Hikenhunter, you are right got to get another Lab soon. My last Lab was a black male and the one I just lost was a yellow female. That way I couldnt compare. The male lived to be 14 and female was 14 1/2 years. The male lived with me on Sauvie Island game refuge where I worked on a ranch that also had a goose and duck club so we hunted alot. The female was so good that my friends would ask if she could go if I couldnt.