“Peachie” by Joseph H. Kitchens Jr. (watercolor 2018).

I hope the dog lovers among my readers will have realized by now that, having worked through the various stages of grief since our Peachie passed away, we have begun to consider getting a another dog. Well, not just a dog. We hope we will get another labradore retriever like our beloved Peachie. (The portrait above was my effort to capture her unforgettable beauty.)

In an earlier post I outlined the difficulties of adopting a dog from a shelter and the frightening cost of buying from a credible breeder. True, I have little actual knowledge of the cost of reproducing labs or any other pet. But I can of course guess why breeders want to charge you extra if you plan to breed your pedigreed dog. (We do not.) How could dogs produced in litters of eight to twelve puppies really command $3,500 each before they have been through the rigorous dead-bird retrieval course? Not from someone like me who drives a decade-old Subaru and cleans their own roof gutters.

The economic reality is, I want another lab and can’t afford the price tag most breeders seem to demand for their pups. True, there are reasons labs are the most popular dog in America. No, its not because they produce more flying fur than a bear fight, or that they are able to eat an entire Thanksgiving turkey while the blessing is being offered. It is not even because they have been cross bred with every other breed in an effort to create a “cute” ( or “designer”) lab. Labs are “cute” as puppies. Afterward, they are beautiful in a stately way, well formed and in old age they are regal and dignified. Grownup labs do not aspire to cuteness.

We also love labs because they are affectionate and forgiving. And, little kids love them. I read somewhere that labs are less sensitive to poking and prodding by children than other dogs. I know it was like moving a mule off the sofa if Peachie ever managed to climb up. Because they are big enough to stand in for another family member, it gets lonesome when they are not there to greet you when you come home. They are hard to ignore when they stand by the dinner table staring at your last morsel of steak.

A possibility that only just occurred to me is to see if any of my readers could help us find another yellow lab. Our first choice is a female, tending toward the small side (there are no true miniature Labs). This type is sometimes referred to as an “English lab”. We like to think an English lab will enjoy the old BBC “Mystery” reruns on TV. Peachie did. Also, we think girls are nicer. And yellow fur does not show so badly on the carpets and upholstery. One other thing about labs: while not all dog can express their feelings by articulating their eyebrows, labs are great at this. They can win you over to their point of view just by tilting their eyebrows.

Shelter “Labs” are not as appealing simply because they are often lab-like dogs mixed with other dogs of unknown behavioral traits. We are not snobs about breeding, but we are talking about dogs here. Better the known than the unknown when choosing another lifelong partner, one likely to be our last dog. We have a fenced yard, a knowledge of the breed, are loving parents and have plenty of grandchildren and grand dogs to make life fun and interesting for the new comer. We are open to considering a neutered adult in good health if well socialized. One that can remember where I left my keys would be a godsend. We are not runners, but daily walks would be provided.

A dog owner must be active, have a sense of humor, be willing to shower with the dog every week or so and able to get up in the middle of the night with a dog for reasons that the dog can never explain. We can check all the boxes. Oh, and while we have no cats, we have plenty of squirrels and chip monks to keep even an active young dog busy enough to sleep well most of the night. If you would like to nominate a candidate for adoption drop us an email with photos. Just wondering.