Lucky (Black Labrador Retriever): Part I

To say that Labrador Retrievers are awesome dogs would be an understatement to say the least. Trust me when I tell you this: Labradors are one of the best, if not the best dogs in the world (and maybe the universe!). I'm serious, too. If I could think of why dogs are called "man's best friend," it would be because of the Labrador Retriever. They have almost everything one could want in a family pet: intelligence, eagerness to please their family, they're easy to train, and they have a friendly, kind, and loving personality...towards just about anyone, not just their owners. Labradors want to be friends with just about everybody. 

Labradors are also very gentle and tolerant. VERY tolerant, in fact. I remember the first Labrador my family had, Lu Jack. I loved Lu Jack. He wasn't my dog, he was my dad's, but I still loved him. I had a good time with him, too. Of course, my dad got Lu before I was born, so Lu was already senior-aged when I was a toddler. Boy, Lu Jack was everything a Labrador should be: kind, loving, gentle, and very patient and tolerant. He put up with a lot of my toddler antics. I remember I would climb and lay all over that dog, and he would endure all of it with a gentle and loving tolerance and acceptance. 

However, as much as I loved Lu Jack, like I said before, he was my dad's dog, not mine. And this post isn't about Lu Jack. It's about the Labrador Retriever who had been my best friend for a long time. A very long time, in fact. His name was Lucky, and like Lu Jack, he was a black Labrador...and possibly the smartest Labrador I've ever had. Like all Labradors, he was easy to train, and he learned new things very quickly, too. From the time he was a puppy, we trained him to retrieve the newspaper from the end of the driveway. Of course, that trick was mostly for my dad's benefit. Anyway, I got Lucky as a puppy for my tenth birthday, so Lucky and I practically grew up together, kind of like siblings. I guess you could say Lucky was my "brother from a canine mother." A little humor for you, there.  Anyhoo, Lucky was not just the best Labrador I've ever had, he might just be the best dog I've ever had. We were quite a pair, Lucky and I.  I will always love and remember Lucky, but I probably won't get to say everything I want to about him in this one post, so stay tuned for part two, soon to be written!