Black Lab or Yellow Lab?

[Brade4]

I'm looking to buy a pup within the next few months. It would hunt ducks/pheasants,go out fishing, and live on a farm with good space. I like both but I need some advice on what to get? Male of female? Black or yellow?

[Quackaddict9]

From what I've seen...Females are calmer and good around kids/family. Males tend to get more wild and stubborn but still good around kids/family. Others may have a different view though.

Black or Yellow, its your pick...both are great. For me it would be yellow because my family already has a black so something different. Have fun with it when you get one!

[fishroger]

I can see the ticks better on my yellow. Mines a male and he was full of it for 2 years, last year he seems to have matured and got calmer. I think most labs are super friendly, they dont know mean or bite. For a good all round dog a lab is a good choice.

[jeffreyd]

i have a one year old male yellow. i agree, bugs are easier to find and that i hope he grows up a bit more. he is a great dog, but still has the want to jump up on folks. my father in law is a smaller guy and when lobo jumps up he is as tall as him. makes for tense times at the inlaws. overall i think i would go with a female.

[caseymcq]

The color will have no bearing on the dog's temperment, ability or intelligence. It will be entirely dependent on what you want to look at . As mentioned yellow is definitely easier to see ticks on but also easier to see dirt and grime.

If you have seen any of my other posts in regards to labs you would know I am slightly biased.

We had a litter last November and if I had to pick one of the pups to keep, I would have picked a yellow one (suprisingly). Probably because we already had two blacks.

Male or female is another choice you will have to assess the drawbacks and benefits to and go with what works best for you. We have had both. Our female was extremely calm, very interested in pleasing and had a nose that could smell a butterfly fart from China. Our male is extremely intelligent, has a lot of desire and is extremely attentive. Both great dogs.

No matter which color you choose I hope you get a pup that you will love and enjoy for the time you are with them.

[Brade4]

Casey will you have another litter anytime soon?

[SapperACE]

Any true lab you get will be a great dog. We all know the personalities that most labs have, and the reputation that the breed has gained (and rightfully so IMO). Color does not make a difference in my limited experience. I have a yellow female and she is the sweetest little thing at home, and an absolute killer in the field and in the slough. I know some really awesome males too. I am fortunate enough to say that I have met theghost03's STUD "Kota". Check Kota out in the ghost's confirmation post in this same forum category (hunting dogs). Kota is all he's cracked up to be and more.

It is all personal preference. My only advise would be to buy a quality pup from a reputable breeder. As Charlie from "Goldberry's" Labs would say "Dont buy impulse puppies... they will be a part of your life for the next 10 years or more."

[theghost_03]

For what you are looking for a lab would be the perfect fit. But it is way too easy to sit here and answer as to what color or sex you should get. Each dog is totally molded around the owner's experience in training and dedication, and I am not simply talking about field training. If you want the next field champion or master hunter, you are talking about alot of dedication and work.

If your simply looking for a great companion and hunter, your still going to have to put in work. My best advice would go of Sapper's comment, don't go out bargain shopping. Can good dogs be bought at cheaper prices? Yes...but a reputible breeder is there to ensure you are purchasing a dog that has had generations of success with calm, intelligent, tractible, and great health records.

A breeder spends more time and money than most could even realize all in effort to ensure that the lab breed is what made them popular in the first place. There was talk in a previous forum that really summed things up. Your average dog owner is not looking for a "thorough bred race horse" they are looking for a dog that is going to be everything and more than they could have ever wanted.

So do your research, they really will be a part of your family and life for hopefully 10+ years!!

[IRISHSOBNO4]

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[BirddogLabs]

BKS,

I completely agree with thehost_3, and the previous responses. Take your time before you decide to buy, as it is so easy to get hooked on how cute the puppies are. Before I bought my black lab female Grace, I did 3 years of research on pedigrees, disposition, trainability, health clearances (hips,elbows, eyes, EIC, and CNM), hunting ability, and looks. I couldn't be happier with her, as she is everything I was wanting and more.

As for color it really is your choice. Yes you will see ticks better on a yellow, but you will also see a black better if hunting in a field with tall grass or in a meadow at a distance.

Just to let you know, I do have 2 black female pups and 1 yellow male pup from Grace currently available. They were born June 22 and will be available to go home mid August. If you are interested, I do have the puppies listed in the classified section on the MN forum.

Have fun and good luck with your puppy hunt!

[LABS4ME]

Black or Yellow makes no difference in the dogs ability. Equate to a search for your wife... are you going to only limit your search to Blonde or Brunette?

Male or Female will not make any difference either. Training is the equalizer. If males were so knot headed and impossible to train and control, they would not be the sex of choice by most trialers. They ARE the same everyday when they come to train, no hormone ups and downs... BUT! you must train them. Nature says they are to be more athletic and wanderers... much like a buck deer, but with training you WILL have a great dog who is under control. Spaying and nuetering prior to one year of age will also help either of the sexes be more level headed.

In the end, the search for a reputable breeder and a litter of pups bred for your specific desire is more important than any color or sex preferences. Make sure the lines are free from inherited disorders for at least 2 prior genereations and preferably 3 or 4. Make sure than are calm tractible lines and if you are going to duck hunt, make sure the parents are with proper coat. WAAAAAAy too many lab lines have the coat and other physical attributes bred out.

