This article is reproduced here by kind permission of the author Lori Dollevoet
Highly recommended is Her own very fine website www.Lorkenfarms.com

Labrador Retrievers were recognized in England as a Kennel Club breed in 1903 . Originally called the St. John's Dog or lesser Newfoundland dog. The breed was in Newfoundland in the 1700's and imported to England beginning the early 1800's. The Labrador's exact origin unknown but some speculate the Greater Newfoundland dog or the French St. Hubert's dog is part of the cross that made the St. John's dog.

In 1887 the Earl of Malmesbury first coined the name Labrador in a letter he wrote referring the them as his Labrador Dogs. The Territory of Labrador is just Northwest of Newfoundland geographically. Richard Wolters in his book the "Labrador Retriever" writes that the 19th century Brits lumped that area together as the same land mass, so it could have referred to dogs from that area.

Newfoundland was settled by English fisherman as early as the 1500's and the St. John's dogs seemed to develop along with the fishing occupation . The English fisherman in Newfoundland used the St. John's dog to retrieve fish that had fallen off their hooks as well to help haul in fishing lines through the water. The St. John's dogs were considered "workaholics" and enjoyed the retrieving tasks given in the fishing environment. This breed was very eager to please and their retrieving abilities made them ideal for hunting companions and sporting dogs. In today's world many see their hunting companion as living for the sport. He will break ice to retrieve birds only to return and wait for the next one to come down. You have to keep an eye on the dog in warm weather as he will gladly work beyond his physical abilities and even overheat if you don't watch him. It was said that the dogs would work long hours with the fisherman in the cold waters, then be brought home to play with the fisherman's children. The wonderful temperament of the Labrador Retriever is documented back to its early days in England and has made them ideal family pets as well as accomplished sporting dogs.

The Labrador has a dense, short coat that repels water and provides great resistance to the cold and water. Labradors come in 3 colors; black, yellow and chocolate. Black is the most well known color and it is dominant in Labradors. Black was also the color commonly preferred and bred for up until more recent times. It should be noted that the colors chocolate and yellow have been noted in the original St. John's dogs from the Newfoundland. They are recessive genes and were referred to as the color 'liver' or sometimes 'golden'. In 1807 a ship called brig Canton carried some St. John's dogs destined for Poole, England as likely breeding stock for the Duke of Malmesbury's Labrador Kennel. The Canton shipwrecked and two dogs, one black and one chocolate, were found and believed to have become part of the breeding program (along with other breeds) that created the Chesapeake Retriever. So we know that chocolates had been a color in the original St. John's dogs which later became established under the name Labrador Retriever. As recessive colors the yellow and chocolate pups would occasionally appear in litters throughout time. During the earlier breeding programs these 'off colors' were often 'culled' until they were finally accepted by the British and the American Kennel Clubs and registered. Some people still favor blacks saying they are the best Labradors. We think it is more personal preference as long as you have a good well balanced pedigree and breeding program behind your dog.

Labradors almost became extinct a few times and the St. John's dogs that Labs came from are now extinct in Newfoundland. It was only through some events and efforts of some key people that we have the wonderful companion we call the Labrador today.

History

It was the early 1800's that the first dogs were imported to England to a few aristocratic British sportsmen.

The Labrador had so many excellent qualities that it had been used to breed into other "Retrievers". In the late 18th and early 19th Century (before any Kennel Club registration) some breeders tried to interbreed the hunting abilities of different retrieving dogs that met their liking. Other retrievers of the time included curly coats, flat coats and a now extinct Norfolk Retriever. It was said that often the St. John's genes were dominant and the crosses tended to still carry the looks and personality. Eventually the separate breeds became fixed and separated in the Kennel Club registration.

By the 1880's nearly all the true Labrador (St. John's dog) lines had died out in England. A fortuitous meeting of the third Earl of Malmesbury (at age 75) with the sixth Duke of Buccleuch (1831-1914) and twelfth Duke of Home (1834-1918) saved Labs from extinction. Buccleuch and Home were visiting a sick Aunt and decided to participate in a waterfowl shoot on the South Coast. There the two men were impressed by what Malmesbury's dogs were capable of doing. These were the same bloodlines as their father's kennels. Malmesbury reported that he had keep the blood lines pure as he could with the imported dogs from Newfoundland. Malmesbury gave them some of his dogs to carry on the breeding program. The dogs were Ned (born 1882) and Avon (born 1885). Many say that these two dogs are the ancestor of all British Labs. Buccleuch Avon is said to have sired 'liver-coloured' pups.

Bucceleuch Avon born 1885

In 1892 two 'liver color' Labradors were born at Buccleuch's kennel. (Richard Wolthers, The Labrador Retriever)

In 1899 the first recorded yellow Labrador was born at the kennel of Major C.J. Radclyffe and named Ben of Hyde.

