The Official Position of the AKC Regarding the Silver Labrador
Dated March 24, 2000
Incorporated with a Dash of Comedy and Canine Wisdom
Ladies, gentlemen, and distinguished dog aficionados, gather 'round, for we embark on an adventure into the world of Labrador Retrievers and their colorful coats. Buckle up your invisible doggy seatbelts; it's a tail-wagging journey!
You see, the registry of the American Kennel Club (AKC) is a bit like a genealogy chart for dogs. It's all about who's related to whom, not who's wearing the latest fashion in fur coats. Now, in 1987, when shoulder pads were big and perms even bigger, the AKC teamed up with the Labrador Retriever Club of America for a little investigation. They sent an AKC agent to spy on some dogs with suspiciously "silver" coats. The verdict? These pups were as purebred as a dog's love for bacon, but their coats weren't exactly "silver." No, no, they were more like "chocolate" in the world of doggy fashion.
Why chocolate, you ask? Well, back then, the breed standard said chocolate could range from sedge to chocolate, which is about as broad as a St. Bernard's smile after a belly rub. So, they thought, why not call them chocolate instead? It made sense to the folks at the AKC.
And guess what? This sage advice still stands today, like a loyal Labrador by your side. So, if you're the proud parent of a "silver" Labrador, according to the AKC, you're officially raising a chocolate connoisseur!
Now, onto the topic of using coat colors as adjectives. Imagine walking into a dog show and hearing someone say, "That Labrador is so 'champagne'!" You might think they've had one too many glasses of the bubbly stuff, but in the world of dog fanciers, it's a thing!
Labradors that are playfully referred to as "Silver" are, in AKC's eyes, essentially "Chocolate" aficionados. If your Labrador is a "Charcoal" character, well, they're Black at heart. And those "Champagne" Labradors? They're the life of the Yellow party!
This policy of calling a spade a spade (or in this case, a Labrador's coat color) was established after a joint investigation in the '80s. You see, the AKC and the Labrador Retriever Club of America teamed up again, and they confirmed that these "Silver" Labradors were as pure as the mountain air.
But wait, there's more! Using colorful names for Labradors isn't new. In the olden days, they called Yellow Labradors "White" if they lacked most of their pigment in the hair. And let's not forget jet-Black, champagne-Yellow, cream-Yellow, butterscotch-Yellow, blonde-Yellow, liver-Chocolate, and so on! It's like a Crayola box of Labrador colors out there.
So, there you have it, folks. The AKC's stance on Silver Labradors is as clear as a freshly filled water bowl. They're still chocolate at heart, and if your Labrador is 'Silver,' they're just embracing their inner chocoholic!
Stay pawsitive, keep wagging those tails, and remember, it's not the color that counts; it's the heart that matters.
Yours in tail-wagging solidarity,
Kelli Clark
Arkansas Labs