Labrador Retrievers come in three different colors… Yellow, Chocolate and Black. There are several presumptions about Labradors that are based on nothing more than their coat color, frequently due to conjecture. Chocolate Lab puppies and dogs will have a nose that is the same color as their coat; the same is true with Black Labs. If a Chocolate Lab does not have a brown nose it would not be able to enter a dog show. It actually took the American Kennel Club quite a while to even accept the Chocolate Lab as an actual breed but eventually they did come around. Of the three Lab colors, the Chocolate Lab is the rarest but they seem to be gaining popularity and are expected to catch up within a few years. Those who have a tendency to favor the Black or Yellow Labs claim that the Chocolate Lab is not as intelligent or as attractive as the other two which is the reason that many Chocolate Labs do not enter competitions.
It has also been said that Chocolate Labs are more stubborn, hardheaded and hyper than their counterparts but there is no proof of that, it is just a matter of opinion. Many also claim that the Chocolate Lab has a higher incidence of hip problems which all Labs are prone too but again there is no proof of this being true. Actually, there is evidence that out of all three Lab colors the Chocolate Lab has the lowest incidence of biting people. It is the Yellow Lab followed by the Black Lab that has the highest incidence of biting.
Technically, less selective breeding is required when trying to get Black Labs as opposed to Chocolate Labs. This would actually indicate that there would be less genetic problems and also less inbreeding. However, again under pure speculation, many think that the most inbreeding comes from the Chocolate Labs lacking regard to inherited health concerns. Studies and research have shown that there is no existing confirmation that color affects vulnerability to health problems.
Chocolate Labradors were seen as faulty colors and were tried to be bred out. The misconception still continues to this day that the authentic Lab is the Black color. There is also a misconception that the color of a Labrador retriever indicates his rank of intelligence, which is also untrue. The only difference in the dogs is pigment which determines color. All three colors could emerge in the same litter and it is doubtful that this would have an effect on their intelligence or behavior.
In fact, the shortage of Chocolate Labradors is due to human ignorance. There was a time when the Chocolate Lab pup was plentiful but breeders believed them to be genetic freaks so they treated them heartlessly, so much in fact that some would drown them to eliminate them from future bloodlines. The result was that the Chocolate Labrador's were practically wiped out; so owning one is a novelty. A Chocolate Labrador is an exclusive choice of color that will set you apart from other Labrador owners.
Tim Williams is a labrador retriever enthusiast. He owns and maintains Labrador Retriever Answers, a resource for all labrador retriever lovers and where you can find more information on chocolate labrador puppies and other great lab information.
I appreciate the information in your article. Well put. Good job on a subject I enjoyed. Being a horse and dog person, I naturally gravitate to those subjects and I will look for more good articles from you.
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