Silver and Gold?

The question I get most often when telling friends about my expected puppy is: “So wait, what color is he again?”

Most people who know anything about Labrador retrievers – heck, even many who have owned Labs their entire lives – are under the impression that they come in three colors: black, yellow and chocolate.

Technically, they are correct.

The American Kennel Club recognizes these three coat colors as the breed standard (meaning they are considered full-blooded Labs and can join in AKC competition). But just as “blue” accurately describes a cloudless afternoon sky, the Atlantic Ocean, and Yankee pinstripes, so do “yellow, black and chocolate” encompass varying shades of Labrador.

This was news to me three months ago, when I stumbled upon one breeder's web site by a happy accident (or fate). My husband and I had been looking for a yellow Lab, a decision we reached after doing some research (see “Choosing the Breed”). While all three colors are beautiful and have their merits, we decided on yellow because it seemed to bring out a dog’s facial features best, would make finding ticks much easier, and would in a small way honor Bumps (see “A Shadow of Things to Come”).

But the second I saw that silvery gray face pouting up through the computer screen – anchoring the words, “Yes, Virginia… Silver Labs Are 100% Labradors” – all plans were out the window. I shot an e-mail to my husband (referred to hereafter as Chris) asking whether he’d ever heard of such a thing.

“No but they are really cute,” he wrote back almost immediately. “Best looking ones you’ve found as of yet!”

Almost the color of a weimaraner, I loved that it was unique. Most common dog breed in the U.S., sure, but his coat would set him apart.

Always a skeptic, however, I did my research. According to various breeders and American Kennel Club policy, “silver” Labradors are simply one end of the spectrum of shades known officially as “chocolate,” which can range from very light to very dark brown.

And there’s more! In addition to the familiar golden wheat color, “yellow” Labradors can also be “light cream” or “fox red,” and a matte hue known as “charcoal” is registered as “black.”

To a dog lover like me, this discovery felt like Christmas morning, like finding out your dream car just got a slew of shiny new swatches to choose from, or that Baskin-Robbins was launching an entire new line of your favorite frozen flavors.

Of course, there always will be party poopers, and some naysayers still cling to the belief that long ago a weimaraner and a Lab got frisky and started the whole conspiracy.

But while dogs can be disqualified from official AKC registration for a number of reasons, a silver, red, white or charcoal coat alone is not enough.

Either way, 12 hours after stumbling upon this plethora of new information… Chris and I had secured our spot in the next expected litter, between a silver damsel named Annie and a dashing young charcoal named Eli.