[smokinclays]

OK I am new to this but I am looking for a hunter and a good companion, I love the looks of the chocolates, but I want to make sure I get a good hunter. so I am looking to all of the experts out there to enlighten me on the pros and cons of each color(if any) thanks
Chris

 

[Green is Gold]

Don't believe all the theories you hear about blacks being the best, chocolates being weak, etc. The bottom line is there are good dogs of all colors. The only reason there are more champion blacks is that there are more blacks out there. If you look at shear numbers, there are just as many good yellows and chocolates, especially now that they have been bred by quality breeders who have selected out the qualities and perpetuated them in lines combined with other quality lines.

 

[powerhouselabs]

it's all in the breeding and raising of the pup - Color is really just personal preferrence - You can get all three colors in the same litter... so in other words...color doesn't dictate how good/bad the pup will be

 

[Billie]

There can be good dogs in any color.
The problem with many chocolates,is that they are bred for color only.
When you breed for one trait primarily, you are going to lose the other traits neccesary.
If you are certainyou want one color over another, make sure htat the breeder has done all the clearances on parents, preferably both parents are active working dogs(titles are nice) and can prove what they say. A lot of people say "Both Parents Hunt"- well, they may and they may not.
I think your odds are better in this order- Black, Yellow and then chocolate. The gene pools are larger for the first two.

 

[labman52738]

I agree that there are good and not so good dogs of every color. The only thing that matters is choosing a good breeding. It is hard to get a good chocolate, but it can be done with a good amount of research.

 

[Franco]

Don't believe all the theories you hear about blacks being the best, chocolates being weak, etc. The bottom line is there are good dogs of all colors. The only reason there are more champion blacks is that there are more blacks out there. If you look at shear numbers, there are just as many good yellows and chocolates, especially now that they have been bred by quality breeders who have selected out the qualities and perpetuated them in lines combined with other quality lines.

There is a reason the black Labs dominate in competition. It is because they have the highest percentage of quality dogs within their color. If the other colors had as high a percentage of quality within their color, then that would be the color you would see in competition. I'm not saying that one can't find a quality choco or yellow dog. However, the percentages are in black and that is why they are the most popular.

Get which ever color floats you boat and be happy with it. They don't all have to be Champions!

 

[Guest]

Geez Labman,

Your first post and you bash the poor choco bass terds right from the start! I think you'll make it :lol:

 

[Green is Gold]

Don't believe all the theories you hear about blacks being the best, chocolates being weak, etc. The bottom line is there are good dogs of all colors. The only reason there are more champion blacks is that there are more blacks out there. If you look at shear numbers, there are just as many good yellows and chocolates, especially now that they have been bred by quality breeders who have selected out the qualities and perpetuated them in lines combined with other quality lines.

There is a reason the black Labs dominate in competition. It is because they have the highest percentage of quality dogs within their color. If the other colors had as high a percentage of quality within their color, then that would be the color you would see in competition. I'm not saying that one can't find a quality choco or yellow dog. However, the percentages are in black and that is why they are the most popular.

Get which ever color floats you boat and be happy with it. They don't all have to be Champions!

That's simply not true. If one looks at the shear numbers of black labs in the U.S., you would find that the number of quality dogs is actually less in comparison to their numbers due to the "popularity" of the breed and every Tom, Dick, and Harry breeding labs in their backyards. Granted, there are some great blacks but as powerhouselabs wrote, you could breed 2 dogs and get all 3 colors out of the litter. Does that mean that the blacks out of that litter are going to be better than the chocolates? It has taken a little longer for Chocolates to be recognized for their potential, primarily because of the recessive color gene and difficulty selecting quality dogs for future breedings, but it can and has been done. There are a number of Chocolates who have pretty noteworthy accolades.

 

[K G]

I just can't imagine a scenario where color would be a primary reason why I'd buy a dog....

...but that's just me.... :?

KG

 

[Franco]

That's simply not true.

We may be talking apple and oranges here.

The only way that I know of to compare the relative merits of each color is by comparing them in head to head competition. If black Labs weren't born with a higher percentage of ability, then you would see more of the other colors in competition. If there was a littler with six pups, two of each color, the blacks pups would have the best odds of being better quality. That fact is a mystery of science and genetics. I don't know anything about what Tom, Dick or Harry are breeding, I'm talking about dogs that one can track the accomplishments of.

