What Is A Blue Lab? Does It Exist?

‍What Is A Blue Lab? Does It Exist?

A blue lab is a nickname often used to refer to a silver lab, and they do exist. However, there is no Labrador with blue-colored fur, and the term Blue Lab is controversial among many experts in the industry.

The silver or blueish Labrador retriever is referred to as both a silver and blue lab, depending on who is asked. It was first bred in the 1950s, so this history is less extensive than some other Labradors.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) does not recognize the blue lab, meaning it is not a certified competition dog. However, this doesn't change how beautiful its unique look is and how friendly and loving this dog is.

There is no distinct difference between a blue lab and any other full-breed Labrador other than the silvery gray fur. They stand 22-25 inches tall and weigh between 50-85 pounds, depending on gender.

Labradors, in general, are known to be intelligent and easy to train. They have a natural retrieving instinct, making them excellent hunting dogs. They are also very popular as family pets because of their gentle nature and playful personality.

What Are The Genetics Of A Blue Lab?

To breed a blue or silver lab, there must be two recessive d genes. With only one recessive d gene, this results in a brown or chocolate lab instead.

Breeding is also tricky because these genes can carry over through multiple generations. This would result in an unexpected litter or silver or blue labs without even knowing because of previous recessive d gene generations.

Basically, they possess a similar breeding structure as a chocolate lab but with more diluted genes. The dilution results in the silverish coat color, creating the silver or blue Labrador.

There are theories that the genetics required to make a blue lab also could be a mutation. Both theories have been debated, and it’s difficult to say exactly where the blue comes from with one hundred percent certainty.

Are Blue Labs Recommended For Families?

The Labrador Retriever is among the most popular breeds in the United States. They are great family dogs, so all colors are recommended for families because they still possess similar behavioral traits.

There are many misconceptions about the color of a Labrador's coat. And people often confuse the lab's color with how they act or behave.

But, in reality, the color of a Labrador is not what defines them. They are like any other Labrador and are recommended for families and children.

The color of a Labrador has no bearing on how it behaves or how it will react to people. There is no difference between colors; they can be great for families and children.

Is A Blue Lab A Rare Breed?

Blue Labradors are rare because they have a genetic mutation that makes them different. This makes them rare and much less common than traditional yellow or black labs.

The blue/silver color is a recessive gene, meaning it takes two copies of the gene (one from each parent) to produce a blue-silver Labrador. The other colors are dominant and can produce a blue-silver when bred together.

Breeding two Labradors with different coat colors together will not result in a blue-silver Labrador. It will likely result in another color because both parents have at least one copy of the dominant gene for that color.

Because of this, it is more difficult to predict the breeding of a silver lab. This makes it one of the rarest Labrador breeds and coat colors.

Difference Between A Blue Lab And Other Labs

Silver/Blue Labradors are even harder to find than any other common coat color ones, but they exist, and there are more of them out there than you might think.

The key differences we have noticed between blue labs and other labs are their intelligence, genetics, digestion, and price.

Training & Intelligence

A blue Labrador is known to be slightly more intelligent and easier to train because of their genetics. Their genes are found to be a little bit different from other Labrador breeds.

They are also known to be more active and playful, but generally, their behavior is similar. We have only noticed significant differences in their ability to learn new things faster.

Genetics

We have discussed the difference in genetics too. The presence of two recessive d genes is the key to the birth and breeding of a blue lab, which is rare and unlike other coat colors.

For example, yellow and black coats are born with a mix of ee, EE, bb, and BB genetics. This shows how rare a blue lab truly is.

Better Digestion

Labradors are known for allergies and health issues because the breed tends to suffer from skin problems, joint pain, digestive problems, and more.

A blue lab tends to have much better digestion than others because they are less prone to food sensitivities than other breeds.

Price

When it comes to purchasing a dog, blue Labradors are one of the best lab breeds. The reason for this is because they are extremely rare, and not many people have them.

Ultimately, it depends on the breeder, but we have seen them priced between $500-$1,000 higher than a standard yellow or black Labrador puppy.