Labrador retriever dogs can come in a wide range of colors. While the American Kennel Club, or AKC, only officially recognizes some colors, there are actually
more than just the three most well-known colors for this breed of dogs. Besides the common yellow, black and chocolate Labradors, you can find variations of colors and even brindle patterns on the dogs. If you aren’t using your dog for show purposes, his color won’t make a difference except in your own personal preferences.
Because yellow, black and chocolate are the most commonly known colors for Labrador retrievers, the color is often attached to the name of the dog. However, when you find one that is of a different color, it isn’t any less a Labrador retriever than the others are. Even when these dogs come in varying colors, their main color is still often one of the three recognized by the AKC. For any purpose other than showing, these additional colors have no bearing on the dog whatsoever.
Even though the AKC accepts only three colors, there are variations among some of those colors. For the black Labrador retriever dogs, black is black. Chocolate labs can come in a small range of browns. The yellow Labrador retriever, however, comes in a wide range of colors, from a light tan to a reddish coat color. As long as the dog is one uniform color, it is of show quality. One small white spot on the chest can still qualify the dog as a show dog.
Any time a Labrador retriever has a color other than its main color on its body, it no longer qualifies as a show dog. If you don’t want to show your dog, though, these color markings can provide a unique look to your dog to help you identify your own dog. White and tan markings are among the most common to create a brindled effect to your Labrador retriever. These markings can give your dog character, in addition to his personality.
The colors of Labrador retriever dogs can vary widely, though the AKC recognizes only three of the colors. However, if you aren’t intending to use your dog as a show dog, the colors don’t matter as much. The black, yellow and chocolate Labradors are often one solid color, though the shades of those colors can vary. When you add additional markings in other colors, the dog qualifies as brindled and is no longer of show quality.
