WHAT MAKES YOUR LAB TICK
Labrador Retrievers are many things to many people…. Companion, helper, friend, service dog, detection dog, hunter, competitor, but first and foremost, they are a retriever. In an attempt to please you, they will perform many duties, however, make no mistake, they are a hunting retriever to the bone! Hunting, swimming and fetching are in their genes, right down to their webbed feet.
LABS ARE PEOPLE- ORIENTED
Labs have to be in tune with their people in order to follow directions to birds that have fallen out of their sight. That’s great for people who like constant canine companionship. It’s bad for people who expect a  dog to entertain himself. Some hunting dogs were created to hunt independently of humans. Terriers and hounds, for example, follow their noses or eyes and the person must try to keep up. Not so with the Lab.
 
Excerpt of Article by:  (read full article)
D. Caroline Coile, Ph.D., is the author of
22 books, including  Beyond Fetch: Fun, Interactive Activities for You and Your Dog (Howell, 2003) and  How Smart Is Your Dog?: 30 Fun Science Activities with Your Pet(Sterling, 2003).

Escape Artists:

• Labradors are not especially renowned for escapology. They do not particularly jump high fences or dig, although some labs may climb or jump up for fun or to explore. As a breed they are highly intelligent, and capable of intense single-mindedness and focus if their interest is caught. Therefore with the right conditions and stimuli, a bored lab could "turn into an escape artist par excellence."
• It is also worth noting that Labradors as a breed are curious, exploratory and love company, following both people and interesting scents for food, attention and novelty value. In this way, they can often "vanish" or otherwise become separated from their owners with little fanfare. They are also popular dogs if found. Because of this it is good practice that labradors are micro chipped, with the owners name and address also on their collar and tags.