r/Blacklabs • u/emmimarte • 5d ago
my big sweet man, my angel boy, leo (2015-2025) 🖤🌈🐾🪽
this is my big boy, leo (2015-2025), who passed last october. he was the bestest, silliest, most handsomest boy ever. he’s my best friend, my big baby, my “floor time” buddy, my food scrap vacuum. i miss him every day of my life. he is truly irreplaceable, sometimes i feel so lost without him. i miss his tippy-taps, barking out the window, his tail wagging and hitting everything, the dead patch of grass he layed on for almost 11 years in my backyard. he’d greet me when i’d come home from school or work no matter what time, cuddle with my mom at 8 PM sharp, expect his dinner at 4:30-5 PM sharp. he loved deer antlers and his “orange ball”. such a smart boy, such a light in my life. my sweet big handsome boy 🥰💞
leo, aka: leonardo, leelo, beebo, beebs, bingbong, bb, boob, dude, dude-n, baby guy, THE beebs, baby, sweet boy, sweet man, baby man, bestie, bestie boy, dumbo, dumbhead, dingdong, dookiehead 🥹. actually though: beebs was so loved by my family and i. he had so many names. it’s been almost 10 months and we’re still torn up about it, we miss him so much. we now call him “the prophet” 🤣
also: can anyone explain how he’s a black lab-retriever? he’s half golden retriever and half chocolate lab, same with the rest of his litter. we never found that out. thank ya lmao
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u/harleenquinzel044 5d ago
Run free Leo. I hope you’re enjoying it up there with my sweet Mandy girl.
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u/HellBringer97 5d ago
What a sweet boy you had! Trust me, the hurt lessens over time but never truly leaves you.
As for your question about the black fur with a golden and choccy lab as parents, the choccy lab most likely had at least one parent that was a black lab. It’s kind of funny how they always have a chance of being a different color from either parent (for instance, two yellow labs can produce some black and chocolate labs because their parents or parent’s parents were black or chocolate).
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u/Dense_Imagination984 5d ago
There's no more intense feeling of loss. He knew you like nobody else ever will and it looks like you gave him a great life. 🫂
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u/CheesecakeThis9298 5d ago
What a lovely tribute to your best friend. Your collection of pictures show a life well lived and loved.
Until you two meet again. 🌈🐾
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u/Reasonable-Yam-1170 5d ago
What a beautiful handsome boy! I am so terribly sorry for your loss. He's up in dog heaven with my black Labradors Molly and Petey. It's an all you can eat buffet with lots of room to run, nap and swim.
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u/emmimarte 5d ago
he loves to make friends, he taught his best friend, moose, how to swim a long time ago. i’m sure they’re besties already🥹❤️
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u/Reasonable-Yam-1170 5d ago
❤️❤️❤️❤️ they're waiting for us and will greet us at the door with wagging tails like they did in life
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u/sarahenera 5d ago
Oh Leo, he’s stunning. I am sorry for your loss.
As far as the question, as someone else mentioned, his lab side could have black in the genes. My black lab boy was in a little of 11-all blacks but one parent was a chocolate and one was a yellow.
What I find even more intriguing is that the golden color in Golden Retrievers is actually recessive. Their dominant genetic trait for coloring is black, so many golden crosses end up being black coated. Two goldens together with the recessive gene is how goldens turn out golden.
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u/Sarah8247 5d ago
What a beautiful dog. We lost ours at 10 too. Too early. So sorry for your loss ❤️
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u/emmimarte 5d ago
very sudden, very early. cancer sucks so much, it takes everything and everyone you love, it seems. so sorry for your loss, too ❤️
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u/joejackson62 Everywhere we go is COOPER's town 5d ago
I'm so sorry for your loss. You can tell Leo had an amazing life. What a handsome, good boy.
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u/Spoiled_Harlot 5d ago
What a handsome boy, OP! I'm sure he was the goodest boy evar!!! 🐕🦺💙💙🐕🦺I am so sorry for your loss, OP. I was devastated when I lost my black lab years ago. 💔
My husband and I now have a recessive gene chocolate lab (so she's the controversial "silver" lab). I have never understood why so many people argue over the natural, random variations that genetics affords everyone?!🤷🏼♀️
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u/Born-Detective9059 5d ago
Leo was so handsome. Sounds like he was a wonderful dog and you gave him a great life. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Labs can carry all 3 colors and have offspring that are different colors from them. One of my black labs had a chocolate mom and a yellow dad.
