CATXDOG

Appearance: The Labrador Retriever is a strongly built, medium-sized, short-coupled, dog possessing a sound, athletic, well-balanced conformation that enables it to function as a retrieving gun dog; the substance and soundness to hunt waterfowl or upland game for long hours under difficult conditions; the character and quality to win in the show ring; and the temperament to be a family companion. Physical features and mental characteristics should denote a dog bred to perform as an efficient Retriever of game with a stable temperament suitable for a variety of pursuits beyond the hunting environment. The Labrador is bred primarily as a working gun dog; structure and soundness are of great importance. It the most popular breed of dog (by registered ownership) in both the United States and the United Kingdom .
The most distinguishing characteristics of the Labrador Retriever are its short, dense, weather resistant coat; an "otter" tail which is very distinctive. The tail has thick base, tapering along its' length, with no signs of feathering. Head is clean-cut with broad back skull and moderate stop; powerful jaws; and its "kind," friendly eyes, expressing character, intelligence and good temperament. The coat s officially recognized in only three colors—black, yellow, and chocolate, although 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 . Although "silver" Labradors are currently eligible for AKC registration as chocolate Labradors, there remains some debate as to the purity of "silver" Labradors . The Labrador Retriever Club (parent club to the Labrador Retriever Club in the US ) has declared that the "silver" labrador is not a purebred, but rather a creative hybrid. It is their belief, as well as the belief of many breeders, that the "silver" labrador is a result of cross-breeding chocolate Labradors with the weimaraner . This is official:

The Labrador Retriever coat colors are black, yellow and chocolate. Any other color or a combination of colors is a disqualification. A small white spot on the chest is permissible, but not desirable. White hairs from aging or scarring are not to be misinterpreted as brindling. Black--Blacks are all black. A black with brindle markings or a black with tan markings is a disqualification. Yellow--Yellows may range in color from fox-red to light cream, with variations in shading on the ears, back, and underparts of the dog. Chocolate--Chocolates can vary in shade from light to dark chocolate. Chocolate with brindle or tan markings is a disqualification.

History: The Labrador is believed to have originated on the island of Newfoundland , now part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador , Canada . It is thought to have descended from the St. John's Water Dog (no longer in existence), a crossbreed of native water dogs and the Newfoundland to which the Labrador is closely

related. 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 . 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. The first known written reference to the Labrador is in 1814 in "Instructions to Young Sportsmen". In 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. The first Yellow Lab on record, named Ben of Hyde, was born in 1899. The modern Labrador Retriever is among the oldest of the modern " recognized " breeds; according to the American Kennel Club , pedigrees exist back to 1878. Labradors have strong backs and were used to drag and retrieve fishing nets. 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.

Temperament: The breed is exceptionally friendly, intelligent, energetic and good natured, making them excellent companions and working dogs . Labrador Retrievers are known to be one of the fastest learning breeds of dog and respond well to praise and positive attention. Most Labradors love the water as historically, they have been selectively bred for retrieving in water environments as 'gun dogs'; acting as fantastic companions in duck hunting. 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, however, 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. Such dogs can become quite destructive if left too much on their own. Most Labradors 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. They are also strongly built, they have an otter-like tail, and they have a strong will to please. Many Labradors are notorious "chowhounds"; they will eat anything that is not nailed down, and are experts at manipulating soft-hearted humans into giving them treats, extra food, table scraps et cetera (Labrador owners consider their pets masters of "seal puppy" eyes). The Labrador owner must carefully control his/her dog's food intake to avoid obesity and its associated health problems. The steady temperament of Labradors and their ability to learn quickly make them an ideal breed for assistance dogs as well as search and rescue, detection, and therapy work.

Health: Labradors are somewhat prone to hip dysplasia , especially the larger dogs, though not as much as some other breeds. Hip scores are recommended before breeding. Labradors 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. Labradors 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 Labradors . 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. Labradors 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.