List of Labrador Retrievers

This list of famous Labradors covers notable individual dogs that belong to this breed. The Labrador retriever is the most popular breed of dog (by registered ownership) in both the United States and the United Kingdom. They are very sweet and will be a loyal pet forever. Everyone should get a Labrador.The breed is exceptionally affable, intelligent, energetic and good natured, making them excellent and popular pets, companions and working dogs. Working dogs help the blind and deaf because they are very smart. They have a high work ethic [ [http://www.faqs.org/faqs/dogs-faq/service/ rec.pets.dogs Service Dogs FAQ, 1995–96 updated 2000] .] Common working roles for Labradors include: hunting, tracking and detection, disabled-assistance, carting, and therapy work. Approximately 60–70% of all guide dogs in the United States are Labradors.

As both the most popular breed by registered ownership and also the most popular breed for service dogs in several countries, there have been many notable and famous labradors since the breed was recognized.

List of famous Labs

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),cite web |url= http://illinoisspringerrescue2.pulse.net/SITETWO/ENDAL.html |title= Endal, December 2006 |work= Illinois Springer Spaniel Rescue |format= html |accessdate= 2007-06-20 |quote= The trophy cabinet at their family home in Hampshire would be the envy of most football club managers and houses an impressive list of awards including Dog of the Millennium and the PDSA’s Gold Medal for Animal Gallantry and Devotion to Duty. It is true to say that Endal, who can even count the Queen as one of his devotees, is probably the most decorated dog in the world. ] the first dog to ride on the London Eye, the first dog known to work a 'chip and pin' ATM card, [http://illinoisspringerrescue2.pulse.net/SITETWO/ENDAL.html - "Most recently Endal, as observed by some of the biggest national newspapers in 2006, has learned how to put the Chip and Pin card into the machine and remove it after the transaction which Allen is proud to reveal makes him the first dog in the world to achieve this remarkable feat."] and the first dog to place a human being in the recovery position without training following a blackout. As of 2007 some three hundred camera crews from several countries have interviewed Endal and his owner/handler, [As at December 2006, 299 film crews had interviewed the pair. [http://illinoisspringerrescue2.pulse.net/SITETWO/ENDAL.html] ] and a film of a year in his life is in production.cite web |url= http://www.k9magazinefree.com/index.shtml |title= TV crew making film of partners' year |work= K9 Perspective Magazine, Issue 27 |quote= ] cite web |url= http://www.k9magazinefree.com/k9_perspective/iss27p11.shtml |title= Crufts 2006 eventful for Allen and Endal |work= K9 Perspective Magazine, Issue 27 |quote= ]
* Lucy, David Blunkett's best known guide dog, who once vomited in the British House of Commons during a Parliamentary speech.
* Timber, named "Heroic Guide Dog of the Year" by Guide Dogs for the Blind (UK) in 2005, after saving the life of his owner, Arthur Griffiths, during a traffic collision. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20050909/ai_n15372924 Timber the guide dog unfazed by award for bravery] - "The Independent" Sept 9 2005.]
* Omar Riviera's yellow Labrador guide dog "Dorado". Riviera was on an upper floor of the Twin Towers at the time of the September 11, 9/11 attacks on New York. Despite extreme confusion, noise and panic, Dorado led Riviera down 70 stories just before Tower 1 collapsed. According to media reports, "Riviera even tried to release Dorado so the dog could have a better chance at survival, but found the dog would not leave his side". [ [http://www.cnib.ca/en/living/safe-travel/history-dogs-0807/Default.aspx CNIB - A History of Guide Dogs ] ]

