How can we breed the perfect labrador?
The labrador retriever was first recognised by the Kennel Club as a breed in 1903. It was originally known as the St John’s dog or lesser Newfoundland dog. The breed was in Newfoundland in the 1700s and imported to England in the 1800s.
When I was researching its origins, I came across the same old photograph over and over. There are clear similarities between my own Swiftlands Briar and one of the original St John’s dogs in the photograph that I found.
The dog in the image is Nell, pictured in 1867. She belonged to the Earl of Home and is an example of the type of early St John’s dogs that were imported to England from Newfoundland. Though Nell has white toes, you can still very much see the origins of the modern labrador in her face, the set of her ears and in her neat body and short coat.
In addition to white markings, the first dog to earn a dual championship, winning the bench title as well as becoming a field trial champion in England. Many dogs today can be seen carrying this trait and it is referred to as ‘Bolo pads’.
