For decades now, Labradors are topping the American Kennel Club (AKC)’s annual list of most popular dog breeds. Silver Labradors, which accompany yellow, chocolate, and classic black Labradors, are increasing in popularity, as well.

The only real difference between Silver Labradors and the traditional colors is their grayish-blue coat and blue eyes in early life! Like all other Labradors, these medium to large-sized dogs is adored for their outgoing, energetic, and loyal personalities.

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As sociable dogs, they need lots of exercise, especially as Silver Labradors are sometimes categorized as a type of Chocolate Labrador but differ genetically due to a ‘dilute gene.’ This essentially means that there is a specific gene that causes the color of the coat to show up in a lighter or more diluted color, hence this name, dilute gene.

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Many dog breeds carry the dilute gene, but it is relatively new in Labrador retrievers, which means that Silver Labradors were quite rare up until very recently. This might explain why they are still classified as Chocolate Labradors, for now.

3 pros and cons of owning a Silver Labrador

Silver Labrador Size and Weight

Standard Silver Labrador males usually weigh between 55-80 pounds at full maturity while their female counterparts tend to be a bit lighter at 45-70 pounds. The standard height for all Silver Labs is 23.5-24.5 inches tall at the shoulders.

Silver Labrador Common Health Issues

With a lifespan of 10-14 years, this Labrador tends to have similar health to all other Labs, but there are a few things to be aware of.

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Like other Labs, Silver Labradors can suffer Hip/Elbow Dysplasia and Patella Luxation The first step to avoiding major health issues is finding reputable breeders that can give you background information about your Silver Labrador puppy. Most kennels will provide health screenings to inform you of your puppy’s genetic risk. Nonetheless, any Labrador can develop these conditions.

Hip and Elbow Dysplasia occurs when a Lab’s hip or elbow joints develop abnormally. The ball and socket joint in Labradors’ hips and can severely affect the animals’ movement and range of motion later in life, and the same is true in the elbow. But fortunately, if caught early, it can usually be managed with medication and physical therapy exercises. However, in some cases, it might require corrective surgery. Patella Luxation causes your Labrador puppy’s knee to dislocate and fail to extend but is most often successfully corrected with surgery.

The price of their beautiful, unique coats from their diluted genes means that Silver Labs do unfortunately have additional health risks. For instance, Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA) is a genetic disorder that causes skin to be flaky and itchy, along with hair loss. Also, the diluted gene can cause follicular dysplasia, making it difficult or even impossible to achieve new hair growth. The first sign will typically show up around 6 months and is thinning of the coat.

Overall, the Silver Labrador has a decent lifespan and will likely not have any serious health issues. However, in sum, the most common health issues with Silver Labs are:

• Patella Luxation
• Color Dilution Alopecia
• Hip and Elbow Dysplasia
• Follicular dysplasia

Silver Labrador Temperament

The Silver Lab famously has a sweet with a playful personality. This loyal and energetic dog has generally good behavior gets along with other dogs and people alike. Usually a little prone to nipping, or playful biting, it will require patience while young. This breed will continue displaying puppy-like behavior as it matures, becoming bouncy and active as a ‘teenager.’ These loving and fun personality traits make it hard not to fall in love with Silver Labs.

How To Take Care of a Silver Labrador

Silver Labradors, especially puppies, should get physical and mental stimulation to avoid restlessness and destructive behavior. When socialized young, they love interacting with the whole family and other animals which makes them fantastic pets.

The Best Dog Food for Silver Labradors

Silver Lab puppy dog food: Because of their size and genetic makeup, Silver Labs have a high tendency to develop hip and elbow dysplasia. When considering wet or dry dog food for puppies consider one with higher calcium to avoid these issues later in life. Other good options include chicken and fish.

Silver Lab adult dog food: Silver Labs are just as food motivated as their classic counterparts, meaning that food should be kept secure. Adult Labs require 1650-2400 calories per day of high-quality, protein-rich food. To make digestion easier, it is ideal for their daily needs to split up into two separate mealtimes. Monitor food intake and, yes, this does include treats!

At A-Z Animals, we prefer Victor Super Premium Dog Food – Performance Dry Dog Food – 26% Protein for Active Adult Dogs as the best dog food for Silver Labradors.

