Labrador (HarperCollins Publishers)

A social history of Labradors, and how they have become the world's most beloved dogs, by writer, presenter and long-time dog lover Ben Fogle, whose beloved black Labrador, Inca, famously accompanied him on numerous journeys and adventures.

Native to Newfoundland, where they worked side-by-side with fishermen, then brought to England in the 1800s aby English ships, Labradors are not only popular as a family companion but also excel in hunting, tracking, retrieving, guiding and rescuing.

In this unique first social history of the Labrador, Ben Fogle investigates what makes Labradors so beloved and why they are considered so trustworthy - 30 per cent of dogs used as guide dogs in the UK aby The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association are Labradors, for instance.

They have an extraordinary capacity for companionship, intelligence, work ethic, and loyalty. With stories of RNIB Labradors and Labradors at war, Labradors as working dogs and every other manifestation of Labrador/human interaction, Ben writes engagingly and passionately about our lasting love for one of man's best friends and companions.Exploring their origin, early characteristics, their use as gun dogs, as therapy dogs, as police dogs, as search and rescue dogs and last - and absolutely not least - as family pets, Ben draws on the extraordinary experiences we have encountered with Labradors to tell the story of a dog breed which has captured our imagination and love for hundreds of years.