The Labrador breed originated in the 1830s in Newfoundland, Canada. Ships travelling between Canada and the UK brought St. John's water dogs to Britain where they were bred with British hunting dogs, creating the Labrador Retriever, one of the world's most beloved breeds. The "liver", or "chocolate" Labrador appeared in the late 1800s, and the yellow Labrador in 1899.
Labradors are a medium-large breed with water-resistant coat that keeps them warm in the water. They originally specialised in retrieving hunters' quarry from bodies of water, hence the name "retriever". Their high intelligence and initiative has made them excellent for other working roles as well, such as guiding and lifesaving.
