If you go on the internet and search for "silver labrador retrievers" you will come up with such a wide variety of information that it can be somewhat over whelming. There is almost too much information out there and quite a lot of it is somewhat misleading. I have done quiet a bit of research on the subject before I decided to enter into this branch of the labrador family. I admit I love the colour, but I didn't want to get into this and be breeding puppies that were not healthy, happy and true to the breed, just for the colour. I did my home work and I felt comfortable enough with the history of the breed and the kennels involved, to purchase a breeding female (with plans to purchase another one in the near future). I also plan to purchase a stud in the future. I feel that the careful planning and breeding that has been done by most of the reputable breeders of these beautiful dogs has produced Labrador Retrievers that are just as healthy and accomplished as any of their yellow, black or chocolate brothers and sisters. They are all AKC registered, have had their hips and elbows certified, just as all the other labs do.
Right now with the AKC all these guys are registered as Chocolate. They are not recognized as Silver as there is no breed standard for this colour.
There is quite a bit controversey over these guys and I have put together some information about it to try and help you understand why they are registered as chocolate and not silver with the AKC. Their standing with the CKC is pending.
The AKC, in the late 1980 when the dogs were first being bred, was registering them as Silver Labrador Retrievers. The LRC (Labrador Retriever Club of America) objected as there is no mention in the breed standard of a "silver" lab. As you can imagine, they had many months of meetings and there was a great deal of imput from a great many sources, both pro and con. The colour was thoroughly investigated and the dogs were DNA tested and found to be purebred labradors but a dilution of the chocolate gene, but because tthere was no category for "silver" the decision was made by the AKC along with the LRC to registered them as "Chocolate".
