06/30/2026
The Labrador was never meant to be a trend... Every so often, a breed becomes fashionable. You can usually tell when it happens because the questions change. People stop asking what the dog is like to live with, what the breed was meant to do, what kind of family rhythm suits him, or whether they are prepared for the next twelve years of mud, tennis balls, shedding, devotion, and very opinionated looks from the kitchen floor. Instead, they ask what color is available.
I understand the impulse. Labradors are beautiful dogs. A well-bred English Labrador Retriever, with that generous head, kind eye, strong body, and steady expression, has a way of making even a perfectly sensible person think, “Well, maybe now is the time.” I have seen it happen many times. I have also seen what happens when someone falls in love with the idea of a Labrador before they understand the reality of one.
That is where someone who has lived with the breed long enough has to slow the conversation down.
The Labrador was never meant to be a trend... Every so often, a breed becomes fashionable. You can usually tell when it happens because the questions change.
