Black, Chocolate, or Yellow?

[Brade4]

Hey guys-

I'm gonna be getting a dog this spring and just curious to what you guys think. I want a lab for sure, but what kind I don't know. It may do some pheasant hunting every now and then, but other than that not a whole lot of hunting. It would be on a farm. As a pup, do you keep him in a kennel for awhile or how do you go about raising a pup? Any info would help and why or shouldn't I get a black, chocoloate, or yellow? Thanks

[TR21HP]

Brade4, No offense meant but why get a working dog if he isn't going to work? My personal opinion is that you are doing a diservice to the dog if you take a dog that is bred for hunting and you don't hunt him.If you're interested in a pet why not just go to the local humane society and get a dog there? If you're intent on getting a lab and use him purely as a pet it really doesn't matter what color but do some homework first and spend the time obedience training and maybe some light field work training on the dog.

[Brade4]

I know numerous people who have labs that don't hunt.. Just great family dogs and good around kids.

[Ufatz]

I think TR might be pointing you in the right direction with his suggestion of an adopted dog. Most of them will make a good pet for the family and if you do a little work you can learn to give the dog some basic obedience training.

Best of all....you'll be saving what is probably a good,decent and loving animal from destruction.

Sure, it is totally YOUR decision, but give it some thought. Do you REALLY have to have a Lab, regardless of color.

And if still want a Lab......the color does not make any difference in most cases.

[mainbutter]

Go black. It's easier on MY clothes at least when it comes to shedding, and if you go the rescue route, black dogs are statistically less likely to be adopted (they stand out less visually when in large groups is the theory).

Our current dog is a rescue black lab mix.. we don't hunt him but he does agility and other activities that are as much "work" as "play" and could easily be taught to do just about anything involving dog hunting.

[aanderud]

No offense meant but why get a working dog if he isn't going to work? My personal opinion is that you are doing a diservice to the dog if you take a dog that is bred for hunting and you don't hunt him.If you're interested in a pet why not just go to the local humane society and get a dog there?

Wow. Not sure where to go with this. Labs are the most popular breed in the US for one reason and one reason only -- they're great family pets. How many people do you think actually use them for waterfowl hunting? What percentage? They're one of the most family-friendly breeds you can get.

I'd be pretty skeptical with a humane society dog. You don't ever really know what you're getting until you get him home. Having seen multiple dogs from the humane society that have social issues (due to neglect, beating, etc), I'd rather train my own from puppy-ness to adulthood. I don't think the fact that I'm not hunting him means I'm doing him a disservice. LOL.

You can "work" your dog in the park, at the lake, etc...without hunting him. Sounds somewhat selfish I guess to think that only hunters should enjoy the breed. Do you also think all beagle owners should be hunting rabbits with them?

[Brade4]

Thanks aanderud. Just because it woudn't be a hunting dog doesn't mean it is going to sit in a cage 24/7 and not do anything does it? I guess I'm not sure where you get that labs are strictly "hunting dogs." Like I said, I know a hanful of people who have labs. Couple of them hunt, and the others don't. All of them are great dogs. Thanks for the advice so far

[Ufatz]

You are correct of course, that not all Labradors end up as hunting dogs but they ARE identified "officially" as a hunting breed and they were originally,and are today, bred for that purpose primarily. And yes, many of them never hunt and are fine pets.

Before you select any dog I hope you take time to learn basic training techniques,, since I got the impression you are sorta new at it. Believe me, it is easier for a dog to learn good citizenship if the OWNER knows how dogs work mentally. Ya gotta get into their head!

Patience, repetition, affection.

After all, you don't want to end up with a dumbasp yellow bonehead like one of my nephews has!!

[fivebucks]

What I have experienced and heard also is blacks are more oily than yellows but yellows shed more. This is not to say blacks do not shed - they do but I believe they shed less. If you decide chocolate do your homework on the parents as there are fewer chocolates you may run into ones that have issues due to indiscriminate breeding. To "work" a lab all you have to do is play fetch with them alot and they are one happy dog.

[aanderud]

Yeah, just because it's bred to be more capable of hunting than many other breeds doesn't make it any less capable of being a pet. In fact, I'd guess that part of their personality that makes them good hunters also makes them a good pet. LOL.

The original question of why buy a lab if you don't hunt is sorta like asking a corvette owner who doesn't go 200 mph why he didn't buy a honda civic. The vette was made to go fast, after all. If you're not going fast, a civic would suffice.

The answer would be something along the lines that the corvette can do 'normal' speeds pretty well too, and handles itself better than a civic when doing so. In much the same way, the lab who might be smart enough to be a super hunter, a great cadaver dog, and a capable service dog, can also make a better "pet" than many other breeds.

[DaSwede]

Color doesn't matter. Pick a color that you like best. My last lab was yellow, and my current lab is black. No matter what people say, color doesn't dictate personality.

As far as training, there are lots of great books and training DVD's out there. I used/am using Hillmann's Training a Retriever Puppy. I would highly recommend this video, even if you aren't going to be hunting with the dog. If you do get lab, you'll still want it to retrieve, I'm assuming, because that's what labs do. It can be a tennis ball or throwing dummy (doesn't have to be birds). That's how you keep a lab happy. Hillmann's video teaches obedience while using the lab's natural instinct to retrieve. Pretty amazing technique.

[aanderud]

The only reason I might pick yellow over black next time is that they might stay slightly cooler during the summer in the sun. But, in reality they spend very little time sitting in the direct sunlight anyway, and should always have plenty of water regardless of their color. I just know that petting the black dog I sometimes think "boy, I would hate to be wearing black today".

