[HPL]

What are your feelings as to whether there tends to be any difference in disposition among blk, vs. ylw., vs choc?

 

[drunkenpoacher]

I hope this is about dogs.

 

[mwk56]

The color is just the wrapper. The sire and dam and bloodlines influence temperament.

Meredith

 

[bjoiner]

When people focus on color traits over health, personality and performance traits, the health, personality and performance traits seem to suffer. I think way back, breeders of off color litters (chocolate and to a lesser extent yellows) focused on color rather than breeding a good dog to a good dog. The pool of submissive gene colors were smaller, and the non-color traits probably were lessened in these colors. That was probably a legitimate stereotype years ago. Now I see a lot of breeders breeding their dogs with good dogs that happen to throw a certain color. I see a lot more stable dogs in the chocolate and yellow dogs of today than I did 30 years ago.

 

[HPL]

I asked because because my first lab was black and he was easier to train and easier going than either of my next two which were yellow. Over 13yrs in the field, the black dog lost 2 birds that I remember and never had a grouchy day. Unfortunately, he had terrible skin allergies. Both my yellows loved to retrieve, but neither seemed to have the nose that my first dog had, and they both could be a bit cranky. My first yellow would, at times growl and snarl at me and he took a decided dislike to one of my nieces and wouldn't let her near him. The dog I lost last winter had unbelievable drive and athleticism, but again, didn't seem to have the nose that my first one did, and as he aged, he also got a little cranky, although one only had to say "knock it off" and he would. In his case, not was clearly him pushing boundaries. I was just wondering if that was something of a common difference, or just my luck. Three dogs over 40yrs. don't make a good sample.

 

[Ted Shih]

I have had yellow and black labs. No chocolate. As for yellow and blacks, they seemed similar to me. All were great dogs. Some turned out to be good competition dogs. Most did not. I never thought success or failure or personality was dictated by color. But, statistically speaking, a small sample size.

 

[Hunt'EmUp]

It's not the color it's the breeding. I've blacks with the same behaviors you describe, and talking to others who have dogs with such traits; they can usually be traced back to common ancestors. That said there are more black labs period, in performance stock; so it's easier to find a better all around "more balanced" dog; without having to get super in-depth into pedigrees or breeding. Where as yellows and chocolates while they are getting easier to find nice ones in performance stock, it is still harder to find balance of "ancestral quirks"; without really getting into pedigrees and ancestors. There's been more focus on developing Yellows for longer. It was also easier to add yellow to pedigrees as the yellow coloration is a separate gene that covers black. Separate gene made it easier to have yellow show and integrate in several different lines (more ancestors). Whereas the chocolate and black loci compete against each other, you have to select against black to get chocolate= a smaller ancestor pool. Although at least now nice chocolates are not a once in a lifetime mythological creature. Still if you look at breedings, I can find almost as many blackxyellow breedings as yellowxyellow breedings. When I looking at chocolate breedings; almost all of them are chocoxchoco; and I've been looking for particular blackxchoco breedings for many years; they don't come up very often. Heaven forbid we do a blackxchoco breeding, with no regard for color; just to add more balance-options to the chocolate lines. Or the unicorn blackxblack breeding throwing chocolate pups; who's pedigree is so good that they end-up with the right people regardless of color (Roux and Drake) like to see one of those again

 

[bjoiner]

It's not the color it's the breeding. I've blacks with the same behaviors you describe, and talking to others who have dogs with such traits; they can usually be traced back to common ancestors. That said there are more black labs period, in performance stock; so it's easier to find a better all around "more balanced" dog; without having to get super in-depth into pedigrees or breeding. Where as yellows and chocolates while they are getting easier to find nice ones in performance stock, it is still harder to find balance of "ancestral quirks"; without really getting into pedigrees and ancestors. There's been more focus on developing Yellows for longer. It was also easier to add yellow to pedigrees as the yellow coloration is a separate gene that covers black. Separate gene made it easier to have yellow show and integrate in several different lines (more ancestors). Whereas the chocolate and black loci compete against each other, you have to select against black to get chocolate= a smaller ancestor pool. Although at least now nice chocolates are not a once in a lifetime mythological creature. Still if you look at breedings, I can find almost as many blackxyellow breedings as yellowxyellow breedings. When I looking at chocolate breedings; almost all of them are chocoxchoco; and I've been looking for particular blackxchoco breedings for many years; they don't come up very often. Heaven forbid we do a blackxchoco breeding, with no regard for color; just to add more balance-options to the chocolate lines. Or the unicorn blackxblack breeding throwing chocolate pups; who's pedigree is so good that they end-up with the right people regardless of color (Roux and Drake) like to see one of those again

It does occur. Just not common, like you said.

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