Silver Labrador
If you’ve spent much time looking at Labrador retriever websites, you’ve probably come across sites offering what they call “silver” Labradors. Are these a real type of lab, or are the breeders trying to pull one over on us? Here’s a look at the silver Labrador, where it might come from, and what this dog really is.
Officially, silver Labradors are a a lighter shade of chocolate lab. They can be registered with the AKC as pure chocolate labs, but some believe that this color couldn’t have been developed without genes from some other breed, such as the Weimeraner. There is no kennel club that recognizes silver Labradors as a legitimate color all its own.
Some breeders might claim otherwise, but they’re either mistaken or trying to get more money for this unusual color. It’s true that these are animals with beautiful coats, but they’re not registerable as silver, and are not worth large amounts of money. If you encounter a breeder selling silver Labradors at a high price, move on to the next one.
Just what makes these dogs silver in color? There are many complex combinations of genes that make up an animal’s coat color. All dogs have every one of these genes, but some are switched on and others are switched off. A silver Labrador is recessive for black, resulting in a chocolate coat. It also has a gene that can dilute the coloration, called the D gene. This appears in the homozygous recessive form, and is written as dd.
Dilute chocolate Labradors are silvery brown, while dilute black labs are slate grey, which is also called blue. Weimeraners are typically dilute, and have a mousey grey coat. Because of this, some people believe that Wiemeraner genes may have been introduced to encourage the presence of the dilute gene in Labradors.
Silver Labradors can be traced back to just two US kennels, originally, and from there back to a kennel that produced pointing and retrieving dogs in the 1920s and 1930s. As far as we can tell, these breeders stumbled on this interesting looking color, and breeders since then have kept it going.
While there’s nothing wrong with breeding a nonstandard dog for its color, there is something wrong with what many breeders are doing. They’re deviating from the breed standard and claiming that their animals are still show quality. They’re also frequently skipping the health clearances on their breeding animals, and rarely participate in competitions to prove the quality of their dogs. This can signify a breeder that’s simply out to make money, rather than improving Labrador retrievers as a whole.
Some silver breeders have also cited DNA testing for silver Labradors supposedly done by the AKC – something that this organization hasn’t done and doesn’t plan to do. After all, the AKC doesn’t write the breed standard. Plus, DNA testing can only really tell us about the parents of a dog. There’s no “purebreed” DNA test around yet.
So, what does that mean about buying a silver Labrador? Most of the time, these dogs aren’t the best bet. You can’t enter blue or silver labs in conformation events, they’re often from poor or unknown breeding stock, and while their genetic background is interesting, it isn’t incredibly special. While a silver lab is attractive and an interesting novelty, it’s not worth paying a lot for.
Labrador Breeder
A Labrador breeder should have the best interest of the puppies at heart and they will ask you lots of questions, which you need to be prepared to answer. A Labrador is a big dog, so don’t be surprised if they are reluctant to sell you a pup if you live in a high rise flat and work all day leaving the dog shut in, and rightly so – this wouldn’t be a good choice for you to be making, so there is little point getting upset about it. They are just doing their job.
However, if you have a decent size house and someone is around for most of the day, the puppy will get regular exercise, be well loved and cared for, then a good Labrador breeder will be more than happy to sell you a puppy. You also have the right to ask questions of them, and again you shouldn’t be afraid to do so. It is important to know that this puppy has been bred in excellent conditions and that the mother has been looked after. Puppy mills abuse their bitches and a dog should never, ever be purchased from such a place. There is a difference between a well cared for breeding bitch who has one litter a year, lives as part of a family and gets proper care and attention, to a puppy mill bitch who lives in a cage, isn’t allowed a human contact and relationship and is badly neglected in terms of love and care.
True Labrador breeders will have a love of dogs and really enjoy what they do. The puppies will be well handled and socialized almost from the moment they are born, and nothing is too much trouble for their puppies. They may own both parents, or they may buy in a stud service, but the mother will be their dog that they take great care of and respect her place as their breeding bitch. Ask them if the puppies are ready to stop feeding from the mother, and what food they have been introducing them to. Most breeders will have a puppy pack for you that includes some food so that you can keep the food consistent, or if it suits you to change it do so gradually to avoid upsetting the pup’s tummy.
