Labrador Colours

Coat Colour.

You hear the colour of labradors called so many different names :

Cream

Biege

Silver

White

Golden

Charcoal

Brown

These are just some of the colours you will see in adverts or hear when people are talking about labradors.

Or you will hear people say that some colours are rare!!!

So lets start at the beginning:

Colour.

The breed standard states:

Wholly black, yellow or liver/chocolate. Yellows range from light cream to red fox. Small white spot on chest permissible.

These colours obviously vary but the name of that colour remains the same.

Black is black.

                                                    Georgia is black.

Yellow can range from light cream to a deep fox red. Pictures below show the difference.

                                                    Chobee is yellow.

  

                                                    Aysha is yellow.

                                                    Amber is yellow.

  As you can see the 3 dogs above are all yellow and yet they range from very pale yellow to fox red.

Chocolate can vary from very light to very dark (just like the yellows!!!) Again see the pictures below to see the difference.

Breeze is chocolate

This puppy is chocolate

This puppy is chocolate

Once again you can see the colour variation. Chocolates can be a milk chocolate colour ranging to a dark chocolate. But they are all known as chocolate.

Some breeders do call the chocolates liver and this is the only variation on colour name allowed by the Kennel Club.

All colours, a small white spot on the chest is permissable. You may also occasionally see white spots behind the paws.

Although the breed standard makes no reference to them in the labrador breed standard they are called Bolo pads which comes from the famous Labrador Banchory Bolo. Labrador breeders accept these and some see them as a sign of quality.  Any other marks are considered mismarks and so a dog would be prevented from being shown, however the bolo pad is accepted in the showring and so that dog is able to be shown.

There are NO other colours in labradors!!!

Are some colours rare and so should they cost more.

It is highly believed that chocolates are rare, this is not the case although many people who breed labradors would like you to think so. A chocolate puppy  should not be sold for more money (I have seen them advertised for as much as £1000 in some cases). because it is rare!!! IT ISN'T.

Puppy prices vary due to bloodlines and for dogs who have perhaps won more in the showring. A working bred labrador who is trained to pick up and / or is winning well can command very high prices.

When looking for labradors you will see them priced as low as £100, well what can I say you get what you pay for and this price is generally linked to puppy farmers.

The average price at present for a show bred labrador with parents hip scored and eye tested is around £550 - £650

Good luck in your search.