 The foundational breed of what is now the Labrador Retriever was known as the St. John 's water dog , St. John 's dog , or Lesser Newfoundland . When the dogs were later brought to England , they were named after the geographic area known as " the Labrador " ( they were known as Labrador Retrievers because they " retrieved " in the Labrador Sea ) or simply Labrador to distinguish them from the larger Newfoundland breed , even though the breed was from the more southern Avalon Peninsula . 
