How to Create an Album of Labrador Dog Pictures

If a dog is man's best friend, then a Labrador retriever has to be family. There are no other animals on earth that can offer the companionship and loyalty that this particular breed does. If you're a loyal Labrador owner, you'll want to remember each and every one of them that you spend time with during the course of your lifetime. Many folks keep a scrapbook or photo album of Labrador pictures so they can look back fondly at all of those special four-legged friends that helped them get through life. If you're just starting yours, we'd like to offer a few suggestions.

Labradors were bred for Life in a New World

The Labrador breed is a product of the new world, not the old. In the 15th Century, settlers in Newfoundland who were mainly English and Irish fishermen used Labradors, then known as "St John's Water Dogs", for retrieval and pulling in nets. It wasn't until the early 19th Century (1820) that the dogs were exported to England where the breed was established under its current name. Knowing this, any collector of commemorative photos or memorabilia should include some sketches or Labrador dog pictures from the early years when the breed was still gaining a foothold. Today, Labrador retrievers are the most popular breed of dog in the world, mainly because they are so versatile and work well in partnership with human beings.

Though most of the world immediately thinks of the long-haired Newfoundland breed when the subject of dogs in that part of Canada comes up, the Labrador is actually more common and useful to the sportsmen and fishermen of the region. Long haired animals get iced up when they go into the water in cold weather, while the short-haired retrievers go in and out of lakes and rivers without any visible adverse effects. They are also considered more intelligent, no surprise to anyone who has owned one before. Labradors learn anything you teach them quickly, and they pick up a few things on their own without any training, a good reason why they've adapted so well to numerous and diverse new environments and situations around the world. Another idea for Labrador dog pictures would be some shots of them in action in different countries.

Brighten Your Album with Shades of Gold, Fox Red, and Chocolate

Golden Retrievers, also known as Yellow Labradors, are some of the most sought after dogs on earth. Pure golden retriever breeds are sold for hundreds of dollars in the United States and are at a premium in the UK as well. If you own golden retrievers, see if you can acquire some of the Labrador dog pictures from before the mid 20th Century that depict the breed in its darker shade, a butterscotch hue. The "gold" didn't come out until the 1950's, so there aren't as many of them around as there are red fox or chocolate Labradors. The latter are the most common of all the subtypes. A comprehensive album of Labrador dog pictures should include all three

The Difference between Conformation and Field Labradors

In addition to the subtypes classified by color, there are also two distinctly different sub-breeds of retriever, the conformation retriever and the field retriever. The conformation, or show dog, is bred mainly in England but can be found in the United States, but the field retriever, also known as the American working retriever, can be found anywhere in the world. If you live in the United States, the latter breed is most likely what you have, but don't be surprised if even the dog people around you can't tell the difference. The main characteristics that set the show dog apart from the working dog are their height, weight, and length of nose. The show dog is bred to be shorter, stockier, and have a longer snout. It's a subtle difference that breeders and judges at dog shows look at, but one that regular dog owners wouldn't normally notice. To see it clearly, place Labrador dog pictures of each sub-breed side by side and compare.

If a Dog Could Smile...

Labradors are considered to be one of the friendliest and most playful breeds on earth. They are highly intelligent and in many cases seem like they know exactly what's going on with the humans they spend the majority of their time with. If you are a Labrador owner, you know this to be a fact. How many times have you said something to your dog and seen that slight head cock or maybe even a nod of acknowledgment? It seems sometimes that a Labrador could just answer you back and there are definitely times when you can almost see a smile on the dog's face. These are all special moments that should be captured in Labrador dog pictures for your new photo album.

Now that you have the history photos, sketches, and a few action shots of the breed in general, try to capture some of those happy moments when your dog is smiling or playful. Those are the times you'll want to look back on when your four-legged friend passes on. It's sad but true. Unless you're in your later years of life, you will most likely outlive your animal. Make sure you have some positive memories that you can look back on and show to your children and grandchildren so they can appreciate this marvelous breed of dog. Leave some pages open in the photo album and they can add some Labrador dog pictures of their own.

Creating a Theme for Your Viewers

Photo albums can be so much more than just old pictures. They are a cumulative collection of life events, an amassment of memories to reflect back on in later years, and a history to pass on to family, friends, and loved ones. They can also be a message to those who don't understand. In the case of an album of Labrador dog photos, the theme could be one of appreciation for the animal and the message could be one of love and respect for dogs that perhaps one of your viewers might not have. Capture the essence of the animal and make sure your feelings shine through clearly when you put your photo album together. You're doing it for you, but there will many others who will look at it someday, so make sure you leave a message for them

Copyright (c) 2010 Trey Markel