 Labradors are an intelligent breed with a good work ethic and generally good temperaments . Common working roles for Labradors include : hunting , tracking and detection ( they have a great sense of smell which helps when working in these areas ) , disabled @-@ assistance , carting , and therapy work . Approximately 60 – 70 % of all guide dogs in Canada are Labradors ; other common breeds are Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds . Labrador Retrievers have proven to have a high success rate at becoming guide dogs . A study was recently done on how well four different breeds ( Labrador Retriever , Golden Retriever , Labrador Retriever / Golden Retriever Mix , and German Shepherds ) trained to become guide dogs . In this experiment , German Shepherds had the highest chance of not completing it . Labrador Retrievers and Labrador Retriever / Golden Retriever Mix had the highest success rate . However , German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers had a higher success rate after going through longer training than the training required for Labrador Retrievers . 
