There is no such thing as purebred Golden Labrador Retrievers
Believe me or not, this is the plain truth. According to the various Labrador breed associations and national kennel clubs, Labs only come in three recognized colors—and gold isn’t one of them.
However, if you look at dog kennel ads, you can’t help but notice that there are many ads loudly proclaiming that they breed Golden Labrador Retrievers. And by that they don’t mean a Golden Retriever/Labrador Retriever mix (which are also known as Golden Labrador Retrievers). They actually say golden colored PUREBRED Labrador Retriever.
Suspected fraud
The only three recognized colors of purebred Labrador retrievers are yellow, black, and chocolate (which used to be called liver). Yellow Labrador Retrievers have many shades of yellow hair. Some are so pale that they are called “white” even though their documents will call them yellow. The darkest shade of yellow is sometimes called “gold.” But even so, even the darkest golden Labrador Retriever will not match the brilliance of a Golden Retriever.
Unfortunately, as PT Barnum said, “every minute a fool is born”. Such people will believe anything they are told. If they were told there was such a thing as a purebred golden labrador, they would break out their wallets and buy one. Even when they can clearly see that the color of the puppy is yellow, they think that the “golden” label means “premium” and will buy a so-called “golden Labrador retriever” at a higher price than the identical-looking “yellow Labrador retriever” “.
Golden Lab is not always better than Yellow Lab
If you discover that your precious “golden labrador retriever” is just a yellow lab, take heart. Your dog will still be loyal, funny and loving. Keep the dog. But by all means complain to the Better Business Bureau about how the dog is being portrayed. It would be helpful if you had a copy of the original advertisement that led you to the kennel and a copy of the contract. You got a contract with your “golden labrador retriever”, didn’t you? If not, there is ANOTHER thing to complain about.
If you got your Lab from a rescue shelter and your Lab is listed as a purebred Golden Labrador Retriever, the staff just made a common mistake. Don’t bother them about it – they are doing the best they can. You can write a thank you letter about how well you are doing with your rescue dog and just casually mention that there is officially no such thing as a purebred Golden Labrador Retriever. Once that’s done, focus on building a great friendship with your new lab of any color.
Closing words
If you already have a Golden Labrador Retriever, don’t stop caring for your Lab even now that you know he (or she) isn’t a purebred. Telling the people around you who are considering buying a Labrador Retriever about this fact you just learned would be a valuable thing. For them and for yourself.
#purebred #Golden #Labrador #Retrievers
