What dog breeds are similar to Labradors?

Perhaps the breed that most resembles the Labrador Retriever is the Golden Retriever, both sharing a similar appearance and personality. However, these two breeds are actually distant descendants. The Labrador Retriever is bred down from the now-extinct Lesser St. John's Dog, while the Golden Retriever is the result of a cross of the Flat-coated Retriever and the now-extinct Tweed Water Spaniel, mixed with other breeds in its ancestry such as the Irish Setter and the Bloodhound.

Some other breeds that look like the Labrador Retriever are the Flat-coated Retriever, Curly-coated Retriever and Chesapeake Bay Retriever. However, the Lab's closest relative is the Newfoundland. Although now having a very different size, they both probably descended from St. John's Dog.