You are quite within your rights to see the pedigree papers, and you can see the blood lines. In many cases you will not see the dad as he may well be owned by someone else; however, in some cases they will have both the parents, but without doubt you really need to see the bitch, as in most cases you are going to be making your first visit to the pup while it is still dependant on her, so it would be suspect if she wasn’t around to be seen. Sadly these sorts of things have to be looked at, as a few non-reputable breeders and the people in puppy mills have ruined the experience for some people and now more checks need to be carried out to make sure you are buying a healthy puppy.
Labrador Retriever Breeders
A good dog breeder, no matter what their breed or breeds of choice are, will be quite used to you asking a lot of questions, and in fact they will welcome them as this helps reassure them that you are also going to provide a good home for one of their puppies. Labrador Retriever breeders that you can trust will be those who genuinely love their breed. They will probably have started breeding because they originally had one Labrador, and loved it so much that they got a second, and having the time and the space decided to breed. Many of the top breeders are also the owners of prize winning show dogs. It is safe to say that their Labradors are their life and they will be an excellent choice for getting your puppy.
There is a worldwide campaign to stamp out puppy farms or mills, where breeding bitches are kept in cramped conditions, starved of human contact. These are not animals to be envied. Their sole purpose in life is to provide the puppy mill with as many puppies as possible, and should they fail to do so they are shot. Simple as that. However, puppy mills offer their dogs cheaper than a reputable breeder and the first time dog owner is easily hooked. What you won’t see if you got to a Labrador puppy mill is the mother. You will be asked whether you want a male or female pup, and a selection will be brought out to you. If this happens, walk away. A breeder who gets upset or defensive if you ask questions should also raise alarm bells for you, and again think twice before you buy a puppy as a good Labrador retriever breeder will know the answer to any common question about his pups and his parent dogs and will be more than happy to answer you.
Puppies that come from farms or mills are in real danger of having serious illnesses and diseases and are very unlikely to be given the required vitamins and vaccinations needed by a new puppy, so you are storing up future trouble from buying a puppy from this condition, and any financial saving you made buying the pup will soon be gone in vet bills when it all goes wrong. A pet shop is most definitely not a Labrador Retriever breeder either, so never ever buy a puppy in a pet shop as again these are unlikely to have been born in proper circumstances and are more than likely to have come from a puppy mill. The only way that the campaign can work to stamp out these awful places is for all of us to stop using them.
You may also consider adopting a dog from a welfare shelter before you go out and get a puppy. There are hundreds of needy dogs in welfare care that would love the chance to find a family and have a home for life, and some of the labs they get are very young. You can adopt with confidence as they will have been checked by a vet for any conditions you need to worry about.
Labrador Puppies Sale
There is something just gorgeous about puppies. They really are enough to make your heart melt, and very few people can resist a fluffy puppy. The Labrador is one of the most popular breeds both in the USA and in the United Kingdom, so it is little wonder that Labrador puppies sale is big business. The Labrador Retriever is such an all round dog that it is not hard to see why they are so popular. They are very well known for their excellent temperament which is placid and long suffering, making this an ideal dog for children to come into contact with. There is little chance of the Labrador biting or hurting a child. Obviously all children should be taught how to respect a dog, and any dog can bite if provoked or hurt.
Labrador puppies sales are always going to remain high, as this versatile breed is still used in sports in the United Kingdom, with this highly intelligent dog being able to go and pick up birds that have been shot by guns. In both countries the Labrador makes an excellent choice for a seeing eye dog to work for a blind person as they are so quick to learn, and pick up the skills needed well. More importantly they are reliable, which is obviously vital if they are going to be trusted to safely lead their owner and avoid any potential dangers.
They are also a good size dog, not being too big, yet a nice size to enjoy as part of the family. If well trained they are safe for a younger person to walk without fear of being pulled over by the dog, or that it will try and jump at another dog or small child. Older children can easily be involved in the care of the Labrador.
If you decide that you want to get any puppy for your family you should be doing a lot of research and learning about the breed. There will be lots of information on this website that will tell you about the Labrador Retrievers so you can see if this really is the dog for you. Do take this seriously as fundamentally breeds have traits that cannot be changed, and if you do not choose wisely you are going to end up with a dog that is not right for you.
Do try and do a lot of research about places that offer Labrador puppies for sale as there are sadly still puppy farms out there that do not consider their dogs’ welfare. The only way we can put a permanent stop to them is to stop buying from them, so that they are not making any money. They may well offer a cheaper puppy, which will entice you, as a pedigree puppy is not cheap, but sadly if it is not well bred then it could suffer from many health problems. Puppy farms are best avoided in favor of reputable breeders.
