Black Labrador Retrievers
A Brief History
Black Labs share the same history as the Golden Labs, the difference being that they have been bred to retain the original colour of their ancestors. Over time however their tuxedo markings have become less distinctive, sometimes with only a few lighter hairs in the typical chest, muzzle and paw areas. These markings sometimes become more obvious with age. The original dogs brought to England from Canada were more akin in colour to the original St John’s Dog. It was here that they were given the name Labrador, as they came on a ship leaving from a place so-called in Canada. The Black Lab lineage was continued while others were bred to attain the Golden Lab variety.
Because there were then Labradors in Canada, America and England some differentiation began to emerge. Back in the New World, the Canadian and American varieties of Labradors remained in their original form, more lanky and excitable than their English cousins and so better used as gun dogs. Gradually the English variety became stockier and of a milder temperament, although retaining their other features such as their webbed toes, making them a better suited pet and easier to train as an Assistant Dog. This does not mean that the two varieties acquired different roles however, as Labs were still used in England to hunt and retrieve, and in America to assist.
Black Labs Today
Just like Golden Labs, Black Labs are amount the most popular breeds of dogs in the Western world. They have the same personality traits such as their loyalty and patience, however, although it is not altogether proven, there does seem to be a slight difference in the general temperament of the two colours. This is not based on anything solid, and of course temperament will differ between individual dogs, but there seem to be general trends that the Labs display. There seem to be more Golden Labs used as Guide Dogs, whereas Black Labs are more commonly found used as police and military assistance dogs. This may be due to Golden Labs having a calmer demeanour and a gentler temperament, responding well to command as is necessary for a well trained Guide Dog. Blacks may display more enthusiasm and have more of a tendency to be excitable which would hinder them in Guide Dog training. However, these traits would deem them more suited than the Golden Lab to assisting with police and military tasks. Their energy could be used more effectively in search and rescue tasks, and their more impulsive nature could make them better at confronting dangerous situations without scaring. One such brave Black Lab is Treo, an dog trained to locate explosives who was rewarded an Dickin Medal, named after Maria Dickin the founder of the PDSA, for his gallantry in Afghanistan, 2008.