Labrador Retriever

What is a Labrador Retriever?

A medium-large gundog of 25-36kg, bred to retrieve shot game from water and land. Everything about the breed follows from that job: the water-resistant double coat, the thick "otter" tail used as a rudder, the soft mouth, and above all the willingness to work with a person for hours.

They have been the UK's most registered pedigree breed for over thirty years. The temperament is the reason, and it is not marketing - a well-bred Labrador is genuinely one of the easiest dogs to live with.

History and origins

Not from Labrador. The breed descends from the St John's water dog of Newfoundland, brought to Poole harbour on fishing boats in the early 1800s and developed by British sporting estates, particularly the Earls of Malmesbury and the Dukes of Buccleuch. The Kennel Club recognised the breed in 1903.

Show and working lines have diverged. Show-bred Labradors are heavier, blockier and calmer. Working-bred dogs are lighter, faster and considerably more driven. Neither is better; they suit different homes, and the mismatch between a working-bred dog and a quiet household is the most common reason Labradors are rehomed.

Appearance and size

Height 55-62cm. Broad skull, kind eyes, thick tapering tail. Colours are black, yellow (from cream to fox red) and chocolate. Silver, charcoal and champagne are dilute chocolates and are not recognised by the Kennel Club; they are frequently advertised at a premium and are associated with colour dilution alopecia.

Temperament and personality

Even-tempered, sociable and slow to take offence. They are not guard dogs - a Labrador's response to an intruder is usually to fetch them a toy. Young dogs are boisterous for longer than people expect; maturity arrives at around three, not one.

Intelligence and trainability

Exceptionally biddable. They are the standard choice for guide-dog, assistance and detection work because they combine intelligence with a genuine desire to co-operate. Use food, keep sessions short, and give them real work: retrieve games, scentwork and gundog-style training all channel the drive productively. A bored Labrador chews, and it chews things that cost money or require surgery.

Children and other pets

Among the best breeds for family life. Sturdy enough to cope with children, gentle enough to be trusted, and generally excellent with other dogs and cats. The main risk to a toddler is being knocked over by a happy tail.

Health problems

Test-driven, and the tests are well established:

• Hip dysplasia - ask for both parents' BVA/KC hip scores and compare them to the breed median (currently around 10); lower is better.
• Elbow dysplasia - grade 0 on both parents.
• Eye conditions - a current eye certificate plus a prcd-PRA DNA clear.
• Exercise-induced collapse (EIC), centronuclear myopathy (CNM) and skeletal dysplasia 2 (SD2) - DNA tests, and at least one parent clear.

Beyond the inherited list, the breed's real problem is obesity. Around a third of UK Labradors are overweight, and a substantial proportion carry a POMC gene variant that genuinely blunts the feeling of fullness. It is not greed and it is not your imagination. Weight drives arthritis, diabetes and a measurably shorter life.

Daily care routine

Two decent walks and a training or scent session. Check ears after swimming - drop ears plus water means infections. Weigh the dog monthly and adjust the food, rather than judging by eye.

Grooming and coat care

Brush twice a week normally, daily during the two heavy moults. A rubber curry or an undercoat rake does more than a slicker. The coat is naturally weatherproof and should not be clipped. Bath rarely.

Exercise needs

Two hours a day for a healthy adult, including off-lead running and swimming where possible. Build up slowly in the first year: growth plates close at around 12-18 months and repetitive road walking or ball-chucker work before then is a genuine joint risk.

Feeding and diet

Two measured meals, weighed, with treats counted against the daily total. £40-£65 a month. Deep-chested dogs are at some risk of bloat, so avoid hard exercise for an hour either side of food. If your dog is always hungry, that is the breed, not a diet problem to be solved with more food.

Price

£900-£1,800 from fully health-tested, KC-registered parents; working-line puppies from proven gundog stock can be more. Setup £350-£600. Ongoing £90-£160 a month with insurance. Chocolate is often advertised higher and has, on average, a shorter lifespan than black or yellow - pay for scores, not colour.

Buying advice

Ask for the paperwork by name: hip score, elbow grade, eye certificate dated within 12 months, and DNA results for prcd-PRA, EIC, CNM and SD2. Decide first whether you want show or working lines, and be honest about your household. Meet the mother, and if the litter is working-bred, ask to see her work.