In Newfoundland the St. John's dog eventually became extinct. The reasons seem to be political. In 1780 the Governor wanted to encourage sheep raising and to stop any menace to sheep he ordered that there could be no more than one dog for a family. The St. John's dog were native to Newfoundland and so all but the ones that had been exported to England were vulnerable to this order. This action had a great impact on St. John's dogs since they were not wide spread and now their numbers were being discouraged in their homeland. Later, in 1885 another measure was taken by the legislature to encourage sheep breeding. A heavy license was imposed on dogs. There was a higher tax rate on females than males which lead to many female pups being destroyed at birth. Couple this with the English passing the British Quarantine Act and it made importation next to impossible. The Quarantine Act on 1895 prohibited dogs from entering Great Britain without a license and without first undergoing a strict six-month quarantine. Britain did not have the disease of Rabies native to their island and they did not want to have it introduced. By the 1930's the St. John's dog was rare in Newfoundland. The 6th Duke of Buccleuch was finally able to import a few more dogs between 1933-1934 to continue the line. Interestingly enough, sheep raising never became a mainstay of Newfoundland but the extinction of the St. John's dog did come to pass.

In 1903 the Labrador Retriever was popular enough to be recognized by the Kennel Club in England.

1916 the Labrador Club was formed in England with support from Lord Knutsford (Munden Kennel line) and Lady Lorna, Countess Howe (Banchory Labradors). Some chocolate labs are said to trace back to FC Banchory Night Light from the Banchory Kennel. He was a black dog born in 1932 in England. Night Light comes from the line of Dual Ch. Banchory Bolo (1915) who appears to be a carrier of the chocolate gene from Buccleuch Avon. Banchory Bolo was also known for carrying a trait of white hairs under the feet (Bolo pads).

CH Banchory Bolo
1915-1927

Chocolate Labrador’s

In the late 1930's Chocolate Labradors were known to be at two kennels: Tibshelfs & Cookridge. Tibshef's dogs were: Tibshelf Bronze (< 1954). Tibshelfs Choc (< 1964), Tibshelfs Chocolate Simba (< 1972), Tibshelfs Coco (< 1958), Tibshelf's Hibbert (< 1966), Tibshelfs. Hibchic (< 1968), Tibshelfs Ochre (< 1968) and Tibshelfs Sultan (< 1966). Cookridge's chocolates were: Bronze Adam of Cookridge (< 1950), Cookridge Cola (< 1959), Cookridge Joss (< 1976), Cookridge Khan of Owlcroft (< 1975), Cookridge Kim (< 1966), Cookridge. Olga (< 1960), Cookridge Oscar (< 1960) and Cookridge. Tango (1961).

THE BUCCLEUCH LABRADOR RETRIEVERS

The Buccleuch Labrador Retriever Kennel is almost unique in as much as the original strain has been maintained since the breed was first introduced to this country from across the Atlantic in about 1830. The Duke of Buccleuch of the day played an active part in founding this breed in the British Isles, as he rightly recognised the value of these dogs for retrieving game from land and water. It seemed probable that they would be a hardy breed, as it is alleged that the fishermen of Newfoundland used them to catch fish in icy rivers. Whereas almost every Labrador Retriever Kennel in the world has to admit that cross breeding with other types of retrievers, such as flatcoated or black pointers, was practised, it can be shown that the Buccleuch Kennel strictly adhered to the original strain. From time to time stud dogs were imported so as to avoid in-breeding. The number of dogs required for use on the Estates has varied from 30 to 130, thereby making the continuation of the strain possible. There is little physical difference between the Buccleuch Labrador Retrievers and those in other kennels. The Buccleuch dogs still grow the double coat, dating back to the days of fishing in Newfoundland and Labrador, whose advantages in water or prickly cover must be obvious. Their heads are often shorter than the average Labrador, they frequently have the 'otter' tail. There has never been any attempt to show the dogs which have been kept entirely for work. Since 'work' has been the sole reason for keeping Labrador retrievers on the Buccleuch Estates, it follows that a good nose, a tender mouth and an intelligent and courageous temperament have been regarded as essential requirements. Combined with these, they must be of the correct physical build and tough under all conditions. Their work, chiefly in Scotland, is almost continuous throughout the year on all types of terrain including moorland dense cover and water. Physique and endurance are important for their high standard of performance, and it is only those who show at an early age that they possess these qualities which are tolerated or used for breeding. Each spring e a number of puppies are bred, some of which are trained for use on the Estate, and others are sold to who appreciates the advantages of this particular strain and has an interest in keeping it alive by using the blood for future breeding.

Reg. Office : Thornhall House, Dalkeith, Midlothian, EH22 2NQ
Directors: The Duke of Buccleuch, The Earl of Dalkeith