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Labradors, what colour


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Hi folks, I am looking at getting a lab as a shooting buddy, but am unsure as to the colour to choose.

 

Is there a preferred choice or is it all down to the training? I used to have a black bitch a few years ago which trained well. I have heard of horror stories about Chocolate ones being a nightmare to train and "thick" (no offence if you have a chocolate one).

 

There are a few working litters around where I live with a choice of black, yellow or chocolate. What are your thoughts on the pros & cons for each colour?

 

Any advice appreciated.

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Fox red seem to be in vogue at the moment , , it has to be your personal choice for me I was only ever going to have a black one.

You are right about chocolate ones , I have never seen a good one , though I am sure there are some out there somewhere.

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get yourself a chocolate lab, i have one that is 6 yrs old. Absolutely mad as a hatter, has not grown up yet and i don't want him too, but works like a demon for anyone. Friends borrow him to pick up with on some big days.

 

As with any dog you get what you put into it.

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Makes no difference if the parents are decent (even seen a couple off decent chocolate 1's as well as some horror's) working dogs.

U will never have a good dog that is the wrong colour!

 

There is a lot to be said for the anomous black lab excuse thou, !!! :) When ur dog is doing something it shouldn't be no one know's it yours. Not that i've ever used it thou :whistling:

 

For me i would only have a black lab as my first dog (mainly for that reason) now i've had a few quite fancy a change in colour but know every mistake everyone will know who's it is (1 shoot i go to must have 15ish black labs in the beating line)

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Thanks for the replies, I had a black bitch a few years back and put her to a yellow stud on the hope i might get a yellow pup to keep back, this didn't happen. However I have dog sat for a yellow guide dog in the past and am still finding the light hairs. I know the black ones malt too but the hairs don't stand out as much on your clothes/car seats etc.

 

A chocolate one is off my list as I'm not that keen on them, plus my sister had one and couldn't do anything with it (it was a pet and of show lines).

 

It might just come down to whichever one picks me if and when I decide.

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I've got a chocolate at the moment, always had black ones. she is 20mths now & no different to train than the blacks I have had. She will work better than some of the other blacks my friends have. She is from 4th generation working with grandparents that are black & FTCH she is no bigger than any black one I've had & she's a really dark chocolate. Always look at the pedigree & if you know people that have dogs, that work & they breed go for one of them rather than buying blind., because the pedigree is not alaways a true indication of a good dog. Trust me

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There's a chap on the shoot with a fox red bitch, and I have to admit I fell in love with it the first time I saw her. Sadly there are no fox red pups about locally, as this would be my first choice.

 

Talking to the good lady last night is steering me towards a black one as she didn't like the idea of yellow hair everywhere.

 

I'm not in any rush to get one at the moment so the views will be taken on board and help with the choice.

 

I also have another dilemma, I work 10-12 hour shifts 5 days a week with no way of getting home to check on her, my partner works 9 hour days with a 45 min commute each way making her working day long. I have to be honest this is the only thing stopping me getting my shooting buddy as I feel mean leaving a dog on its own for that long, especially a pup. There is a possible way round this, but it would involve leaving the dog in the back of the landrover in the yard all day. When I'm in the yard all day I would be able to check on her, however there are some days when I would be out driving all day on the road. There will always be someone in the yard that I could ask to feed and water if I couldn't get back during the day.

 

What are your thoughts on max time to leave a dog alone for in a kennel / run or well ventilated landrover back?

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I'd only ever have fox just because they are different. What ever colour you get (not chocolate) just make sure they have a good background.

 

Our dog's are only ever on there own for 4 hours at a time. When they are a puppy you shouldn't leave them to long but as they get older they I'm sure you could leave them for 7-8 hours.

If mine come to work with me they are checked on every couple of hour's for a run but never in the hot or cold weather.

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I would say not a problem for an adult dog being left in a kennel for 12hrs a day once it get's into a routine and u could leave it with bones or a kong to keep it amused between times. Possibly easier if more than 1 dog. I have recently started tl leavre a radio on up kennels and the other dogs who don't come to work and they do seem happier (not that they were unhappy before)

 

Bigger problem with a pup up to 3-4 months will be feeding 4 times a day before going down to 3 possibly around 6ish months.

 

I take a dog to work with me every day, but have lined back off pick up with kingspan to try it keep it cool in summer, even this year the back has never been warm. But i'm back to the pick up on and off all day so can let it out plenty to do a bit off training and let it 'empty' itself

Some bosses may not like a dog in the car park on premises unatended, Or is there a tiny danger if ur away driving all day and it's a hectic day back at the yard and boy's forget to check the dog (or all think someone else has done it)

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Hi folks, I am looking at getting a lab as a shooting buddy, but am unsure as to the colour to choose.

 

Is there a preferred choice or is it all down to the training? I used to have a black bitch a few years ago which trained well. I have heard of horror stories about Chocolate ones being a nightmare to train and "thick" (no offence if you have a chocolate one).

 

There are a few working litters around where I live with a choice of black, yellow or chocolate. What are your thoughts on the pros & cons for each colour?

 

Any advice appreciated.

Mal has some nice cocker pups, ideal for you two :yes:

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I've always had black labs, that said I want a yellow but the best dogs I know are chocolates (one was the first chocolate ever to qualify for the retriever champs).

Colour would always be a secondry factor though as I would want to know the pedigree and the character of the Sire and Dam first.

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I have always had and worked blacks to a high standard, but i have a split litter at the minute of blacks and yellows, i cant believe how many people want yellow dogs.

i must admit most its pet people, but it is a surprise.

Edited by Dave C
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I think the most amazing thing on this thread is the number of people recommending chocolate labs. I've seen one in all my time shooting and that was with a gun, it will always be remembered as it chewed on a partridge for the entire day. Almost had the hand off of a picker upper who tried to take it off it in front of all the beaters which was very funny at the time as he was a tad serious and couldn't sort the problem with someone elses dog

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