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The term Yellow Labrador Retriever covers a wide range of colors.
From almost white, through pale cream and butterscotch, right up to what’s known as the fox red Labrador, all of these shades are still Yellow Labrador Retrievers.
Yes, the differences in color between some of these Labs can be surprising, they can look very different and almost as if they should be labelled differently.
But they are all collectively known as and must be registered as yellow Labrador retrievers.
QUICK RECOMMENDATION: We’ve read many books and magazines about Labrador Retrievers. One of our favorites, Your Labrador Retriever Puppy is a great resource for all Lab owners.
The Yellow Labrador Retriever in Early History
Because the color black was most favored in Labradors during the early history of the breed, the Yellow Labrador Retriever was generally unwanted and simply culled at birth.
It wasn’t until 1899 that the first yellow Labrador was registered, the famous ‘Ben of Hyde’ from the kennels of Major C.J. Radclyffe.
In fact, yellow Labradors were initially known as ‘Golden Labradors’ until the UK Kennel Club changed the name to yellow. They did this saying their decision was based on the fact ‘gold is not an actual color.’
It’s also reported that in the 1920s the appearance of yellow Labradors differed greatly from the agreed standard of the time.
So much so that a separate standard was initially drawn up at this time.
This didn’t last too long though as it was eventually decided they should simply adhere to the same standard of the blacks.
VIDEO: The Kleenex Puppy! A Yellow Lab Puppy Becomes A Star On TV!
In 1972 a British brand of toilet paper started a campaign of television adverts starring a cute Yellow Labrador puppy, joyfully playing and rolling around in streams of flowing toilet paper…and the Kleenex Puppy was born!
Kleenex ran their advertising campaign in over 30 countries and for more than 130 adverts, right up until 2010.
They then very sadly replaced the cute ‘real life’ Labrador puppy with a computer generated version….much to the public’s and especially my dismay :-(
For a little bit of fun,you can see some outtakes of the Kleenex advert puppy playing in the following video:
The Yellow Labrador Retriever Today
The Kleenex adverts showing possibly the cutest sight in the world of a playful Yellow Labrador puppy, many times a day, had a massive effect on the breed and color.
The Yellow Labrador Retriever stole a lot of hearts and became insanely popular. Simply everybody had to have one and so their numbers grew rapidly around the world.
This did have an effect though on the range of shades of Yellow Labrador seen.
The darker shades of yellows and reds saw a huge decline over the years in favor of what we see as the more traditional pale cream and light yellow colors.
So why are the paler shades of yellow seen as more traditional? Well, I’m certain this was influenced by these much seen famous adverts.
In the last 20 or so years though, some breeders have dedicated programs to the breeding of the darker shades of yellow and fox red Labradors and so you shouldn’t have any problems in finding a yellow Labrador to own in the color of your choice.
Do You Own Or Are Thinking of Getting Yourself a Yellow Lab?
We’d love to hear your stories about your own little bundle of fun. Or perhaps you have some advice for a prospective Yellow Labrador owner?
Tell us about your dog or leave a comment in the section below. We will try to answer every comment made :-)
Are you still yearning for more information about Labrador Retrievers? One of our favorite books is Your Labrador Retriever Puppy . It has tons of information about our favorite breed.
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45 comments
Usefu info ….. thee film showed some of the traits exhibited by our 8 month “puppy” …
Haha…And long may it last! I’m still a puppy at 36 ;-)
hi…. my 2 months old puppy is always biting me and playing with others except me… is there any problem or its puppy nature character..!!!
Hi Santhosh,
Fairly normal behavior….except for the ignoring you to play with others bit! At 2 months old though your puppy should only be leaving his / her mother this week and if was taken away earlier, quite likely missed out on some important bite inhibition training from their mother and siblings.
Check out this article for advice on teaching bite inhibition: http://www.clickertraining.com/node/725
its perfectly normal behavior sometimes they like to ignore and they most certainly have a mind of there own ! My now 9 year old yellow lab closie used to do the same and now she is a stalker ha ha ! Have fun and love every day of it !
Well i m thinking of buying a lab. But my daily work routine keep me 8hours away from home everyday. Is it advisable for me to have a lab with some neccessary steps? Please suggest.
Hi BK,
Millions of other dog owners are in the same position. Most handle it by having somebody come to their home during the day to take their dog out for a toilet break, some exercise and so on mid-way through the day. Be that a friend, family member, professional dog walker or whomever.
I just rescued a 5 yr old yellow lab from the animal shelter. His name is Max and is approx 130 pounds of all puppy. I believe he was abused as a puppy and I am trying to show him love and still learning about him. I had looked on the internet at various shelters for 6 months or so..until I found him. A neighbor called him a Norwegian Labrador because of his size. Has anyone else heard of such a breed?
I’ve not heard of there being a difference Joann. I’ve never heard the term ‘Norwegian Labrador’ before.
Hello ! Yes I have heard of the norwigien Labrador also can’t say that I seen one at least not that I know of seeing but I have heard that they are built more solid and are bigger fully grown as the usual Labrador!
