My advice: talk to Lab owners. While we are devoted to our Labbies, I think most of us would be honest about what to expect. I had always wanted a black Lab, but before I decided to buy one, I did an extensive search on the web about Labs, talked to Lab owners, etc. I would also recommend joining a few Labs-only e-mail lists or message boards. Read the posts (old ones as well as the current ones) to get a feel for the problems and the joys Lab owners face. Ask them questions. Research the web. Go to any good search engine and type in Labrador Retriever. There are a lot of very helpful sites out there. Here's a good place to start: http://www.k9web.com/breeds/l/labrador/ (but I would NOT restrict my research to just this one web site, if I were you). Check with your vet, especially concerning potential health issues.

Personally, I can tell you that Labs are very high energy dogs. Labs have a LONG puppy-hood. They don't mature physically or emotionally until at least 2 years of age; I know people whose Labs didn't calm down until they were 5! However, Labs are so loving, so intelligent, so adaptable, so gentle, so eager to please, and so sweet that I would never have another breed of dog.

I'm sorry this is so long ... and I have only touched the surface, I'm afraid. Good luck in your research. And if you determine that a Lab is the dog for you, good luck with your Labby.

Kathy