Why Are Labradors Called Labradors When They Come from Newfoundland?

The Labrador is the dog that greets you as though you have been away at sea for three years when you have actually been to the bins. It is loyal, kind, endlessly optimistic and, to be fair, quite interested in your sandwich. It is also one of Britain's best-loved breeds.

What it is not, rather wonderfully, is from Labrador.

The original job description

The Labrador's ancestors lived on the island of Newfoundland, off the east coast of Canada, where they worked alongside fishermen. They were known as St John's water dogs, and their job was to leap into the freezing North Atlantic and bring back anything useful: ropes, nets and the occasional fish that had made a break for freedom.

Imagine reading that job advert. Cold water, heavy lifting, constant fetching, no lunch break. Most of us would quietly close the tab. The Labrador's ancestors read it and thought: finally, something I'm good at.

How they ended up in England

In the early 1800s, ships trading between Newfoundland and the port of Poole in Dorset brought some of these water dogs back to England. A few landed with exactly the right people: the Earls of Malmesbury, keen sportsmen who saw at once how brilliant the dogs were at retrieving on shoots.

The Malmesbury family bred them carefully for decades, and it is to them that the name Labrador is usually credited. Nobody is entirely sure why they chose it. The most likely explanation is that Labrador, the neighbouring region on the mainland, helped set these smaller dogs apart from the much larger Newfoundland breed. So the name is more a case of good neighbourly relations than accurate geography.

Built for a swim

Every Labrador owner who has watched their dog sprint joyfully into the only muddy pond for miles will recognise the breed's water-dog heritage. Labradors have a thick, water-resistant double coat, a strong tail that works like a rudder, and feet made for paddling. They were not designed to stay clean. They were designed to have a lovely time.

And yes, about the appetite

If you have ever suspected your Labrador might be hungrier than other dogs, science is on your side. Researchers at the University of Cambridge found that a good number of Labradors carry a gene variant linked to feeling hungry. So when your Labrador gazes at you as if they have not eaten since the last royal wedding, it is not entirely an act. Mostly an act. But not entirely.

Gifts for the Labrador lover in your life

Labrador owners are generous, cheerful people who already own at least one coat covered in dog hair, so here are a few gifts they will genuinely love.

For the walls, the Labrador in the British Countryside framed wall art captures the breed at its noble best, ideally before the pond. In the kitchen, the Labrador vintage portrait tea towel is perfect, and there are illustrated Labrador coasters in our Labrador collection too.

For Christmas, the Labrador Christmas ornament comes out of the decorations box every year, and the Labrador coir doormat greets visitors almost as enthusiastically as the dog does.

For stockings, try the charcoal Labrador keyring, the abstract botanical Labrador keyring or the blue Labrador bamboo socks. The Labrador Coffee Club T-shirt suits anyone whose mornings begin with coffee and a dog leaning hopefully on their leg, and the Labrador flip-flops are for the optimist already planning next summer's beach walks.

Find more ideas in our Labrador gift guide and the full Labrador Gifts & Homeware collection.