History of the Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever breed was developed in the mid-1800's in England by dog breeders trying to develop the ideal gun dog. The English Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1903 and the first Labrador Retriever was registered with the AKC in the United States in 1917. They have now become the most popular dog breed in the United States.

The term "Labrador" is actually a bit of a misnomer. The dogs originated from the St. John's area of Newfoundland and were first referred to (incorrectly) as Labrador dogs by geographically misinformed English people. When the first fisherman arrived in Newfoundland, there were probably no native dogs. They most likely imported dogs from English breeds. Various breeds have been suggested as possible sources for the St. John's dogs, including St. Hubert's hound from France, water dogs from Portugal, and old European pointer dogs.

These dogs were eventually developed into two distinct lines - a smaller dog and a larger dog. The smaller dog, used mostly in the fishing boats, was known as the Lesser St. John's dogs, or the Lesser Newfoundland. There is a lot of confusion over the actual names of the dogs, as Newfoundland and St. John's dogs were often used interchangeably for both the smaller and large version of the dogs. These dogs were used by the fisherman mainly for retrieving fish, nets, corks, and fishing lines. There are often stories of the dogs rescuing fisherman themselves!

The dogs were developed to have water repellent coat that was short enough that it would not bring a large amount of water back in the boat. They were also known to have high endurance as the fishing trips often lasted for days at a time. In the late 1800's, Charles Eley wrote the following in his book, History of Retrievers: "The first Labrador to reach England swam ashore from vessels which brought cod from Newfoundland...It was claimed for them that their maritime existence...had resulted in webbed feet, a coat impervious to water like that of an otter, and a short, thick 'swordlike' tail, with which to steer safely their stoutly made frames amid the breakers of the ocean.

Other early descriptions exist, including this by the explorer W.E. Comack: The dogs are admirably trained as retrievers in fowling, and are otherwise useful.....The smooth or short haired dog is preferred because in frosty weather the long haired kind become encumbered with ice on coming out of the water.

Colonel Peter Hawker wrote: [The Labrador Retriever is] by far the best for any kind of shooting. He is generally black and no bigger than a Pointer, very fine in legs, with short, smooth hair and does not carry his tail so much cu women's jackets rled as the other; is extremely quick, running, swimming and fighting...

These St. John dogs were imported back into England from the early 1800's until 1885. In 1885, the Newfoundland Sheep Act and Britian's Quarantine Act ceased further importation of the dogs. During the period of importation, a few kennels regularly imported the St. John's dogs, including those of Buccleugh and Malmesbury.

The third Earl of Malmesbury (1807-1889) wrote a letter in 1887 calling the them "labrador dogs" and stating that the "real breed" may be known by having a "close coat which turns the water off like oil, above all, a tail like an otter." The Buccleugh line was developed at about the same time by the fifth Duke of Buccleugh (1806-1884) and some of his friends. The Buccleugh line almost disappeared but was revitalized in 1882 when the third Earl of Malmesbury gave the sixth Duke of Buccleugh several of his dogs from the Malmesbury line.

The two separate kennels bred separately for almost 50 years but produced dogs that were very similar. Most modern Labradors are very closely related to these St. John's dogs. Buccleugh's Avon is considered the founder of all Labrador Retrievers.

Colonel Peter Hawker wrote the first written reference to the breed in his 1814 "Instructions to Young Sportsment," and Edwin Lanseer created the first painting of the Labrador in 1823. The first photograph of the dog was in 1856 and by 1870 the name Labrador Retriever was becoming common in England. The first yellow lab was born in 1899 and the breed was recognized by the English Kennel Club in 1903. The American Kennel Club (AKC) soon followed suit in 1917.
In England, the Labrador gained much popularity in the early 1900's and began performing very well in field trials. There were also a number of "dual champion" retrievers in England at this time. Labrador Retrievers were imported into America during the first World War, and they enjoyed a huge popularity surge after World War II. In 1991, the Labrador Retriever took over as the most registered breed in the AKC and has held that position for the last 18 years. Over 150,000 Labradors were registered with the AKC in 2002.

Yellow Labrador Retrievers

Although subtype colors were noticed in the St. John's dogs as early as 1807, the first registered yellow Labrador was Ben of Hyde, born in 1899. The early yellow labs were more of a dark yellow, or butterscotch color. They were actually referred to as "golden" for a short time. Over the 19th century, a preference for the lighter shades of yellow developed and more breedings were done to develop this color. The interest in the darker shades of gold and fox red were reignited in the 1980's.

Chocolate Labrador Retrievers

The chocolate color was recognized as a a distinct shade in the 1900's. Jack Vanderwyk has a database (on LabradorNet database) that traces the origin of all chocolate labs back into the 1800's. There was also a certain degree of interbreeding with Chesapeakes and Flatcoats in the 1900's.