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We are looking for a choc. lab. that we would love to ad to our family.I would rather rescue or adopt then Buy one....Could anyone help me out were to look...Thanks.

>>We are looking for a choc. lab. that we would love to ad to our family.I would rather rescue or adopt then Buy one....Could anyone help me out were to look...Thanks.

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I would really advise caution against holding out for chocolate color in Labs. There have been some medical and temperament problems associated with that color. Especially if you are looking for a rescue dog, your best bet is probably a black.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

>>>>We are looking for a choc. lab. that we would love to ad to our family.I would rather rescue or adopt then Buy one....Could anyone help me out were to look...Thanks.
>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I love chocolate labs. I have a chocolate lab mix at the moment. She is one of the best dogs I have ever had.
You can do a search on petfinder.com
It's harder to find young puppies that are choco labs. I seem to find more around 5 to 10 months.

Hi,
I think I have to agree with Kdiamond
I would never have thought it of any lab but now I agree.
My daughter has always wanted a chocolate.I am now glad I didnt get her one.
Neighbors choc lab is unmanageable. he's rambunctious, could care less what you do or dont do, he does what he wants and its not very good.
Girlfriend has a choc lab, chewer, digger, barker, and extremly stubborn, then gives you a look that I find threatening.
Puppy class, 4 month choc lab puppy, growls bites and is very unsocialable. even after being in puppy class for over a month.
What a shame for a great breed

>>Hi,
>>I think I have to agree with Kdiamond
>>I would never have thought it of any lab but now I agree.
>>My daughter has always wanted a chocolate.I am now glad I didnt get her one.
>>Neighbors choc lab is unmanageable. he's rambunctious, could care less what you do or dont do, he does what he wants and its not very good.
>>Girlfriend has a choc lab, chewer, digger, barker, and extremly stubborn, then gives you a look that I find threatening.
>>Puppy class, 4 month choc lab puppy, growls bites and is very unsocialable. even after being in puppy class for over a month.
>>What a shame for a great breed

>>>>>>>>>>

In any species including dogs, breeding to get more dogs of a recessive color frequently results in producing many individuals with problems you would not see in breedings that allow the dominant color to prevail and may occasionally produce an individual of the recessive. It's never wise to fall in love with an unusual color. You tend to pay the price in terms of health and temperament, and many chocolate Labs and their owners are paying this price. Then again, there are some good ones. But they're not likely to be in rescue. The best breeders place their own dogs when they need new homes, they do not leave that up to a rescue group. If you want to try for a healthy and sane Chocolate Lab, go to a breeder.

Also, the incidence of hip dysplasia in Labs is so high that I would not adopt a rescue Lab without a hip x-ray first. The $75 (maybe more) you would pay for that exam would benefit the dog whether you adopted it or not, and if the dog did have hip dysplasia, you'd find out what expenses you were facing if you chose to adopt that dog.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

I think that rescuing a dog is a great idea. There are many dogs in rescue groups that need good homes and will make great pets. But you should consider the breed that you are looking for - labs. They are a very active breed and need plenty of exercise. Labs aren't for everyone. If you have never owned a Lab, I recommmend reading a some books about the breed before you commit. The rescue groups can also give you some valuable information about the temperment of the breed. Also, it might be hard to find a puppy through a rescue group. There are also adoption fees that will be required, usually from $100-200. And you will need to get the dog spayed/neutered. Hip dysplasia is prevalent in labs (about 12.6% of all labs tested through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, www.offa.org). But you can't have x-rays read and certified through OFFA until after the dog turns 2 years old. This cost about $100-150 plus the fee charged by OFFA (which I think is about $25-35 - I can't remember for sure). Plus you will have to permanently mark your dog, which is done by tatoo or more oftenly microchip (which is an added cost). Or you can go have a PENNHIP test (University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program - www.pennhip.org). This is also x-rays but it takes two views with the legs in different positions, then measures the amount of movement of the hip joint, which is called laxity (looseness). This test can be done as early as 6 months. But the PENNHIP test can cost a little more because it is 3 x-rays vs. 1 with OFFA.

You can check out the following website to possibly locate a rescue group within your area, http://thelabradorclub.com/rescue.

Yes, I know all the above and i thank you. I have since then been working for a rescue group here.Thanks for all you comments.