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Meet the Breed
English Labrador
THE ORIGIN
By the name alone, you would think that the Labrador Retriever originated in Labrador, but they didnt. In the early 1800's, in Newfoundland, Canada there was a breed of dog called the St. John's water dog, or lesser Newfoundland. These dogs originally worked on fishing boats in the area. English Nobles who occasionally visited the area, were impressed with the breed, acquired some of them, and took them back home to the United Kingdom, where they continued to refine the breed to use for their own needs. Some of these new tasks were, for example , retrieving waterfowl during hunts. The breed became well known for their responsiveness to commands, loyalty, quick adaptability to the water.
In 1903, the Kennel Club of the United Kingdom accepted the Labrador Retriever. In1917, the American Kennel Club accepted the breed.
ENGLISH vs. AMERICAN
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ENGLISH LABRADOR AND THE AMERICAN LABRADOR?
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What we call the American Labrador is the working type. And what we call the English Labrador or bench labrador is the show type.
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The major differences between the two are that the American Labrador is longer, taller, lankier, and more athletic. The American Labrador is specifically bred to hunt through brush and swim. And to be able to do this all day, meaning they have a lower recovery period. This means the dog can run for hours, come in and lay down for 30-60 minutes, be recuperated and ready to start running again. If the American Labrador does not get this adequate exercise they will quickly become very destructive inside a home, small yard or apartment.
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The English Labrador is specifically bred to follow the show standard. Meaning they more closely match the ideal Labrador with the block head, otter tail, tight webbed feet, and calmer demeanor. Since they are show lines and not working lines, they have a lesser degree of energy output. A couple of walks a day and they are happy to hang out with the family in the home instead of needing countless hours of hard running.