Say No To Silver Labs

[emilysgk]

I can see it in them dogs from the gallery posted. There heads are not quite right, and the ears. I somewhat see the difference in the bodies also. To some, a lab is a lab is a lab, but the people who know differently are looking at more specific points on the dog that are not right. If all the silver labs were the *charcoal* variety...then maybe it would be much more believable that they came from nothing but pure labs. It looks to me like some are getting smart with it and have breed just right with enough generations that they are starting to look really close to the real thing. How do you think new breeds and colors were ever created? You keep breeding them the way you want them, with enough time, no fail you get your desired result. Its not there at all yet. To preserve the lab as it should be, this needs to stop. Unfortunatly, most typical pet owner know nothing about breeding, nor the standards a dog should fit, and a large majority may not even care. They want what they want. This is much worse than the cross breeds being sold, the doodles and such, because they are being passed as pure.

I dont agree with people buying up the fancy new mixes, but at least they are being sold as what they are. Then again I could be way off...how can something be this bad, and go this far, and the AKC never be able to find a way to stop it? There are a lot of rules with breeders, and with trouble afoot your not going to be able to register your pups.... so I am undecided in that manner. But I do agree that the labs certainly look mixed to me.

[AllAmericanPUP]

I DO NOT agree with breeding silver labs, they shouldnt be bred and they certainly shouldnt be bred for money like these breeders are doing.

labs can come in alot of mismarks
i think there was a link posted about mismarked labs on here? or maybe that was a different board...

here is something on black and tan labs
http://cdc.guidingeyes.org/Adoptions/pdf2.pdf

and here is a site about other mismarks
http://www.blueknightlabs.com/mismarks/

[.sarah]

Here are two more links for mismarks if anyone is interested.
Mismarks 1 & Mismarks 2

Also, a link from the same website about Silver Labs
The Truth Behind "Silver" Labradors

[CagneyDog]

There is no actual way to find out which facts are correct. I've read many websites that have said this stuff (.sarah, pm me if you want me to provide you with the websites I looked at. I'll have to get them to you tomorrow though, it's too late tonight.) and I've seen several that contradict this stuff. I have no idea if I'm right (sorry if I gave that impression in my post), and I don't think any of you know for certain that you are right.

I'm not really sure what side I stand on when it comes to silver labs. Part of me thinks that breeders shouldn't be breeding silver labs but then I'm thinking that this is what happened with MANY breeds. (People crossed bred and introduced foriegn genes) Lots of people think that the silver Lab will be a reconized AKC color with in the next few years, anyways.

[TORNER RETRIEVERS]

I'm not really sure what side I stand on when it comes to silver labs. Part of me thinks that breeders shouldn't be breeding silver labs but then I'm thinking that this is what happened with MANY breeds. (People crossed bred and introduced foriegn genes) Lots of people think that the silver Lab will be a reconized AKC color with in the next few years, anyways.

usually, people who don't care about a breed uses these kind of excuses. the fact that some breeds have been in the same situation doesn't mean this is right.

on the other hand, the AKC can't decide which breed caracteristics they'll recogniza or not. this can only be done by the parent club of the breed.

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

Silver Valley (Breeder)

-and-

Silver Labrador Information

Quote from website...

"Breeders of black and yellow Labs saw their market share fall through the floor when chocolates became popular in the Lab marketplace. These same breeders opposed recognition of chocolates by AKC for decades. Opposition breeders claim their resentment is based on breeding ethics. However, their breeding ethics extend only as far as their pocketbooks. Aside from the presence of a genetic combination which produces Silver coats, Silver Labs have the same genetic makeup as non-Silver Labs. Some of these ethical breeders freely admit killing Silver puppies to protect the breed standards. In reality, the Silver puppies they kill have the same genetic make-up as the blacks, yellows, and chocolates they allow to survive. The only ethic these breeders are protecting is the ethical investment they have in their black and yellow bloodlines."

[TORNER RETRIEVERS]

Silver Valley (Breeder)

-and-

Silver Labrador Information

Quote from website...

"Breeders of black and yellow Labs saw their market share fall through the floor when chocolates became popular in the Lab marketplace. These same breeders opposed recognition of chocolates by AKC for decades. Opposition breeders claim their resentment is based on breeding ethics. However, their breeding ethics extend only as far as their pocketbooks. Aside from the presence of a genetic combination which produces Silver coats, Silver Labs have the same genetic makeup as non-Silver Labs. Some of these ethical breeders freely admit killing Silver puppies to protect the breed standards. In reality, the Silver puppies they kill have the same genetic make-up as the blacks, yellows, and chocolates they allow to survive. The only ethic these breeders are protecting is the ethical investment they have in their black and yellow bloodlines."

****Fact: This statement is so silly. First of all, breeders dedicated to the Labrador Retriever don't breed dogs according to any "market". Secondly, ethical breeders don't breed just to make money so this contradictory. Mismarked puppies do occur in Labs and have done so for decades, this is well documented. Reputable breeders simply sell these puppies as pets. So to say that "ethical" breeders have covered up the Silvers by killing them to protect their black and yellow investments is ridiculous, especially since Silver breeders say that their color comes from chocolates. If it is from the chocolates, then what and how would they be protecting blacks and yellows that supposedly don't carry the gene for Silver in the first place?