Labradors are sweet-faced puppers that melt your heart…
No wonder they’ve been the most popular breed for 3 decades.
But Labs can get more majestic.
I present to you…
The glorious Silver Labrador with blue eyes.
And I got everything you need to know about them.
Keep reading to discover:
- 3 simple reasons why blue-eyed Silver Labs are rare.
- How much Silver Labradors with blue eyes are (plus where to buy them).
- If all Silver Labradors have blue eyes (and if they can lose the color over time).
- And many more…
Table of contents
Do all Silver Labs have blue eyes?
Not all Silver Labs have blue eyes.
Instead, most Silver Labradors have brown or hazel eyes. While some have greenish eyes as well.
And to understand how come not all Silver Labs are blue-eyed…
Let me provide:
A brief background on Labrador Retrievers’ color standards
According to AKC, Labs come in 3 standard coat colors:
- Black.
- Yellow.
- Chocolate.
As for their eye colors, the breed standards state:
Black and Yellow Labradors should have brown eyes.
While Chocolate Labs can either be brown-eyed or hazel-eyed.
Where do Silver Labs with blue eyes fit in that standard?
Unfortunately, blue-eyed Silver Labradors carry non-breed standards.
But AKC considers these dogs to be a shade of chocolate.
The only thing is Silver Labs carry a dilute gene…
Which waters down their chocolate pigment and gives off Silver instead.
And that’s why they’re also called “dilute Labradors.”
Now, most people think that since Silver Labradors have a diluted coat color…
The hue in their eyes will be pale as well.
This sets the expectation that all Silver Labs have blue eyes.
However, that’s only half-true.
Because Chocolate Labradors, including Silver Labs, are indeed born with blue eyes.
But they don’t stay that way forever. And I’ll explain this later on in another section.
Are blue-eyed Silver Labs rare?
Blue-eyed Silver Labs are rare. And here are 3 reasons why:
#1: Chocolate is the least common base coat color in Labs
As I mentioned, Silver Labradors are considered dilute Chocolate Labs.
Now, research reveals that Chocolate Labradors are the least common among all Labradors.
Their data from 2013 shows:
| Labrador coat color | Commonness |
| Black | 44.6% |
| Yellow | 27.8% |
| Chocolate | 23.8% |
So with the shortage of Chocolate Labs…
That means Silver Labradors with blue eyes will be more uncommon.
#2: Silver Labradors alone are rare
As you learned earlier, Silver Labs aren’t included in AKC’s Lab breed standards.
Now, AKC didn’t randomly set those.
Instead, they depended on the common qualities they found in each dog.
For the base colors of Labrador Retrievers:
AKC only observed and recorded 3 in 1917.
And since they didn’t include Silver Labs on that report…
Either their existence today is a genetic anomaly…
Or they’re so rare that AKC didn’t hear about them when they set the breed standards.
For more information about the rarity of Silver Labs, you can also watch this video:
Continue reading: Why People Are Saying No To Silver Labradors (Controversy)
#3: Labradors don’t usually have blue eyes
Since Silver Labs are considered a shade of chocolate…
Their genes dictate they’ll be brown or hazel-eyed dogs.
And if that’s what their genetic makeup says…
How come Silver Labradors with blue eyes are a possibility?
#1: They’re crossbred
To put a blue-eyed gene in a Labrador…
They must be crossbred with a dog who’s carrying it.
For this instance, a Labrador could be bred with a Weimaraner.
And the result can be puppies with Silver coats and blue eyes.
#2: They have a hidden blue-eyed gene
To get a Labrador with blue eyes, they must have at least 1 blue-eyed ancestor.
Now, this predecessor can be a crossbreed…
But if they mated with a purebred Lab…
Laws in genetics dictate that most offspring will follow the purebred’s eye color.
With that, the blue-eyed gene gets piled over by the brown-eyed gene.
Regardless, the ancestor’s offspring would still carry the blue-eyed gene. Which they’ll pass down to the next generations.
And this gene can remain hidden for many years.