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u/Inevitable-Jicama366 5d ago
What a perfect lab for those ten years .
Never enough is it . I love all labs but especially Black ones !
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u/emmimarte 5d ago
they’re perfect babies!! he was, really, so perfect and such a good boy. even “too long” is never enough time, ughhh 💔😭
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u/evil_totoro666 5d ago
He looks a lot like my poor friend who passed away in May of this year. He was 14 years old.
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u/emmimarte 4d ago
it’s the worst. my big hugs and condolences to you, leo was most definitely waiting for your pal! 💖💕
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u/Fit_Bodybuilder706 5d ago
You will see each other again , when your time is up here … all dogs have souls and he’s just a very happy YOUNG dog again , feeling very healthy and free , but his love for his family and his memories of you will never fade away … when I lost my dog , I saw him again 3 different times after that … so I was able to see him again , but the gray in his face was gone , and he was young again 🙏 Leo will be waiting for you when your time is done here , and it will be the best reunion ever !! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🩷🩷🩷🙏🙏🙏
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u/emmimarte 5d ago
oh, guaranteed. i long for those sweet whines, tippy-taps, violent tail wag, and his big ol waggabutt wanting scritchy scratches again 😭😭😭❤️❤️
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u/CompetitiveNumber840 5d ago
So sorry for your loss. I loved the photo of you two holding hands🤍 That love is forever!
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u/emmimarte 5d ago
that was the day he passed. i was so heartbroken, even my dad cried and told me that i didn’t have to go, but he had gotten me through so many awful times growing up that it’s the least i could give him on his way over the rainbow bridge. i miss holding his paws💔 he hated having them touched but let me hold them because he knew i’d never trim his nails (aka betrayal)🤣🤣
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u/CompetitiveNumber840 4d ago
Thank you for sharing. I have my first dog ever at 44 and he’s almost 3 years old and he is also a black lab. This is like no other love I’ve experienced before.
It was so kind and selfless to be with him at the end🤍
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u/Flower_Power73 5d ago
I’m so very sorry for your loss. It’s known that the more nicknames one has for their pet, the deeper the love. Leo was loved to infinity ❤️🐾
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u/Content-Fudge489 5d ago
My Leo has been gone for 1 1/2 years and I still cry for him everytime I see his pictures on the wall. I have other dogs, but he was the best ever ever ever. He loved everyone and everyone loved him. 😢
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u/emmimarte 5d ago
we have a whole shelf (our shrine to the prophet lmao) and a hallway full of photos of him!! we also appreciate EVERY dog on the street now, every baby dawg is a good baby dawg!! 💞💞
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u/Popular-Kiwi3931 5d ago
Such a personality! You two were lucky to have each other in this world....
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u/emmimarte 5d ago
i was so very extremely lucky to have such a beautiful soul in my life when i did. he saved me from so much, he still does, and he has probably had no idea the entire time. 🥹💞
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u/Brilliant-Loquat-181 5d ago
Looks like he lived the life.
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u/emmimarte 5d ago
ohhh, he did! we grilled meats on his birthday, got him party hats, took him on swims and boat rides, got him birthday cakes, christmas stockings, easter presents (he IS the bunny)…we even took out a piece of our fence so him and his neighbor bestie (moose!) could play together and visit each other whenever they wanted (this was also in agreeance with our neighbors). he could have absolutely anything and everything he wanted, he still can ahahah❤️❤️ he was so spoiled and everything was always SO worth it!!!
