Labrador Dad Shirts

Long before the Labrador was the family dog on every street, it was a working water dog on the coast of Newfoundland. Its ancestors, the St. John's water dogs, helped fishermen in cold Atlantic water, bringing back fish and nets that slipped overboard. English sportsmen brought the dogs home in the 1800s and shaped them into the retriever we know, with a thick water-shedding coat, an otter tail that steers in the water and a soft mouth that carries a bird without damaging it. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1917.

This shelf is for the man who throws the bumper. None of our Lab designs says "dad," so we picked the ones he would actually wear, starting with the water work: "First In" off the dock, "Return Current," "Lake Shift," "Net Return," which nods to that fishing past, "Working Water" and "Go Make a Wake." Then the field and the soft mouth: "Soft Carry," "Soft Mouth Pass," "Good as Done," "Field Tested," "Carry the Good Thing" and "Steady the Line." For the hiker and the road trip: "Rain Ready," "Keep the Moment Moving" with its trail map, the camp lantern of "Leave a Better Trace," "Make the Room Bigger," "Good Energy Travels" and the badge of the "Labrador Retriever Social Club."

Every design is printed on our Washed Tee: 100% cotton, 250 gsm, washed vintage finish, relaxed unisex fit, S to 5XL, three colors per design. 2 or more tees ship free in the US, and 3 or more get 15% off automatically. For the jokes, see funny Labrador shirts; for her, Labrador mom shirts. Browse the full Labrador collection or the Labrador Christmas gifts guide. Comparing breeds? Our dog dad shirts page shows one pick for each of 21 breeds.

FAQ

Do these shirts say Labrador dad?

No. They are original Lab designs picked for the man who loves his Lab: water work, field heritage and outdoor poster art. None of them is on our funny Labrador or Labrador mom pages, so you can mix designs from all three.

Do the designs show black, yellow or chocolate Labs?

All three appear. Many designs show a black Lab, others a yellow or chocolate one, and some use poster colors. Open a design to see the art up close before you pick one for a particular dog.

What size should I get for a man?

The Washed Tee is a relaxed straight unisex cut and true to size, from S to 5XL, so most men order their usual size. Check the chest width in our size guide. Tees are printed to order, so we cannot take returns for a wrong size.