[nagdu] [GDUI-Friends] Re: Chocolate labs as guides?

[Jenine Stanley]

Brent, 
 
Couple things about your post: 
 
You say that the genes for color only influence that trait. Not exactly
true. Often sets of genes go together or are found together and if a breeder
breeds for color alone, as many do these days in the pet world, he or she is
going to get other things, many of which are undesirable. It's like breeding
for those almost white Labs exclusively, ignoring everything else about the
dog but the color. If there are a majority of breeders out there from whom
the guide dog schools get new stock, and those breeders have been
increasingly breeding for color over other things, then the bad comes with
the good. 
 
As for GDb being near film makers, only if they are in Northern California
or Oregon. Actually GDA is closer to Hollywood, literally, and they too are
often consulted about guide dogs for movies and TV. Somehow, I don't think
GDB is influenced by Hollywood when it comes to producing yellow dogs versus
black ones. It's just the luck of the draw. 
 
GDB, being a larger school, does have a very well developed PR department,
as does The Seeing eye. It stands to reason then that they are in a position
to have their dogs, yellow ones as you did correctly note, visible in the
media. 
 
I'd honestly have to look at our official logo for GDF but for years it was
a black Lab. 
 
Having had two yellow Lab crosses now, I'm getting used to the yellow Lab
thing. OK, I was a black lab snob. they aren't any smarter, more hyper,
better guides or anything else from their yellow brethren. A Lab is a Lab. I
do think some dogs, like Goldens and yellow Lab, do get that people think
they are cute and play into that if allowed by the raiser. My yellow Lab
crosses and Goldens engaged in a lot more eye contact than my black Labs,
unless you count the looks of utter mischief and glee on my one black Lab
who delighted in scaring people, especially in rest rooms.