Good Luck!

Ken

[caseymcq]

Casey will you have another litter anytime soon?

Unfortunately, we will not be having a litter anytime in the near future.

There are a number of good breeders on this site.

[Brade4]

Alright, thanks.

[troutkingmaster]

I chose black because the cloth interior in my truck is a darker color and I knew the GF would not let the pup be in the crate in the truck bed all the time. The same principle can be applied to carpet/furniture color in the house as well. That being said I was very impartial to color.

[BLACKJACK]

Labs, what do you mean by having the 'proper coat'. What does a proper coat on a lab look and feel like? I know the coat on my 13 year old yellow lab is a lot thicker than the coat on my 5 year old black lab.

Back to the original question. I like to alternate colors since I hunt them together, that way I can tell them apart easily. So since my older lab is yellow, the next pup will be yellow.

Male/female - my first lab was a hard headed hard charging male, since then I've had three females and will continue with the females because they seem to listen better, they'll take a lecture to heart, you have to be careful not to be too tough on them, while that male, I could have hit him over the head with a 2x4 and he'd keep on trucking. Females for me.

[bigdog]

I have two blacks and a Yellow that is almost white. The light colored dog shows up better in the field. I think color is a personal choice. I prefer the black, bought the white one because he was the best pup of the bunch when I was looking (they were 6-7 months old at the time). If you have the dogs inside like I do, the yellow hair shows up a lot more on furniture...

[caseymcq]

BLACKJACK, as far as the propper coat, he may be referring to a thicker coat with the thick wavy fur going down the back. The thicker fur and wavy thick fur down the back is the coat that typically keeps labs warm in the cold water (stretching back to when their ancestors that were water/fishing dogs used to help retrieve nets).

[LABS4ME]

BlackJack...

A high proportion of today's 'field' bred labs have only the long outer coat. Many have no under coat what-so-ever. This is the coat that retains heat and protects the dog during cold water retrieves. The outer guard coat should be thick as well and have a decent shine (oils) to help repel the water.

The under coat is the downey fur you would see if you pet the guard coat against the direction it naturally lays. It is very soft and fluffy. ALL show dogs have it or they are immediatley disqualified. Personally I feel all labs should have it or not be bred, no matter how good they are! It should be on par with the clearances for inherited disorders. I generally make sure my breedings have some show dogs or dual purpose dogs in them to retain all the physical attributes including the coat. I do not breed show dogs, but rather properly structured field dogs.

Good Luck!

Ken

[Brade4]

Couple quick questions. I found a litter for sale. They are AKC registered lab pups. Black and yellow. I would get a yellow. What are the benefits of AKC? Is it not good that they aren't pure bred? And they're dew claws are removed. Good or bad? Last but not least, what are the things to look for when picking out a pup to see if its going to be a good one? Thanks

[jwmiller33]

one word: golden

[Brade4]

What?

[cutter08]

AKC is the American Kennel Club. You can go on there HSOforum and see what they are all about. I don't know any reputable breeder that doesn't have AKC registered dogs. And i would never buy a hunting dog that was not registered.

As for picking out a pup, Well everyone has there own beliefs. Me personally i went in with all the pups and the mom spent some time looking at how they act then had the mom taken out to see if there was any change. I also brought a goose feather with and let them play with it to see if they got birdy or if they could car less. Then i separated a few that i liked from the litter to see how they reacted away from the litter mates. after that i just picked one that stood out. That how i picketed my dog.

[LABS4ME]

As far as AKC goes, it does little to guaratee what the end rsult of your dog will be. It is proving that it is pure bred, that's the extent of it. Almost meaningless except for record keeping when breeding.

I would never consider a breeding that did not have OFA clearances on both parents and all 4 grandparents at a bare minimum, along with CERF clearances on both parents and EIC and CNM on at least one parent. This is the new threshold that should be adhered to when buying or selling pups. Also you want more than a 24 month guarntee... 3 years minimum. References should be available and some form of proof as to the parents ability in the field.

Good Luck in your search...

Ken

[311Hemi]

As far as AKC goes, it does little to guaratee what the end rsult of your dog will be. It is proving that it is pure bred, that's the extent of it. Almost meaningless except for record keeping when breeding.

I would never consider a breeding that did not have OFA clearances on both parents and all 4 grandparents at a bare minimum, along with CERF clearances on both parents and EIC and CNM on at least one parent. This is the new threshold that should be adhered to when buying or selling pups. Also you want more than a 24 month guarntee... 3 years minimum. References should be available and some form of proof as to the parents ability in the field.

I could not agree more!

[theghost_03]

As far as AKC goes, it does little to guaratee what the end rsult of your dog will be. It is proving that it is pure bred, that's the extent of it. Almost meaningless except for record keeping when breeding.

I would never consider a breeding that did not have OFA clearances on both parents and all 4 grandparents at a bare minimum, along with CERF clearances on both parents and EIC and CNM on at least one parent. This is the new threshold that should be adhered to when buying or selling pups. Also you want more than a 24 month guarntee... 3 years minimum. References should be available and some form of proof as to the parents ability in the field.

Good Luck in your search...

Ken

Basically sums it all up!! This is the basic guidelines to searching for any lab. The color makes absolutely no difference, it's how much training the dog receives that will determine the type of dog you will have.