According to the American Kennel Club (AKC) Yellow Labradors may range in color from fox-red to light cream, with variations in shading on the ears, back, and underparts of the dog.  Fox Red Labradors have been around since the breed originated.  You don't see as many dark yellows or fox red due to that fact that many breeders starting breeding for the more pale colored yellow shade along the way loosing the fox red color.   There is now a very limited gene pool of fox reds in the United States or even all over the world.   A very select few breeders are trying to improve the current fox reds that are in the US.  But there are several breeders breeding solely for color not caring about improving the quality of the fox reds we have available.  In order to improve on the fox red lines that are in the US or overseas, we must go out and bring better qualites into the fox red lines by breeding to black and lighter yellows.  This is something that is going to take years to do.  Very few breeders are going about improving the fox red color and their gene pool properly.   Its also very important that fox red breeders do all proper clearances like OFA Hips, OFA Elbows, Optigen PRA, Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC),  Centronuclear Myopathy (CNM), CERF/ACVO Eye Checks, and Heart Checks.  All these clearances are very important for any color of the Labrador.  Please research the breeder and make sure they can provide you with copies of these clearances.  Fox Red Labs have the same health problems as all the other colors of Labs. Article on Health Clearances The price of a fox red puppy shouldn't cost anymore then a black, chocolate or yellow.  Several breeders charge more because they claim they are rare or cost more to breed.  Well the gene pool might be more limited, but the same amount of clearances and cost going into producing a fox red litter as any other color of a lab litter.  They charge more simply because they can and people will pay it thinking they are rare.  Please don't be fooled by these selling points or tactics.  The price should be based on the quality of the litter and health checks preformed.  A responsible breeder's puppies will cost more then puppies in the newspaper. Litter of Puppies ranging from light to fox red.   Yellow puppy has more pink pigment at birth. Fox Red puppy has more a peach pigment at birth. When breeding fox red to fox red many times there is a variation of color from yellow to fox red.  Many times fox red color will lighten up a couple days after being born and get older as the adult coat comes in.  The breeder must take note the shade of the puppies at birth including the color of the puppies pigment at birth. Fox red puppies have more of a peach or brown paper bag color of pigment.  Yellow puppies have more a pink color of pigment.  A normal colored yellow can be bred to a true fox red and produce fox red puppies.  So they are several ways that breeders can produce fox red puppies and improve the quality of the fox red gene pool at the same time.   It is very common for fox red to have white spots on the chest.  The white is more noticable on fox red then on the normal yellow color.  White on the chest is acceptable by the AKC standard. Today we are seeing more Fox Red Labs competing in the showring.  They are a few AKC show champions and the gene pool is slowly improving.  But we still have a long ways to go to improve and expanded the gene pool.  Its very important when looking for a puppy you are not looking only at the color of the puppy. Take into consideration the clearances, reasons the breeder did the breeding, how and where the puppies are raised.     Fox Red Fox Red Dark Yellow       Dark Yellow Fox Red Puppy Dark Yellow Puppy       Yellow Fox Red Dark Yellow       Fox Red & Light Yellow Black, Fox Red & Light Yellow Fox Red & Light Yellow     Home