The black Lab, and the colors it can carry

What makes a Lab black?

A black Lab has at least one black copy of each of the two genes behind Lab color. One gene decides whether black pigment can form in the coat at all, and the other decides whether that pigment stays black or turns brown. Black wins out in both, so one black copy of each is enough for a black coat.

That leaves room for a black Lab to hide the other version of either gene. One black Lab may carry nothing else, another may carry yellow, another chocolate, and another both, and every one of them looks black. A DNA test of the parents tells them apart.

Can two black Labs have yellow or chocolate puppies?

Yes, when both parents carry the same hidden color. A carrier passes its hidden copy to about half of its puppies, so when a black mama and papa both carry yellow, about a quarter of their puppies are likely to be yellow. Brown works the same way, and those puppies come out chocolate unless they are also yellow.

If one parent has two black copies of the yellow-or-black gene, it passes black to every puppy, so no puppy from that pair can be yellow, whatever the other parent carries. Black, chocolate and yellow are all registered alike, so puppies of different colors from the same litter are all registered as Labradors.

Can a black Lab have a white spot or tan markings?

A small white spot on the chest is allowed, though it isn't preferred. Tan or brindle markings are another matter, and they rule a black Lab out of the show ring.

Gray isn't accepted either. Charcoal comes from the same gene as silver, and it turns what would have been a black coat gray or blue.

What color are a black Lab's eyes and nose?

Black and yellow Labs should have brown eyes, and black or yellow eyes are not wanted because they give the face a harsh look. Eye rims should be black, and eye rims with no color, or a nose that is entirely pink, rule a dog out of the show ring.

Is a black Lab a better hunting dog?

What matters is the work a dog does rather than its color. In one owner survey, whether a Lab was a working dog made more difference to its personality than anything else that was looked at, and hunting dogs scored higher for fetching and for training than show dogs or pets.

The same survey did find some differences by color, mostly between chocolates and blacks, and training, experience and breeding lines were the likeliest reasons. Our chocolate Lab guide goes through what was found.

Do we raise black Labs?

Yes, black is one of our three Lab colors along with chocolate and yellow, and like all our Labs they are bred toward the English style. We choose every pairing on purpose, including the colors it is likely to have. We are working toward health testing every one of our mamas and papas. As each parent's certificates come in, we post them on that parent's own page.

You can reserve a black Lab by gender and color as soon as the litter is born, and make your final pick at 4 to 5 weeks. Say you're hoping for black when you apply, and our Labrador page shows every Lab we have right now.