| The Labrador
retriever originates from Labrador, Newfoundland. The ancestors of the
breed were brought to Britain, where the breed was developed to the
present
Labrador retriever.
Descriptions
of a Labrador dog date
back to the 18th and 19th century in the eastern coast of Canada. This
early Labrador dog was a fisherman’s helper, retrieving fish and
game.
It had a strong retrieving instinct and a thick, water-resistant coat.
These dogs were cross-bred with British gun dogs and some other breeds.
Thanks to wise breeding, the qualities of the original Labrador dog
were
preserved in the breed. The English Kennel Club acknowledged the
Labrador
retriever as a breed in 1903.
The
first Labradors were brought
to Finland in the 1950s. The number or registered dogs increased until
the 1990s. Labrador retriever was the 4th popular breed in Finland in
1999.
Apart from
retrieving game, labradors
are also used as field tracking dogs, guide dogs for the blind, bomb
dogs
and therapy dogs. Labradors are friendly and fond of children, happy
and
full of energy, thus they make very good family pets. They are
nevertheless
happiest when they are at work, swimming and retrieving game.
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