The Silver Labrador Retriever has become one of the most misunderstood topics in the Labrador community. While some breeders view the dilute gene with skepticism, much of that skepticism is rooted in outdated assumptions rather than science or real-world data.
This first part of our two-part series explains what the dilute gene is, what it is not, and why color alone does not determine health or ethics.
1. The Dilute Gene Is a Recessive Color Gene — Not a Defect
The dilute gene (dd) simply reduces pigment density, resulting in silver, charcoal, and champagne shades. It affects color only, not temperament, structure, or core health.
A key misconception is that dilute = defect.
Scientifically, that is incorrect.
A defect is something that always produces disease.
The dilute gene does not.
Most dilute Labradors:
• have normal skin and coats
• never experience CDA
• live long, healthy lives comparable to any other color
Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA) is often brought up, but it is:
• not universal
• not guaranteed
• not well-documented in Labradors compared to other breeds
A possibility of an issue is not the same as a certainty.
2.All Labrador Colors Originated From Mutations
Every single color in Labradors — black, yellow, chocolate, fox red, and dilute — came from genetic mutations.
Fox red? Mutation.
Chocolate? Mutation.
Yellow? Mutation.
Dilute? Also a mutation.
Yet only one of these is stigmatized.
That is tradition speaking — not genetics.
3. Ethical Breeding Is Defined by Testing, Not Color
Breeding ethics are not tied to pigment. They are tied to:
• OFA hips
• OFA elbows
• DNA panels (PRA, EIC, CNM, HNPK, etc.)
• Eyes (CAER)
• Cardiac health
• Temperament
• Structure & soundness
A silver Lab that is:
• fully tested
• well structured
• temperamentally sound
• genetically clear
is objectively more ethical than a black, yellow, or chocolate Lab bred with:
• fair hips
• borderline elbows
• chronic allergy lines
• nervous or reactive temperament
• lack of genetic screening
Color does not determine quality.
Breeding practices do.
4. Health Risks Exist in Every Color
Every Labrador color carries risks, including:
• hip & elbow dysplasia
• allergies
• obesity
• epilepsy
• PRA/EIC/CNM
• cancer (especially in fox red lines)
These issues are far more common and impactful than CDA.
Yet ethical breeders still produce black, yellow, chocolate, and fox red dogs — because the standard of ethics is:
test → evaluate → manage responsibly.
Dilute breeders operate under the exact same standard.
