Chocolate Labrador Colour

[Shaenne]

Hi guys, I apologize if this is in the wrong spot.

I have a question about Labrador colouring and how it changes.. I have a 19 month old chocolate Labrador (Bailey), and recently he's starting to get even darker than he already was. At 4-5 months old he was losing his "puppy fluff" and his darker coat was coming through, but now he's 19 months and it looks like he's darkening up once again. So I was just wondering if you guys could tell me when this is likely to stop, or if it's an on-going thing? I don't mind either way, he's gorgeous and I love him to pieces, i'm just curious

Right now he's got a bit of a masked bandit look happening :p (don't worry too much about the top of his eye, he had a bit of a tiff with our 8 year old Beagle mix, he's been checked by a vet, he's fine)

I've also noticed that his paws have started darkening up as well. He's rocking the siamese point look as well as masked bandit :p

So this is normal, right? I swear I worry too much about this guy. He's my whole entire world.

Edited December 11, 2013 by Shaenne

[denali]

I am not experienced with labs, so i will wait for someone else. but i would say its totally normal :)

Also he is adorable and i can see why you love him to pieces!

Edited December 11, 2013 by denali

[pie]

I think you'll find the darker fur is his new coat coming through and is his natural coat colour, the lighter fur has just been bleached from the sun.

He's a very handsome boy :)

[persephone]

Agree with pie :) Dead/bleached hairwill always be replaced by new shiny darker hair :) he's a handsome boy!

[Shaenne]

Thank you guys!!

He has spent the better part of this year outside.. All of my dogs were brought up as indoor dogs but all of them prefer to be outside.. (I have the 8 year old Beagle mix and two Labradors) They hate being cooped up inside, and my house really isn't very big (though my yard is ENORMOUS, figures) so I let them be outside for as long as I can, weather being the decider.

We've had a couple months of super nice weather and a bunch of very warm/hot nights so i've let them stay outside all night several times (our house doesn't have aircon and is very poorly insulated so when it's warm out, it's HOT inside and when it's cool out, it's freakin Canada in here) so I let them make the most of the natural weather.

I'm happy to know all is good with my boy. And thank you for the compliments! He really is my entire world. I love all of my dogs to bits, but I haven't loved a dog this much since my Lab mix who passed in 2006, he really was my whole entire universe... Didn't think I could love a dog that much until I got boo. He's pretty much changed my life. Funny how dogs can do that huh :p

[aliwake]

I've been feeding my choc lab livamol (coat supplement) and he's looking great! Apparently it's meant to help prevent fading, and he has shown no signs of it. He's outside all day too. He just gets a tablespoon a day.

Your boy is lovely, and his 'bandit' markings are kinda awesome!

[sandgrubber]

I agree with others, it's natural and not to worry.

It's interesting how different chocolates bleach, fade and regrow. My three tend to get bronze streaks and turn a bit redder everywhere. Then blow coat and darken, starting from places such as face, legs and underside, where the topcoat is thinner. One of them gets a weak mask