One hundred years ago had you asked an average hunter what they thought
of the Labrador Retriever, you probably would have heard, " A what?"
In a short one hundred years it has become the most registered dog by the
AKC.
Around this part of the country, though the short and wirehair people will
kill me, if your hunting waterfowl and upland game you probably own a Lab.
Why? Because though few point, Labs seem the choice of the all-round bird
hunter. Let's explore a little bit of its' history to the top.
Out of all the breeds of dogs in America, the Lab is one of the few that
are actually from here. Originally it is felt, they came from Newfoundland,
that is why it was once referred to as the St Johns Retriever. They were
used to assist the fishermen in retrieving wounded escaping fish and hauling
in their nets.
Our documented history of the breed starts in 1835 when Englands Earl of
Malmesbury, a dog owner and trader with the St Johns area, saw and imported
the dog to England. The dogs did not get their present name until the Earl
used it in a letter he wrote just prior to his death in 1887. The breed
caught on in England. Though some tried to cross breed it with other continental
pointers and setters, the strong Lab genes always prevailed. Sadly, at the
same time in Newfoundland, a heavy dog tax was imposed that wiped out the
breed. But with a gene pool in England its' popularity continued to grow.
The Labs pedigree book goes back to 1878. It was first registered in 1903
by the EKC and by the AKC in 1917. In 1906, less than ninety years ago,
the Honorable A. Holland Hibbet ran Mundin Single, the first Lab ever to
compete in a bench or field trial. In the thirties many Labs returned to
America. The first Labrador Retriever club in America was organized in 1931,
in Glenmere N.Y. with 16 dogs.
It is since the 1930's that the breed has really taken off. In 1931, there
were 40 Labs registered with the AKC, in 1946 there were 1736 and in 1991
there was 105,876 new pups registered.
The Lab was bred to be a medium sized retriever. Their standard size for
females is 55 - 70 pounds and 21 1/2 to 24 1/2 inches tall. Male Labs are
60 - 70 pounds and 22 1/2 to 24 1/2 inches. They are found in three colors
Black, yellow and chocolate. In the past the different colors of Labs gave
them different uses. Yellow labs, being seen better, were used for water
work. Black Labs, could be seen better, and therefore used for more upland
game. Chocolates, though at one time culled from litters, also would be
used for upland.
Labs when not working were bred to be very passive. With duck boats having
limited space a mellow dog was desired. Yet there was a lot expected of
these animals in the bearing of the cold Newfoundland waters.
The English used this dog more as a hunting than working dog. The English
enjoyed this dog so much it was not long before the Lab became wide spread.
When the English returned their dogs to America the breed had to go through
some changes. The population of waterfowl in America was greater than that
of England. So in America, water work was more emphasized than on the continent.
The American Labs ended up being a bit more strong willed than the English
generations. Today you can find the Lab almost anywhere in the U.S.. The
Lab also can be found hunting nearly every species of huntable game birds.
They have the strongest will to chase anything that falls out of the sky.
With this will and training the Lab becomes a number one asset and friend
to todays hunter and conservationist.
As a hunter you can expect your Lab to have an endless drive to hunt. But
you will want to be careful in your choosing of a pup. You'll want a pup
of good breeding, not a jump-the-fence mating. Out of good breeding you
can take your dog most anywhere and hunt most any bird.
Because of the Labs undercoat, they can withstand some of the coldest days.
Let's put it this way, if you're out in the weather, your dog can
handle it.
One thing always amazed me is the precision that is seen by some area handlers
with their dogs. Having the dog stop on a dime with a hand command or a
whistle is always impressive. After the stop, watching the dog be sent out
any direction and then have them pick up anything they were sent after.
But just remember as you watch these wonderful workers, the hours of daily
training that has been put into them.
The Lab as a family dog is a true loving pet, they enjoy being around the
family. They need the comfort of the family as their pack. Often they will
give you so much love you can't stand it. When you bring a Lab into your
home you are bringing in more than a hunter. They live well with children
because of their size. They can handle having their ears being pulled on
as well as being ridden from time to time.
When you want to share an hour or two, they are willing to just place themselves
by your side and just enjoy your body heat. Labs are one of the kindness
and gentle of all the sporting breeds. Yet, when they or the family are
in danger, they will stand their ground to protect their family and themselves.
So if you want a great easy to work with family dog and hunter, you might
want to look at the Labrador Retriever. Your best family and hunter dogs
will be found out of English stock or well bred American breeding.
If you would like more information or help locating a good pup you might
want to contact one of the clubs in the clubs and organization pages or
contact a breeder from the bird dog news classifieds.
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