| Labradors are known for their intelligence and | | | | bone structure. The Labrador also has a very thick tail. |
| friendliness. Because they are intelligent they can be | | | | Their tail is often compared to an otter's tail and is |
| trained to do many different types of things. They | | | | very helpful to hunting Labradors when they are |
| have been known to assist humans in everyday tasks | | | | swimming. Other characteristics that help them swim |
| for many years. Labradors are often used as guide | | | | with ease are their webbed feet and their water |
| dogs for the blind, deaf, and other handicapped people. | | | | repellent coats. Another characteristic of the hunting |
| They can also be trained to be therapy dogs for the | | | | Labrador is their gentle mouth, which is important |
| elderly people in nursing homes and for emotionally | | | | because Labradors were used to retrieve the dead |
| disturbed children. The military and the police have | | | | animals that were shot and were required to being |
| used Labradors to track criminals, weapons, bombs, | | | | them back to the hunter. Therefore, they had to be |
| drugs, and to find missing people. Though Labradors | | | | very gentle with the animals that were killed. The final |
| are used in many ways to assist people today, they | | | | characteristic that makes Labradors ideal hunting dogs |
| were originally trained to do only one thing: HUNT. | | | | is their loyalty and the fact that they can be easily |
| Hunting Labradors originally came from Newfoundland | | | | trained. |
| in eastern Canada. How they got there is not clear. But | | | | Modern-Day Labs |
| the fact remains that due to the need to hunt, hunting | | | | Today, most Labradors work in the fields mentioned |
| Labradors became very popular very quickly. | | | | above. But some Labradors are still used for hunting |
| Labradors are often referred to as "Labrador | | | | purposes, especially in more rural areas. In fact, there |
| Retrievers" because they learned how to retrieve | | | | are many obedient schools and dog training schools |
| dead animals as part of their hunting training. | | | | throughout the country that still train Labradors to |
| Characteristics | | | | become hunters. However, being "man's best friend" is |
| What makes Labradors good hunters? Labradors | | | | still the most common occupation of Labradors today, |
| possess many characteristics that makes them good | | | | and perhaps it is the most appreciated! |
| hunters. First of all, hunting Labradors have a strong | | | | |