What Is A Silver Lab?

Silver Labs are gray (similar to the color of a Weimaraner), have gray nails, gray noses and have gray pads on their feet. Silver pups' eyes are light blue until 6-8 months old; as adults Silver Labs' eyes are pale yellow (about half the tone of a chocolate lab).

DNA  testing and mapping of silver labs was done during the close of the  twentieth century and meticulous investigation of each silver labs  ancestry was conducted by investigators from AKC. All conclusions were  the same, i.e., "there was no reason to doubt that the dogs were  purebred Labrador Retrievers," (see conclusion issued by AKC).  Amazingly, the Flat Earth Opponents of Silver Labs counter these  scientific conclusions with the incredibly insane accusation that the "cross-breeding" which allegedly produced the Silver Labs was either  covered up by line breeding or happened too long ago to be detected by DNA testing. If anyone ever needed an indication of just how ignorant  opponents of Silver Labs are, this statement should be the key. Every  K-9 carries in its genes a complete history of its ancestors going all  the way back to wolves. 

Everything  written about the Silver Labs is based upon speculation. One statement  that is commonly made is that there had to have been a Weimaraner  introduced into the bloodlines to produce the silver color. This statement has been proven false. UC Berkley studied the genetic makeup of the Silver Lab against that of the Weimaraner. Researchers concluded that it was not the same. 

The AKC Stand on Registration of Silver Labradors: Response of Jack Norton of the AKC on 1/24/00 giving AKC official position on the issue of Silver Labs.

The registry of the American Kennel Club is based on parentage and not the coat color of a member of any breed.

In  1987 the AKC, in corporation with the Labrador Retriever Club of  America, conducted an inquiry into the breeding of litters that  contained members that were registered as silver. An AKC representative  was sent to observe these dogs. The report and color photographs of  these dogs were reviewed by AKC staff and representatives of the  Labrador Retriever Club of America. Both Parties were satisfied that  there was no reason to doubt that the dogs were purebred Labrador Retrievers, however they felt that the dogs were incorrectly registered  as silver. Since the breed standard at the time described chocolate as  ranging in shade form sedge to chocolate, it was felt that the dogs could more accurately be described as chocolate rather than silver. This  remains the current policy of the American Kennel Club. Jack Norton Special Services Dept .

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