Yellow Labrador: Temperament, Genetics and Puppies
From light cream to honey gold and all the way to fox red: every shade of the yellow Labrador, how the colour is inherited and our yellow Labrador puppies in Modigliana (FC), Italy.
The Yellow Labrador at a Glance
The yellow Labrador, also called golden, cream or blonde, is a Labrador Retriever with a yellow coat. The FCI standard allows every shade from light cream to fox red. It’s the breed’s best-known colour, but its temperament is the same as that of black and chocolate Labradors: it depends on the parents and on training.
- Other names: golden, cream, blonde, champagne (for the lighter shades)
- Shades: from almost white cream to honey gold, all the way to fox red
- Genetics: two copies of the recessive “e” gene (ee)
- Nose: normally black
- First registered yellow: Ben of Hyde, 1899
- Next yellow litter: Unicum Fortuna Indi for MyLabrador x MyLabrador’s Just Dance (Lucy)
History and Temperament of the Yellow Labrador
Early in the Labrador’s history, the dogs people wanted were black. The first registered yellow Labrador was Ben of Hyde, born in 1899 in Major C.J. Radclyffe’s kennel, with a dark yellow coat. During the 20th century yellow became more and more widespread, and from the middle of the century breeders came to prefer light and cream shades.
Today it’s the colour many people associate with the Labrador, thanks in part to the cinema: the star of Marley & Me (2008), with Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, is a yellow Labrador.
There’s no such thing as a white Labrador. Dogs described as “white” are yellow Labradors with a very light cream shade. They aren’t a separate colour, nor are they rarer.
Temperament. The yellow Labrador is affectionate, sociable, patient with children, easy to train and full of energy. It’s a medium-to-large dog that needs daily exercise and consistent training from puppyhood. Colour doesn’t matter: when choosing a puppy, look at the temperament and build of the parents.
Yellow Labrador Puppies: How Colour Is Inherited
A Labrador is yellow when it has two copies of the recessive variant of the E gene (ee). This combination stops black and brown from showing in the coat, whatever the B gene. The B gene only shows on the nose and eye rims:
| Genotype | Colour | Nose | Can pass on |
|---|---|---|---|
| BBee | yellow | black | yellow; black if the other parent carries E |
| Bbee | yellow | black | yellow; black or chocolate depending on the other parent |
| bbee | yellow | brown | yellow; chocolate if the other parent carries E |
What determines the shade? The range from cream to honey gold to fox red doesn’t depend on the E and B genes but on other genes that regulate the amount of yellow pigment (phaeomelanin). That’s why two light parents tend to have light puppies, two dark parents dark puppies, and parents of different shades often produce puppies of different shades.
Two yellow Labradors only have yellow puppies. We carry out coat colour DNA testing on all our breeding dogs, so we know in advance which colours can be born.
Our Yellow Stud: Indi
Unicum Fortuna Indi for MyLabrador is our yellow male, born on 11 November 2020.
- Colour: yellow (BBee)
- Dysplasia: HD A, ED 0/0 (official scoring)
- DNA tests: clear (N/N) for prcd-PRA, EIC, HNPK, SD2, DM, OSD and CNM, plus other tests
- Sire: Multi Ch. Bravo Messi, World Winner 2017 and Vice World Winner 2019
- Dam: Russian Ch. Heavenly Magic of Briana
Full pedigree, photos and results on Indi’s profile.
Our Yellow Labrador Puppies
Our yellow Labrador puppies are born to parents with official HD/ED scoring and DNA tests. They grow up in our home and go to their new families after 90 days of age, with 3 vaccinations, microchip, ENCI pedigree and sales contract.
Next yellow Labrador litter: Unicum Fortuna Indi for MyLabrador x MyLabrador’s Just Dance (Lucy). Indi is yellow and Lucy is fox red: the litter will include yellow puppies in different shades, from honey gold to fox red.
How to get a yellow Labrador puppy:
- Message us on WhatsApp or through the form and tell us you’re looking for a yellow puppy.
- Come and visit us at the kennel: a visit is required before reserving.
- Join the waiting list for the yellow litter. The average wait is around 6 months.
Before choosing a kennel, always ask to see the mother and the puppies, and which health documents you’ll receive. A responsibly bred puppy with all the right paperwork comes at a cost, because of the health testing, care and time that go into every litter. You’ll find every step in how to reserve a puppy.
Yellow Labrador FAQ
Are yellow, golden and cream Labradors the same thing?
Yes. Golden, cream, blonde and champagne are different names for the shades of the yellow Labrador. The FCI standard allows yellow from light cream to fox red.
Is there such a thing as a white Labrador?
No. Labradors called “white” are yellows with a very light cream shade. They aren’t a separate colour and they aren’t rarer.
Does a yellow Labrador have a different temperament from a black or chocolate?
No. Coat colour doesn’t affect temperament. What matters is the selection of the parents, socialisation and training.
Can two yellow Labradors have black puppies?
No. Yellow Labradors both have two copies of the recessive e gene (ee), so they can only have yellow puppies.
Does a yellow Labrador puppy change colour as it grows?
The base shade stays the same, but a puppy’s coat can become slightly lighter or darker as it grows and moults. The colour of the ears is a good clue to the adult colour.
Do you have yellow Labrador puppies?
We have a yellow litter planned: Unicum Fortuna Indi for MyLabrador x MyLabrador’s Just Dance. To join the waiting list, get in touch: a kennel visit is required before reserving and the average wait is around 6 months.
The other colours: fox red Labrador, black Labrador and chocolate Labrador.