This is a fully-balanced dog food with beef and chicken. It cares for your dog’s skin and coat, digestion, immune system, joints, and helps build lean muscle. The glucosamine helps prevent conditions that cause bad knees, hips, and elbows, and the biotin, vitamin E, and amino acids improve the condition of the skin and fur.

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VICTOR Super Premium Dog Food – Performance Dry Dog Food – 26% Protein for Active Adult Dogs – Includes Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Hip and Joint Health, 40lbs

• PERFORMANCE DOG FOOD: Performance high energy dog food is a nutrient-dense dry dog food for adult dogs with high physical demands; this active dog food is formulated to promote stamina and endurance
• 26% PROTEIN DRY FOOD: This gluten free, multi-protein dog food is a nutrient-dense formula with ingredients to promote digestibility, immune system function and healthy skin and coat
• HIP & JOINT HEALTH: VICTOR Performance dog food is designed with added glucosamine and chondroitin to support hip and joint health in active adult dogs
• PROPRIETARY VPRO BLEND: Every VICTOR dog kibble formula begins with our exclusive mix of supplements, vitamins and minerals that have been designed to help maximize the genetic potential of every dog, regardless of breed, age, or activity level.
• MADE IN THE USA: We proudly produce every bag of VICTOR kibble in our own Texas-based facility and do not waver in our commitment to high-quality nutrition. A majority of ingredients come from ranches, farms and other trusted suppliers who are within a day’s drive of our East Texas plant

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Silver Labrador Maintenance And Grooming

Begin brushing your Silver Labrador puppy at a young age, as this will make the process easier as they mature. Silver Labs without coat-related health issues are likely to shed frequently. Use a good bristle body brush to remove any dry skin and help distribute oils. Additionally, a vet may prescribe special shampoos or ointments if your dog has CDA. In the winter, however, it is not a great idea to shampoo older labs because this will strip natural oils and the waterproof, cold repelling qualities of their double coat.

Bathing your Lab once a month and then as necessary is a relatively easy schedule to follow, though puppies should get baths and lukewarm showers of water a bit more frequently to ensure a good level of familiarity for them and ease for you.

Silver Labrador Training

One reason that Labradors remain a national favorite is their trainability. Since they fixate on food, they respond rather well to positive enforcement in the form of food and treats. Count those extra calories to make sure that they aren’t overeating, though!

Training sessions should be short but frequent so that they don’t lose their attention span but do retain the lessons you are teaching them. With Silver Labs, training might even be a fun daily activity for both of you!

Silver Labrador Exercise

Silver Labradors thrive with at least 60 minutes a day of fast-paced walking, jogging running, playing, and even swimming. If you have an active family who loves to hike, explore, and play lots of fetch, a Silver Lab will fit right in!

This activity level, however, does mean that apartments and spaces without room to run around frequently are not suitable for this breed.

Silver Labrador Puppies

Silver Labrador puppies are very bouncy and need to get their energy out more than older, calmer Labs. They are fun to train, loveable, and great family pets.

Silver Labradors And Children

Because Silver Labs are so active and energetic, children over five are a great fit for this pet. Their loyalty and agreeable nature mean that they will do alright with younger children, but everyone will be their happiest if this dog has some ‘older’ kids to play with! As a puppy especially, they might accidentally knock over your toddler who is not yet steady on their own two feet. An older lab, whether it’s a rescue or a long-time family member already, will be calmer and make a perfect companion to your young kids.

Dogs similar to Silver Labradors

Other similar dog breeds to the Silver Labrador include: the Labmaraner, the Golden Retriever, and the German Sheprador.

• Labmaraner: This European crossbreed between a Labrador Retriever and a Weimaraner is a large-sized dog, that shares many qualities with its Labrador parent breed.
• Golden Retriever: This popular canine shares many qualities with its similarly sized relatives, is also easy to train, and happens to shed a lot, as well.
• German Sheprador: This North American breed is athletic, easy to train, and almost the same exact size as a Silver Labrador!

Popular Names for Silver Labradors

While Silver Labs are a newer variety, here are some of the most popular names for grey dogs:

• Atlas
• Blueberry
• Dusty
• Luna
• Greyson
• Poppy
• Storm
• Willow
• Asher
• Crystal

Last update on 2022-07-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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