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Lovable Labradors

Labrador Retriever – Black Color

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Of the three colors of Labrador Retriever, black, chocolate, and yellow, it seems the black has gained most popularity. Is it because the color is more beautiful? Are black Labrador Retrievers more intelligent or affectionate?

Black Labrador Retriever color genetics is probably at the root of the popularity. Black is the dominant coat color in Labrador Retrievers. There actually are only two coat colors in Labrador Retrievers: black and brown. The yellow Labrador Retriever is a result of the genes being unable to express black or brown. There is not really a yellow color gene in Labs.

Biology 101

Black Labrador Retriever color questions are readily resolved if you think back to what you learned about genetics. Genetics is the scientific study of heredity – dominant and recessive genes. We use it, among other things, to study the colors that are likely to be passed on to offspring.

Labrador Retrievers all have two sets of gene pairs. They get one part of the pair from the mother, and one pair from the father.

  1. The first gene pair is for dark coat color. Black is the dominant color, and brown is the recessive color. These genes are often labeled “B” for black and “b” for brown.
  2. The second gene pair is called “Expression” genes. The ability to express a dark coat is the dominant gene, and the lack of that ability is the recessive gene. The common labeling for this pair of genes is “E” for ability to express and “e” for the inability.
  3. that word “express” bothers you, think of it this way. The first pair of genes says whether the coat will be black or brown. The second pair of genes says whether you will see any dark coat color. Both “B’ and “b” may be present, but if “ee” is the other gene pair, the dark coat won’t come out.

Black Genes

The “B” gene and “E” gene both are dominant. No matter what else a Lab inherits, if it inherits a “B” and “E” gene, the coat will be black.

Black Labrador Retriever coloring is pure black if the puppy receives dominant black “B” genes from both parents and dominant expression “E” genes from both parents: BBEE. The puppy will be black, and carry recessive genes as long as it receives from its parents at least one “B” gene for black color, and one “E” gene to let the color show. For example: BbEe will be black as will BbEE or BBEe.

Chocolate Genes

What are chocolate Labs? As noted above, the “b” gene that produces chocolate coloring in Labrador Retrievers, is recessive. A Labrador Retriever puppy will be chocolate only if it has two “b” genes, and at least one “E” gene to let the color show. There are, therefore, only two combinations that will produce chocolate Labs: bbEE and bbEe.

Yellow Labs

The genetic heredity of a Labrador Retriever puppy may include either “B” or “b” genes and the puppy still be yellow rather than black or chocolate. The secret is in the “e” genes. Remember, the “e” genes keep color from showing. They are recessive, however, so the puppy must have two “e” genes to keep color from showing. As long as it carries no “E” gene to make color show, the puppy will have a yellow or nearly white coat – the absence of color. The three possible combinations for yellow Labs are: BBee, Bbee, and bbee.

What Color Will Your Labrador Retriever Puppies Be?

Black Labrador Retriever color may or may not show up in the puppies, even if both parents are black. If one or both carry a chocolate gene, there may be some chocolate puppies. If one or both carry an “e” gene that keeps color from showing, there may be yellow puppies.

Two black Labrador Retrievers can produce a litter containing all three colors of puppies.

Filed Under: Labrador Colors Tagged With: Black Lab, Chocolate Lab, Labrador, Retriever, Yellow Lab, dominant genes, genes, genetic heredity, genetic makeup, genetics, golden lab, heredity, information on Labradors, labrador retriever, recessive genes

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Comments

  1. xtkglider@comcast.net'Elaine Barger says

    October 10, 2011 at 7:28 pm

    I have a female yellow lab with a liver nose her mother and father are chocolate if i breed her to a chocolate what color will her puppies be? I think she is a dudley her eye rims are liver and around her mouth and nose are liver

  2. wendimaxwell@bellsouth.net'wendi says

    November 23, 2010 at 8:34 pm

    I have a yellow male and a chocolate female and just had a litter of 9 black puppies!

