Black, chocolate, and yellow Labrador Retrievers are only three of the regular coat colors that many pet owners know and accept. For this reason, when you come across a photo of a white Labrador, you may get curious: “are white Labs purebred?“
The good news is that yes, white Labs are purebred! It just takes a specific breeding pattern to achieve that snow white color that is slowly starting to gain popularity in recent years.
If you are interested in getting a white Lab but are curious about their purebred status. This article will discuss everything you need to know about white Labradors.
How come a white Labrador Retriever is purebred?
Although yello, the real-life yellow Lab can actually range from a lot of different colors from a fox red to a pale, champagne color.
It is this wide variety that allows for the existence of a purebred white Labrador.
The yellow Labrador can go to the palest cream colors and the specific breeding of those types of coat colors is what leads to the color white that some people covet.
In most cases, a white Labrador is a product of a specific breeding pattern, however, there are also times when it’s not.
Some white Labradors are albino dogs. Which are not to confused with the white Labrador that comes from purebred breeding methods.
Albino Labradors usually have a lot of health conditions and it is by no means ideal to have one as a pet.
Their lack of pigmentation makes them more prone to sunburn, skin diseases, and even cancer.
Their eyes also usually damaged at birth or at risk of problems. The albino Labrador is nowhere the same as the white one.
While the albino Lab completely lacks pigment or severely lacks it. The white Labrador still has some streaks of yellows or creams in their coat.
It is common for white Labs to have cream stripes. Patchy areas near the ears where their coat is not fully white.
The white coat of a purebred Labrador all boils down to how they were bred.
If they had parents that were purebreds, then they’ll also be the same.
Aside from the atypical white coat, a white Lab will have the same build as the regular Labrador.
Are white Labradors different from other coat colors?
No, not at all. Labradors are no different from a Black Lab than a Chocolate Lab is.
Labradors are not different through their coat colors as much as they are different on an individual level.
Thus, white Labs are just as fun and playful as a chocolate Lab.
However, you may want to watch out for certain illnesses.
Tightly knit breeding patterns could cause problems down the road especially when your Lab puppy was pooled from a very specific set of Labradors.
However, there are still no current studies on it.
There anecdotal reports that white Labradors are incredibly hyper and like to play around.
Again, that may just be personal temperament and probably has nothing to do with their pale white color.
The white Lab you could get may be super playful or they may be on the more timid end.
Their coat color does not really reveal much about who they are and what they will be like when they grow up.
Their coat color does not limit them from being the typical loved and adored Labrador.
How a white coat changes
One thing to know about white Labradors is that their coat is nearly always splashed with other pale yellow colors such as cream.
And throughout their growth from puppies to adult Labs, their coat color also changes.
These changes mean that the coat of the Labrador when they are still a puppy, is not necessarily their coat color when they venture out into adulthood. It could become paler or it could turn a deeper shade of yellow.
The color patches could be more pronounced, or it could blend more seamlessly into the rest of their coat.
There are tons of possibilities that you can entertain, and each one of them will make your white Lab more loveable than ever.
Should I get a white Labrador?
Now that you know if white Labradors are purebred, you’re probably asking if they are worth getting.
And the answer to that all depends upon you! Coat color is more of a preference thing than it is anything else.
Getting a white Labrador comes with all the other responsibilities and consequences of taking care of a Labrador.
You will need to make sure they get their vaccines and that they eat the right kind of food.
You will have to watch their health and make sure they get enough exercise.
However, one thing to note when buying a white Labrador is that you should be cautious of whom you are buying from.
Since a white Labrador is usually bred through special means. You may face some breeders who are unethical in their work and prioritize color over health.
You do not want a sickly white Lab on your doorstep, so those breeders are a big no.
Make sure to get a white Labrador from a breeder that you trust or whom your family can recommend to you.
Having a Labrador as a pet is an excellent thing if you can keep up with their needs and wants.
Be responsible and go through with the purchase because you want to care for a Lab, and not solely because of the aesthetic prize that you get from owning a white Lab.
Conclusion
All in all, having a white Lab can be a treat! They look really nice and elegant in their snowy white color.
White Labradors are pretty much just like their black, yellow, and chocolate cousins in more ways than one.
They still have the signature otter tail. The special double coat, and all the other aspects of being a purebred Labrador that many have come to expect.
In all aspects except convention, they are Labradors through and through.
It’s necessary to debunk this misconception since it can cause a bit of controversy and stigma.
Just because they are not the typical Labradors that you would see in most descriptions does not mean that they are any less purebred Labradors.
