The history of the Labrador retriever is confusing. There have been many speculations and theories about the origin of the breed. An older theory says that the Labrador was a variety, or cousin, of the Newfoundland dogs. Supposedly, fisherman off the coast of Newfoundland wanted to scale down the large size of their Newfoundlands, but still wanted to keep the characteristics that made the dog so great - being a good retriever for anything that was needed, having a dense, almost waterproof coat and being a hard worker. So the Labrador was developed as that dog. Many people hold this theory to be untrue, and mostly because no one knows exactly how the lab was developed.
No one knows exactly when the Labrador breed was brought to London, but it is thought to be around the beginning of the 1800s. It took a century for Labradors to be considered their own distinct breed, because, until 1904, Labrador Retrievers were lumped into the same category as all retrievers. The breed was favored by the Royal family, which helped contribute to its popularity.
Labradors were imported to the United States before World War I, and as in England, were grouped as all the retrievers into one breed. It was not until the late 1920s that they were a separate breed. Since then, their popularity in America has soared. The Labrador has been a favorite of show trials and hunting partners, accounting for the American Kennel Club's (AKC) statistics as it being America's highest numbered registered breed.
The Labrador is a great hunting dog in many ways. This dog can swim very well. That allows it to retrieve your ducks in whatever the condition the pond is that you shoot it in. Also, most Labradors are not gun shy. Most do not mind the loud bang of the gun. This characteristic is very important.
Labradors do have a confusing history but, the facts are clear that they are as good as a dog can get for duck hunting.
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