clipped from: animal.discovery.com   
Labrador Retriever
Sporting
Labrador Retriever
Energy level4
Excercise requirements3
Playfulness5
Affection level5
Friendliness toward dogs4
Friendliness toward other pets5
Friendliness toward strangers5
Ease of training5
Watchdog ability4
Protection ability2
Grooming2
Cold tolerance 4
Heat tolerance3

AKC Ranking: 1
Family: gundog, retriever
Area of Origin: Canada
Date of Origin: 1800s
Original Function: water retrieving
Today's Function: water retrieving, assistance, obedience competition, retriever field trials
Avg Size of male: Height: 22.5-24.5 Weight: 65-80
Avg Size of Female: Height: 21.5-23.5 Weight: 55-70
Other Name: none

Temperament
Few breeds so richly deserve their popularity as the Labrador retriever. Devoted, obedient and amiable, the Lab is good with children, other dogs and other pets. It will be a calm house dog, playful yard dog and intense field dog, all on the same day. It is eager to please, enjoys learning and excels in obedience. It is a powerful breed that loves to swim and retrieve. It needs daily physical and mental challenges to keep it occupied, however; a bored Lab can get into trouble.