Demography
The Labrador is an exceptionally popular dog. For example as of 2006:
· Widely considered the most popular breed in the world.
· Most popular dog by ownership in USA (since 1991), UK, Australia, New Zealand Canada, and Israel.
· In both the UK and USA, there are well over twice as many Labradors registered as the next most popular breed. If the comparison is limited to dog breeds of a similar size, then there are around 3 - 5 times as many Labradors registered in both countries as the next most popular breeds, the German Shepherd and Golden Retriever.
· Most popular breed of assistance dog in the United States, Australia and many other countries, as well as being widely used by police and other official bodies for their detection and working abilities. Approximately 60–70% of all guide dogs in the United States are Labradors (see below).
· Seven out of 13 of the Australian National Kennel Council "Outstanding Gundogs" Hall of Fame appointees are Labradors (list covers 2000-2005).
There is no global registry of Labradors, nor detailed information on numbers of Labradors living in each country. The countries with the five largest numbers of Labrador registrations as of 2005 are: 1: United States 2: United Kingdom and France (approximately equal), 4: Sweden, 5: Finland. Sweden and Finland have far lower populations than the other three countries, suggesting that as of 2005 these two countries have the highest proportion of labs per million people:
OFA statistics suggest that yellow and black labs are registered in very similar numbers (yellow slightly more than black); chocolate in lesser numbers.
Famous labradors
As both the most popular breed by registered ownership and also the most popular breed for assistance dogs in several countries, there have been many notable and famous labradors since the breed was recognised.
A selection of a few of the most famous labradors within various categories includes:
Assistance dogs
.Endal, a service dog in England. Among other distinctions, "the most decorated dog in the world" (including "Dog of the Millennium" and the PDSA’s Gold Medal for Animal Gallantry and Devotion to Duty), the first dog to ride on the London Eye and the first dog known to work a 'chip and pin' ATM card. By his death in March 2009 Endal and his owner/handler Allen Parton had been filmed almost 350 times by crews from several countries, and a film of a year in Endal's life was in production.
Police, military, rescue and detection dogs
.Lucky and Flo, twin Black Labrador counterfeit detection dogs who became famous in 2007 for "sniffing out nearly 2 million pirated counterfeit DVDs" on a six-month secondment to Malaysia in 2007. Following the multi-million dollar, 6-arrest Malaysian detection, they became the first dogs to be awarded Malaysia's, "outstanding service award",and software pirates were stated to have put a £30,000 contract out for their lives.
Pets
.Former President of the United States Bill Clinton's Labradors Buddy and Seamus.
.Former Russian President, and current Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's Labrador 'Koni'.
Fiction and media
.Labradors have featured variously as pets and significant characters in sitcoms and other TV shows, as well as other portrayals in the media. Bouncer in Neighbours, and Luath in The Incredible Journey, are two TV examples.
.Marley is an American Labrador portrayed in Marley & Me, a book by John Grogan in which Grogan recounts his life and times with Marley.
Mascots and advertising
.Since 1972, a yellow Labrador pup known as the Andrex Puppy has been an advertising symbol for Andrex (Cottonelle) toilet tissue.
.Michigan State University has an ongoing tradition of Zeke the Wonder Dog. The original "Zeke" and "Zeke III" were yellow labs and "Zeke II" was a black lab.
Significant crossbreeds
The "Labradoodle" is a popular "designer dog" that combines a Labrador with a Poodle, to create a hybrid that is more suited to allergy sufferers.
Some assistant-dog groups use Golden Retriever / Labrador Retriever hybrids (officially called a Golden Labrador Retriever) as they have found it can produce a dog with a more suitable temperament. It is important to use dogs from good stocks since crossbreeds are not immune to such problems and since Golden Retrievers and Labradors have similar health problems.
The assistance dog organization Mira utilises Labrador-Bernese Mountain Dog crosses ("Labernese") with success.
This yellow Labrador's nose is pink rather than black, a feature called "snow nose" or "winter nose."
A black Labrador from English stock.
The three primary colour varieties of the Labrador Retriever
Different shades of yellow: a usual yellow shade, and a fox red shade.
A seven-week-old Dudley Labrador Retriever. The nose and lips are pink or flesh-coloured, the defining aspect of Dudley pigmentation, as compared to the more standard brown or black.
These chocolate Labradors from field-bred stock are typically lighter in build and have a shorter coat than conformation show Labrador.
Head and muzzle appearance: American or field (left), and English or show (right), showing the shorter muzzle length, more solid appearance head, and "pronounced" stop of the latter.
A Labrador participating in dog agility.
Labradors enjoy playing with water.
Labradors are a very popular selection for use as guide dogs.
Many dogs, including Labs such as this twelve year old, show distinct whitening of the coat as they grow older; especially around the muzzle.
Endal, the world's most decorated dog, wearing his PDSA Gold Medal.
Vladimir Putin with Koni at his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo.
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