Now, as I explained earlier…
Silver Labradors alone are rare.
So to have a Silver Lab with blue eyes…
2 Labs with a history of a blue-eyed ancestor and carrying a dilute gene must mate.
And that could only happen once in a blue moon.
“What if I intentionally breed those 2 dogs?”
Unfortunately, the probability is still thin.
That’s because the blue-eyed genes are technically hidden.
What might happen instead is the gene will appear more recently in the puppy’s DNA.
#3: An unusual change in their genes
Blue eyes result from a rare genetic mutation.
A DNA survey revealed that only 5% of dogs have blue eyes.
According to research, this mutation is most common among Siberian Huskies.
Then, they’re followed by other naturally blue-eyed dogs:
- Alaskan Klee Kai.
- Australian Shepherds.
- Miniature American Shepherds.
Now, canines like them take up most of that 5%.
And this puts other dogs, like Labradors, at a lesser chance of having blue eyes.
Despite that, this mutation is still possible in Labs…
But that’s very unusual.
Do Silver Lab blue eyes change color?
A Silver Lab’s blue eyes change color over time.
So even though most Silver Labradors are blue-eyed when they’re born…
Their eye color gets darker as they transition into adulthood.
That usually happens between 8 to 12 months of their age.
Now, for most Silver Labs, their eyes will turn hazel.
For some, their eyes might only get to a darker shade of blue.
Others can also have greenish eyes.
What is the price for a Silver Lab with blue eyes?
The price for a Silver Lab with blue eyes is unpredictable.
Trivia: Since Americans can register them in AKC, Silver Labradors are quite common in the US. Still, the majority of them aren’t blue-eyed.
That said, Silver Labs with blue eyes remain rare in all the markets.
So, either Lab breeders work twice as hard to come up with them…
Or Silver Labs turn up as a surprise in the litter.
With that, breeders charge more than the regular price range for Labradors. Which is $300 to $1500.
Where can you buy Silver Labs with blue eyes?
You should buy Silver Labs with blue eyes from reputable Labrador breeders.
Labradors have been the most popular dog breed for 31 years now.
That’s why a humane and certified Lab breeder shouldn’t be hard to find.
So, you can reach out to them and ask whether they have Silver Labs with blue eyes.
But to save you some time, here are:
3 Labrador breeders in the US that continually have silvers in their litter
#1: Serenity Ranch Kennels
This couple started to breed Labrador Retrievers in 2004.
And their son has been growing along with Labrador puppies of all colors…
Including Silver Labradors with blue eyes. Which are available all year round.
Contact details
Website: https://www.serenityranchkennels.com/
Location: 1124 W Parker Rd, Flatonia, TX 78941
Phone (Home): 361-865-3301
Phone (Cell): 512-619-8862
Email: deanna_crouch@yahoo.com
Rate
They charge $1,495 per puppy.
#2: Keystone Puppies
This website is where you can find your dreamy Silver Lab with blue eyes.
Moreover, Keystone Puppies assure potential parents that they work with reputable breeders.
They also ensure that puppies get adequate socialization. Which is vital for the puppy’s transition from their litter to your home.
Contact details
Website: https://www.keystonepuppies.com
Location: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Phone: (717) 925-3243
Email: N/A. But you can get in touch with them by filling up this contact form.
Rate
Silver Labradors range from $225 to $395.
#3: Silver Brooks Labs
Labradors from Silver Brooks Labs are in demand.
That’s because of 2 reasons:
First is they’re not a puppy mill.
You have to reserve a puppy before they’re even born.
As they’re not the kind of breeder that exhausts their studs and dams.
Second, they’re affiliated with experts.
They’re AKC-certified. Plus, they have an in-house vet.
So, all Labs are in good health when they come home with their new fur parent.
Contact details
Website: https://silverbrooklabs.com/
Location: Ludlow, Massachusetts
Phone: 413-478-6260
Email: silverbrookslab@gmail.com
Rate
You must pay a reservation fee of $500 first. Then, follow-up charges will be discussed.