Wes Siler is your guide to leading a more exciting life in the great outdoors. As Outside’s outdoor lifestyle columnist, he writes about the intersections of science, news, politics, gear, vehicles ...

The Labrador retriever has reigned supreme as the most popular dog in the United States for 31 years, according to the American Kennel Club, which describes the breed as friendly, active and outgoing.

Let’s assume that the original dog was an animal of many purposes. In time, humans began to demand that their dogs perform specific tasks and select for certain capabilities. Thus arose the ...