Selective breeding has not only resulted in differences in morphology between dog breeds but also differences in behaviour.  Some dog breeds are good herders and others pointers. The retriever breeds where bred for retrieving, retrieving is the behaviour of the dog running out for fallen prey and return with it. The retriever breeds consist of the labrador retriever, golden retriever, flatcoated retriever, curly coated retriever, nova scotia duck tolling retriever and chesapeake bay retriever.

The use of the retriever breeds has changed, today they are also a popular companion and show dog. This have resulted in a change in breeding, as some breed for the hunting behaviours like retrieving and some for companion and show. Different types of labrador retriever have been acknowledged. The types are field-type, breed for hunting, and common-type, breed for companionship and show.

The aim of my work was to investigate if there are any differences in the retrieving behaviour and other behaviours, between and within the retriever breeds.