Black or Yellow Labrador??

[DonyaQuick]

When I was a young kid my family had a yellow lab. His version of "running away" was walking or jogging at very casual pace through the forest knowing you'd not be able to keep up. Aside from those occasional overnight excursions, he was a good and loyal dog that kept me safe as a small kid wandering unattended in the rocky mountains where mountain lions and bears were still common at the time. He also let a pocket-sized bichon frise puppy bite right into his tongue with its razor sharp puppy teeth, and he just whined and let it carry on until I was able to get it out of there. I think that says a lot about his personality.

I've never had a black lab but met many either that friends of family had or that people took on walks. I've met more black labs than yellow. Some of the black labs were lovely, but others more standoffish and I've even come across a couple nervy ones. I do wonder though if some of those were actually lab crosses though getting some weirdness from the other breed involved.

 

[Everose]

I'm bipolar on it

 

[RosemaryDuck]

Had a black lab who was an absolute saint even as a puppy. One of the best dogs we ever had. He learned so fast and was so great with everyone/everything!

It's definitely up to each individual dog though. I've met a few yellow labs that were so crazy you could barely get in the door. I would say go with personality over color.

 

[Briosafarm]

The genes that determine color in Labradors have nothing to do with temperament. They're somewhat similar to chicken genetics, where black is dominant, brown is recessive, and yellow is caused by a "masking" gene that keeps black or brown from being expressed. Since some Lab litters may have all three colors in the same litter, the temperaments of the parents are going to be much more important in the puppy temperaments than which color they are.

 

[HKG]

Do you prefer black or yellow labs? I know that each individual dog has his or her own personality, but I also understand that each color of lab dogs is slightly different in temperament, etc. Please vote!

I haven't noticed much difference in temperament but I just like black better.

 

[HKG]

I haven't noticed much difference in temperament but I just like black better.

It also really depends on who's training the dog.

 

[saysfaa]

The genes that determine color in Labradors have nothing to do with temperament. They're somewhat similar to chicken genetics, where black is dominant, brown is recessive, and yellow is caused by a "masking" gene that keeps black or brown from being expressed. Since some Lab litters may have all three colors in the same litter, the temperaments of the parents are going to be much more important in the puppy temperaments than which color they are.

This.
And whether the given dog is a show strain or field strain or backyard breeder strain (all of which have all three colors) or the American or English lines will make far more difference than color.
And Labs are the most common dog in America, the handful of dogs that most people will know well is not going to be representative.

 

[HappyClucker7]

The genes that determine color in Labradors have nothing to do with temperament. They're somewhat similar to chicken genetics, where black is dominant, brown is recessive, and yellow is caused by a "masking" gene that keeps black or brown from being expressed. Since some Lab litters may have all three colors in the same litter, the temperaments of the parents are going to be much more important in the puppy temperaments than which color they are.

Agreed.

 

[Fluffy Lambs]

: throws eve into the bipolar express: