I bred my two AKC Regd. champion Labradors (chocolate male and gold female) a few months ago and Milly gave birth to 12 healthy little puppies. There are 1 chocolate male, 2 chocolate females, 1 gold male, 1 gold female, 1 black female, 3 black males, 1 silver male and 3 silver females. I read a lot about breeding and Labs before I bred them (male aged 2, female aged 3) but I never read anything about silver Labs.
Can someone give me any information on them? They are now 8 days old and I am taking them for a check up next week. They are all very healthy, cute and all are the right size.
Is this a genetic default? Do they need to be destroyed? Milly and Josh have both been tested for hip and elbow dysplasia and have been tested free of PRA so this an excellent 1st litter.
Any information on silver Lab puppies would be very much appreciated!!
2007-02-13 11:11:12 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
Just so you all know; I did NOT breed for money. I breed my dogs because I have a pure love for the breed and I do want to create better Labradors to improve the breed. All my dogs come from champion bloodlines with no record of genetic diseases. My dogs are in no way related and I do not in-breed.
I have been a lover of the Lab since I was 8 years old (now in my late 30's) and I have been a volenteer at the SPCA now for just over 6 years.
I also plan on keeping 1 puppy from this litter to show.
2007-02-13 11:17:18 · update #1
To SADIE R - none of my Labs have come from litters with silver puppies. Although my other female Lab, Jesse, who is in no way related to Milly or my male, (I own 3 females), did come from a litter with 1 silver male. I don't see how that come in relation to Milly's litter.
2007-02-13 11:19:33 · update #2
"Silver" is just another description for a yellow lab-that's what they'd be registered as, since the only three colors labs are: yellow, black and chocolate. It just means there's a gene in there that's causing a lighter color to come out.
It's just a washed-out or light version of the yellow color. Yellow labs can range from red to silver/white.
2007-02-13 11:21:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Silver is NOT a color of Lab - just in case anyone replied that it is. lol Silver happens from the mix of the 2 colors, it's simply a diluted chocolate color from being mixed with the yellow. They don't need to be destroyed at all, it's not uncommon and very normal. They are still pure Labs and can still be registered but will be marked as Chocolate. (check the AKC site and you'll see) If you plan to sell, don't charge more or less money for them, they warrant the same as the other puppies. Congrats on the litter, Lab puppies are so cute!!
2007-02-13 12:21:43 · answer #2 · answered by MasLoozinIt76 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi there -
First of all, it's not a genetic fault. Silver is a variation of chocolate, not yellow. If you look at the Labrador Retriever Club (the breed club from the AKC) description, they state that chocolate can vary just like yellow can.
You will find a few disreputable breeders who market these dogs as very "rare" silver labs and try to sell them as a new color. This is not true and the AKC only recognizes the 3 colors - black, yellow and chocolate.
This site is great. She's a great breeder and her site has tons of info for any lab owner as well as breeder. She is also very very well respected in the lab community.
http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/silverlabs.html
She explains the genetics very well (and don't buy into all this mutation stuff until you read her site)
Here's a little more info on silver labs - http://www.labbies.com/silver.htm
Don't worry about the pups. They will be fine. I'm sure they are beautiful. I've seen chocolates that are all variation of chocolate - from a milk chocolate color to a very rich dark chocolate. I haven't seen any as light as you describe but I'm sure they are gorgeous.
If you search for Silver labs you'll see some breeders and the marketing hype. Some people think they cross the labs with Weims. I doubt it but these people really ought to stop trying to sell based on color and concentrate on temperment and soundness. =).
Post pics for all of us to see please?
Good luck with your babies and don't worry. I'm sure they will be fine.
2007-02-13 11:40:58 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is really no such thing as a silver lab..this is just a mutation caused by breeding a yellow with a chocolate..it caused dilution of chocolate/yellow depending on the silver coloring. They are not rare and not worth more then any other puppy. They should, however be sold on limited registration and on spay/neuter contracts. I also suggest getting color genetic DNA tesing done on your dogs before breeding again so you know what they are carrying and can plan breeding mates more carefully.
2007-02-13 11:35:30 · answer #4 · answered by Great Dane Lover 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Restated more correctly: would I get silver pups if I cross a Lab/Weimaraner mix with a chocolate Lab? Answer: probably some will be silver and some will not.
2016-03-29 05:26:53 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is such thing about silver Labs and the silver is not a default in any way. However, there is no such thing about a gold Lab, it's YELLOW. Silver Labs are quite rare but I'm not sure what American registry allow you to register silver Labs. If they are AKC registered, they must have a pedigree so they are purebred Labs indeed.
They definitely do not need to be destroyed and there is no genetic defaults with silver Lab puppies.
2007-02-13 11:48:49 · answer #6 · answered by Elena 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You claim your dogs are AKC CHAMPIONS & you don't even know that 'gold' is not the color? I find your story dubious. First of all, it is yellow, 'Gold' Is the color of a Golden Retriever. You would also know 'silver' is an unregisterable color, and a sign of very bad genetics - if you were showing & belonged to your local chapter of the Lab club, as a reputable breeder would.
Anyway, here is what you should already know - IF you were a credible, reputable breeder: http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/silverlabs.html
Please: sell all the pups with spay/neuter contracts, and spay & neuter your Labs - if you volunteer at a shelter (I also wonder about that), you would know Labs are very overbred & many end up there - hard to believe you could want to bring MORE into the world!
2007-02-13 11:55:35 · answer #7 · answered by mustanglynnie 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
A "gold" lab? There is no such thing. Try a yellow lab. A nice show breeder you'll be. It is not a genetic fault, but these silver dogs cannot be shown as it is not accepted into the breed standard. Make sure they only go out on spay/neuter contracts as pets if they are from show lines. If they were from working/field lines, the color wouldn't matter. Thanks for at least getting their hips, elbows, and eyes done.
2007-02-13 11:25:26 · answer #8 · answered by Cave Canem 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I found a website that discusses the history behind silver labs, and why and how they are genetically possible. I don't know anything about showing them, but I saw some pictures of silver labs online and they look absolutely gorgeous. I love labs, and I'm sure yours are beautiful. Good luck with them, and have fun!! =)
2007-02-13 11:44:15 · answer #9 · answered by greecevaca 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would not breed this pair again. Have you researched the pedigrees to find out where this came in? I would sell those 4 pups on a spay neuter contract only. Hold the papers until you have proof that they have been spayed or neutered. In my spay neuter contract, I need to have a letter from a liscensed vet for proof of the spay or neuter before I will give the papers with limited AKC registration. I actually ran into someone that bred a pair of German Shepherds recently who had 6 blue and tans in a litter. I did help her on the pedigrees of that pair. I also advised her not to breed that pair again.
2007-02-13 11:57:21 · answer #10 · answered by bear 2 zealand © 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