Health Concerns of Yellow Labradors

Yellow Labradors can be affected by multiple and recessive genes which can affect pigmentation. Pigmentation can affect the nose, lips, gums feet, tail and eye rims. This means that the yellow Lab can carry recessive genes from black and chocolate coloured Labradors.

In general, Labs Labelled as yellow can be coloured white through to light gold and fox red. There may also be variations in shading on the ears, back and under parts.

A yellow Labrador may start life with a black nose, but this is liable to turn pink as the dog grows older.

Yellow Labradors known as "Dudley’s" can have pink noses, and the same colour around the rims of the eyes. Their colour can appear as light flesh on a light yellow to brown on a red or dark yellow.

Unfortunately, current breeding standards do not permit Dudley’s, which are extremely rare, entering dog shows. Also breeding yellow Labs to correct pigment abnormalities is not dependable.

Yellow Labradors can also be affected by genetic combinations for colour.

Some appear as dark yellow with black pigment. There is black around the muzzle and eye rims, but the nose will become pink as the Lab ages.

Bizarrely, the enzyme tyrosinase can make the nose turn black or purple during the warm weather of summer. Other yellow Labs can also display a brown nose, pips and eye rims.

There are two different types of yellow Labrador, field lines and show lines. Field line yellow Labs are ideal for hunting and are more energetic than and have more drive than show line Labs.

Show line Labs have a hunting capability, but are not as swift and have a better temperament than their field line counterparts.

It is vital that you train your yellow Labrador retriever. Yellow Labs grow to be large dogs filled with enthusiasm and lack of training will make them unmanageable.

It is also crucial that a yellow Labrador receives plenty of exercise, so it can run around and play. If the Lab does not have a large exercise area it is important that he is taken for long walks daily.

Training your yellow Labrador retriever is also very important because they are prone to getting into mischief. However, the innate intelligence of the yellow Lab makes them relatively easy to train.

Yellow Labrador pups also love to gnaw, so it would be helpful for them to have suitable toys for them to chew. If nothing else, it could stop them from chewing at your shoes.

Yellow Labrador retrievers can live between 10 and 15 years, so a well trained happy Lab will be a long-term pleasure for you and your family.

Related Articles

History Of Yellow Labradors 

Black Labradors 

Click Here For The Labs Breed Standards 

Labrador Retreiver Colours 

Click Here To Return To The Home Page