  3. tori2122794@yahoo.com'tori says

    November 18, 2010 at 12:07 am

    im doing a science project and i have to figure out what color and gender my teachers puppies will be. his female dog is a black lab, her parents are chocolate, and black. The male dog is chocolate and his parents are chocolate, and unknown. he says if his dog has 12 puppies what would be the way i would figure this out? if you have any sugestions that would help thankz!

  4. Lisa says

    October 10, 2010 at 8:59 am

    My black lab started turning grey just around her mouth and chin at age four. She is going to be eight soon and I had not noticed any more grey , yet .

  5. Jill says

    October 7, 2010 at 5:06 pm

    I have two chocolate labs. Mother (Mocha) and daughter (Cocoa). I wanted a yellow pup so I bred Mocha with a Yellow Lab. His parent where both yellow, and Mocha’s parents where both chocolate. I was very surprised to have 11 chocolate pups from 1st litter, and 10 from second litter. I gave up on getting a yellow and kept a chocolate pup whom I bred with another chocolate pup (whose parents where both chocolate). I got three chocolate and 3 yellow pups.

    The yellow pups all have green eyes and liver noses. Which I thought was very cool looking, but later found out it is considered a defect.

    Does anyone have any information about the liver noses?

  6. fivebugs@juno.com'Bugs says

    June 4, 2010 at 3:40 pm

    Has anyone heard of a black lab’s coat changing to a grey color after a couple of years?

  7. alyssa@lipstick-tips.com'Alyssa says

    April 12, 2010 at 2:53 am

    Most of the labs that I have met have been yellow. I guess the breeders breed for that so there are more yellow pups around than anything else? I personally prefer the black.. 🙂

  8. jreschly@hotmail.com'jackie says

    March 5, 2010 at 2:32 pm

    Does the color of a yellow lab change as they age?

  9. akkipillaidcoolest007@yahoo.com'akash says

    November 20, 2009 at 1:07 pm

    I have two lab’s – one is only 8 weeks old and it’s colour is brown and the other one is white in colour and that is 2 years old.

  10. sewing@usd305.com'emily says

    November 15, 2009 at 9:41 pm

    my lab is black ,mother black father yellow, she had puppies with a black male, mother chocolate father black, she had 6 puppies 3 yellow 2 black 1 chocolate….very cool

  11. enok67@yahoo.com'Pocono MOM says

    November 14, 2009 at 5:07 pm

    sorry the comment about the female not carrying the gene was meant for the mellissa post. The 25 percent chance of yellow was meant for the Rich post.

  12. enok67@yahoo.com'Pocono MOM says

    November 14, 2009 at 5:05 pm

    HI, female is probably not carrying the recessive gene for non expession of color. Probably will not have a yellow lab.

  13. enok67@yahoo.com'Pocono MOM says

    November 14, 2009 at 5:03 pm

    I think it would be a 25 percent chance of yellow. HOw did it turn out?

  14. zmassno2@yahoo.com'Rich says

    August 25, 2009 at 10:13 pm

    Hello, I have a black female who’s mother is black and father is yellow. I have a male who is chocolate and his father is chocolate and his mother is Yellow. They have matted and I am wanting to know what color’s do you think she may have? I feel I have a good chance in getting a yellow or two?

  15. pamelalebel@hotmail.com'Pamela says

    March 24, 2009 at 4:06 pm

    I’m curious to know if your male dog has a pink nose or a black nose. This changes the outcome of the pups. I have the same dogs but my male has a pink or liver nose since a pup so him and my purebred chocolate female should have all Chocolates. If he had a black nose then the outcome would be like yours 50/50 black and chocolates. I’m thinking that http://www.bluenightlabs.com site should help it’s got a chart that is easy to use.

  16. keith_berry@verizon.net'melissa lansberry says

    March 19, 2009 at 2:54 am

    My female lab is chocolate and both her parents are chocolate …..and my male lab is yellow his father is yellow and his mother is black. Will they produce any yellow puppies???? She whelped two litters and she threw chocolate and black puppies and no yellow puppies so far…. &I would really like to know. This is very interesting to me!

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