Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! And this thread originally didn't do anything other than post a sweet pic of a chocolate snuggled up with a kitten.
Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! Of course I'm not upset! It's just so daft to suggest intelligence is related to colour, how could it upset me? ;D ;D ;D
Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! My ex police dog handler friend had the most marvellous Chocolate sniffer dog
Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! [quote author=Stacia link=topic=4776.msg59631#msg59631 date=1394359060] My ex police dog handler friend had the most marvellous Chocolate sniffer dog [/quote] Simba would be good at that...... ;D
Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! But is it daft? ;D ;D I guess there are a couple of questions you can ask Is it true that chocolates have not been included in working dog breeding programmes to any great extent? and Is it true that working dogs are selectively bred for their intelligence? If the answer to both these two questions is 'yes', then it might be possible for colour to reflect intelligence to some degree, due to selective breeding for that factor.
Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! [quote author=editor link=topic=4776.msg59656#msg59656 date=1394376259] But is it daft? ;D ;D I guess there are a couple of questions you can ask Is it true that chocolates have not been included in working dog breeding programmes to any great extent? and Is it true that working dogs are selectively bred for their intelligence? If the answer to both these two questions is 'yes', then it might be possible for colour to reflect intelligence to some degree, due to selective breeding for that factor. [/quote] Pippa, what you seem to be saying is not that Chocolates are stupid, but that non-working line dogs may be stupid. Which is not quite the same thing. Although I'm sure lots of people would be happy to debate it. Why would Charlie, as a Chocolate, differ in intelligence from his black brothers and sisters?
Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! I agree. In addition I have seen no evidence whatever, to show that Chocolate Labradors are less smart than other colours. Testing such a theory would be fraught with difficulty in any case. How do we define intelligence in dogs? Is it just down to problem solving ability? Or do we need to look at other factors. And how do we control for all the other temperamental influences on problem solving skills, such as excitability, initiative, confidence, and so on. However, if it were true that chocolates are less smart it, it could possibly be explained by the probability that chocolates are more likely to come from 'lines' of dogs that have not been selected for 'intelligence' (or 'trainability' or whatever it is we like to call 'not stupid' dogs ) In theory I suppose that could be the case, if the chocolate colour were a 'genetic marker' for intelligence. However, I don't think that there is any suggestion that such a link exists between coat colour and intelligence. Hypothetically, if chocolate dogs were found to be less intelligent, then I would think that dogs with chocolates siblings would be likely to share the same traits. As no-one is likely to be carrying out a well constructed study on this anytime soon, I guess the debate will carry on. For what it's worth, I doubt if chocolate labradors are any less smart than any other. But there are characteristics in pet/show bred Labradors which may make them less of a breeze to train than many working bred dogs. And there are any number of characteristics that can make a dog seem stupid. A dog that fails to mark well for example, or a dog that is not motivated by what is on offer by the trainer, may seem stupid. And this is probably why chocolates (being largely pet/show bred) have gained (probably unfairly) the 'stupid' badge within the shooting community.
Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! Poor Chockies, that's like saying ladies with blonde hair are dumb I can't understand how hair colour could ever make a difference to intelligence. x
Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! Our previous Lab was a choccy. She was the most laid-back and patient dog I've owned. She had a wonderful gentle temperament. Choccies have this reputation for being dumb, but there was a brain in her head. She just didn't choose to waste her time thinking about unimportant things like obedience, training classes and recall. She applied it to more important problems such as scrounging food, finding muddy wallows and getting off furniture just before we entered the room. She wasn't stupid, she just had different priorities to other Labs.
Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! [quote author=Hollysdad link=topic=4776.msg59732#msg59732 date=1394396479] Our previous Lab was a choccy. She was the most laid-back and patient dog I've owned. She had a wonderful gentle temperament. Choccies have this reputation for being dumb, but there was a brain in her head. She just didn't choose to waste her time thinking about unimportant things like obedience, training classes and recall. She applied it to more important problems such as scrounging food, finding muddy wallows and getting off furniture just before we entered the room. She wasn't stupid, she just had different priorities to other Labs. [/quote] Sounds like a pretty smart dog to me
Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! It's possible that chocolate genes 'travel together' with 'stupid genes' (leading to an association in the two being expressed together) but I doubt it. Intelligence is complex and inherited in a complex way and involves the action of many genes. Chocolate colour is inherited in a very, very simple way. I would very much doubt that there is any genetic link or shared mechanism or co-variation at the genetic level. That doesn't mean you can't select for goofy and chocolate at the same time. Or maybe it's just that people who buy Chocolates are fun-loving carefree souls who simply allow their dogs to express their exuberance and free-wheeling spirits (unlike the dour types who go for blacks and yellows)
Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! [quote author=Oberon link=topic=4776.msg59779#msg59779 date=1394400122] Or maybe it's just that people who buy Chocolates are fun-loving carefree souls who simply allow their dogs to express their exuberance and free-wheeling spirits (unlike the dour types who go for blacks and yellows) [/quote] Did you just say owners of black and yellow labs are a miserable bunch?! ;D ;D ;D I'm introducing the London Chocolate Fun Challenge Trial (LCFCT) - open to Chocolate Labs and tippy top field line pet dogs only. Task one: travel on the Piccadilly line, and think it's wonderful - particularly as the deafening sound and wind of the train coming in blows your ears back. Task two: get squirted in the face by a jet of vapour at the back of a hydrogen bus, and think it's so hilarious you go back for another go. Task three: relax during the Buck house fly past, then get a packed bus to, and enjoy, the Hyde Park fireworks... Extra points for licking the ears of more than 10 complete strangers. My money's on my hooligan chocolate, stupid or not. ;D ;D ;D
Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! I gave Benson a rabbit fur dummy to retrieve....he disappeared off with it over the horizon...in my book that is pretty clever..I am give him something exciting wrapped in rabbit fur and expect to give it back? ;D ;D Yes he is chocolate!
Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! Well this has turned out to be a "light blue touch paper and stand well back kind" kind of moment. can i come out from hiding behind Mrs GreenBull yet? Reputations and stereotypes start for a reason so it would be interesting to know why "a certain colour" has a reputation for being a few bits of kibble short of a full dinner.
Re: It's true what they say about chocolates! Ah, I've found the "ignore this user" button. Peace restored.... ;D ;D ;D
