Getting a second Lab

Question
I have a 1 1/2 year old female black lab.. we are going to get a chocolate lab soon. I was told to not get another female, as they won't get along very well, should i get a male or is there really  no difference.

Answer
Actually I think status within the litter and dominance may be more important.  Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog.  Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones.  You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/  Put 2 dominant females together, and they may be perpetually contesting their status.  If they are spy/neutered, you are less likely to have problems if you get a male.  

Do a lot of research before getting a chocolate Lab.  Many of the lines tend to be hyper and have poor hips.  Even with carefully chosen parents, you never know what a puppy will grow up to be like.  

One of the best sources for dogs with a predictable personality is the rescue
dogs.  These are dogs that lost their home, but were taken into a foster home
to be retrained as necessary and placed in the right home for them.   You may
find a rescue near you starting at
http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm  The rescues charge a fee to help cover their expenses, but is much less than the price of a puppy plus all its medical expenses the first year.