Labrador Retriever

LABRADOR RETRIEVER  Origin:England  Particular uses: Companion dog, guide dog, hunting dog  Life expectancy: 13 years  Male height: 55 - 60 cm. approx.  Male weight: 30 - 37 kg approx.  Female height: 50 - 55 cm. approx.  Female weight: 30 - 34 kg approx.  FCI-Standard: No. 122 - Group 8

Historical Summary of the Breed
Europeans colonized Labrador (the eastern peninsula of Canada) and the island of Newfoundland in the sixteenth century.  The motive of this colonization was the exploitation of the stocks of cod.  They were accompanied by some dogs that they brought from the old world, although the exact breed is not known.  What is known is that in the eighteenth century, the Saint John's dog came out of Newfoundland, being a smaller breed.  The breed was rapidly adopted by the English in the nineteenth century as they saw its excellent usefulness as a swimmer, they used it as a retriever.

General Appearance
Between 54 and 57 cm across, you can see that this is a medium-size dog with a compact and solid constitution.  It is rather thick-boned, although it does not become obese.  Its head, with a wide skull, has smooth curves.  Owing to its short, thick and coarse fur, the Labrador Retriever is perfectly capable of withstanding freezing water temperatures.  Its tail looks similar to an otter's tail.  The fur can be categorized into three colors: yellow, black or chocolate.

Temperament and Behavior
The Labrador is experiencing a boom in our days.  This great acceptance is owing, principally, to its extraordinary qualities and great behavior.  This here is a very docile and receptive dog, friendly to everyone, cute... It is one of the friendliest dogs there exists.  And it is so sociable that it cannot well handle being left alone.  It is very athletic, therefore it requires a lot of exercise so that it does not become idle.