Silver lab

[Revwrangler]

Anyone know if silver labs are decent waterfowl hunters?

My wife wants one, but if we get another dog I want a duck dog. So I am kinda hoping we can get the best of both worlds.

I appreciate any input guys.

[Curly]

I don't see how color would matter.

[vandeman17]

I don't see how color would matter.

I agree. Color of the lab is more of a preference then anything. I know some guys that only hunt black, some swear by yellow, some male, some female. Just find a good breeder with good lines and go from there. 

[hunterrcc]

Anyone know if silver labs are decent waterfowl hunters?

My wife wants one, but if we get another dog I want a duck dog. So I am kinda hoping we can get the best of both worlds.

I appreciate any input guys.

Silvers are just a brown that has silver color however some breeders will tell you that silver is a defective gene so you tend to have more hip elbow and gentic problems when they get a little older.  Just something to think about and the dogs are expensive.   my

[Curly]

Some people claim silver labs have Weimeraner lines to get the silver color.  I guess there is a bit of controversy over the subject.

http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/silverlabs.html

I would say if the pup comes from hunting lines and a reputable breeder than the dog should be able to be made into a good hunter.  If talking the wife into getting a dog means getting a silver lab, then I take a chance on it (assuming a good breeder can be found).

[Feanix]

My buddy has a silver and she does great.

[Revwrangler]

Anyone know a decent breeder for Silver labs?

[wildweeds]

Uhmm labs come in three colors,black,yeller and chocolate.Anything else is a marketing ploy, same dog different paint job.

[scottcrb]

i was looking for a silver for a long time and the closest one i could find that seemed decent was in Montana.i think it was still water labs or something. they are just a color phase of a chocolate lab the AKC certificate will list them as chocolate . as far as how they are hunting i dont know i would assume that they are as good as any color lab with good hunting lines. some say that they get inbred a lot to keep the grey or silver color and that can cause problems.  im no dog expert just what i heard while looking for the same thing. they are cool looking.

[Wa hunter]

It is in your best interest to have both parents hip eye and elbow certified and cleared for exercise induced collapse.  Bring a pigeon with you to bird test  hunting dog breeder should have some on hand.   

[fowl smacker]

Things may have changed, but you used to not be able to AKC register silver labs.

[Happy Gilmore]

Silver is a chocolate. You will be highly unlikely to find one with what I would consider an acceptable pedigree. Not to say it can't or won't be a decent dog but, would you buy a 1991 Geo Metro for the same price as a 2014 Camry because of the color?

[rtspring]

Color is a personal choice. I have trained 4 labs myself. How does the saying go?

"That dog can hunt".  Labs are awesome!

Train it from the time it can walk and give it daily training and you got yourself a hunting dog. 

All depends on the person training the dog..

[Blackjaw]

Like Curly mentioned, the 'silver labs' I have seen look like they have some  Weimeraner in them and don't seem to have the nice/laid back temperament I associate with labs (Disclaimer: I have only been around two of them).

[Dhoey07]

The thing that would worry me about a silver lab, is how they got the silver color.  Not that it isn't purebread, but that it was bred for color not bred for health or hunting.