Hello all Lab People! I decided four weeks ago to buy a yellow (champagne) from a very reputable breeder. Both parents had all genetic health issue clearances and were matched due to characteristics worthy of all Labs. Murray is now 27 pounds of energy,intelligence and fun all rolled up in a loving bundle. I have owned,or more correctly, been owned by, four Golden retrievers previously, but could not find what I was looking for in a Golden. I do a bit of upland bird hunting and have field trialed successfully with my dogs in the past,but honestly, I wanted a buddy, companion and all around family friend, not just a hunting machine. He is easily the most tractable, intelligent dog I have trained, and, I have had wonderful Goldens to compare him with. Although I am not a particularly religious person, Murray is living, vibrant proof that God loves me and—has a sense of humor!!
I get what your saying ! I have 3 pure breed labs and one lab mix ! I can’t see myself having anything but labs !
My golden English lab is such a sweet heart! Couldn’t live without him!(nor could my beagle) His name is Barney and he is so clever! Everywhere we go people adore him, which I’m not surprised about. He is such a lovely gentle creature who just loves to be around you. He’s a big boy and the perfect guard dog which people are often shocked about. He is a great dog and I advice anyone to get one !
i am becoming a new dog owner and unsure of dog food and stuff to get. what are necessities for a new lab puppy?
Hi,
Please check our ‘supplies’ segment, linked to in the main navigation at the top of the page.
Why does my yellow lab stare at me all the time. He is always looking at me
Hi Patricia,
There’s too many possible reasons to list here without me writing hundreds of words (or more.) Please google ‘why do dogs stare at people’ and read a few of the top results, there’s lots of good articles written on it.
All the best!
I’m sure you have figured it out by now.
My Boy Jake will stare me down until I figure it out. He eventually trained me, he will give me that cold stare until I stare back and then will give me a hint, he will stare at the closet where the treats are kept or walk to the front door and stare at it, go and sit at the foot of my bed until
I acknowledge him.
He will even jump in the tub or walk into the shower while I’m in there.
Bottom Line, pay attention to him and he will train you. Nothing better then Lab affection.
We just brought home our yellow Labrador this afternoon! Our little guy has all pink or lite colored flesh on his face, while most of the ones I see in real life or in pictures are usually dark colored! What information can anyone give me regarding this; be it the name/characteristic, what this means in terms of breeding, health, value (do I have to worry about someone stealing him)! Anything that anyone knows would be so helpful, thanks!
Hi Danielle,
It would help to have a photograph…could you mail one to LabradorTrainingHQ (at) Gmail (dot) com? (I’ve written it funny to prevent too much spam hitting my inbox!)
Send me an image, I’ll attach it to this thread, take a look and others will be able to see it too.
All the best!
Sometimes it means that he had chocolate lab down the line of his bloodline! Its nothing to worry about !
My yellow lab female also is pink nose eyes and mouth where most don’t seem to have that trait is it just rare???
Hi Susan, this article might help you: http://www.akc.org/press-center/akc-syndicate/ask-akc/loss-of-pigmentation-dogs/
I have been looking for yellow female lab puppy and it has been a nightmare. We had are 2nd yellow female lab HoneyBear for 12 1/2 years. She passed last January. Labrador’s are Beautiful, Loving and the best friend a soul could ever ask. Honey(Pooh Bear) was something she could spell, walk herself on her lead, fetch the keys for a ride, regardless if it was below zero weather windows down head, ears and cheeks flapping in the wind. While you’re up front with the heater full blast and freezing. Pooh was special I could write a book on her sure miss my girl.
My 6 week labrador dog name heaven loosinh his hair at a tremendous rate.is this normal? Or he got some health issues
Hi Satya,
We couldn’t possibly say from that description. They ‘blow their coat’ in spring and autumn, which is a time of major shedding. But without seeing and knowing your dog, nobody could say for sure. Is it just the undercoat coming out? Overcoat? Is it leaving bald patches? More importantly – Have you spoken to a vet at all?
I wouldn’t worry about it my female yellow lab does the same thing every year when the seson change ! She sheds a lot ! It helps to get a good grooming tool to help brush the lose hair out ! Also I got mine on a omeg 3 and 6 skin and coat supplement it works super !
I adopted an abused lab mix puppy when she was 6 months old and named her Shyloh. She’s now 10 years old. Everyone who meets her thinks she’s much younger. She has endless amounts of energy and still loves learning new things! Her favorite place to go is to see her vet. I have many “Shyloh Stories” such as her opening the refrigerator only for leftover pizza when I’m out of sight, opening her double latched crate while inside it as a puppy while I was at work, and many more impish things that make me laugh. I am getting a female yellow lab puppy in a couple weeks when she’s old enough to come home. It took me awhile to find her. She will be my first purebred dog in many years. I’m really looking forward to more lab love and laughter!
It’s great your 10 year old is still very active and sounds like a lot of fun ! I’m ver confident that you and Shiloh will have a blast with your puppy! Shiloh will have a little brother and sister don’t be surprised if she acts a little irritated with the pup at first ! It will pass lol ! Keep the stories coming please !
