Are Labrador Retrievers Dangerous?

The Daily Mail reported that Labrador Retrievers are “the worst dogs for biting” and that they cause more personal injury claims than any other dog. How can one of the world’s favorite dogs be so aggressive? Is this claim accurate? The Economic Times further reports that preferred dog breeds are no less likely to bite than banned breeds. In this article, we’ll explore whether these statements are true or not and why.

America’s Best Friend

The Labrador Retriever, or Lab for short, has been recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) since 1917. In 2022, roughly 100,000 people registered purebred Labs with the AKC, which makes it the most popular breed in the United States, according to National Public Radio. Other research shows that, in 2019, the Lab was the third most popular dog breed in the entire world.

The AKC has reported that the Lab has been on their top ten most popular breeds list since the 1970s, in fact. By the 1980s, the Lab moved from #9 to #3 in their rankings. Although there is some dispute that the French Bulldog has surpassed the breed in recent years, it’s safe to say that the Labrador Retriever has been America’s “best friend” overall since about 1990, over three decades. Labs are also the preferred breed today in Canada and England, where the breed originated.

The Labrador Retriever At a Glance

• From: Newfoundland in Canada
• Type: Sporting
• Three varieties: Black, Chocolate, and Yellow (Silver, white, and charcoal Labs are available but not recognized by the AKC)
• Females: 55-70 pounds. Males: 65-80 pounds.
• Shoulder Height: 21.5”-24.5”
• Lives: 10-14 years typically
• General Temperament: versatile, gentle, affectionate, trainable, enthusiastic, friendly, intelligent, exuberant, devoted, high-spirited, family-oriented, eager, courageous, sweet, agile
• Activity Level: High-energy, needs lots of mental stimulation (swims, hikes, playing catch, tracking/hunting, dock diving, agility courses). Over-all sturdy, athletic but not stocky, well-balanced.
• Official Uses: Search & rescue missions, service dogs, frisbee competitions, drug/bomb detection, therapy dogs, show dogs, diabetic shock warning dogs, visiting nursing homes and homes for the elderly, cancer detection dogs.
• Medical: Generally a healthy breed but may experience cold tail, eye problems like Progressive Retinal Atrophy and cataracts, Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus, Osteochondrosis Dissecans, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, acute moist dermatitis, myopathy, epilepsy, Tricuspid Valve Dysplasia, and ear infections.
• Coat: Hard, dense

Breaking down some of these key issues even further, here is an in-depth look at some of the most important Labrador Retriever issues when it comes to safety and potentially violent behavior:

Adaptability Factors: Medium

• Tolerates extreme temperatures: medium
• Tolerates alone time: low/medium
• Tolerates apartment life: low
• Good “starter dog:” medium

Trainability Factors: Medium-High

• Tendency to howl and bark: medium-high
• Smart: high
• Tendency to run away: medium
• Prey drive: medium-low
• Trainability: high
• “Mouthiness” (meaning play biting or nibbling to get a human’s attention or get them to throw a ball, etc) – high

Safety & Disposition Factors: High

• Friendly with other dogs: high
• Family-friendly: high
• Child-friendly: high
• Stranger friendly: high
• Watchdog: low

Exercise Needs: High

• High-intensity activities: high
• Playfulness: high
• Overall energy: high
• Need for exercise: high

About Labrador Retrievers

Labrador Retrievers are Canadian—that’s right. They come from the Canadian province of Newfoundland, which is on the eastern coast of Canada, on the Labrador Sea between Canada and Greenland. As the “retriever” name implies, the Labrador Retriever’s first job was helping retrieve escaped fish and bring in heavy nets and ropes in the Labrador Sea—this is why Labs are such natural swimmers.

Although this isn’t known for sure, legend has it that the Labrador Retriever is a result of breeding mongrel swimming dogs around the local area with the Newfoundland Dog. As St. John is the capital of Newfoundland, this breed was first called the “St. John’s Dog.”

Despite their “working class” start in the 1500s, the Labrador Retriever was also a family dog from the very beginning, a companion to the dock workers and fishing community as well. After working alongside a fishing crew all day, the dog then went home with its handler’s family. Their skills as “fish retrievers” have easily translated to bird dogging and field retrievers.

British colonists found the “St. John’s Dog” to be excellently bred and started importing them to England for use on hunts. In 1830, for example, the second Earl of Malmesbury personally had some Labrador Retrievers sent to him in Poole, England, but it was the third Earl of Malmesbury who first referred to the breed by its current name.

In the 1880s, Labs almost went extinct, like so many other breeds at some point. Supposedly, the Malmesbury family played an integral role in saving the breed. Ironically, at that same time, back in Newfoundland, the breed was practically banned (due to tax restrictions, not for the dog’s behavior).

The first yellow Lab was born in 1899. The Kennel Club from England actually recognized the breed 14 years before their American counterpart did. After World War I and through World War II, England exported “British Labs” to the United States.

Why Are Labrador Retrievers So Popular?

