Labrador colors, and what English style means

Labs come in black, yellow and chocolate, and we raise all three. Our yellow Labs range from a light white to a fox red shade of yellow, and we choose each mama and papa pairing on purpose.

A Labrador Retriever puppy sitting in front of a brick wall

Which colors are true Lab colors?

The true Lab colors are black, yellow and chocolate, and the breed standard allows nothing else. Any other color, or any mix of colors, rules a dog out of the show ring, and the American Kennel Club registers Labs only as black, chocolate or yellow. A small white spot on the chest is allowed, though it isn't preferred, and white hairs that come with age or a scar don't count against a dog.

That rules out the silver, charcoal and champagne Labs you may see advertised. Those colors come from a gene that was never part of the breed, and the breed club doesn't consider a silver Lab a purebred. Some silvers have been registered anyway, as a shade of chocolate, which is why a DNA test for that gene is on the list for breeding Labs.

A Labrador Retriever puppy sitting in the grass

Black Labs and chocolate Labs

A black Lab is black all over, and a black with brindle or tan markings is ruled out. Chocolates can run from light to dark chocolate, and the same rule on brindle and tan applies to them.

The nose follows the coat, with a black nose on black and yellow Labs and a brown one on chocolates, and a nose that fades a shade lighter over the years isn't a fault. Our black Lab and chocolate Lab guides go further into each color.

A Labrador Retriever puppy standing in front of a brick wall

How light or red can a yellow Lab be?

A yellow Lab can be anything from light cream to fox red and still be correctly yellow. Yellows can range from fox red to light cream, with shading on the ears, back and underside, and fox red is a rich, dark shade of yellow that is perfectly correct. A Lab sold as white is a very pale yellow.

Ours cover that whole span, and those shades have nothing to do with the gene behind silver, because they come from other genes that deepen or lighten the yellow. If you have a particular shade in mind, tell us early. Our yellow Lab and fox red Lab guides go further into the yellow range.

A Labrador Retriever puppy playing in the grass

How do the parents decide a puppy's color?

Two genes do most of the deciding. A Lab turns yellow when it gets the yellow version of one gene from both parents, and that pair switches off black in the coat no matter what else the puppy carries. A second gene decides between black and chocolate, and a puppy is chocolate only when it gets the brown version from both sides. A puppy with at least one black copy of each gene comes out black, which is how a black mama and a black papa can have a yellow or chocolate puppy when both quietly carry it.

The same rules run the other way, so a yellow bred to a yellow can only have yellows, and when both parents carry yellow, about a quarter of their puppies are likely to be yellow. That's why we choose every mama and papa pairing on purpose, with the colors it can bring in mind.

English style or American style?

English and American are two styles within the same breed. There is only one Labrador and one breed standard, and the two labels are informal names for the show style and the field style. The field style tends to be lighter in bone, longer in the leg and narrower in the head, and the show style is stockier and heavier in bone, with a denser coat. Most Labs sit somewhere in between, both styles can turn up in the same litter, and the labels say nothing about temperament, training or health.

Our goal is what many people call the English style, meaning a blocky head and a stocky body, with big paws and a kind expression. You can judge it for yourself, since every puppy's page shows its mama and papa.

A Labrador Retriever puppy standing in the grass

Can I reserve a Lab by color?

Yes, a Lab can be reserved by color, with a spot held by gender and color from the day the litter arrives and the final pick at 4 to 5 weeks, when coat and personality are much easier to read. If the color you want isn't in a litter yet, the waiting list is the way to hold a spot. A $200 non-refundable deposit holds a place on the waiting list for a litter that has not been born yet.

Tell us the color, or the shade of yellow, you're hoping for when you apply, and we'll be straight with you about which pairings are likely to have it. The Labs we have now are on our Labrador page.

Labrador puppies

Meet our Labrador puppies

See the Labs we have now, in black, yellow and chocolate.

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More about the Labrador

All the guides

Do Labs shed?How much a Lab sheds, when the heavy sheds come, and how to keep up with it.
Size, lifespan and healthHeight and weight, when Labs stop growing, how long they live, and health testing.
Chocolate LabsHow a Lab comes out chocolate, what two chocolates can have, lifespan, temperament, and silver.
Black LabsWhat makes a Lab black, the colors a black Lab can hide, the markings allowed, and ours.
Yellow LabsWhat makes a Lab yellow, what white and English cream mean, brown and pink noses, and ours.
Fox red LabsWhy fox red counts as yellow, what makes a Lab red, whether parents predict the shade, and ours.
Labrador pricesWhat our Labs cost, what goes into the price, and what feeding and exercising one takes.
Golden Retriever or Labrador?Size, temperament, shedding, colors and health side by side, from a family that raises both.
How to pick a puppyWhen families choose here, what the parents tell you, why temperament tests fall short, and fit.
Bringing a puppy homeThe drive home, the first night, what is normal in the first week, the first vet visit and house training.

Contact

Talk to us about a puppy

Call or text during the day, email any time, or send an application and we will get back to you, usually within 24 hours. You are welcome to visit in Syracuse, Indiana, during our hours or at another time on request.

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Phone(574) 275-3531 · call or text
Emailsweetlittlepuppypaws@gmail.com
HoursMonday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 3pm. Other times available on request.
Where3468 E 1300 N, Syracuse, IN 46567. Visits during our hours or on request.