Black is the original, if not classic, Labrador Retriever color, and genetically speaking, it is the most dominant of the three colors accepted today. It was certainly the most dominant color until the beginning of the 20th century because it was the only acceptable color in a show ring. Today’s Labrador Retriever, however, appears in chocolate and yellow, as well, and it should be noted that the colors, chocolate and yellow, were seen in the original St. John’s Water Dogs from Newfoundland, the St. John being the antecedent of the Labrador Retriever.
As recessive colors, yellow and chocolate pups occasionally appeared in litters of early breeding programs, but these ‘off color’ pups were usually removed from the gene pool until the colors were finally accepted by the British and the American Kennel Clubs. A dog named “Ben of Hyde” born in 1899 may have been the first yellow Labrador Retriever, though the color of his coat was described at the time as more butterscotch than yellow.
In modern times, a new color “wrinkle,” has appeared, a color known variously as silver, platinum, champagne, or charcoal. By any name, none is an acceptable color for the breed in most established and respected registries, and indeed, each is a disqualifying fault. There is no genetic basis for this color in the Labrador Retriever, and there is strong suspicion (but no “smoking gun” proof) that the “silver gene” was introduced into the breed in the United States from either an accidental or intentional breeding with another breed.
There is strong evidence in scientific literature that the Labrador has never been identified as carrying the dilute gene “dd,” and since the Weimaraner is the only known breed in which the universality of “dd” is a characteristic, it’s probable the silver Labrador is the result of crossbreeding a Weimaraner to a Labrador.
In June, 2017, a statement was released by the AKC that stated:
According to the breed standard, established by the Labrador Retriever Club, Inc., there are three acceptable colors of Labrador Retrievers. Those colors are Black (all black), Yellow (fox-red to light cream), and Chocolate (light to dark chocolate). Silver is not an acceptable color of Labrador Retriever and is a disqualifying fault. Based on an agreement in 1987 between the American Kennel Club and the LRC, it was agreed that there was no proof that these silver dogs were not purebred and the breeders of the silver dogs subsequently registered them as chocolates.
Using parentage testing, it cannot conclusively be proven that silver Labradors are not purebred dogs or are crossed with Weimaraners. The Labrador Retriever breed does not carry the dilute gene dd that appears universally in the Weimaraner and is responsible for silver color.
Responsible breeders are tasked with breeding for health and standard and not solely for aesthetic. While we respect the choice of pet owners to select the breed of their choice, the LRC, Inc. does not view silver Labradors as appropriate breeding stock and believes that they should not be bred. They may compete in AKC events but are disqualified from the conformation show ring.
In another statement put out by the LRC and authored by Frances O Smith, DVM, PhD Chair, of the Labrador Retriever Club, Inc. Genetics Committee, it was noted with interest that the original breeders of “silver” Labradors were also involved in the Weimaraner breed.
This isn’t solely an American issue. In Australia, the National Labrador Retriever Breed Council issued a “silver coat high alert” to all state-based member clubs around Australia advising them of unscrupulous breeders in Australia promoting this color to an unsuspecting public. In New Zealand, the silver color wasn’t seen until 2006 when imported Labradors from the USA produced silver offspring. The New Zealand Kennel Club addresses the issue here.
“Silver” Labs are likely fine companions, but an uninformed public must understand that it is not an accepted color by the AKC breed standard.
Image shared with consent by the AKC
I don’t consider my Silver” lab to be silver at all.he looks more like a light chocolate milk,one where you didn’t put enough Hershey syrup in.he is not SILVER at all . And he is registered as a chocolate.
A dilute dog is no less of a dog.
Simply not a purebred Labrador.
We don’t disagree, Carrie.
Why is no one considering the far more likely idea that the dilute gene originated in Labs back in the first half of the century when they were intentionally crossed with Chessies to strengthen the Chocolate color? Chessies also carry the dd ‘silver’ gene (as do several other breeds that were involved in the development of the breed) but everyone is automatically pointing fingers at breeders, accusing them intentionally mixing with Weims.
