Tucker was a mutt.  Probably a Black Labrador mixed with a Border Collie.  He and I spent a lot of time together when I was a kid.  My mother found me curled up with him inside his doghouse more than once!

When Rusty and I started talking about the type of dog that we wanted, there was no question.  It had to be a Labrador Retriever.  We couldn’t have any pets in our apartment so while we saved our money for a home, we learned more about them.  I bought “Labrador Retrievers for Dummies” and we found out that there are two types of Labs – American and English.  The English Lab is stockier, has a shorter nose, and tends to be shorter in stature and has a calmer temperament.  Show dogs are English Labs.  American Labs are taller and lankier, and are typically used for things like field competitions and hunting.

For our lifestyle and needs, we always knew that we wanted an English Lab.  This was confirmed for us when we went to the Snoopy Dogfest at SUNY Farmingdale and were enamored with the service dogs from Canine Companions for Independence, which were English Labradors.

In the meantime, I also read the book Marley & Me.  I laughed and cried, and really got a better understanding of what we could be in for.  Not to mention, the mistakes that people make when choosing a breeder and a Lab for their lives and home.  While Marley was a worst-case scenario, we knew it was entirely possible for us to end up in the same situation.  You can prepare all you want, but you never know!

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