I think we are ready to think about a pup again.

I don't know much about working with rescues, but have heard the "horror" stories of how hard they can be to work with. I'm sure it's a rarity though and it's just the bad stories that get repeated. However, with that in mind, I would wait to involve the kids until it's more of a "for sure" thing with which pup you are getting. I know it would be exciting to have them help pick, but then what if they have their heart set on one and the rescue doesn't think you're the best match? Anyway, just something to consider

We also started out fostering our beloved mutt but nearly 5 years later and he is still here (they have taken his picure down off the website). One nice thing about going that route is that they pay the vet bills. However, if it's truly a fostering situation, then the dog could be adopted by someone else.

Good luck picking your next furbaby.

I have no advice about labs, I see a lot of them around, but have never owned one. But I'm glad you are ready for another dog! Our first Samoyed passed away May 2013 and I get to meet our new puppy Ryder Sunday. It's so exciting welcoming a new family member

Have fun and good luck in your search!

How about a Weimaraner? They are awesome companion dogs. They are really loyal and want to be with you all the time. They are intelligent, loving, and will be your best friend. These are not the type of dogs to get and plan on leaving in the backyard. They need exercise and lots of love. They quickly turn into one of the family and will steal your heart with their funny expressions. Check out FB Weimaraner and check out all the cuties. We had 2 for 14 1/2 years and just recently they passed away within 6 weeks of each other. Our hearts have been so sad and empty with their loss. We just recently got a 3 month old Weimaraner and will rescue another Weimaraner in about 6 months. The price tag is high for a puppy but so worth it in the end. Or google Weimaraner recues in your area and give a rescue a furor ever home. Some have a lot of energy and need daily runs or walks. And some are happy as pie to be by your side all day long.
Perhaps your son might really like to have a dedicated companion dog which will in turn be his best friend. I wish I knew how to post a picture but I don't. They are short hair dogs that don't shed much and love to get hugs. Our 70 pound boy still loved to sit on our laps and snuggle. They also love to sleep in bed with a human but be careful they love to hog the bed and can be as tall as you when they are stretched out. I cannot imagine our lives without one. If you have any questions fell free to ask.

We have worked with both the humane society, and a couple local breed specific rescues. I've had a lab mix in the past, and one of our current dogs is a golden retriever. Lab's are awesome dogs, and are wonderful around adults and kids. Because of their size, they do require training to make them a pet that doesn't drive you absolutely crazy. Younger dogs will be full of energy, and will need a way to get rid of that energy, even if that means chewing your house to bits if they are left alone. I would highly advise crate training if you go with a younger lab or lab mix.

Several people have talked about rescues, with good and bad experiences. We had a bad experience and then a good experience with two separate breed specific rescue organizations. One organization thought it was odd that we call our dogs by different names (ie nicknames). They also thought it would be a bad idea for two female dogs in the house and tried to educate us on that, and they didn't like our backyard. So...we ended up finding our dog elsewhere. The second organization, while they were not the most organized, seemed more concerned with just finding the dog a happy home. Our home visit was easy, she loved our backyard, and loved that we just let dogs be dogs.
In terms of humane societies, I've never had a bad experience with those. They are much less stringent than the breed specific ones. Unfortunately, around here, the breed specific rescues pull the dogs out of the humane societies so you have to go through them for adoption.

Lastly, we were in the same position as you a year ago. We had lost our third dog two years ago, and said we wouldn't get a third - we don't need the third as two is enough. We were walking around the fair one day and saw a rescue group and the cutest dog. We walked over, and after that we couldn't stop thinking about him. It turns out that his personality is a mix of the two dogs that passed over the past 3 years. He has brought more joy to our life, and to the lives of our other two dogs. It was the one that just 'felt right'.

Good luck in finding your new family member!!

All of this, except that our golden lab never got into the trash.  She did steal the banana bread off the counter early on, but thankfully passed on the tinfoil that it was wrapped in.  Leave It is the first command I teach any dog.  

She came from a rescue in Las Vegas and they held her for over 2 months for just the right family.  She was 5 and still young enough to be good for a family with young kids.  My kids were 4 & 6 and the 6 year old has Asperger's.  She was wonderful with them.  About a month after we got her, DS had a birthday and we had always locked away our previous dog because she wasn't good with crowds.  We were about an hour into the party before I realized that Sandy was in the middle of all the kids and was loving life.  She was so patient and kind to all the multitudes of kids, and there were A LOT of kids running around screaming (we were in the back yard.) She traveled well, was great around other dogs, and stayed in the yard with minimal supervision.  We are a military family and she  had many back yards over the years, but it only took a week for her to learn her boundaries if there wasn't a fence.  Goldens are SMART!  She really was the perfect dog and lived to be a wise old 13 year old, which is pretty good for a big dog.

She did have auto immune issues, which the vet thinks was a reaction to a Lyme vaccine.  For her last 6-7 years, she had bad arthritis and was on painkillers and steroids.  But in the end, it was a tumor that took her.  

The only drawback I can think of is that they shed.  A lot.  And their fur is longer and silky, so they need to be brushed so that they don't get matted fur.  We tried very hard to find another golden lab after we lost Sandy, but I couldn't find one.  We have a lab now and Emma is wonderful, but I miss that silky fur.  But a lab is another good choice as a family dog.

The rescue we worked with was wonderful.  They wanted a good family and the fact that we had flown our previous dog to Korea, then had her body sent back to the states for burial was a plus in our favor, as it showed dedication to our dog.  We had a fenced yard, which is something many rescues are adamant about, but not all.  Try many different resources and you will find the right dog for you.