Labrador. History: It is popular belief that the Labrador Retriever originated in Canada, where fishermen used a similar dog to retrieve fish. It is an excellent water dog, and its weather-resistant coat and otter-like tail emphasize its characteristics. Comparatively speaking, the Labrador is not a very old breed, given that its Club was formed in 1916 and the "Yellow Labrador Club" was founded in 1925. It was in field trials that the Labrador began to make itself known. It was originally brought to Britain by Col Peter Hawker and the Earl of Malmesbury in the late 1800's, which is the reason why that dog was called the Malmesbury Tramp, one of the "taproots" of the modern Labrador.