A pilot study<\/a> has even concluded that water seems to be a positive stimulus for Labs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, what is it exactly that makes Labradors like water so much?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The rest of this article will talk about why Labradors like to play and spend time in the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hopefully, it will give you some insight into why your Lab loves water like they do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In order to understand how Labradors came to love water as much as they do, you have to also understand their humble beginnings<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The breed did not always start off as well-known and loved by many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, it wasn\u2019t until the early 1900s that the Labrador was officially recognized as a breed by the English Kennel Club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Labrador breed comes from a type of water dog called the St. John\u2019s Water-Dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These types of dogs were found in Newfoundland, Canada, and specialized in helping their owners with their fishing. These dogs were not the Labradors that we are familiar with today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the early 1800s, the St. John\u2019s Water Dog started being imported to other places such as England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where the popularity of the breed heightened. From then, the breed referred to as Labrador dogs, presumably because of the place most people thought the breed was from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Labrador and Newfoundland are both places in Canada, so the mix-up may have been due to that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is interesting to note that the name of the breed we know and love today could have easily been so different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From then on, the Labrador slowly became known as an excellent gun dog (of which they are still known for today).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The build of the breed has slightly become different over the period of time that it has strayed from its swimming roots. But, there are still remnants of their water-filled past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From the very beginning of their history, Labradors\u2019 ancestors were already heavily involved in water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their history rooted in a lot of working with water and helping their owners with fishing. Because of this, the breed adapted to their work as fishing dogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though the Labrador has changed a lot over the centuries, there are still remnants of the St. John\u2019s Water Dog in the Labrador we know of today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a look at these characteristics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you may have observed, Labradors have a wide tail that is useful in supposedly navigating waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though not very applicable nowadays, especially if your dog is a house pet, the otter tail is one of the significant features that are part of the Labrador\u2019s breed standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The otter tail looks like what it is named after. It is a relatively short and stocky tail that will aid in swimming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, not all Labradors will have a tail that looks like an otter tail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some will have tails that are longer and thinner than what the ideal breed standard is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is due to the effects of breeding over time and individual physical differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe origins of the Labrador<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Notable Labrador characteristics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Otter tail<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Waterproof coat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n