Surprising Facts About Your Lab!

The Labrador Retriever is perhaps the most well-known dog among Americans, and with good reason: the breed is loyal, intelligent, kindhearted, strong, energetic, obedient, and beautiful. What isn’t to love? Yet despite its popularity, the breed actually holds quite a few mysteries yet, as well as a number of surprises that were even news to us when we heard them! Here are just three surprising facts about America’s favorite dog, the Labrador Retriever:

1. They Aren’t Actually Labradors!

Yep, it’s a misnomer! Most breeds are named after the location of their development and “debut,” such as the English Bulldog. Yet with the Labrador Retriever, the breed actually originates from an area just south of Labrador: the island of Newfoundland. At the time, the breed was known as St. John’s dog, a reference to the capital city of Newfoundland, and it absolutely loved water (as it still does today), which meant that the breed was a great help to the island’s many fishermen.

Not long after its 18^th century origins, the breed found its way to mainland England, courtesy of the Earl of Malmesbury in 1830. The third Earl of Malmesbury chose to call the dogs Labradors, a name which would stay with the breed when it rose to the considerable popularity that it still enjoys today in the United States.

2. Labrador Retrievers are Waterproof!

Well, they might as well be, anyway. As we said earlier, the Labrador Retriever breed absolutely loved water, making it the ideal helpmate to the fishermen who lived in Newfoundland and required their help. As you might expect, Labradors are rather suited for the water they love so much – but you might not have known just how suited they really are!

The breed’s coat is made up of multiple layers, with the outer layer being made up of dense, straight, long hair while the layer beneath it is soft and downy, functioning as an insulating layer to deal with the cold that can sometimes be brought on by being wet in a northern or temperate climate. Furthermore, that undercoat works to trap their body heat while keeping water out thanks to the natural oils created by the dog’s body. In other words, their body makes them waterproof!

3. The Distinction Between American and English Labradors… is Phony!

The fact is, there is only one actual breed of Labrador Retriever – the difference lies in the body shapes and the reasoning for breeding. English Labs are generally called show Labs, while American Labs are field Labs, and the differences in their body shape – with show Labs being heavier, broader, and with a thick tail, while field Labs are quicker and more agile – has simply become so exaggerated with time that it can seem like there are two breeds, when in fact there are not!

This is only the start, of course, but the most surprising things you will discover about Labs will be learned from your own pet Lab! Their habits, wants, and interests will surprise the heck out of you, and continue to bring joy into your life for years to come.