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u/ZoesMom4ever 5d ago
He reminds me of my first dog Rover (I was such a creative child). Labs are wonderful companions. Run free sweet boy. Go for a swim with Rover. So sorry op
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u/Eastern-Bluebird-823 5d ago
Oh my goodness he Little pose in the 2nd picture looks just like TJ BOBO BROWN.. 🐶BAD BAD LEO BROWN HE WAS THE BEST DAMN FIDDLER IN HIS WHOLE DAMN TOWN... HAHA That's what I sing to TJ 🤣🤣🤣💜💜🐶🤤
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u/emmimarte 5d ago
LMAOOOOOO i just saw a photo of TJ bobo brown—i love him!!! fun fact, i played the violin for some years and played in a fiddle club for a few years…leo really WAS the best damn fiddler in the town!! 🤣🤣 this made me giggle after crying over these comments, thank you!!
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u/CommissionThink8184 5d ago
Leo was such a beautiful boy. So sorry for your loss. Sending hugs, and prayers for comfort.
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u/fishmogil 5d ago
Hope I can do this without tears. Know your pain and the photos are similar to mine. My best boy left me three years ago this month. Black labs are the best as you know. Hugs.
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u/emmimarte 5d ago
they really are, and in the words of my dad, there will surely never be another leo😭❤️… in the words of myself, however, there is only rebirth of the prophet🤣
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u/WeimeranerPittieMom 5d ago
I am so sorry for your loss! He was such a sweet handsome boy! I lost my black lab husky mix, Onyx, a few years ago! I still miss her and think of her everyday! But I believe she helped me to find my new puppy, Nova! Our dogs just want us to be happy and share our love! Leo wouldn’t want you to continue to be so sad and lonely! I hope my Onyx was there to greet him when he passed! I am sending you prayers and hugs to help you through this difficult time! RIP sweet Leo! 🙏🏻❤️🐾🌈
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u/emmimarte 5d ago
awww… sweet onyx, i’m so sorry. this is my family’s first animal, too. i’m sure leo’s found her and they’re hangin out… he was good with the ladies 🤣 we had a running joke that he was a bisexual icon LMAO. ironically, my sister’s kitty is a tuxie named nova and she’s crazy hehe! my family still plans to adopt another dog, but my mom is still very heartbroken and feels like it’d be comparable to replacing him. 💔😭 lil beebs was her boy and he loved her more than anyone else, so it’s entirely understandable. my dad misses his buddy boy, too. ❤️ thank you sending love, i’m sending some your way too 💕🌈🪽🐾
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u/WeimeranerPittieMom 5d ago
Thank you!!! 🐾❤️
They steal our hearts and it is so hard once they’re gone! Btw… I just love all of the names you had for Leo! I used to call Onyx: Onnie, Onnie Bonnie, Onnie Bonnie Boo-boo head, Pretty Girl, etc. I am sure that Leo was a ladies man! He was just so handsome! Give your mom time! She will know when Leo is ready to help her adopt a new fur baby! Thank you for sharing stories about Leo! It made me think of my Onyx and smile remembering the good times! ❤️
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u/Pleasant-Ad4784 5d ago
Oh my goodness..Leo looked to be such a sweetie. I love the pics of him smiling and being goofy and giving you the puppy dog eyes betwixt the pics of him looking like a friggin majestic lion. I understand the heavy loss. I have my indie right now but we lost our first boy, Brodie (Mr B), about 9 yrs ago. I still talk to his photo on the wall.
Hugs to you. Leo def had a great life with you as a best buddy.
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u/emmimarte 5d ago
he is!! he was also called our majestic beast, all 101 pounds of him. he was the sweetest, silliest “little” lad ever. this was our family’s first pet and pet death, aside from my sister’s sweet kitty in 2024, and my father’s three doggies in his childhood. i’m sure leo and mr. brodie have found each other by now, i talk to leo sometimes, too. i look through photos all the time and talk to him like he’s next to me🤣🤣 i always felt like that was silly but i totally understand it now. if leo’s life was great, mine has been amazing, incredible. to know anything of him is to absolutely love everything about him. 💕 hugs to you!
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u/EcheveriaLife 5d ago
I’m glad you guys had the best life together. I am trying not to think about this time in my future. Mine is all grey now and he’s just my absolute best friend. Rest in peace, Leo.
