History of the Labrador Retriever

The ancestors of the modern Labrador originated on the island of Newfoundland, now part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The precursor of the breed was the St. John’s water dog, also known as the “Lesser Newfoundland” or “Water Dog.” This breed emerged through breeding by the early settlers of the island in the 16th century. The ancestors of these dogs are uncertain, but they were likely a mix of English, Irish, French, and Portuguese working breeds brought by fishermen who called at the island.

There were two distinct lines within the St. John’s dogs, which gave rise to two different breeds: the Newfoundland (larger and with a long coat) and the Labrador Retriever (lighter, short-coated, and highly skilled in water).

The fishermen of Newfoundland used these dogs for multiple tasks: they would jump into the water to retrieve full fishing nets with their mouths and tow them to shore. They would also go in the boats and, jumping into the water, carry the floating corks of the nets to the coast. They retrieved anything that fell overboard. Their loyalty, passion for water, and willingness for hard work were invaluable characteristics for the fishermen.

The fishermen preferred short-coated dogs because ice would not accumulate on their waterproof coats. The most common color was black with white markings, and many had a distinctive “tuxedo” or “smoking” pattern: a large white patch on the black chest. The white chest, paws, muzzle, and snout—known as “smoking markings” or “tuxedo”—were characteristic of the St. John’s dog and often appear in mixed Labradors. They occasionally manifest in purebred Labradors as a small white spot on the chest—known as a “medallion”—or slight white patches on the paws or muzzle.

During the 19th century, a good number of St. John’s dogs were taken to the Poole region in England, at that time one of the fishing trade centers for the upper class, where these animals became appreciated as hunting dogs and waterfowl retrievers.

A few kennels in England began breeding them. At the same time, on the island of Newfoundland, a combination of protective sheep-breeding policies—which led to very high taxes on dog owners with the Newfoundland Sheep Protection Act starting in 1885—along with the rabies quarantine in England that prevented the repatriation of dogs, led to the gradual disappearance and consequent extinction of the St. John’s dog in its home country, Canada. The St. John’s dog survived until the 1980s; the last two specimens were photographed already old around 1981.

The first and second Earls of Malmesbury bred dogs for duck hunting on their estate, as did the fifth and sixth Dukes of Buccleuch, along with the youngest son of Lord George, William Montagu-Douglas-Scott. All of them played a decisive role in the development and establishment of the modern Labrador breed in 19th-century England. The dogs Avon—”Buccleuch Avon” and “Ned”—given by Malmesbury to help the Duke of Buccleuch in his breeding program in the 1880s are considered the ancestors of the contemporary Labrador.

The first St. John’s dog is said to have arrived in England around 1820. However, the breed’s reputation spread to England much earlier. The story goes that the Earl of Malmesbury saw a St. John’s dog on a fishing boat and immediately made arrangements with merchants to have some of these dogs exported to England. The ancestors of the first Labradors so impressed the Earl, by their skill and ability to retrieve anything on water and land, that he dedicated his entire kennel to the development and establishment of the breed.

The versatility of these dogs was such that they not only retrieved nets but were also used to tow small boats between the coast and larger vessels. This invaluable help, combined with their gentle temperament, cemented their legend. Two dogs from the 1880s, Buccleuch Avon and Ned, are considered the ancestors of all modern Labradors.

Greater Newfoundland
Ancestor of the Newfoundland dog

Lesser Newfoundland
Direct ancestor of the Labrador Retriever

The origin of the name

The foundational breed of what is now the Labrador Retriever was first known as the St. John’s water dog or Lesser Newfoundland. It was not until the dogs were later taken to England that they were named after the Canadian geographic area known as “Labrador,” or simply “Labrador,” to distinguish them from the larger, heavier Newfoundland dog, even though the breed came from the more southerly Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland.

The name “Labrador” comes from the Portuguese explorer João Fernandes “Lavrador”, who explored the coasts of North America in the late 15th century. His nickname, “Lavrador,” means “landowner” or “farmer.” The name was first applied to Greenland and later to the Labrador Peninsula. The term “Retriever” refers to the extraordinary ability of these dogs to recover game.

This name became common in England from 1870 onward, and since then the term “Labrador Retriever” designates this breed, so appreciated for its affable character and extraordinary retrieving ability.

The Portuguese hypothesis: the Cão de Castro Laboreiro

There is an alternative theory, defended by authors such as Mary Roslin-Williams in her book “The Dual-Purpose Labrador” and Heather Wiles-Fone in “The Ultimate Labrador Retriever”, which suggests that the ancestor of the modern Labrador could be the Cão de Castro Laboreiro (also known as the Portuguese Cattle Dog), an ancient livestock guardian dog breed originating in the mountains of northern Portugal.

This hypothesis is supported by several strong arguments. First, the physical resemblance between the two breeds is remarkable. Mary Roslin-Williams included in her book a photograph of a Cão de Castro Laboreiro that, according to her, offered the most convincing reason to suspect that the DNA of this Portuguese breed could be in the Labrador Retriever.

