Black Lab Fur

[mmcqueen45]

I have a black lab...her name is Balsam...if I were to trim some hair off of her to use for tying it should grow back...she won't know about the bald spots...will she?

I know your kidding, but..... I had two chocolate labs and the underfur on those critters was great for all kinds of flies.

I'd brush them out in the spring and keep all the hair. Almost enough to last a full year.

[Bill Blake]

I just feel weird using my pets for fly tying materials, so I avoid it lest I starting thinking of them in terms of pure utilitarianism.

Don't cut it off. Just comb the hair out and use the underfur. I have a Yellow Lab mix and his underfur is great for March Browns or Gray Foxes. He appreciates being combed and free of dead fur/hair and I appreciate using it for those patterns.

Allan

[fish4trout]

I used to tie a mean black lab midge. All I had to do was pet him a little bit and I would have enough for several flys. Unfortunatly Jake is no longer with us.

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Born to fish forced to work.
Alan

[cajundood]

My black lab's name was Beoun. He was a great friend. I have several great stories about him. But along the line of the string...He was about 13 at the time. He seemed to have a small stroke. His left side was dragging. Anyway, I knew he would not be with us for long and trimmed some of his fur and also took off the hair on the very end of his tail. I tied several different patterns using this fur and put the flies in a shadow box with a picture of him taken in better days after a duck hunt. We had him cremated and have his ashes in a nice wooden container with his pictures and the shadow box as a sort of tribute. It is all sitting on my mantle over my fireplace. The best dog I ever had. I miss him dearly.

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Cajundood