Facts about Labradors as Pets and Working Dogs

Oct 12, 2010
Debbie Roome

Labradors come in Three Colours - Debbie Roome

Labradors are a popular breed of dogs, both as pets and as working dogs. Their gentle nature and intelligence are both positive characteristics.

In his book, Labrador, Dr Peter Neville gives the history of the breed and discusses the dogs’ strengths and weaknesses. Labradors are gentle-natured and make excellent pets as well as being ideal for use as gun dogs, search and rescue dogs, patrol dogs, sniffer dogs and guide dogs.

The History of Labradors

Labradors originated in Newfoundland on the east coast of Canada. Historical records dating back to the early 1800s refer to these dogs as retrieving game and fish and helping pull in heavy fishing nets. In winter they were used as sled dogs. Visitors took some of the dogs back to Britain where they were bred as gun dogs and retrievers.

Modern day breed standards as laid down by kennel clubs include the following:

Strongly built
Broad skull
Broad and deep through chest and ribs
Broad and strong over loins and hindquarters
Good tempered with no aggression or undue shyness
Agile
Excellent nose
Soft mouth
Loves water
Devoted companion
Intelligent
Strong desire to please

Labradors come in three colours – yellow, chocolate and black.

Labradors make Excellent Pets

Labradors are renowned for being the ideal family pet. They are gentle with children and love company. However, there are a number of points to consider when looking at buying a Labrador:

Labradors are natural retrievers and love to pick up and carry items. They need dog toys to play with so as to avoid damaging household items
When on a country walk, Labradors enjoy picking up dead animals and may also roll in their remains
Labradors are excellent swimmers and enjoy fetching balls or toys from ponds, rivers and pools
Daily exercise is important for Labradors and they need to be walked and played with frequently
Labradors are known for their voracious appetites and need plenty of food

Labradors as Working Dogs

Labradors are versatile and can be trained in many areas of service. These commonly include the following:

Gun dogs – these are used for gently picking up dead and injured game on hunting expeditions
Search and rescue dogs – these work with their handlers to find missing climbers and hikers – often in harsh weather and land conditions
Service dogs include patrol dogs and those that sniff out explosives, drugs and food
Guide dogs for the blind are a familiar sight and are trained to concentrate on working when their harness is on
Labradors are being used more and more to help the disabled and deaf. They can be trained to alert their owners to sounds such as alarm clocks and smoke alarms. They are also able to pick up named articles, help an owner to rearrange their position and remove washing from a washing machine

Labradors have a long history as working dogs and are also popular pets. Their intelligence and good nature make them a common choice for families with young children. Although Labradors have many positive traits, people need to be aware that they eat a lot and need plenty of exercise.

Reference:

Neville, Dr Peter, Labrador, HarperCollins Publishers, 2003