. Johns' dog or lesser Newfoundland dog as it was bred in this area in the 1700s. It is not certain which breeds gave rise to the Labrador retriever but it is thought that is may have been then greater Newfoundland dog or the French St. Hubert's dog. According to the history of the Labrador retriever the name 'Labrador' was first coined by the Earl of Malmesbury in a letter in which he referred to them by this name (Labrador was the area in which he lived and kept his dogs).
The St John's dogs evolved alongside the fishing folk of Newfoundland. The dogs were used to retrieve fish that had fallen off their hooks and to help pull in the fishing lines at the end of the day. According to the history of the Labrador retriever, these dogs loved to work and were considered workaholics. In the 1800s they were sent to England as hunting companions for sporting aristocrats.
They became the ideal hunting and sporting dogs and the history of the Labrador retriever talks of 'dogs who live for sport'. They will be happy to break the ice to fetch birds and then go back for more. In fact they tend to overdo things in summer and have a tendency to overheat. But they aren't all about hard work. In the early years in England they would work a full day with the fisherman and then come home and play with his children.
The typical colors of the Labrador retriever have always been yellow, black and chocolate - just as they are today, The St John's dogs showed the same typical coloring, even though black is more common. According to the history of the Labrador retriever they actually became extinct a few times. The original St John's dogs are now extinct in Newfoundland.
