HISTORY
The breed was developed in the 19th century in Newfoundland as a water dog. Their original name was St. John’s Dog in honor of the capital of Newfoundland. Labrador Retrievers worked alongside local fishers to retrieve their fish.
In 1830, England imported Labradors to serve as hunting retrievers.
However, the Kennel Club in England recognized the Labrador Retriever as an official breed in 1903, and the American Kennel Club (AKC) did the same in 1917.
This dog breed became popular after World War II, and in 1991, Labs were the most popular dogs in the US, still holding the top spot ever since.