A dilute gene causes the champagne coat on Labrador Retrievers. Dilute means an autosomal recessive trait that causes clumping and uneven distribution of pigment granules in the hair shaft. So, the champagne lab coat is a dilution of the yellow lab coat.
However, there are debates about whether the champagne or silver coloring results from mixed breeding. Some people think it’s because of a mix of a Labrador and a Weimaraner a long time ago, which led to the dilute gene.
The controversy arises because some breeders argue that the dilution gene can be associated with health issues or a higher incidence of genetic disorders. However, others argue these dogs can be just as healthy as their traditionally recognized counterparts. While this may be true in the first generation of the diluted color, further breeding of diluted dogs with other diluted dogs may have unintended results. Given the rarity of the gene in the first place, finding enough genetic diversity for responsible breeding may be difficult.
The doubt surrounding purebred champagne labs is evident in that kennel clubs don’t recognize the color. Here at HypePets, we don't discriminate between purebreds and mixed breeds. In fact, a Weimeraner x Yellow Lab mix sounds like a beautiful combination to us!