Labrador Retriever

Guide Note

One of many popular retrievers, the Labrador gets its name from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada. The breed has been kept as a gun dog since the 1800s and is now the most popular dog to keep as a pet in the world.

Fast Facts

1. Most popular dog breed in the U.S.
2. Height: About 23 inches
3. Weight: 60-80 lbs
4. Color: Black, Dark Brown or Yellow
5. Dark Brown varieties are known as "Chocolate Labs"
6. Named after the region of Labrador in Newfoundland, Canada
7. 1899: Birth of first recorded Yellow Lab

The Labrador's loyalty and docile nature make them perfect to use as assistance dogs. In addition to the traditional hunting, tracking and retrieving, they are the most popular breed to use as guide dogs for the blind, and are frequently used for disabled care, search and rescue and as psychiatric service dogs.

Only three standard colors are recognized by the American Kennel Club for show dogs. Other colors occur due to recessive genes. A variation called "Dudley" exists where the dog will have no pigment in the nose and a pink color around the eye. Dogs with these disorders are primarily yellow Labradors, though they are usually subtle, and it is rare to find a Labrador with a full pink nose and facial area.