People have been trying for decades to produce quality, competitive chocolates. They are far and few between and a real rarity. Their success is way behind that of yellow. Not saying one can't find a quality choco dog, but they are much more difficult to find. The percentages within color are with the black dogs.

 

[Green is Gold]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. I can name a number of chocolates with great accolades. And while I will admit that the chocolate gene pool is thinner in high powered dogs, blacks have been around a lot longer and have had the opportunity to be bred selectively to acquire good qualities. I don't believe what you say about blacks and chocolates out of the same litter. As you well know, there is much more to it than just color. As the years go by and we continually select quality chocolates and perform knowledgable breedings, we're going to see just as many quality chocolates in the future. Your comments imply that intellingence, drive, temperament, and all the other qualities that make for a good dog are attached to the color chromosome. That is not true.

 

[Steve Bean]

I just can't imagine a scenario where color would be a primary reason why I'd buy a dog....

...but that's just me.... :?

KG

I can't either....but black's not a color is it..... :wink:

 

[David Lo Buono]

I just can't imagine a scenario where color would be a primary reason why I'd buy a dog....

...but that's just me.... :?

KG

Ditto....


Labs Come in Choco and Yellow??? :lol:

 

[EdA]

once you go black you'll never go back :wink:

 

[FOM]

I agree that there are good and not so good dogs of every color. The only thing that matters is choosing a good breeding. It is hard to get a good chocolate, but it can be done with a good amount of research.

I don't think he was bashing chocolates - I think he makes a valid point - choose a good breeding - its kind of like asking which is better male or female? Color should be the last thing to consider unless you don't have a sense of humor then I'd say get a black. If you really have an awesome sense of humor go with a Golden or Chessie! :wink:

Those with quality chocolates out there - can't you agree its hard to find a quality chocolate? Simply there aren't as many chocolate litters to choose from....I could be wrong, though....

FOM

 

[rjouben]

When chosing a new lab pup for hunting, competition, or bedwarmer; the most immortant thing to remember is to not bring your wife/girlfriend/sister/etc along when you look at a litter. You will end up walking away with the first pup she sees.

Seriously though, a lot of good advice here. If you want a brown dog, get a brown dog. Same goes for the other two colors. Research the breedings available, go look at several litters, go hunting with the stud/bitch if you can. If you like the pup, buy it; and you will have the time of your life.

A lab is a lab, it doesn't matter what color it is, as long as its a lab!

~rj

 

[labman52738]

No, not bashing chocolates. The last pup I bought, I chose the breeding I wanted and put a deposit in and got 2nd pick for chocolate female. Of course there was only 1 chocolate female, so I got 1st pick of the black females. This chocolate factored black female is a magnificent dog, having her WR at less than 18 months. As far as the blacks out of a 3 color litter being better than the other colors, well I'll just say that I strongly disagree. My other dog is yellow and has outperformed all of the rest of the litter, which consisted of 2 yellows and 7 blacks. She is just 2 1/2 years old and has 3 Senior passes with Nahra and will finish her MHR at the end of August. I think I just got the most talented pup out of this litter.

 

[Jim B]

Smokinclays
I just got a choc pup, and I couldn't be more pleased with him. At ten wks he is coming when called, and sits in front of me. He does short land retrieves, and jumps off of a one foot bank to do water retrieves, he is bird crazy, and has a great personalty. I expect that he will be all one could ask for. His pedigree is full of FC and AFC, and even a few CH,....most of which were also choc.
The litter was very large, and I think the breeder has a few left....if interested, PM me , and I'll give the the breeders number.

 

[tom]

Those with quality chocolates out there - can't you agree its hard to find a quality chocolate

More like next to impossable, it just seems like even from what should be a quality breeding the choc's will have an issue of some sort that will keep them out of upper level comp.
My choc is a duck hunters dream come true, but on the test/trial grounds he is a worst nightmare.

tom

 

[Tim Carrion]

Doesn't make a difference!

A Chocolate is just a Chesapeake want to be.
A Yellow is a short haired Golden.
And anybody can train a black dog, just look at the numbers! :wink:

Tim