Which color Lab is smarter

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated November 18, 2024

Contributions sourced from

Which Labrador Color?

Wondering which Labrador color is best? Or which color Labradoryou should get? We take a look at the different colors of Labrador. Helping you to find out more about thechocolate, black and yellow Labrador Retrievers. As well as the ranges of shades in between, including those controversial dilute tones. They arent all identical, and some can make better pets than others for different families.

Do Labrador Dog Colors Matter?

The three different shades of Labrador are often associated with different roles.

The yellow Labrador has become associated with Seeing Eye dogs, the black Labrador with hunting and retrieving work and the chocolate Labrador with pet homes and the show ring.

But of course these are just broad generalisations and in reality, Labradors of each color have embraced all the many roles at which these amazing dogs excel.

Labrador Color Inheritance

There are three main Labrador colors, and a huge variety of shades of color too.

To find out much more about where these Labrador colors came from, and how they inherited their lovely coats, head over to our in-depth article on Labrador color inheritance.

Yellow Labradors

Yellow Labradors are well known fora variety of roles, but perhaps best of all for being Service Dogs. They are nice tempered, easy to train and full of love.

Although popular for highly trained roles, and of course very photogenic and therefore frequently used oncharities literature, the yellow Labrador can still make a magnificant pet and be popular in the show ring too.

You can find out more about the wonderful Yellow Labrador in this article.

Fox Red Labradors

Fox Red Labradors are officially a section of the much more common Yellow Labradors.

These dogs tend to come from working lines, and have a more orange hue to their coats.

They are still classed however on Kennel Club documentation as yellow Labradors.

Fawn Labradors

In recent years some people have begun to refer to yellow Labradors as fawn Labradors.

If your Lab pup coloris slightly darker than the traditional yellow, but not as orange as a Fox Red Labrador, you might well refer to him as being a Fawn Labrador.

However, this is not an official Labrador color, nor indeed is it really one which is referred to by Labrador breeders in the way that Fox Red now is.

Black Labradors

Black Labradors have long been favoured as gundogs, but also make wonderful pets, companions and agility dogs too.

They are the most common color of Labrador, due to the way in which their genes are inherited. Perhaps for this reason, they are a little overlooked when it comes to peoples top picks for the best Labrador color, but they are still really remarkable dogs.

You can find out more about our wonderful black Labradors in this article.

Chocolate Labradors

Chocolate Labradors make great family pets, as well as playing a role in the Show Ring.

In America, chocolate Labradors are quite firmly established in hunting lines. However, it is worth bearing in mind that in the UK, Chocolate Labradors have only recently been achieving awards in the field. Black and yellow Labradors still taking more prominence at least in Field Trial circuits.

In our extensive article on Chocolate Labradors we will let you know all about the chocolate Labrador. Where he comes from, his pet suitability and much more.

Silver Labradors

Silver Labradors are a fairly new trend in Labrador breeding. This amazing color inspires a lot of comments from Labrador fans, both positive and negative.

The color varation from chocolate is caused by a diluting gene, but how this got into the breed is the source of some controversy.

In our extensive article on Silver Labradors we take a look at where they come from and how to buy a healthy silver Labrador Retriever puppy.

Which Is The Best Labrador Color?

Some people have a strong preference for a particular color, but others are quite happy with either.

If you are not fussy about color,you will have more choice of Labrador breeders to put on your shortlist when setting about choosing the right dog.

Although you might love one particular color to look at, do think carefully about your prorities when it comes to picking a puppy.

Perhaps what really matters is your Labradors breeding:his parents temperaments, roles and health.

Show vs Field Bred Labradors

Whatever your preference, it is worth bearing in mind that Labradors have become divided into two quite distinct types, show, and field.

Finding a suitable dog will probably depend more on choosing the right type, than on choosing the right color.

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With some you will have more choice in one type rather than the other. And with some types you will have more choice in one color than the others.

To find out more about the differences between show and working bred Labradors, check out this article comparing the Bench and Field varieties of Labrador here.

Rescue Labradors

When picking your new Labrador, you might be looking for an adult rather than a puppy. When rehoming from rescue centers you wont in all likelihood have a choice of color, but you will be getting the opportunity to give a lovely Labrador a better life.

The Labrador Site Founder

Pippa Mattinson is the best selling author of The Happy Puppy Handbook, the Labrador Handbook, Choosing The Perfect Puppy, and Total Recall.

She is also the founder of the Gundog Trust and the Dogsnet Online Training Program

Pippa's online training courses were launched in 2019 and you can find the latest course dates on the Dogsnet website

Chocolate Lab Vs Black Lab

Chocolate Lab vs black Lab its the battle of the coats! Black is the dominant genetic coat color in the Labrador Retriever breed, so they are more commonly found. Chocolate Labs have a recessive genetic, and each parent needs to carry the potential for this trait for the brown color to overpower the default black sheen.

