chocolate lab question

[sfk108]

I have three labs. two black and one chocolate that my husband gave me as an anniversary gift about 2 years ago. We do not have the papers on the cohcolate lab as his father was left to the breeder in someone's will and the papers were lost etc.. Anyway, today some woman walking her dog asked me what kind of chocolate lab he was. i was not aware that there were diffrent kinds of chocolate labs. She mentioned English and Chesapeake as the two diffrent kinds. i have always been curious as to why our chocolate lab was so much lighter than any other that I have seen. she said they are not very common and she could not find any around here as that was the kind she had hoped to get. she said they go for about one thousand dollars. I am not interested in the money. In fact both of our black labs are spayed/neuterd as we got them as family pets and not for breeding purposes. i am just very curious now to see if my bailey is in fact a chesapeake chocolate lab. i have done a web serach and can not find anything. does anyone have any idea about what I am talking about?? thanks for any help or web links.
shannon

[Karen]

Actually, a Chesapeake is a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, not a Labrador at all! We just had one as dog of the day last week - see Maxx http://DogoftheDay.com/archive/2001/September/19.html - they are brown or rusty-colored, but curly-coated water dogs. I've never heard of an "English" Chocolate Labrador - I even looked it up in a dog breeds book I have. A Chocolate Lab is just a color variation of the Black Lab and the Yellow Lab (which can be anywhere from white to gold), but it is a rarer variation, for some genetic reason.

[Dixieland Dancer]

I checked dog entires for the AKC and there is no class for chesepeake or English labs. As Karen has said there is only a Chesepeake Retriever and not a Lab. I would tend to think the person you were talking too really didn't know what they were talking about. If you run into them again question them about where they got the information.

[sfk108]

Thanks for your replies. The pic of that dog looks nothing like mine. I am curious as to why mine is so light colored then? He looks more like a peanut butter color than a chocolate. I have never seen any chocolate labs as light as ours. He also has two diffrent color eyes. they are both a brown/yellow color but one is much darker. I will see if I can find a pic of him and maybe you can tell me if he is even a full blood lab at all! He weighs about 90 lbs and on his hind legs he stands over 5 feet tall. He is now 2 years old. thanks for your help.
shannon

[BandiTank]

Maybe he isn't chocolate, maybe he's just a dark yellow. Or his parents may have been yellow and black or yellow and chocolate. I dont know. Just a suggestion.

[tatsxxx11]

Hi, Sandra, lab mother to Star here. Way back I posted a thread on "English Labs???" People seemed to be referring to a certain look of lab as the "English" lab. After much research, speaking with vets and breeders, etc. they all agreed. A lab, is a lab, is a lab. There is no such thing as an English lab. It is a currently trendy, sort of elitist reference to the now more preferrable (at least in show) short, boxy, big headed physique. The English were primarily responsible for bringing back to England from Newfoundland, and vigoursly pursuing, the perpetuation of this prized retriever. As you may know, the AKC is famous for, throught the decades, actually changing their own "standard" for certain breeds. What is now referred to commonly as the English type (shorter, broad and boxy) more represents the current accepted standard for confirmation and "show." The taller, leaner looking labs are seen primarily in the field trials; hunting. As for the Chesepeake Lab; no such breed exists. A Chesepeake Bay is a retriever, but definitely not a lab. A breed unto itself! Labs, do, though range in color from almost white (some like to call them "silver" labs to all shades of cream, yellow and gold to "chocolate" and black. I think your labbie just hit the gene pool that spit out a very uniquely beautiful shade of light brown. Without getting into the genetic science of it all, as yellow labs generally have brown eyes, and "chocolates" often have yellow or golden eyes, the cause of this straddling of the coat color line may also have been the reason for the bi color eyes. I am so curioius to see a pic. of your baby! No matter what color, he sounds beautiful! My lab Star says Hi! and labbie butt wiggles to all the labs at your house. (P.S. Star is what I like to call my midget lab! Such a wee one! ) I've pasted a copy of the "standard" for coat coloring from the AKC web site. I also checked out the Chesepeake. They seem to be taller than the standard for labs, the coat is curly, the eyes yellow or golden. Hope this helps! And welcome

Color

The Labrador Retriever coat colors are black, yellow and chocolate. Any other color or a combination of colors is a disqualification. A small white spot on the chest is permissible, but not desirable. White hairs from aging or scarring are not to be misinterpreted as brindling. Black--Blacks are all black. A black with brindle markings or a black with tan markings is a disqualification. Yellow--Yellows may range in color from fox-red to light cream, with variations in shading on the ears, back, and underparts of the dog. Chocolate--Chocolates can vary in shade from light to dark chocolate. Chocolate with brindle or tan markings is a disqualification.

[ September 26, 2001: Message edited by: tatsxxx11 ]

[sfk108]

Thanks so much Sandra for all that info! I did find a pic of him from about a year ago but I cannot figure out how to attach it here. Can you tell me how?
shannon

[tatsxxx11]

SFK108....Hi! Sure I will!! As soon as I get home from work this afternoon, OK? I'm late! Sandra

[sfk108]

Maybe he isn't chocolate, maybe he's just a dark yellow. Or his parents may have been yellow and black or yellow and chocolate. I dont know.


I think he is def a chocolate. Both his parents are chocolate and they are the deep brown color. not sure though ahout his grandparents. i am going to attach a pic or two. I have one of him w/ my son but not sure if I will attach that or not. I don't trust the net LOL.
shannon

[ilovehounds]

Could he be part Weimaraner ?? They have a nice light brown color with beautiful eyes.
sorry I don't have a better pic on hand.

Just a thought, its hard to tell without a pic. But whatever the breed Im sure he is gorgeous

[Rottie]

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever and Labrador Retriever are seperate breeds.

The Labrador Retriever comes in 3 colors, Black, Yellow, and Chocolate.

Your dog could be a light chocolate just like Yellow Labs can be vary from light yellow to dark yellow.

[tatsxxx11]

Hi sfk! Hope you got my message. Can't wait to see your labbie! Here's my Star. She's just 3 this month.

[tatsxxx11]

Hi Shannon! a.k.a. sfk108-A new member!! Welcome again! I got the pics of your beautiful labs and here they are! First one is of Bailey, her chocolate! Shannon, no doubting that he is 100% Lab! Beautiful body and nice boxy head!! And his coloring looks a perfect hershey chocolate brown to me!! What a beautiful boy



And here's one of Abby, her black female, with Bailey and.... ?????? Shannon! You never told me your baby's name As we've discussed here on Pet Talk, we often fail to give due credit to our 2 legged kids!



[ September 28, 2001: Message edited by: tatsxxx11 ]

[ September 28, 2001: Message edited by: tatsxxx11 ]

[sfk108]

Thanks so much Sandra! My baby's name is Gavin. Sorry about that LOL. I really appreciate you posting those for me. BTW, your Star is gorgous!
shannon

[tatsxxx11]

Shannon, Gavin is ALMOST as gorgeous as Bailey!!! LOL!! Truly, Gavin is just beautiful! What a lucky mom to have such beautiful kids, furry and human