History of the Labrador Retriever Dog Breed
Posted: Monday, October 12, 2009
by Tim Williams
labradorretrieveranswers.com
The Labrador retriever was at one time called the Lesser Newfoundland and is the most well-liked breed of dog in the world. The Labrador retriever is also very commonly used as a service dog for the police and other organizations. This breed of dog originated in Newfoundland. True pedigrees of the Labs that we know today go back to around 1878. In 1903 the Lab was acknowledged as a distinctive breed by the English Kennel Club. There is a large assortment of Labs today.
During that time they were known as "St Johns" dogs that would help the fishermen and then frolic home and play with the children. That demeanor has followed the Lab to this day being known as a delightful and diligent dog. The St Johns Dogs were perfect for hunting which contributed greatly to their popularity with affluent Englishmen since they could meet the expense of having them transferred from Canada. By 1865 the St Johns Dogs were commonly being called Labradors.
There was a small village in northern Portugal that used work dogs to protect the livestock. Although they were the St. John's dog they looked quite a bit like the Labrador retriever so many believe that this breed has roots in northern Portugal.
Each and every Labrador was black until 1892. The first Labs that were bred afterwards were the rust colored Labs however, the first brown Lab didn't appear until sometime during the 1930's. The first yellow Lab was actually born in 1899. It was in 1917 when the American Kennel Club recognized the Lab.
The St Johns Dog ultimately died out after the beginning of sheep farming. At the close of the 18th century it became a law that households could only own one St Johns Dog then that wasn't sufficient so they further applied profound licensing expenses. This resulted in these dogs becoming extinct.
Since the 20th century the Lab has become extremely popular and today is the most well loved dog in both the US and the UK. The fact that the early Lab was a great hunter still holds true today as the Lab loves nothing more than to play chasing the tennis ball or the Frisbee.
The early Lab also loved children and today's Labs still do. They get so excited when children are around and they have the opportunity to play and bounce around. The Labrador is the most popular dog breed because it has been and still is dedicated, smart, and extremely pleasant. They are also marvelous companions. Labradors are known for working all day and for making independent and intelligent decisions. They are one of the most gifted dogs on the planet and are arguably smarter than some people.
Tim Williams is a labrador retriever enthusiast. He owns and maintains Labrador Retriever Answers, a resource for all labrador retriever lovers and where you can find more great dogs and labrador information.
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