The Labrador Retriever is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of “gun dog.” A breed characteristic is webbed paws for swimming, useful for the breed’s original purpose of retrieving fishing nets. The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States (since 1991). Typically, Labradors are athletic and love to swim, play catch and retrieve games, are good with young children, elderly, and for protection. So, all that is fairly common information about Labs, then I met Rex. Did you know that labs can be red? Neither did I. Well sure enough a fox-red Labrador is actually a shade of yellow. Interest in these darker shades of gold and fox red started to gain popularity by English breeders in the 1980s.
There are significant differences between field and trial-bred (sometimes referred to as “American”) and show-bred (or “English”) lines of Labradors, arising as a result of selective breeding. Dogs bred for hunting and field-trial work are selected first for working ability, where dogs bred to compete in conformation showsare selected for their conformation to the standards and characteristics sought by judges in the show ring. While individual dogs may vary, in general show-bred Labradors are heavier built, slightly shorter-bodied, and have a thicker coat and tail. Field Labradors are generally longer legged, lighter, and more lithe in build. In the head, show Labradors tend to have broader heads, better defined stops, and more powerful necks, while field Labradors have lighter and slightly narrower heads with longer muzzles. Field-bred Labradors are commonly higher energy and more high-strung compared to the Labrador bred for conformation showing, and as a consequence may be more suited to working relationships than being a family pet.
Who knew they had so many varieties? I have always loved Labs and many years ago I adopted one from my local animal shelter and loved her deeply. She was a wonderful companion who I often referred to as the Velveteen Rabbit due to the softness of her coat. My infatuation with the breed has only increased with meeting Rex. His marking are unique and beautiful. As you can see he was a great model and I enjoyed my session with him immensely. Thank you to Rex and his owner for enlightening me on all things Labrador!