The Lab has been aptly described as a “light switch dog,” meaning you can flip them on or flip them off. For example, if you want to play catch in the backyard, the Lab can be “turned on” and is up and ready to go. When you’re done and want to sit in your recliner watching TV, the Lab can then be “turned off” and is content to sit next to you calmly. For this reason, you’re more likely to see a Lab helping a blind person around than any other breed. In fact, Labs have been consistently ranked as the best breed for service animals.

Do Labrador Retrievers Attack?

This breed has never been used as a guard dog, was not bred for fighting, and is well-known for licking intruders rather than barking at them. So how is it that the Daily Mail has identified them as causing so many dog bite personal injury claims? It’s all a question of math. According to the American Kennel Club, there are about 80 million dogs in the United States, most of which are mixed breeds or mutts. We also know that the AKC reported 100,000 purebred Labs were registered in 2020.

Some experts debate that the Lab is still the top breed in the country. For example, a website called Embark.com conducts DNA tests on dogs so that owners can determine their dog’s breeding and background. Their data indicates that Pitbull mixes are actually the most common breed in the US (about 15%). Since most people do not own purebred dogs, this logic could hold up. Furthermore, a survey of American veterinarians reports that Labs make up as much as 17% of the US dog population.

Consider that the number of Labs in the US is fairly similar to the number of Pitbull mixes in the US based on the data above. Additionally, we see Labs killing about one person per year, whereas Pitbulls are killing about 50 people per year. By comparison, this makes the number of Labrador Retriever attacks seem very low.

The problem begins when you have websites encouraging families to get, for example, American Bulldogs, using the logic that they only kill the same amount of people every year as Labs do, which is true. However, the American Bulldog isn’t even on the AKC’s list of top 200 most popular dogs in the US. So, proportionally, the American Bulldog is far more likely to attack than the Labrador Retriever. Considering how prevalent Labs are, one death a year is extremely low.

Unfortunately, how vicious a dog breed can be is often determined by how many Animal Control reports were made against that breed. These numbers are rarely then compared against how many of that breed are out there. Without comparing the number of attacks to the number of dogs from the breed, the information is pretty useless.

Coming back around again to why the Daily Mail reported that the Labrador Retriever causes more injuries than any other breed, it seems they’ve used the same logic as: “The Toyota Camry isn’t a safe car because it’s involved in so many accidents.” The Camry is one of the most popular cars on the road—that’s why it’s in so many accidents, not because it’s unsafe.

Furthermore, according to the Denver Post, the Coalition of Living Safely with Dogs studied over 2,000 dog bites in Colorado. They found that, indeed, Labs caused most of the bites (about 13%). Well, if 17% of dogs are Labs, but only 13% of bites are caused by Labs, this data actually shows how “safe” they are, not how “dangerous” they are. The bottom line is that if Labs were biting as often as other breeds, they would be banned from coverage by homeowner’s insurance policies, and they are not.

When Labrador Retrievers Attack

Clearly, any dog can bite at any time. It’s not necessarily likely, but it is certainly possible. So, under what conditions might America’s favorite dog get aggressive? As you might expect, it’s more often a case of human error and misjudgment than it is of a dog simply “snapping” out of nowhere. Again, Labs are highly active dogs that require open space, attention, and mental stimulation. When owners can not provide the right conditions for a Lab, like any breed, they can get aggressive. Also, understand that puppies are more likely to bite children than adults. Your kids need to be trained on how to behave around a dog just as much as a dog needs to learn how to behave around them.

Proper Training of a Lab Puppy

So, the first warning sign that a Lab might be inclined to bite is if it never receives any training. Don’t make the mistake of thinking, “This is a friendly dog. Therefore, it doesn’t really need to be trained.” That’s not true. You might also mistakenly think that you can just “handle” a rambunctious little puppy, but this dog will not be so manageable when it’s still rambunctious at 75 pounds.

Proper dog obedience training is much more involved than simply teaching a dog to sit, drop its ball, or not tug on the leash. For everyone’s safety, all dogs should be trained on how to behave around the elderly, children, the disabled, strangers, and other dogs. Many people think they can train their dog on their own despite having never owned a dog before or having no experience training a dog. This is dog owner failure #1. Proper training is as much about going over commands as it is about teaching humans how to follow through on the dog’s training and be “the leader of the pack.” A dog can be familiar with dozens of tricks, but if the owner is inconsistent and has no command presence, it won’t matter.

Obedience class also safely exposes a puppy to other dogs. Ideally, Labs will be put through a training course between 8 weeks and four months. Too often, non-willing participants are forced to help socialize the world’s dogs, being leered at and jumped on against their will. Your neighbors, your family, and the people you pass on the sidewalk or trail are not willing participants in training your dog. At an obedience class, though, it’s safe to say everyone is open to helping you socialize with each other’s dogs.

Proper Mental Stimulation for a Labrador Retriever

Labs are intelligent dogs with tons of energy, which means you will see the worst in them if they are bored, under-exercised, and cooped up too much. The Lab enjoys family trips, and including your dog on outings is a great way to provide mental stimulation. However, some activities are really never appropriate with a dog, even a well-trained one on a short leash.