My dog fits the American Lab and yellow lab categories, but his mother is a German Shepherd.
Moreover, he has great running speed. A visting friend who attends grey hound races said she would bet on him (my dog) if he was at the track. What kind of dog is he?
well, he is at least half german shepherd on his mothers side, but other than that I have no way of knowing :-)
German Shepard are also known for speed so can Labradors ! It really doesn’t matter what bread they are some are just better runners and faster then others ! Hope that helps a little!
Extremely happy and proud with my yellow lab, Leo. He is such a noble and fabulous friend! Waits the whole day for me and bursts with happiness and energy when see me approaching him for a walk, brushing or playing. Loves me absolutely!
I have a 2.3 year old female Yellow Lab, Daisy, who has a very deep chest and an extreme tuck-up (I’d attach a picture but I don’t know how…). She’s definitely a long-legged American type, and boy! can she move!
She’s been a sweetheart since she arrived at 8 weeks, and was immediately adopted by my then-3 year old Golden Retriever mix, Henry. He taught her how to be a house dog, and she reminded him how much fun it can be to be a puppy! Sometimes, though, I wonder if he’s thinking, “How did she get so big??” (Daisy weighs 65 lbs and Henry is about 40 lbs.)
Daisy is my 2nd Lab and I wish I’d started with them many years ago. Wonderful, wonderful dogs…
I have a 17 month old male Labrador called Lucius. The breeders described his colour as a fox red, and he certainly looked like it when we saw him at 5weeks old. When we picked him up at 8 weeks he had gotten lighter in colour. Now at 17 months he has a dark head and back with pale tones of cream or gold on his belly and a dark gold tip on the end of his tail. I dont know how to add a picture but he looks so handsome :-). He has an issue with new people where he sometimes barks at them, he doesn’t do it to everyone and when he actually plucks up the courage to greet them he’s all tail wags and slobbery kisses, but why is he so nervous to begin with? He was fine as a puppy up until he was about five months old :-( he’s gotten better now but every so often he will have a good bark . Any ideas?
Hi Emily,
He sounds lovely! You could share a photo to our facebook group? With regards to his nervousness around people, it would be best to speak to a professional behaviorist as they will need to discuss things more deeply with you, see the issue first hand and make a proper assessment.
i have a golden lab and in one of our walks he was hit by a car , he attackted the car carelessly and i didn’t have the time to stop it. Fortunately no physical damage occured. He was rampaged and ran all the way back home where i calmed him down. Since then he refuse to get out of his natural border arround the house (20 acres more or less). I won’t make him do something he fears, i don’t believe in sock therapy. He is a fine animal , he pulls a lot and is tremendously active. He also flirts with feral females. Hey , what can you do?
I’m glad I found this site! I’ve read several very helpful articles. We adopted a 6 year old lab from a shelter recently. She was an owner surrender and all we know about her is that the owner didn’t want her anymore and that she was well cared for while they had her. I understand that no one can answer questions about her specifically so instead I’m asking for general guidance regarding the breed.
She won’t go in the backyard to get a drink or go to the bathroom unless we go with her. Is this normal for a lab? It doesn’t seem to be separation anxiety as she is ok alone in the house and car.
She has been great for the most part on and off leash with people (adults and children) and dogs but has attacked (seemingly unprovoked) 3 dogs out of about 60 that she has encountered. Is this normal?
We take her for 2 walks a day. She is more amped up after a walk than she was before the walk. In the morning we walk about a mile to the park, around the park and home. In the evening it’s a walk to the same park but my husband lets her off leash to run for about an hour then home. Do you think she needs more excercise than that?
One more thing I forgot to mention, she nips a lot, especially my husband. She bites like a puppy, chewing on hands and nipping his beard. Is that normal for a lab?
Thank you for any input that you can offer.
We rescued a beautiful Yellow Lab from the humane society two days ago. We believe he is purebred, as everything about his shape is classic Labrador. He seems to have a few abandonment issues as he must follow me or my husband everywhere (even to the bathroom!) He’s 95lbs and likes to chew on everything, and he also is not lifting his leg when he pees, so we think that may still be a puppy or very young adult?
Hi i have yellow lab it is a female and it has 12months now when it was ready to cross with male my problem is my dog is not listening my word’s when she see a male dog please answer me
Hi all it was nice reading your stories..all the traites my 15 wks Lilo has, our first ever pet. She is a beautiful golden colour lab retriever…I was always scared of dogs but we bought this little bundle of joy just fir our children and now I am the one who is most find of her…making Lilo a part of our family is the best thing I have ever done
Is there any reason why my 4 month old labrador retriever is always biting at himself and scratching?
Hes a clean dog is recieving all his shots and is amazing.
Not sure if this is normal..
Check with your vet. We’ve had Labs that scratched for various reasons including allergies, dry skin, and fleas.
I have purchased a white lab puppy with black points and his testicles are not down at eight weeks is this common in the white labs. It was a litter of 5 male pups. None of them have their testicles down at 8 weeks. Should I keep the pup.