Police, military, rescue and detection dogs

* Jake, a black Labrador who became a national canine hero after burrowing through "white-hot, smoking debris" in search of survivors at the World Trade Center. Also helped search for Hurricane Katrina victims in 2005. As a puppy, Jake was abandoned with a broken leg and dislocated hip, but as an adult became one of fewer than 200 U.S. government-certified rescue dogs, and described by a member of the 9/11 Federal search and rescue teams as "a world class rescue dog". He died of cancer at age 12 in July 2007. [ [http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Features/2007/07/26/4369910-ap.html CANOE - CNEWS - Daily Feature: Heroic dog dies of cancer ] ] [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16885986/ 9/11, Katrina search dog dies - Life - MSNBC.com ] ]
* Sadie, a black Labrador who saved the lives of dozens of soldiers in Afghanistan by detecting a bomb. Recipient of the Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/01/27/wsadie27.xml Animal VC for Sadie, the heroine of Kabul] ]
* Zanjeer, a detection dog who detected arms and ammunition used in 1993 Mumbai (Bombay) serial explosions. Zanjeer was born on January 7, 1992, and was inducted into the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad on December 29, 1992. He was trained at the Dog Training Centre of the Criminal Investigation Department in Pune. During his service, his haul was excellent. He helped recover 57 country-made bombs, 175 petrol bombs, 11 military bombs, 242 grenades and 600 detonators. His biggest contribution to the police force and the city was the detection of 3,329 kg of RDX. He also helped detect 18 AK-56 rifles and five 9mm pistols. He died at a veterinary hospital in Parel.
* Sirius, a yellow labarador New York Port Authority Police Canine, was killed as he waited for his handler in one of the twin towers during 9/11.
* Lucky and Flo, twin Black Labrador counterfeit detection dogs who became famous in 2007 for "sniffing out nearly 2 million pirated counterfeit DVDs" for the Motion Picture Association of America whilst on a 6 month secondment to Malaysia in 2007. The two later repeated a similar feat in several Queens, New York stores. [http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/am-dog0830,0,7661895.story] [ [http://movies.gearlive.com/movies/article/q107-dvd-sniffing-dogs-curb-counterfeiting-08301145/ DVD-Sniffing Dogs Help Curb Counterfeiting | FilmCrunch ] ] Following the $multi-million [The amount is uncertain; it was cited as US $3 million according to some sources, and US $6 million according to others.] 6-arrest Malaysian detection, they became the first dogs to be awarded Malaysia's "outstanding service award", [ [http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/dvd-sniffing-dogs-awarded-medals-returning-to-nyc/ DVD-sniffing dogs awarded medals, returning to NYC - Engadget ] ] and software pirates were stated to have put a £30,000 contract out for their lives. [ [http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/28/fresh-off-malaysian-triumph-dvd-sniffing-dogs-hit-new-york/?hp Fresh Off Malaysian Triumph, DVD-Sniffing Dogs Tackle New York - City Room - Metro - New York Times Blog ] ] [ [http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/22/dvd-pirates-put-out-hits-on-lucky-and-flo-the-crime-dogs/ DVD pirates put out hits on Lucky and Flo the crime dogs - Engadget ] ]

Pet dogs

* Buddy, U.S. President Bill Clinton's Labrador, and Seamus, Clinton's other Labrador, received for Father's Day
* Koni, Russian President Vladimir Putin's Labrador Retriever
* Widgeon - Prince William's black Labrador. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A545186 BBC - h2g2 - Labrador Retrievers ] ]
* Marley, "The World's Worst Dog", featured in journalist John Grogan's autobiographical book "Marley & Me"

Field (working) dogs

* King Buck (1948 - 1962), first dog to appear on a US postage stamp (1959), [Source: "alllabs.com", which also describes King Buck as "famous." [http://alllabs.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/labrador_retriever_history.htm?E+scstore] ] [ [http://www.brampton-labradors.com/8455.html?*session*id*key*=*session*id*val* Brampton Labradors at Paws Inn ] ] and "the most famous dog in the history of duck hunting". [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8634412 King Buck (1948 - 1962) - Find A Grave Memorial ] ] Won the National Retriever Championship in both 1952 and 1953.
* Blind of Arden (b.approx 1934),cite web
title=1938 LIFE Magazine Issues For Sale at 2Neat Magazines
publisher=2neatmagazines.com
date=2007
url=http://www.2neatmagazines.com/life/1938.html
accessdate=2007-10-05 "Life Magazine December 12, 1938: Cover - Labrador Retriever, Blind of Arden". Inside cover text reads: "The dog on this week's cover is Blind of Arden, who won the No. 1 U.S. retriever stake of the year on November 21, had his picture taken at Southampton by LIFE photographer George Karger." and stated to be 4 years old at the time. Full article text [http://www.feilbach.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=9 here] also confirms details of competition.] first dog to appear on the cover of Life (1938), also winning the No.1 competition at the time, the open all-age stake of the Long Island Retriever Club, with a "remarkable" blind recovery.
* NFC-AFC San Joaquin Honcho won the 1976 National Field Trial Championship and accumulated 142 All-age points during his competitive career. He was owned and trained by the famed retriever trainer, Judy Aycock, who purchased him on recommendation from the retriever legend Rex Carr. [Source: "working-retriever.com", which lists Honcho in the Hall of Fame. [http://working-retriever.com/retrpast/jwhoncho.htm] ]
* NFC AFC Storm's Riptide Star, or "Rascal," was the first chocolate lab to win the National Field Trial Championship. He was the 1996 National Field Trial Champion. He was handled by Mike Lardy. He was also a finalist in the 1998 National Open. [Source: "Storm's Riptide Star Article" [http://blacklabcash.blogspot.com/2007/11/nfc-afc-storms-riptide-star-rascal.html] ] ["Storm's Riptide Star Pedigree" [http://www.plazaearth.com/ldoll/storm's_riptide_star_ped.htm] ]

