WHERE DID LABRADORS COME FROM?

The Labrador breed history originates from Newfoundland and Labrador region of Canada by ‘tough-deserters’ from England, English settlers in the 1800’s. These Settlers brought their dogs with them as no dogs inhabited Newfoundland. The dogs that they brought with them were known as the Newfoundland Dogs. The Newfoundland dogs were oily short coats. The settler’s Newfoundland dogs are also the ancestor of the today’s Newfoundland dog as they were bred up in size to cope with the heavier workload such as hauling carts in the very cold climate. However, these ‘tough settlers’ soon bred the most useful of their ‘Newfoundland’ dogs to help them work in the cold temperature and water as Fishermen. The settler’s breeding of their Newfoundland dogs, resulted in the St. John’s Dog. The St. John’s Dog was a random-bred mix of Irish and Portuguese working dogs. The English colonial officials saw the robust ability of the St John’s dog to work in the cold environment and water, so they took or imported a few of St. John’s Dogs to England. ~Where do Labradors Come From, Pippa Mattison, 2015

Pictured here is ‘Nells’ a St. John’s Dog, 1867. The St. John’s Dog has been extinct since 1980 due to rabies/quarantines and taxation laws.

Pictured here is ‘Nells’ a St. John’s Dog, 1867. The St. John’s Dog has been extinct since 1980 due to rabies/quarantines and taxation laws.

As a result, two English Aristocrats were responsible for the development of the Labrador. The 2nd Earl of Malmesbury, and the 5th Duke of Buccleuch. James Harris the 2nd Earl of Malmesbury imported some St John’s dogs in the early 1800s and began breeding them for the purpose of working as shooting companions. Walter Scott, the 5th Duke of Buccleuch established a similar kennel, breeding from imported St John’s dogs in Scotland. Their two sons had met at a shooting competition in 1880 and later became the key to the makings of the Labrador in the United Kingdom. Malmesbury made a gift of two male retrievers to the Duke, who mate them to the bitches that descended from those imported by his father. And the puppies that resulted are the ancestors of the Labrador breed we know today.  The Buccleuch Kennels still exists today and is still producing top quality Field Trial winning Labradors.

In 1903 the Kennel Club in England declared the Labrador Retriever a recognized breed. But the American Kennel Club did not follow suit until 1917. Right up until 1928 there were very few retrievers of any kind registered with the AKC. Then gradually during the 1930s wealthy Americans began importing dogs from British Kennels and to discover the Labrador’s talents for themselves.~Pippa Mattison, 2015.

FUN LABRADOR HISTORY FACTS

  • Until 1892 all the Labradors recorded were black – though some had some white markings.

  • 1892 First Chocolate Pups born!! Two brown puppies were born on the Buccleuch estate in Scotland.

  • 1899 first yellow Labrador born on record.  His name was Ben of Hyde, and he belonged to Major Radcliffe.

HOW DID WE ARRIVE AT THE ‘SPLIT’ WITHIN THE LABRADOR BREED, THE ENGLISH LABRADOR AND AMERICAN LABRADOR ?

In the second half of the twentieth century, showing dogs became popular. Multiple Labrador generations were now never required to work as retrievers, were bred. Over time dogs were bred for the show-ring, ‘exaggerations in type and look’ began to creep in the breed. A certain look became fashionable and breeders selected for that look. That’s how heavier bodies, bigger heads, and shorter legs quickly become established.

At the same time, those working their dogs were increasingly breeding not just hunting companions, but dogs aimed at succeeding in competitions known as field trials. In both the US and the UK, the field trial community is the main breeding pool for Labradors. Here, breeders’ dogs compete for the coveted title of Field Trial Champion. Such a title enables the breeder to earn stud fees from their champions dogs.

In field trials, speed and drive are rewarded, less than the steadiness and endurance of old. Overall, dogs are often rewarded for special skills—appearance counts for little. Thus our American labs were selected for their retrieving and marking skills and for their athleticism and speed due to their longer legs and lean bodies. Little to no consideration was given to their appearance.

The name ‘English Labrador’ is a bit of a misnomer and somewhat confusing for some of our European readers. discussed by Pippa Mattison, from the LabradorSite. Most English Labs living in the US are as American as their American Lab cousins. In England, the English Lab is called a Show or Bench Labrador. To those living in Britain, however, “English Lab” simply means a lab that was born in England.

The ‘Split’, was the division into these types of Labradors, based on their roles as either pets or hunting companions. Both strains were named differently in the US from their UK names. The split happened over a relatively short time in history, and was almost complete within five decades.~Pippa Mattison.

OF COURSE NOT ALL LABRADORS ARE AN EXTREME EXAMPLE OF ONE TYPE OR ANOTHER.

Labradors can have ‘moderate’ characteristics of their type. You can see examples of dogs like this moderate black English Lab, in American Labs lines too. But it has now been years since we have seen a dual champion Labrador—winning as a show champion and also as a champion in the field. ~Pippa Mattison

MODERATE black-english-lab.jpg

Moderate English Labrador

References