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Silver Labrador & Different Opinions
The silver Labrador has been making quite an appearance in the world of Labrador Retrievers in recent years. Some advertise this unique color as being rare, hard-to-come-by, and special. Others denounce it as a deviation from the true Labrador in its original glory. Labradors only come in three colors after all, right? (Hint: the three colors of one of America’s favorite breeds are black, chocolate, and yellow.)
The Genetics
What makes a silver Labrador silver? Well, it’s as simple (or as complicated) as this one word: genetics. Each Labrador is classified genetically as one of the following: DD, Dd, or dd. The D locus determines whether or not the dog’s coloring will be diluted. Special note: this author is not sure if the D locus was named to represent the word “dilute” or not… probably not. 😉
When a dog is genetically tested and shows up as DD, then its coat will be either a true black, true chocolate, or true yellow. If the dog shows up as dd on its genetic test, then the break down is as follows: Black will become “charcoal,” chocolate will become “silver,” and yellow will become “champagne.”
What about the Dd? This means that the dog has one copy of the standard color gene (D) and one copy of the dilute gene (d). These dogs will appear to be the standard color (black, chocolate, or yellow), since the standard gene is dominant over the recessive dilute gene. Should these dogs be used for breeding? No.
Even though the Dd dogs appear to be standard in their colorings, they carry the dilute gene. This means that, if bred to a DD dog, then some of the offspring will be also be Dd. Maybe not so bad (although even that is debated!), but if bred to another Dd dog, then many of the offspring will be dd – entirely dilute. Thus the population of silver labradors, champagne labradors, and charcoal labradors will grow, though perhaps unintentionally.
How to prevent (or produce) silver Labradors
The best way to prevent silver labs is to genetically test all potential breeding dogs before using them in your program. If you come across a dog that is Dd, then don’t worry: they’ll still make a wonderful family pet for someone. They will be best used for companion purposes and had better be spayed or neutered as soon as healthfully possible.
Genetic testing is still the best way to insure that your breeding dogs are Dd or dd if you desire to produce the silver, charcoal, and champagne colors, though we would not recommend going this route.
For future puppy owners:
Are you in the market for a new Labrador puppy and wondering what all the discussion is about, and really, does it even matter? In all honesty, the coat color of your new puppy should not affect its temperament or potential as a family dog. But since you are in the market for a quality puppy, one who takes the cake as the best of the best, why not search for a standard Labrador color?
Find a breeder who genetically tests all of their parent dogs for the D Locus to ensure that your new canine companion can shine in all spheres of life, including the field of trait genetics. Whether you go with a black lab, chocolate lab, or yellow lab, you won’t regret finding the perfect pup!
Labrador Puppies SC
At DogSmith Purebreds, we specialize in raising dilute-free Labrador Retrievers. Our beautiful breeding dogs are all tested to ensure that they are pure in coat color: the wonderful DD!
In addition to trait testing, our dogs carry a lifetime health guarantee against serious genetic illness, and come with important things such as early potty training and lifetime breeder support. We know that bringing a new puppy into your family is a big step, and we want to see you and your new four-footed-friend succeed.
Join our email list to receive puppy updates and an inbox of puppy love. Also, feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have about our breeding program. We look forward to being in touch!