Fiction, TV, books, films and media

* Bouncer and Jake (a black lab), from "Neighbours"
* Denmark, a sentient Labrador retriever who is one of the two companions in "Castaways of the Flying Dutchman", a series by Brian Jacques
* Jet (f.k.a. Bootsy), briefly adopted by the fictional detective genius Nero Wolfe in Rex Stout's 1954 novella "Die Like a Dog"
* Jordan, belonging to KVBC's chief meteorologist in Las Vegas. He was a local favorite to residents and had many minutes of fame on the air throughout his 13 years of life.
*Labramon, is fraudulent labradorlike in "Digimon"
* Luath, from "The Incredible Journey"
* Orson, a Labrador mix who is a major, semi-sentient character in "Fear Nothing" by Dean Koontz
* Quill, a guide-dog for the blind whose life is followed in the film of the same name
* Randolph, the erudite narrator of J.F. Englert's mystery-comedy novel "A Dog About Town"
* Rowdy, Turk and J.D.'s pet stuffed retriever from the show "Scrubs"
* Ubu Roi, of UBU Productions
* Vincent, from "Lost", played by the famous dog Madison

Mascots and adverts

* Alien, a black Lab who served as the team mascot for the Memphis Mad Dogs. Alien would charge the field following each kickoff and retrieve the kicking tee.
* The Andrex Puppy, featured primarily in UK television spots for the Andrex brand of toilet paper, known elsewhere as Scott or Kleenex Cottonelle, also featuring the puppy mascot.
* Zeke the Wonder Dog, mascot and frisbee fanatic for the Michigan State Spartans

Notable individuals in the development of the breed

* The Duke of Buccleuch's black Lab Avon ("Buccleuch Avon", m), considered the foundational dog of the modern breed, [http://www.pslra.org/html/articles/faqs.htm - "Buccleuch's Ned and Buccleuch's Avon are generally agreed upon as being the ancestors of all Labradors."] [http://www.plazaearth.com/ldoll/storm's_riptide_star_ped.htm - "the foundation dog Buccleuch Avon born 1885".] along with Buccleuch Ned (both gifts from the Earl of Malmesbury) and the Earl of Malmesbury's dogs Malmesbury Tramp (m) and Malmesbury June (f), all pivotal in the foundation of the modern breed. All date to the 1880s. In particular, Jack Vanderwyk traces the origins of all Chocolate labs listed on the LabradorNet database to Buccleuch Avon and the two Malmesbury dogs. [ [http://www.lakecharlesretrieverclub.com/2-Origin_of_Chocolate_Labrador_Retrievers.pdf lakecharlesretrieverclub.com - 'Origins of Chocolate Labs' by Jack Vanderwyk] ]
* Ben of Hyde, first yellow lab on record (kennels of Major C.J. Radclyffe, 1899).cite web
last =Barmore
first =Laura
title =History of the Lab
url =http://alllabs.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/labrador_retriever_history.htm?E+scstore
accessdate = 2007-09-12 ]
* The two famous dogs that rekindled the modern darker ("fox red") colours of yellow Lab -- Balrion King Frost, credited as having "the biggest influence in the re-development of the fox red shade", [http://www.littleriverlabs.com/foxred.htm Fox Red Labradors ] ] and his great-grandson, the likewise famous Wynfaul Tabasco, described as "the father of the modern fox red Labrador", and the only modern fox red Show Champion in the UK. (Two other dogs, Balrion Red Alert and Scrimshaw Placido Flamingo, are also credited with greatly passing on the genes into more than one renowned bloodline, even though not especially famous themselves.)

Other

(none listed)

References

ee also

* Labrador retriever
* Service dog
* Detection dog
* List of famous dogs

External links

* [http://www.labradornet.com/index_e.html LabradorNet Hall of Fame]
* [http://www.maartjelabradors.co.uk/slfamouslabradors.html maartjelabradors.co.uk Details of "Famous Labradors either for their owners or for being in movies or on tv"]
* [http://www.lakecharlesretrieverclub.com/2-Origin_of_Chocolate_Labrador_Retrievers.pdf lakecharlesretrieverclub.com "Origin of Chocolate Lab"] - lists a number of labs described as "famous" in its tracing of pedigree routes.
* [http://www.feilbach.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=9 feilbach.org] page covering the 1938 issue of Life, related to Blind of Arden, with full article text.