Are there wild labradors

There, local water dogs bred with Newfoundland dogs. This crossbreeding resulted in the St. John's water dog, a now-extinct breed that was black with white markings on its face. These dogs are the ancestral strain of Labradors. Outcrossing them with other dogs and refinements resulted in what we know today as the Labrador retriever.

From Newfoundland, the breed spread to England, starting with the second Earl of Malmesbury. He brought the first St.

His son, the third Earl of Malmesbury, always called his dogs Labradors. The name stuck even when the breed regained popularity in North America. All chocolate Labradors can be traced back to a dog that the third Earl of Malmesbury gave to the sixth Duke of Buccleuch.

Before the Labrador gained fame, the breed nearly disappeared. In Newfoundland, the government wanted people to raise sheep. They limited families to only one dog per household, and dog owners had to pay a tax. The government imposed higher taxes on female dogs, which led to the culling of female puppies from litters. By the s, the breed was nearly gone from Canada. These laws led to the eventual extinction of the St. John's water dog in the s. Labradors persisted in England, where it was becoming favored as a hunting and family dog.

The Labrador is famous for its love of water. They initially helped fishers by fetching nets and rope or retrieving fish from the icy sea.

Labrador retrievers are known for the webbed-feet it uses to swim with, but most dogs have some webbing between their toes. What makes the Labrador's feet unique is significant amounts of webbing combined with their big feet. They use their flattened, otter-like tail for balance and to steer while swimming.

What makes Labradors ready for even the most chilly water is the double coat that they shed twice each year. The breed has a distinctive coat made of an outer layer of dense, straight, longer hairs and an under layer of soft, downy-like fur that acts as an insulating layer.

Silver Labradors are chocolate Labradors with a dilution gene that causes their coat to be a lighter color. The dogs continued to live exclusively in Newfoundland until the early s when they were imported to Poole, England. The Earl of Malmesbury had seen the breed in action and immediately brought them home. By , Labradors were recognized by the English Kennel Club. The breed began to grow in popularity. The American Kennel Club recognized Labrador Retrievers in and the breed became a loving pet to many families.

Today, Labrador Retrievers are still ready to work and please their pet parents. JulieT , May 11, Joined: Apr 10, Messages: 10, Location: Dubai.

He's picked up a gecko in his mouth He can't even catch flies despite all the practice he puts in! He stands nose to nose with them when they land,then makes his move just as they fly off! He'll let any dog in the park push him off his water too makes me a bit mad that as I'm one of the few owners that takes enough water out In conclusion,I don't think our yellow fellow would do very well any further afield than our garden gate!

Dexter , May 11, Joined: Jun 13, Messages: 9, Riley walked past a dead rabbit without so much as a sniff today I'm not sure he's even a dog! He's also picked very dead game and met a live rabbit in shock on a path Odd dog, he'd starve, love him though ;D. Sam definately wouldnt survive , far too non confrontational , scaredy cat at times too but we love him this way Millie , well as she was picked up as a stray , she must have fed herself for however knows how long , she was slim but not skinny so must have been eating something.

Joined: Dec 30, Messages: 2, I can't remember who it was on here but one of the members dogs was mistaken underfed while they were on holiday and she started digging up roots and vegetables! She would definitely survive!

I honestly don't know She's got a pretty big prey drive so she might give it a good shot if she was desperate She likes to lick ants off the patio but I doubt they would sustain her for long Joined: Jan 26, Messages: Meg wouldn't survive either.

We've met rabbits in the park and meg has run the other way. Quite funny really. She comes to dead stop and I swear her face is saying oh oh and then she's gone. She once had a spider crawling over her and she really flipped when she noticed it.