Being a responsible dog owner means identifying the times when it’s best to leave a Lab at home. For example, please do not be that parent who uses the walk to the elementary school for student pick-up and drop-off as your dog walking time. Being swarmed by dozens of running, screaming small children is an accident waiting to happen with any dog. Please remember plenty of little kids are scared of your dog and really have no power to ask you to remove your dog from the sidewalk or parking lot.

Just because Labs love the energy that a group of kids brings doesn’t mean the kids love your dog or that it’s appropriate. Dogs do not belong in heavily crowded and/or chaotic areas; this means school pick-up and drop-off, bustling urban sidewalks, elevators, building entrances, around areas where people are trying to eat, and so on.

When Labs are bored and isolated, expect chewing, digging, barking, and other bad habits to materialize. “Potty walks” to the end of the block and back are not enough. Labs need at least half an hour of exercise every day. This could include walking, playing catch, swimming, hiking, messing around at a dog park, and jogging. However, a Lab’s owner must take special care not to over-exercise the dog because they are workaholics and will just keep going until they get injured or sick. You do not need to push a Lab until they reach exhaustion; just limit activities to about 30 minutes.

Furthermore, Labs are natural chewers. It’s in their breeding to be carrying an escaped fish in their mouths back to the dock. This dog needs to have a chew toy at all times. Being “mouthy” isn’t just chewing, though—the Lab also just likes holding things proudly in its mouth (a stick, a Frisbee, a tennis ball, a dead bird, or a rabbit). Some ill-equipped Lab owners, however, think chewing is a bad habit that they can reprimand away just because the dog destroyed a shoe or piece of furniture. That is largely human error. The Lab needs to go with you when you leave the house, be put in a crate, or be in a secure backyard. Why? Because this dog will chew. Punishing it for chewing is like punishing a toddler for putting something dirty in his or her mouth.

Monitoring “Play Bites” Carefully

Lab puppies bite due to:

• Misunderstood bite inhibition (bite inhibition training can combat this)
• Being over-stimulated (redirect your puppy to a chew toy)
• Teething (try frozen chew toys)
• Attention (if you teach a puppy that biting brings attention, the puppy is apt to keep doing it)

Expect play biting from young Labs. These bites can be painful, so don’t let the term “play biting” confuse you into thinking it’s ok to leave a Lab puppy alone with a child. If your Lab is still biting at six months, please contact a dog behavior specialist and ask yourself, “Is my dog getting enough exercise? Enough mental stimulation? Has my training been consistent? Do I follow through on what we learned in obedience school all the time?”

Real Incidents of Labrador Retriever Attacks

Friend’s Lab Bites Off Woman’s Lips

The New York Post reported that in December 2022, in St. Louis, MO, a Lab bit off half of a woman’s lips. The woman was visiting her friend’s house when her friend’s Lab unexpectedly leered at her face and ripped off the left half of both her upper and lower lips. She lost so much blood that she fainted and has undergone three reconstructive surgeries. The victim did not report the attack to Animal Control, but the dog was later surrendered to the authorities with a letter explaining what happened.

8-Year-Old Girl’s Face Torn Up by the Family Lab

In Pt. Richie, FL, in 2014, a family’s Lab had been showing aggressive tendencies. Instead of taking the dog to the vet to ensure it was not sick or injured, the owners decided to simply lock the dog in a back bedroom when they had a child houseguest over. The family’s daughter entered the room to get a toy and was bitten on her eyes, ears, nose, and face.

Daycare Lab Attacks 8-Year-Old Boy

After attending the home-based daycare for two months, a boy was dropped off with his sister and sat down on the living room rug. Without any provocation, the daycare owner’s black Lab attacked his chest, arms, and face. The boy tried defending himself by punching the dog, but it didn’t help.

Woman Ignores “Beware of Dog” Signs & Gets Mauled to Death

In 2014, in Austin, TX, a 36-year-old female process server entered a yard with a sign posted that read “Beware of Dog – It Bites.” She was subsequently mauled and killed by a pack of six adult dogs, which included several “not dangerous breeds” like the Labrador Retriever. Local Animal Control could also be negligent in this case as there were over 25 dogs on the property and numerous reports of the dogs getting out and running amok in the area, chasing cars and bicyclists, and so on. The city of Austin takes a unique approach to public reports of vicious dogs and posts the locations of these occurrences online, much like most areas treat sex offenders.

3-Year-Old Boy Scarred for Life in Labrador Retriever Attack

In Dorset, UK, in 2011, the mother of a 3-year-old boy bent over to pet a puppy at the park. When she did, the adult dog belonging to the puppy’s owner attacked her son’s face. The young boy needed 40 stitches and is now suffering from dog nightmares. The black Lab that attacked was not the puppy’s birth mother. The boy’s mom said if the dog had been a “dangerous breed,” she would not have approached it.

Injured by a Lab? We Are New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyers!

Dog attack cases are what we do, as our name implies. With over a quarter of a century of experience, our goal is to get you the highest settlement we can. Our offices are conveniently located in Newark and Egg Harbor Township. Call the New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyer or use our contact form.