April 26, 1913 
FOREST AND STREAM 
527 
The Dogs from Labrador 
The Rarest and Most Unknown Species of the Whole Canine Family 
T aking into consideration their great utili¬ 
tarian value, it is rather remarkable that 
there is not an instance on record of the 
Labrador species having been exhibited at a dog 
show in this country, or found in the possession 
of any dog fancier. Although they are decidedly 
scarce in their native habitat, nevertheless they 
are to be found there, and a limited number are 
owned by English kennels. It would seem natu¬ 
ral that on account of their usefulness, beauty 
and amiable disposition, the species would have 
been carefully propagated here long ago, for out¬ 
side of the necessary expense there certainly 
should not be any especial difficulty in import¬ 
ing them. 
Comparatively few persons are aware that 
there is such an animal, and most of those who 
are—even those well versed in dog lore—are 
possessed of the opinion that a Labrador and a 
Newfoundland dog are one and the same animal, 
which is an exceedingly erroneous conclusion. It 
is true that they resemble one another in many 
respects, although not altogether in color, and 
besides the Labradors display many distinctive 
characteristics peculiar to themselves, and not to 
be found in any others of the canine family. 
Their heads are very broad, with high fore¬ 
heads, eyes full and far apart, their jaws at 
the back are extremely wide and strong, tapering 
toward the front, and giving a wedge-shaped 
appearance to the snout; ears moderately large 
and pendant—not small and upright like those 
of the Eskimo dogs, which so many believe them 
to be, having so described them in literature; 
hair black, long, straight and silky. They stand 
about twenty-seven inches high at the shoulders, 
have large medium length legs, very deep chests, 
and their feet are webbed to the extremity of 
their toes similar to those of all waterfowl. This 
last remarkable physical construction gives them 
great power in the water, and places them at 
the head of the list of the fast swimmers of the 
dog family. 
Because of the fact that these dogs are 
covered with unusually long and thick hair, they 
are provided with almost a water-proof protec¬ 
tion for the skin against the icy water in which 
they are constantly to be seen; indeed, water 
might almost be said to be their natural element, 
for they can spend hours swimming about in it, 
without the slightest inconvenience or fatigue. 
If they do not plunge in, they can swim all day 
in calm water without completely submerging 
their bodies, so that when they come ashore, 
they will have a dry strip along the entire length 
of the top of their backs. They are peerless 
divers, and can keep under water so long that 
an onlooker will begin to gasp in sympathy for 
them. Continuous diving produces quite a visi¬ 
ble effect upon their eyes, giving them a tem¬ 
porarily blood-shot appearance. Normally, their 
eyes are most attractive—full and round—and 
the commissures of their eyelids do not drop, 
exposing the red canthi or corners of the eyes, 
which in the St. Bernards is such a disfiguring 
feature and produces such an unpleasant effect 
By H. E. HENWOOD 
upon the beholder. Apropos, the St. Bernard 
dog is often said to look very much like the 
Labrador species, but in reality there is not the 
slightest resemblance. 
Lord Feversham, of Duncombe Hall, Eng¬ 
land, possesses an exquisite piece of statuary 
representing the favorite dog of Alcibiades and 
displaying a most perfect specimen of the Labra¬ 
dor species, which goes to prove that the species 
existed as far back as the fourth century, when 
Greek art was at its height; therefore, it is a 
subject of considerable discussion among the 
few persons who are interested and informed 
how the dogs were originally transported to this 
continent and became identified with the bleak 
and barren coast of Labrador. 
At the present time there are three species 
of the canine family in Labrador—the Labrador 
retriever, the ‘‘huskies,” which belong to the 
A THOROUGHBRED LABRADOR DOG. 
Eskimo species, and the true Labrador dog. It 
is exceedingly strange that the Labrador is not 
classed among the sporting dogs by authorita¬ 
tive writers, for it is unquestionably the best 
sporting dog extant. In passing, one may ex¬ 
plain that the retriever, the Labrador retriever, 
the Labrador, Newfoundland and St. Bernard 
dogs all belong to the retriever family, all more 
or less remotely connected, and in the order 
given here. As a matter of fact, all dogs have 
one common origin, and the most highly prized 
of the various species have been artificially pro¬ 
duced by segregation, in different parts of the 
world, and by the influence of different climates, 
foods and environments, also by exercising the 
greatest care in selecting mates, and by destroy¬ 
ing aberrant offspring. 
No absolute reliance can be placed upon the 
quality and appearance of an expected litter of 
pups. iMany a kennel has been surprised into 
a state of consternation by the advent of a litter 
of young dogs, none of which bore the slightest 
resemblance to either of their parents, nor could 
they be likened to any known species. These 
surprises are not due to unexpected mating, but 
are attributed to telegony. Many such occasions 
transpire when there has been no possibility of 
earlier mating. 
To return to the main subject. The Labra¬ 
dor dog has an unusually active brain, and there¬ 
fore is capable of receiving a more diversified 
and wider range of education than any other 
members of the canine family. These dogs will 
point as well as any pointer; will show as much 
sagacity in corralling sheep as the collie; will 
not be surpassed by land spaniels, working under 
a gun, and when it comes to retrieving in water, 
they are simply par excellence; none other can 
approach them. When out on a duck hunting 
expedition, a Labrador dog has been known to 
chase a wounded duck for hours, diving when 
the duck dived, coming up to the surface each 
time a little closer to his prey,- and finally get¬ 
ting it. 
Sometimes a duck will not be so seriously 
wounded as to prevent it from making use of 
its wings to help its escape over the water from 
its persistent pursuer, and whenever the dog will 
get uncomfortably close, it will fly twenty or 
thirty yards before being forced to alight again 
by its crippled condition, but the dog, not the 
least daunted by these discouraging flights, will 
keep after it with a Nemesis-like and unswerv¬ 
ing intent, never tiring himself, but gradually 
wearying the duck, until it is finally forced to 
succumb to the inevitable. Many times, when 
chasing a wounded duck, he will go so far that 
his big black head will become invisible to his 
companion in the chase, and he will remain out 
of sight for half an hour or more. When event¬ 
ually the hunter descries a black speck in the 
distance, gradually getting larger, then he knows 
that his dog has succeeded in capturing his game, 
although it will be some little time before he 
can actually see that the dog is carrying some¬ 
thing in his mouth, and still a considerably longer 
time before he is able to deliver the goods. 
In addition to his perseverance when fol¬ 
lowing and hunting down game, another char¬ 
acteristic of this remarkable species is his di¬ 
rectness of attack. He will plunge straight 
through brush and underwood, regardless of the 
sometimes painful consequences, when in pur¬ 
suit, never taking his eyes away from the object 
he is after; in no wise resembling the other 
varieties of dogs, who generally look around 
for an easy approach. 
On account of his great swimming power, 
this dog is invaluable as a life-saver from drown¬ 
ing. If his master should accidentally upset his 
boat or fall into the water,’ he need have no 
fear for his life, for he will find his dog right 
beside him, ready to offer his services, and if 
necessary quite willing to carry him ashore, be¬ 
sides being able to swim out and tow in the 
upset boat. 
A most pleasing trait in these Labrador dogs 
is their honesty of purpose in all things. Such 
a dog will do that which very few animals can 
do, and many human beings cannot do, and that 
is, he looks you fairly and squarely in the face, 
{Continued on page 545.) 
