White labrador puppies are a relatively rare sight. Catch sight of one frollicking in the park and you could be forgiven for believing you’d spotted a polar bear cub. All the more appropriate if snow has been falling and the whole place looks like a scene from the frozen north.
But white is just a very pale version of yellow, of which there are many Labrador puppies (Yellow labradors are in fact the most common type of the breed).
So you won’t see many white ones. More usually, these gorgeous little animals are black, yellow and chocolate. The black puppies are very dark and inky, yellow tones range from cream to gold and chocolate is a very deep shade of brown.
A fascinating fact which may not be generally known is that the mother Labrador can produce several different colours in the same litter and although they might look quite different, they are still the same wonderful Labradors underneath.
Hands up anyone who has ever seen a red labrador puppy? No?
Well, they are comparatively rare. But when we say red, we don’t mean blood-red or scarlet-coloured. We’re talking more of a foxy or cinnamon colour.
That’s what’s so beautiful about Labrador puppies: the variation in shade. Most of the unusual shades are actually tones of yellow. Those described as white, are in fact a very light yellow, cream is a tone darker, then there are the light and dark yellows, and finally the foxy-red.
So how do they end up that colour? A mere fluke, say some people.
Other breeders reckon that if you mate a dark yellow with a foxy-red you should end up with a red puppy. But there’s no guarantee. Dominant and recessive genes have a part to play.
Also, some puppies darken as they grow older, others stay just as they are.