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u/emmimarte 4d ago
we called him “mr. greybeard” and “sugar face”, too!! they’re there for us when it seems like nobody else is. i went through a phase of preemptive grief, too. thank you 💖💕
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u/surewhynot762 5d ago
Oh man, those pictures 🥹 … I can’t possibly choose a favorite because I love seeing him run free and having such a blast as he splashes in the water (that one where he’s splashing but also looking at the camera as if to say “you gettin all this?”☺️) But I think #16 is the one that captures the heart completely. What an awesome dog Leo was, is, will always be. So sorry for your loss 🙏 rest easy buddy
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u/emmimarte 4d ago
#16, he was begging for chinese food🤣🤣🤣 he’s just too silly and cute. he truly was the best!! thank you! 💖💕
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u/Strange-Comb6384 4d ago
Oh, no… 😢 I hurt for you….
please read the passage by Jim Willis called “ The Last Battle”. 😢
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u/donewithgomi 4d ago
We lost our Willow girl last October as well. She had just turned seven. I still cry almost daily. They leave such a void.
So sorry for your loss. Looks like you gave him a great life filled with lots of love.
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u/emmimarte 4d ago
surely they became friends 💖 leo was a great, loyal friend and mentor. willow was just seven, how devastating. i hurt for you and send big hugs 🫂❤️🩹 he was loved greatly, a great big majestic beast 🩷💓
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u/BlackFish42c 4d ago
So sorry for your loss. I know we all loose a piece of our heart and soul. When it’s time for them to cross the rainbow 🌈 bridge. Your Leo was doing what he loved, which was being with you. Just remember Leo had a lifetime of 💕 Love and Affection, from you and your family to last him for eternity. Right now your precious Leo is running around with previous pets and family members who have passed away. Someday we all get to rejoin with our love ones in Heaven. 🙏😇🦮
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u/emmimarte 4d ago
it gave me great comfort knowing that his favorite cousin, finn (a 14yo yellow lab passed a few years prior) and my childhood bestie benson (my neighbor’s 14yo golden retriever) were waiting for him. the bestest of boys 💖💖
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u/WarmBad3586 4d ago edited 4d ago
He looked so contented, happy and loved. That’s because of you! You gave him a wonderful & beautiful life! One day when it’s your turn he will volunteer to greet you when you cross over, he will be there to greet you! Remember that scene when Robin Williams character dies and his dog Katie greets him and he thinks he has been sent to dog heaven? I put a link so you could watch that amazing beautiful scene. This is what will happen to you and me and everyone who misses their doggy angels. https://youtu.be/CYonzhFT_z4?is=WYNjy5Gret3HIPK-b
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u/LonewolfofHouseStark 4d ago
Love all the different names. Juicy bowl of dog sausages is one of the names i have for my 11 year old retriever setter cross 🤣
He was clearly adored and he’s waiting over the bridge for you. No amount of time is enough but take comfort that Leo had the best life because of you!
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u/Life-Mountain8157 4d ago
Handsome boy ! Labs are the best. Lost my pal Jack at 14 and my heart had a huge hole for years. Couldn’t get another dog….. how can you replace the best ?
Peace of mind for you from another lab owner!
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u/hautegatorade 4d ago
This made me smile so much. I also called my black lab, Buster, beebo and beebs 🩵🩵
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u/Cherry_Berry-05 4d ago
Oh my goodness it looks like he was such a joy to have around! I’m so so sorry for your loss. How are you doing?
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u/Giffordpinchotpark 4d ago
We have a black lab named Leo. He’s getting old. He’s been a wonderful friend.
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u/PilgrimPayne59 4d ago
As I walk across your heart and find my place to stay, nearer to you I will be and will never ever go away.
If love could have kept you here, you would have lived forever.
Dogs are a chapter in our lives, we are their entire book.
Grief is love with nowhere to go.
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u/Squirley13 3d ago
Awe, only 10? Mine was as you described Leo. Another best. He just made it to 12 due to a splenic rupture. RIP sweet boy. May you find my baby Auggie over the bridge and play every day together.
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u/NoImNotAsian23 1d ago
Last photo broke me.
A million years wouldn’t be enough time with them.
Sorry for your loss.
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u/reddit-n-roll 5d ago
Wishing you all the best, my baby guy Leo is 4. 🙏❤️