Page 83 - 1st Quarter 2019

LABRADOR RETRIEVER

It is popularly thought that the Labrador Retriever originated on the coast of Newfoundland where
fishermen were seen to use a dog of similar appearance to retrieve fish. An excellent water dog, his
weather-resistant coat and unique tail, likened to that of an otter because of its shape, emphasise this trait.

Comparatively speaking, the Labrador is not a very old breed, its breed club having been formed in 1916 FEATURED BREED
and the Yellow Labrador Club having been founded in 1925. It was in field trialling that the Labrador found
early fame, having been originally introduced to these shores in the late 1800s by Col Peter Hawker and
the Earl of Malmesbury. It was a dog called Malmesbury Tramp which was described by Lorna, Countess
Howe as one of the ‘tap roots’ of the modern Labrador.

General appearance: Strongly built, short-coupled, very active; (which precludes excessive body weight
or substance) broad in skull; broad and deep through chest and ribs; broad and strong over loins and
hindquarters.
Behaviour and temperament: Good-tempered, very agile. Excellent nose, soft mouth; keen lover of water.
Adaptable, devoted companion. Intelligent, keen and biddable, with a strong will to please. Kindly
nature, with no trace of aggression or undue shyness.

FCI-CLASSIFICATION Group 8 Retrievers, Flushing dogs,
Water dogs. Section 1 Retrievers.
With working trial.

HEAD
CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Broad. Clean-cut without fleshy cheeks.
Stop: Defined.
FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Wide, nostrils well developed.
Muzzle: Powerful, not snipy.
Jaws / Teeth: Jaws of medium length, jaws and teeth strong with
a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely
overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Eyes: Medium size, expressing intelligence and good temper; brownor hazel.
Ears: Not large or heavy, hanging close to head and set rather far back.

NECK
Clean, strong, powerful, set into well placed shoulders.

Source: FCI Breed Standard http://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/LABRADOR-RETRIEVER-122.html
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