[JeffB]

I know the only difference is supposed to be color in labs, but personally I've had two great yellow labs and two very dissapointing chocolates. My yellows have been eager to learn, great hunters, and great family pets. My two chocolates have had the personality of a retarded cat. I suppose this may have been just been luck of the draw, but I'll stay yellow now. Thankfully right now I have a really good 3 yr old yellow. Good luck I hope you get a great dog no matter what color you choose. I'm not bashing someones great chocolate lab, just giving my experience.

[DaSwede]

I know the only difference is supposed to be color in labs, but personally I've had two great yellow labs and two very dissapointing chocolates. My yellows have been eager to learn, great hunters, and great family pets. My two chocolates have had the personality of a retarded cat. I suppose this may have been just been luck of the draw, but I'll stay yellow now. Thankfully right now I have a really good 3 yr old yellow. Good luck I hope you get a great dog no matter what color you choose. I'm not bashing someones great chocolate lab, just giving my experience.

I would guess you are right. It's just luck of the draw. I suspect there may have been better breeding lines with the yellows? And even then you aren't guaranteed anything.

[aanderud]

I'm not bashing someones great chocolate lab, just giving my experience.

We stayed away from the chocolates because they were not as cute as the yellows or the blacks! The blacks look the cutest to me. But that hair color sure absorbs sunlight! Maybe a good thing overall though, since sometimes he will be outside for extended periods of time in the winter...

[MNHunter65]

I have had 2 yellow females, a black female and currently have a black male. All had different coats. One of the yellows was silky smooth and soaked up water like a sponge, the other yellow had a very coarse coat that shed water better. The black male I have now has a short coat and dries off very fast. One thing they all had in common was that they all shed. None of them shed less than the others if they are inside dogs, which all of mine have been.

I got two of the dogs in the winter and they were outside dogs before I got them. I made the transition to make them inside dogs right away and they didn't shed at all until spring. All had great personalities. So I really don't think color matters much and I have just learned to put up with the hair.

[otterman91105]

I have always owned yellow labs but i don't think color really matters it's really about the training and time that you put into them.

[Brade4]

Right now I'm leaning towards a yellow. Just always wanted one and love the way they look. When it comes down to male or female is it just personal preference or different behaviors? What should I look at here?

[CANOPY SAM]

This topic brings up yet another interesting question. I've had both black and yellow labs.

My first, a huge pedigreed yellow male, was a really cool dog, very affectionate, but not much on hunting. He was more of a show dog, beautiful and handsome to look at, but not very smart.

My second, a purebred black female, was neither particularly smart, nor very good at hunting. She was an okay family dog, but a little persnickety, willful, and often rangy, running off when not being watched.

Now we have a crossbred male black lab, with a little golden retriever mixed in - from what I'm told. He looks absolutely purebred black lab, with great muscle tone, a big blocky head, terrific stamina, runs like the wind, and is just a great, loving family dog. We've only had him a few months and I can say with confidence he's far and away the best dog I've ever had.

Here's the question...is it better to get a female or male black lab? Our female, again, was kind of moody and willful. She just didn't have a very good personality. Our first male had a great personality, and our current male has a great personality.

I've noticed that our current dog, a male, is an absolute ladies man. He loves snuggling with all of us, but especially with my wife, and daughters. He's far and away more affectionate than our female lab was.

Can the same thing hold true for most female vs. male dogs?

[DaSwede]

Right now I'm leaning towards a yellow. Just always wanted one and love the way they look. When it comes down to male or female is it just personal preference or different behaviors? What should I look at here?

I am by no means an expert, so I hope it doesn't appear like I have all the answers here. Both of my labs have been males. I would say that most people, especially hunters, look for females. The reason I picked males both times is because I wanted a little bit larger lab. I have read in several books and online that males tend to be more needy (not always in a bad way, but like to be around people more). That was true of our last lab. He was "my" dog, but he loved being with my wife...all day. My current lab (also male) isn't as needy but still if very friendly and likes to be near me. Females tend to be more independent. But with that said, I have been around some very "needy" female dogs too. So who knows. I like my males.

Now, and this always opens a can of worms, the next question is if you get a male, do you neuter or not, and when? I didn't have my first lab done until he was over 4. I thought I would use him for stud, but decided against it much later on. My current lab (7 months old) is still intact...and may always be that way (comes from great lines and I may use him for stud), and there are a lot of studies suggesting not having them snipped. The reason I bring this up is because that can affect personality as well.

Good luck. Lots to take in!

[reddog]

Male Black Lab, neutered as soon as he is capable... Socialize him well, teach him some manners and to obey your command and you will be good to go..

$.02

[P_Norts]

I don't know if you are aware but there are rescues that save labs specifically. I am aware of 2 here in the Chicago area. I know that is far from you but maybe they can inform you of something closer. They are Great Lakes Lab Rescue and Midwest Lab Rescue. They both have great websites with available dogs. The foster parents usually know a bit about the dogs. There is a fee but all the dogs are fixed before adoption.

I followed these sites for almost a year when our 13 year old black male developed a cancerous tumor in his mouth. We finally put him down in July and 3 days later on our way to Rainy Lake, the Lord placed an ad for black lab pups in our hands at a Duluth cafe. We inquired about the pups and made time to see them and the rest is history. We paid for 2 pups, a male and a female (the male is my oldest sons). We picked them up one week later ( 2- 9 week old pups on a houseboat- not cool, but they can't wait for next year). They were very reasonably priced and came from a breeder who owns a kennel outside Duluth. Can get you his info if interested. Love our lab pups.

BTW- We named the female Rainy.

Mama Norts