You can get both American and English Labs in black or brown shades, but most chocolate Labradors have at least some show breeding in their lineage as this is where the color rose to popularity first. For this reason, many chocolate Labs have a stockier build than their black Lab cousins.

Both of these dogs are enormously popular, and have human fans who could never contemplate another color. And theres fierce debate about whether black Labs and chocolate Labs truly have any differences at all besides the color of their coat. Were going to see what differences do exist, and help you choose the right Lab for you.

Chocolate Lab Vs Black Lab Which is Best?

So youve settled on a Labrador Retriever. You might have even decided whether youd prefer a boy or a girl. But now youre wondering if color matters too.

Will choosing a chocolate or black Lab affect their personality, health prospects, or even how easy they are to train? Were going to weigh up the evidence about whether coat color matters. At the end, you might have a clear idea that one color is better suited to your household and lifestyle. Or you might decide youd be happy with either!

Chocolate Lab vs Black Lab History

Chocolate Labradors and Black Labradors both belong to the same breed the Labrador Retriever. Which means they have the same ancestry, and a lot of shared history. But they havent always been considered equal. In fact from the inception of the Labrador breed in the early 1800s, all the way through to the 1960s, black Labs were much more desirable.

Chocolate Lab puppies (or liver puppies as they were known at the time) were frequently culled at birth. Which seems shocking to the modern dog lover! Its not clear if there was ever any reasoning for this, besides a strong preference for the look of black dogs. Then in the mid-20th century, chocolate Labs started to appear in field trials and at dog shows, and gradually their star began to rise.

These days, both colors are popular as working dogs, show dogs, and cherished family pets. However, the number of new black Lab puppies registered every year is still consistently much higher than the number of chocolate Lab puppies.

Chocolate Lab vs Black Lab Fun Facts

Black and chocolate Labradors both have the potential to become accomplished working dogs either in the field, as search and rescue dogs, service dogs, military dogs, police dogs or narcotics dogs.
Politician Dick Cheney, actor Minnie Driver and musician Sarah McLachlan are all famous black Lab owners.
Whilst former president Bill Clinton, entrepreneur Mary Kate Olsen, and actor Anne Hathaway are all chocolate Labrador parents.
Genetically, it is more likely for a Lab to be black than chocolate, because the gene for a black coat will always mask the gene for a brown coat if it is present.
Brown Labs shifted from being described as liver to chocolate around the mid-20th century. The change was essentially an exercise in rebranding, because chocolate sounds nicer!

Chocolate Lab Vs Black Lab Appearance

All Labradors are medium-large, athletic dogs, with handsome features and a dense double coat. Black labs have black fur, and chocolate Labs have fur which ranges from mahogany to deep, dark brown. In either color, a small white patch on the chest is permissible. Black Labs have black noses and eyes rims, and mid to dark brown eyes. Chocolate Labs have brown noses and eye rims, and light brown or hazel eyes.

Labs weigh 55 to 80lbs, and one UK study found that chocolate Labradors weighed, on average, 3lbs more than black and yellow Labradors. But the biggest determiners of a Labradors size and looks are their sex, and whether they come from show or working lines. Males Labs are typically bigger (65 80lbs) than females (55 70lbs). Show Labradors (also known as English type) are shorter and stockier than working (American type) Labs, who are taller and slimmer. Show Labs are also more likely to still sport the famous Labrador otter tail.

Chocolate Lab Vs Black Lab Temperament

What about personality do the differences between a black vs chocolate Labrador go any further than fur deep? This is a hotly contested topic! Historically, one of the reasons chocolate Labs were less popular as working dogs is because they were regarded as less intelligent, and too boisterous. Stereotypes like this have the potential to become self fulfilling prophecies breeders start to focus on producing litters which are both black and extra clever, because thats what buyers want.

What does the research say?

In 2014, researchers at Edinburgh University surveyed the owners of nearly 2000 Labrador owners in the UK. They reported that chocolate Labs were noisier, more likely to become agitated when ignored, and more excitable than black dogs. But on the other hand, a 2019 survey of 225 Labradors in Australia didnt find any evidence that chocolate Labs are more hyperactive or aggressive than black Labs.

In many ways, these results raise more questions than they answer. Is one study right, and one study wrong? Are they both right, but the link between color and temperament is only established in breeding lines in some countries? Or is the link a result of other factors, such as chocolate and black Labs being raised differently perhaps because black Labs are more likely to be destined for field work?

Chocolate Lab vs Black Lab Training

Respondents to both the British and Australian surveys above were also asked to give a measure of their Labs trainability. In both sets of results, chocolate Labs were regarded as less trainable than black Labs. Whats more, according to the Australian study, black Labs who carried the brown coat gene but didnt express it were also perceived as less trainable than black Labs that didnt carry it.

