Why are Labrador retrievers so popular? Why are they the number one favorite dog breed in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. year after year? Many of you know from experience. You’ve had other breeds and they just don’t compare. We hear people tell as all the time that they’ve had Labs and they’ve had other breeds and, after owning a Lab, they’ll never go back to anything else. We get it. So, what qualities make a Lab so special?

Personality. I think the title pretty much says it all. Different dog breeds have varying temperaments, from snobby, to aggressive, to clingy, to aloof, to obsessive-compulsive, but a Labrador retriever has some serious personality. And what does personality mean, exactly? Encyclopedia Britannica defines personality as “a characteristic way of thinking, feeling, and behaving. Personality embraces moods, attitudes, and opinions and is most clearly expressed in interactions with other people. It includes behavioral characteristics, both inherent and acquired, that distinguish one person from another….”[1] Note the suffix, “person,” in the word. I personally believe it’s what makes Labrador retrievers more lovable—because they’re maybe a little more like humans.

The American Kennel Club states that “the most distinguishing characteristics of the Labrador retriever are…its “kind,” friendly eyes, expressing character, intelligence and good temperament.”[2] Amen to that.

In our personal experience with hundreds of Labrador retrievers over the course of twenty-plus years, we know that every dog has a different personality. You know it, too. It’s what makes writing blogs about our individual dogs so much fun. The uniqueness amongst individual puppies in a single litter is astounding. One can be shy, one is an outgoing, playful partyer, one is a dominant, no-nonsense leader. If you’ve owned more than one Lab in your life, you know what I mean. They each have likable characteristics, but I’ll bet each one is very different.

Labrador retrievers often behave in human-like ways. They’re expressive in their facial features, little groans and grunts, and even their bark varies, depending on how they feel. They get their feelings hurt, they get embarrassed, they’ll act like total goofballs and try to cheer you up when you’re sad. In fact, Labs supersede most humans when it comes to empathy. But, even that can vary from dog to dog. Some dogs are more sensitive than others. And what about attitude? Some dog breeds have snooty or angry attitudes. Not so with Labs. Don’t get a Lab for a guard dog; they’re friendly to everyone. I could go on, but let’s talk about intelligence.

There’s no doubt that intelligence adds to a Labrador’s particular temperament. All dogs can learn to an extent, but a hunting Labrador retriever learns and keeps on learning over the course of his lifetime. And, as you know, you can teach a Lab to do almost anything. We hear incredible stories of all the things people have taught their Labs to do. They might need a little assistance with things like driving a car or preparing a meal, but you’d be surprised. Are all Labs intelligent? Certainly not, but a champion hunting pedigree is a key indicator of brains. A dumb dog can’t pass complicated hunt tests.

You might think that higher intelligence equates to easier trainability. Not necessarily so. It can make for better communication, but you may not always like what your Lab is saying to you. Like humans, an intelligent Lab can get bored if he’s not continuously learning new things or given a job to do, and this can lead to destructive habits. An intelligent Lab can also be a rebel and refuse to go along with his basic obedience program. (Yep, like with people, the strong-willed stubborn ones are often the smarter ones.) Watch out for the bored and rebellious Lab. He can put his intelligence into opening gates, doors, and trash cans, climbing fences, and getting into all sorts of mischief. We know the type well. Just remember that those annoying problem-solving skills make the Lab just a little more human. With correction and proper training, they’ll calm down and behave themselves. Even a Lab that doesn’t like training at first will adjust with time and patience, because they’re eager-to-please. Like humans, they want to be reassured that they’re doing a good job and that they’re needed for something useful. The Labrador retriever isn’t called a “working breed” for nothing.

To sum up the personality of the Labrador, you can’t get more loyal, dependable, and reliable than a Lab. They’re always happy to see you, they enjoy human interaction, they’re happy, friendly, and playful. They get along with everybody and anybody. They’re usually good travelers. They’re also incredibly resilient, adjusting well to new locations, people, other dogs and pets, varying environments, temperatures, and climates. And, of course, when it comes to personality, they’re chock full of it. But this brief article doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface when it comes to the temperament of a Labrador retriever. You’ve just got to experience one for yourself.

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[1] Philip S. Holzman, “Personality.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 1999.

[2] American Kennel Club, The New Complete Dog Book, (New York: Ballantine Books, 2006), p. 129.

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