Labrador Fun Facts
Though you may think that you know everything there is to know about Labradors, there are many special and interesting facts about this breed that you may find fascinating.
EXTINCT LABRADOR
In the early stages of development, the Labrador breed nearly became extinct. In Newfoundland, it was thought that sheep breeding was more profitable for the economy than dog breeding, so a heavy “dog tax” was imposed. Many families could not afford this taxation, and the early breed of Labrador Retriever nearly vanished from Newfoundland.
LABRADOR ORAL FIXATION
Labrador Retrievers have a very prominent oral fixation, which is the desire to carry/chew objects in their mouth. However, they also have extremely refined control over their jaw muscles, and are able to carry an egg in their mouth without breaking it.
MOST POPULAR DOG
The Labrador Retriever is the most popular breed for dog owners worldwide. The AKC (American Kennel Club) registry has identified the Labrador as having the highest amount of registry entries for the past eighteen years.
DEVELOPED WATER DOG
The Labrador Retriever has evolved to be an ideal dog for water activities. The Labrador’s coat has a thick, insulating inner layer, which is protected by a coarse, oily outer layer that is water-repellent. Also, the Labrador’s paws have webbed toes, to assist in swimming.
ATTATCHMENT TO OWNER
The Labrador Retriever is one of the most common dogs to experience “separation anxiety”. This is because they have an emotional need to be close to their owners on a constant basis. Their reputation is of unsurpassed loyalty and affection, which can be a very rewarding experience. However, if the relationship with a Labrador is not maintained (i.e. they are left alone for long periods of time), this can result in destructive behavior, similar to that of young children.
TRUE TO THEIR NAME
As their name suggests, the Labrador makes an excellent retriever. In American Retriever field trials, the Labrador completely dominates in terms of speed, obedience, and efficiency.
UNFOUNDED COLOR BIAS
Though there is no evidence to support this argument, many people claim that Black Labradors are superior to Chocolate and Yellow Labradors in terms of dominant Labrador traits (such as strength, loyalty, and retrieval abilities). There is currently no scientific evidence to support this claim.
INTELLIGENT LABRADORS IN HISTORY
There are many accounts of dogs doing amazing things, which brings up the question if we truly know all there is to know about canine intelligence.
JAKE
Jake was a Law Enforcement dog that became famous after the Twin Towers collapsed on 9/11/01. He burrowed in scorching hot debris in search of people who were trapped, with little to no consideration for his own comfort. In the disaster and chaos following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Jake also assisted in rescuing many people that were undetectable to human senses.
SADIE
In Afghanistan, Sadie was able to save the lives of dozens of soldiers when she detected a bomb that was nearly detonated. Without her amazing sense of smell, the soldiers would not have been able to identify and disarm the dangerous explosives. For this service, she received the Dickin Medal.
I am working on a science project to determine how intelligent my dog is compared to the average black labrador retriever and this sort of helped me with some of the basic facts.
I HAVE A LAB. HE IS TOTALY DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER LAB. WHEN WE PLAY FECH, HE DOESN`T LIKE TO BRING IT BACK, HE RUNS SOMEWHERE, LIES DOWN, AND SATRTS CHEWING IT!!!! THERE ARE ALOT OF OTHER WEIRD THINGS THAT HE DOES TOO, LIKE HE DOESN`T BARK, AND IS VERRY AGRESSIVE. WHEN HE PLAYS WITH HIS FRIEND NAMED JASMINE (ALSO A DOG) THEY BITE EACH OTHER!!! THAT`S HOW THEY PLAY.