Second, the Portuguese were prodigious navigators. From the beginning of the 16th century, Portuguese and Galician crews regularly called at the coasts of Newfoundland, in the Bay of St. John, where they fished, anchored their ships, and traded. It is very possible that they brought their working dogs, such as the Castro Laboreiro, to guard the ships in port, and that these dogs mixed with the local ones.

Third, the breed’s name could derive from the village of Castro Laboreiro in Portugal. The similarity between “Laboreiro” and “Labrador” is more than a coincidence. In fact, a traveler crossing the border between Spain, France, and Portugal observed dogs herding cattle and, at first, thought they were poor specimens of Labrador Retriever, until he discovered they were an ancient native breed of the region: the Laboreiros.

The Cão de Castro Laboreiro is a mountain dog, a livestock guardian said to be “fierce against wolves.” With the disappearance of wolves, it lost its function and many were abandoned. Fortunately, the breed survived. It was first exhibited in 1914 and its first standard was written in 1935. Today it is recognized by the FCI, a living testament to its long history.

As Heather Wiles-Fone wrote: “If the worst happened and the Laboreiro disappeared, its echoes would still beat in the heart of the wonderful Labrador Retriever – at least, for those who believe that one breed was built upon another”.

Historical references

The first written reference to the breed was in 1814 —”Instructions to Young Sportsmen” by Colonel Peter Hawker. The first painting dates from 1823 —”Cora: A Labrador Bitch” by Edwin Landseer. The first photograph was taken in 1856 —the dog “Nell,” owned by the Earl of Home, described both as a Labrador and a St. John’s dog.

In 1870, the name Labrador Retriever became common in England. The first yellow Labrador on record was born in 1899 —”Ben of Hyde,” from the kennel of Major C.J. Radclyffe. It is important to note that although the first recorded yellow Labrador was Ben of Hyde in 1899, the first liver-colored (chocolate) dogs were officially recorded in 1892. The first dog to appear on the cover of Life magazine was a black Labrador Retriever named “Blind of Arden” in the December 12, 1938 issue.

A milestone in the breed’s history was Banchory Bolo (1915-1927), whose original name was Caerhowell Bully. He was the first Labrador to achieve the title of Dual Champion, winning both the beauty and working championships in England. His story is legendary: he was rescued by Lady Lorna Howe when he was in poor condition and considered “hopeless” and of “bad temperament” by his previous owners. When she picked him up at the train station, the dog was neglected, with sores on his ears, and growled through the muzzle he was wearing. Lorna hesitated whether to keep him or put him down, as she had been advised. With patience and care —even sewing his wounds herself when no veterinarian was nearby— she earned his trust and turned him into one of the best dogs of his era. Lorna said of him: “He had the best nose I have ever seen in a dog and with the greatest ease retrieved one bird after another when other dogs had failed. I have never had a dog with such natural ability nor so eager to please me in every possible way”.

History of subtypes

Yellow and chocolate puppies would occasionally appear, until they finally gained acceptance in the 20th century. It is important to note that in the early days of the breed in England, only black-coated dogs were bred, to the point of not allowing puppies of other colors to survive. This fact explains the initial predominance of the black color, inherited directly from the St. John’s dogs, which were all black with white markings of the “smoking” type. The first recognized yellow Labrador was Ben of Hyde, born in 1899, and chocolates were established in the 1930s.

Yellows (and similar shades)

In the early years of the breed until the mid-20th century, Labradors with coats that we would now call “yellow” were dark, almost caramel-colored (visible in early yellow Labrador photographs). The coat was known as “Golden” until the UK Kennel Club required it to be changed, on the grounds that “Gold” was not actually a color. Throughout the 20th century, preference for lighter shades of yellow predominated, and today most yellow Labradors are cream or light golden in hue.

Chocolate

Jack Vanderwyk traces the origins of all documented chocolate Labradors (about 34,000 dogs of all colors) to eight original bloodlines. However, this color was not considered a distinct color until the 20th century. Prior to its recognition, crosses with Flatcoat or Chesapeake Bay retrievers were documented in the early 20th century. Chocolates were also established in the kennels of the Earl of Feversham and Lady Ward of Chiltonfoliat. The bloodlines found by Vanderwyk lead back to three black Labradors around 1880: Buccleuch Avon (male), and his parents Malmesbury Tramp (male) and Malmesbury June (female). Morningtown Tobla is also cited as a key intermediary. According to the Buccleuch Kennels stud book, chocolates in that kennel were born from FTW Peter of Faskally (1908).

The curious case of Banchory Bolo

Banchory Bolo, the first Dual Champion in history, had a very particular physical characteristic: white hairs under his paws, affectionately known as “Bolo pads”. This trait has become a curiosity among breeders and breed enthusiasts. Although the breed standard states that a small white mark on the chest is “permissible but not desirable,” the “Bolo pads” remain a recognizable trait in some modern bloodlines.