I guess it’s possible that some unscrupulous breeder took the time to breed several generations of Lab/Weim crosses to get that silver color. But it seems like a lot of hassle for a not so consistent result… I mean, with a basic knowledge of dog breeding and how simple color genetics work, it’s easy to see that genetically, a Lab bred to a Weim would not produce silver puppies. The offspring of that first cross would have to be bred together and then only 50% of those puppies *could* be silver. Then those silver dogs would have to be bred together to get the consistent coloring. So yes, it’s entirely possible that a breeder did all that just to ‘dupe’ the public into thinking that this ‘rare’ color appeared overnight, but I find it unlikely.
An interesting comment, Piper, and perhaps one of our readers who breeds Labs will weigh in!
Piper is factually correct. A lab bred with a weim produces all Dd pups and standard colors. It would have to be done several times intentionally to breed to the desired dilute color. “The smoking gun” has been searched for far and wide. We can find more about dinosaurs then we can about silver labs not being purebred. Wonder how many Dd standard color labs there are out there since they look identical.
I breed Labs, and currently have an outstanding Silver as my stud dog. Dilute Labradors can be traced back to the earliest of Kennels, and if one would only read the journals of Countess Howe, they would find the proof. She often described pups as being silver, gray, or blue in her litters. These dogs weren’t bred further, but it did happen. Also, the ‘deadgrass’ color of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a dilution. These dogs were used to further the chocolate color, and it stands to reason that they are the breed that passed the dilute gene on to the Labrador breed.
With all of that said, whatever color Lab you have, those of us who breed and especially in the Pro-Dilute community, need to focus on breeding the right way and producing the best possible dogs we can. Regardless of how much you love your Lab, if they aren’t up to par breeding wise, don’t breed them. You set the entire fight for the dilute labs rightful place back each and every time.
Actually the very first Labrador standard of 1916 not only allowed dilute colors, but specifically described various eye colors and eye only found in dilute Labradors were included. This was the same standard the AKC adopted in 1917. It wasn’t until after 1933 when eye color were removed by no on other than the LRC inc. but even in 1987 the LRC agreeded silvers were purebred. The concept that the gene stayed hidden until the 50’s is easy to grasp because as stated in the article all colors other than black were removed. So the gene went on undetected in the blacks and yellow. The greater weight of evidence which is genetics and written standards from 1916 indicates dilutes were present as far back to 1916 and that predated the conspiracy theories that Weimar are involved. Perhaps if the unite with the Area 51 conspiracy folks and storm a secret underground government bunker they will find an alien Weimaraner inside a UFO. The conspiracy folks like to say the Weimaraner was introduced by Kellogg Kennels in the 1950, but I not only have a silver that his bloodline can be traced back to the 1800, and none of them passed thru Kellogg Kennels, however he is related to a dog from 1947 in the UK that is named Chacoal of Hardy. In not going to slander the writer of this article but it clear, not all facts were presented, and the information is just repeat of what they wanted to present. But why not write an article that presents all the facts to includes timelines.
Wow, what a poorly researched and slanted article. The AKC had a staff writer write an article about ten bullet point characteristics of Labrador Retrievers, and the last writer simply parroted the Labrador Retriever Club’s anti-silver propaganda. The AKC had the decency to issue an apology for including LRC points that were “not true” and shortened the article to eight points. It is not difficult at all to find information on numerous legitimate paths the dilute gene could have taken to get into the Labrador gene pool (even by the LRC’s history, there were many dilute-carrying breeds beside the Chesapeake Bay Retriever used to create the Labrador breed) and not one shred of evidence that the gene was introduced illegitimately. There are 100,000 reasons to believe the article above is wrong.
We have no proverbial dog in this fight, Brian, but rely on a variety of sources to get information on breeds that are not our own. Readers’ comments help “flesh out” information, so we’re glad you wrote.
I beg to differ. From the inflammatory title to the bogus claim of “strong evidence in scientific literature,” you clearly had an agenda in writing this article, you clearly sought only sources which fit that agenda, and you included no information whatsoever to contradict that agenda. Please, if I’m wrong, point out how so. There are so many sources of information contradicting the anti-dilutes propaganda that it is impossible to miss all of them when seeking “a variety of sources to get information.”
Our default sources are the parent breed clubs, Brian, and from the AKC to the Canadian Kennel Club, colors in this breed have been limited to three. Dissenting alternative information is provided by comments like yours. No agenda here.