Silvers
"Until 1987, AKC issued registration papers which listed Silver as a Lab's registered color on both AKC registration certificates and AKC color charts. After breeders who could not produce Silver in their bloodlines began to protest, AKC changed the Silver color to "a shade of chocolate". At the end of the Twentieth Century, the frequency of Silver (gray) Labs began to increase in North America due to an increase in the number of chocolate Labs in the gene pool of Labrador Retrievers, and these Silver Labs in turn fueled an enormous controversy within the Labrador community. Fortunately, by the advent of the Twenty First Century, the controversy surrounding Silver Labs subsided except for a few remaining ignorant breeders of "old standard" colors. These remaining opponents of Silver Labs are the K-9 equivalent to the "Flat Earth Society". Unfortunately, those ignorant holdout breeders (who refuse to acknowledge AKC's acceptance of Silver Labs as pure bred Labrador Retrievers) continue to confuse the public by making unfounded accusations regarding the genetic purity of CCK's Silver Labs. In an attempt to quiet the ignorant ranting of the more vocal opponents of CCK's Silver Labs, we offered a $100,000.00 Silver Lab Challenge to any "expert" who wished to put their money where their mouth was concerning their accusations surrounding the ancestry of Silver Labs. As a surprise to no one, not one "expert" you see on the internet was willing to stand behind their "Flat Earth" accusations regarding CCK's Silver Labs. The reticence"
"Consensus at the "Silver Lab" meeting held on July 14, 1997.
1) The foundation for the AKC registry is based on parentage and not color.
2) We should register all Lab pups coming from purebred AKC registered Labs.
3) We should not register Labs as "Silver."
4) After a review of pictures, the file and history of this issue which goes back to 1987, we feel the most appropriate color for registration is Chocolate.
5) We will entertain complaints of impure breedings on an individual basis, but complaints should be based on more than color.
In 1987 we conducted an inquiry into the breeding of the litters that contained the dogs that were registered as silver and one of our representatives was sent to observe several of the dogs that had been registered as silver. Color photographs of these dogs were forwarded to the office of the American Kennel Club where the staff of the AKC and the representatives of the Labrador Retriever Club of America examined them. Both parties were satisfied that there was no reason to doubt that the dogs were purebred Labrador Retrievers, however both parties felt that the dogs were incorrectly registered as silver. Since the breed standard describes chocolate as ranging in shade from Sedge to chocolate, it was felt that the dogs could more accurately be described as chocolate than as silver."
Charcoals
"Genetically speaking, Charcoal Labs are silver factored Yellow Labs; phenotypically speaking (their appearance), Charcoal Labs look like silver factored blacks, and for many decades Charcoal Labs were commonly referred to as "Smoky Blacks" by breeders. Charcoal Labs can occur randomly in any Lab/Lab breeding; or they can intentionally be produced by breeding a Yellow Lab with a Silver Lab. Similarly, if a Charcoal Lab is bred to another Charcoal Lab, their litter will contain approximately 1/4 Silver Labs, and 3/4 other colored Labs. Some Charcoal/Charcoal breedings have even produced litters containing all four Lab colors. Interestingly enough, the very existence of Charcoal Labs (or what was referred to as Smoky Black Labs) is a genetic aspect of Silver Labs which proves the silver genetics have been in Lab lines for many decades (if not centuries). If you research old books on Labrador Retrievers, you will come across authors who refer to "Lab puppies being born gray, and then turning black as adults." This is exactly what happens when a Charcoal Lab pup is born, i.e., for the first few days the Charcoal pups appear dark gray - and then turn "Smoky Black" as adults. Clearly, these old books and their authors were referring to what is now called Charcoal Labs. Had any of these authors taken the time to breed a Smoky Black to another Smoky Black."
History of Silvers and Charcoal Labs
"Labs did not just show up one day, they evolved from wolves, like other dogs and other breed crossing years ago..."The Labrador Retriever, despite his name, did not come from Labrador, but from Newfoundland. The area was populated with small water dogs, who, when bred with Newfoundlands, produced a breed referred to as the St. John's Water Dog, a prototype for the Lab of today. However, the breed eventually died out in Newfoundland due to a heavy dog tax and quarantine law. Many Labs were interbred with other types of retrievers, but luckily, the breed prevailed and fanciers drew up a definitive standard" The info quoted is taken directly from the American Kennel Club. Color of the newfoundland as taken from the American Kennel Club "Color is secondary to type, structure, and soundness. Recognized Newfoundland colors are black, brown, GRAY, and white and black." History of the newfoundland as taken from the AKC, "There is much uncertainty about the origin of the Newfoundland. Some say that his ancestors are the white Great Pyrenees, dogs brought to the coast of Newfoundland by the Basque fishermen." Color of the Great Pyrenees as taken from the AKC, "White or white with markings of GRAY, badger, reddish brown, or varying shades of tan" Once again, notice GRAY mentioned. The Newfoundland shows much influence of its mastiff origin. (info taking from the "Labrador Retriever" A Kennel Club Book) color of some mastiff's as taken from the AKC, "Solid coats of gray (blue), black, mahogany and tawny, and the lighter and darker shades of these colors." Here we see gray (blue) mentioned for a 3rd time. So, the lab is not only related to the Newfoundland, Great Pyrenees but also the mastiff breed...hmm taking a look at these colors you can see that the Labrador could have all along been a carrier of the GRAY color. There are so many shades of yellow that is not even funny. If you look at the pedigrees of some of these "Silver" labs you trace back to nurmous Hall of Fame Labrador Retrievers."