«Nell» (1856)
Owned by the Earl of Home

«Buccleuch Avon» (1885)
Foundation sire of the modern Labrador

«Ben of Hyde» (1899)
First recognized yellow Labrador

«Cookridge Tango»
First champion chocolate Labrador

Official recognition

The Labrador Retriever breed was officially recognized by the British Kennel Club in 1903. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognized the breed in 1917. Its popularity grew both in shows and in hunting environments. The Labrador Club of England was formed in 1916, at a time when most specimens were black, although yellows were beginning to be valued. The first specimen of this color was registered in 1899, born from two black parents.

A peak moment for the breed was when the dog “Bramshaw Bob,” owned by Lady Lorna Howe (the same owner of Banchory Bolo), won the BIS (Best in Show) at Crufts in 1932 and 1933. This breeder would also achieve this coveted award in 1937, this time with “Cheverella Ben of Banchory.”

The Labrador Retriever Club of England received the patronage of King George VI in 1946, an honor that Queen Elizabeth II still holds today. The first breed standard was published in 1916 and partially modified in 1950. The current FCI standard is from 2011.

Its popularity soared on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching a media milestone in 1938 when it became the first dog to appear on the cover of Life magazine, and a postal honor in 1959 when it became the first breed on a U.S. postage stamp. Today, the Labrador is the most popular breed in the United States since 1991, and also tops the lists in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, being the companion of figures as diverse as presidents Bill Clinton and Vladimir Putin.

Kennels with influence in history

The 1940s and 1950s are fundamental in the evolution of the Labrador Retriever breed, as it was during that time that kennels emerged that left a deep and recognizable mark on today’s Labradors.

Sandylands – Perhaps the most well-known, influential, and valuable kennel of recent decades. Its reputation as the origin of the most typical and representative yellow Labradors quickly crossed the borders of the British Isles, and today its name is synonymous with typicity anywhere in the world. A key dog from this kennel was CH Sandylands Mark (1965).

Ballyduff – Founded in the 1950s by Mrs. Docking, today her daughter continues the line. Far from the type attributed to Sandylands, Ballyduff Labradors have been endowed with excellent hunting sense and ability, represented by powerful black males with expressive eyes. Important dogs include Ballyduff Marina (1969) and CH Ballyduff Seaman.

Blaircourt – Another kennel whose activity has left its mark since its beginnings in the mid-1950s. Its bitch Tessa Of Blaircourt (1957) was an important champion. Follytower has produced very typical Labradors since 1973, with elegant bearing due to their characteristic neck and front, which gives them balance both in movement and when posing.

Kinley – Of Mr. and Mrs. Wrigley, perhaps essential to understand the evolution of the yellow Labrador in recent times. In those 1960s, where winning a first place in open class with a yellow Labrador was exceptional, given the supremacy and fidelity to the standard that black dogs represented, the Wrigleys were determined to make their yellow dogs specimens suitable for both the show ring and field trials. But perhaps the best kennel of yellows has been, and currently is, Poolstead.

Kimvalley – Has also been one of the most important and influential of the last 50 years, with special emphasis on some of its yellow females whose presence can be traced today in many fundamental pedigrees for the breed.

Lawnwoods – Has equally extended its influence over generations of Labradors through its characteristic specimens, mainly yellows, although some chocolates, such as Lawnwood Hot Chocolate, with its excellent pigmentation and magnificent sense of movement, have been references for the breed both in the United Kingdom and in other countries.

Alongside them, other pioneering breeders such as the Viscount of Knutsford and Mr. A. Holland Hibbert laid the foundations of the breed in the early 20th century. The names of these kennels and their champions resonate in modern pedigrees, being just some examples of the genetic legacy that defines the modern Labrador.

The legacy of the Labrador

The Labrador Retriever is not only one of the most popular breeds in the world, but also one of the most versatile. Its intelligence, affable character, and extraordinary work capacity have made it the dog of choice for multiple functions:

Guide dog – Its intelligence, stability, and eagerness to please make it the most widely used guide dog in the world.

Search and rescue dog – Its love for water and ability to swim in extreme conditions make it ideal for water rescues. It is also used in avalanche and disaster rescues.

Therapy dog – Its gentle and patient nature makes it an excellent therapy dog in hospitals, nursing homes, and schools.

Detection dog – Its exceptional sense of smell makes it ideal for detecting drugs, explosives, and even for the early detection of diseases such as cancer or diabetes.

Its incredible versatility has made it a pillar in police canine units around the world, excelling in drug and explosive detection, as well as search and rescue missions. Its learning ability and eagerness to please, which place it 7th among the most intelligent breeds, make it the perfect candidate for these demanding tasks.

As Heather Wiles-Fone wrote, “if the worst happened and the Laboreiro disappeared, its echoes would still beat in the heart of the wonderful Labrador Retriever”. And in a way, the same could be said of the St. John’s dog, which became extinct but left its legacy in the Labrador. The history of this breed is a reminder of how dogs have traveled with humans across the oceans, adapting and evolving to become our most loyal and versatile companions.