This is interesting because it supports the idea that trainability may have a genetic component which is linked to the gene for brown coat color, and discernible even when the trainer doesnt know the gene in present.

Is this bad news for chocolate Labs?

Its important to appreciate that chocolate Labs are still very intelligent dogs, who respond well to positive reinforcement training. And what we cant tell from the studies above is the background of the human trainers behind the dogs. For example, someone who works their Labs, or participate in field trials, will have much higher training expectations than a family keeping their dog as a pet. And when it comes to choosing between a chocolate vs black Lab as a pet, many of us are unlikely to even reach the level of training where any difference in ability becomes apparent.

A more reliable way of predicting trainability

Whatever color puppy has caught your eye, the best way to gauge how well they will respond to training is to ask the breeder what the other dogs in their family tree were like. Some pedigrees are laden with chocolate Labs who hold field titles galore. And some breeders continue a line of black Labs that arent especially bright, because theyre extremely patient and affectionate instead.

Chocolate Lab and Black Lab Health

Next lets take a look at black vs chocolate Lab health. In the UK, a 2018 study of Labrador life expectancy reported that chocolate Labradors have a shorter average lifespan than non-chocolate Labradors (10.7years compared to 12.1years). However, the researchers couldnt speculate whether that applies to Labradors in other countries too.

All Labs are at risk of:

hip and elbow dysplasia
further joint disorders in the shoulders and knees
thyroid disease
the eye disease progressive retinal atrophy
the neurological condition degenerative myelopathy
copper toxicosis
exercise induced collapse
and bloat.

In the UK, a review of the veterinary records of 2074 Labradors also found that chocolate Labradors were more likely to experience ear infections and hot spots than either black or yellow Labradors. But in their favor, chocolate Labradors might be less associated with the POMC gene linked to excessive appetite and weight gain.

Chocolate Lab vs Black Lab Exercise

At last, heres an area in which chocolate and black Labs are perfectly matching! Black and chocolate Labs both need a lot of exercise typically around two hours a day by the time theyre grown up. Your Labs energy levels will hinge more on their breeding lines than their color though.

Labs from American (working) lines tend to be more driven, and motivated to work. They need more daily exercise before theyre ready to relax at home. While English Labs are more content to go with the flow, and dare I say it, a little more sedentary.

Chocolate Labs vs Black Lab Puppies

Whichever Lab you love the look of more, the secret of making sure your dreams match reality is finding a puppy from a really great breeder. Good breeders health test their sire and dam, to protect the next generation from unnecessary hereditary illnesses. All breeding Labs should be tested for:

hip and elbow dysplasia
healthy eyesight
and the gene for exercise induced collapse.

But most importantly, if youve settled on a Lab but youre not sure which color is best, a good breeder is excellent at matching puppies to people. They will ask you lots of questions about your household and lifestyle. And theyll apply that to what they know about the temperaments of their puppies, to ensure that whichever color Lab you take home, their character is a perfect match for your home. For more on finding that perfect breeder, visit us here!

Which Color Makes A Better Pet?

Any color of Labrador can be the perfect pet in the right home. Were fortunate that Labradors popularity means that we have more evidence about the effect of coat color than in any other dog breed. But there are still lots of missing pieces in the research.

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At the moment, its possible that chocolate and black Labs have inherently different temperaments. And chocolate Labradors appear to have suppressed health and lifespan compared to black Labs. But its not clear how much these differences are a result of having been rather neglected and out of favor for most of Labrador history.

Chocolate Labradors can be just as loving and loyal as black Labs. So is it possible that with as much attention to breeding for health and personality, that they could be just as long lived and trainable too? Only time will tell!

Find Out More!

Chocolate Lab with blue eyes

Do you have a Chocolate Lab or Black Lab?

Do you recognize any of the differences weve written about in this article? Or perhaps youd like help choosing which color from some Labrador parents whove already been there. Hop on over to our forum for Labrador chat about this, and lots of other topics!

References and Further Reading

Lofgren et al, Management and personality in Labrador Retriever dogs, Applied Animal Behavior Science, 2014.
Van Rooy & Wade, Association between coat color and the behavior of Australian Labrador retrievers, Canine Genetics & Epidemiology, 2019.
Pugh et al, Dogslife: a cohort study of Labrador retrievers in the UK, Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 2015.
McGreevy et al, Labrador retrievers under primary veterinary care in the UK: demography, mortality and disorders, Canine Genetics and Epidemiology, 2018.
Raffan et al, A Deletion in the Canine POMC Gene Is Associated with Weight and Appetite in Obesity-Prone Labrador Retriever Dogs, Cell Metabolism, 2016.