[HairOfTheDog]

She has a nice head. You only think she looks houndy because her ears are prolly a little too big.... makes her look eternally a pup. There are a lot of chocolates without the double coat, I think a throwback to the pointers brought into the line that left behind the occasional chocolate color.

Pretty dog! I have a soft spot for Black labs, but I have always wanted a yellow. I would even end up with a chocolate if that is the right pup in whatever litter we are shopping for our two in. We will be looking for two males, litter mates.

[AnAmericanMother]

You only think she looks houndy because her ears are prolly a little too big.... makes her look eternally a pup.

Well, that's certainly consistent with her behavior! :-) With her small size, people are constantly thinking she is a puppy, the ears probably have something to do with it too. She does have a double coat, the outer coat is coarse and oily and sheds water (AND dirt!), but the undercoat is sparse given that she sleeps inside in a nice warm kitchen on a sheepskin bed . . . (I told you she was pampered!) . . . and of course it rarely gets cold in the South. She is a very dark chocolate in person, in a bad light she looks almost black.

We went looking for a black Lab, and I was looking at a somewhat mellower black girl in the same litter, but this girl chose my children and wouldn't let any of the other pups (4 black and 4 choc) near them. When they choose you, you have to take them home!

[My back yard]

I have a soft spot for the blacks too. My new baby is a yellow, but I sure love the blacks. If I were in your climate I would definitely go with black. Down here the yellow have less skin problems.

As far as changing to meet the demand, it seems like it is more the other way around. In the 60's and 70's a lean field conditioned dog could compete in a conformation competition. Now, the winning dogs are getting thicker boned and heavier every year, to the point no dog in field condition can compete, and this is 'working' group, not 'cuddle' group.

I agree about the longer legs and thinner coats is a, uh, uh, schism. :)