Labrador Retriever - Famous Labradors

Famous Labradors

As both the most popular breed by registered ownership and also the most popular breed for assistance dogs in several countries, there have been many notable and famous labradors since the breed was recognised.

A selection of a few of the most famous labradors within various categories includes:

Assistance dogs

• Endal, a service dog in Britain. Among other distinctions, "the most decorated dog in the world" (including "Dog of the Millennium" and the PDSA’s Gold Medal for Animal Gallantry and Devotion to Duty), the first dog to ride on the London Eye and the first dog known to work a 'chip and pin' ATM card. By Endal's death in March 2009, he and his owner/handler Allen Parton had been filmed almost 350 times by crews from several countries, and a film of a year in Endal's life was in production.

Police, military, rescue and detection dogs

• Zanjeer ("Chain", or "Shackles"), a detection dog who detected arms and ammunition used in 1993 Mumbai (Bombay) serial explosions. During his service, he helped recover 57 country-made bombs, 175 petrol bombs, 11 military grade armaments, 242 grenades and 600 detonators. His biggest contribution to the police force and the city was the detection of 3,329 kg of RDX. He also helped detect 18 Type 56 rifles and five 9mm pistols.

• Lucky and Flo, twin Black Labrador counterfeit detection dogs who became famous in 2007 for "sniffing out nearly 2 million pirated counterfeit DVDs" on a six-month secondment to Malaysia in 2007. Following the multi-million dollar, 6-arrest Malaysian detection, they became the first dogs to be awarded Malaysia's "outstanding service award" and software pirates were stated to have put a £30,000 contract out for their lives.

• Sabi, an Australian special forces explosives detection dog that spent almost 14 months missing in action (MIA) in Afghanistan before being recovered safe and well in 2009.

Pets

• Former President of the United States Bill Clinton's Labradors Buddy and Seamus.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin's Labrador 'Koni'.
• Former footballer and Manchester United legend Roy Keane famously owned a labrador called Triggs.

Fiction and media

• Labradors have featured variously as pets and significant characters in sitcoms and other TV shows, as well as other portrayals in the media. Bouncer in Neighbours, and Luath in The Incredible Journey, are two TV examples.
• Marley is an American Labrador featured in Marley & Me, a best-selling book by John Grogan, and a subsequent film based on Grogan's life and times with Marley.
• On the BBC children's television series Big Barn Farm, Digger is a yellow Labrador puppy.
• Rowdy on Scrubs is a taxidermy golden Labrador Retriever involved in various gags on the show.
• Brian Griffin from Family Guy is a white Labrador Retriever.
• Vincent on Lost is a white Labrador Retriever.

Mascots and advertising

• Since 1972, a yellow Labrador pup known as the Andrex Puppy has been an advertising symbol for Andrex (Cottonelle) toilet tissue.
• Michigan State University has an ongoing tradition of Zeke the Wonder Dog. The original "Zeke" as well as the current "Zeke IV" was a yellow Lab, as "Zeke III", and "Zeke II" were black Labs.