# Why is my white Labrador puppy's fur turning brown?



## Vikram (Nov 30, 2013)

I got my white Labrador at one month of age, and it's now three months old. Although its fur was silky, shiny and smooth when I got it, the fur gradually started getting brown and rough and dry. It feels like straw when I rub my hands through it. It now looks like this: 










Some more images: http://imageshack.us/g/1/10429 220/

I've been feeding it part Royal Canin food, part Pedigree and part boiled rice.

Is this really a problem? I read somewhere that the fur can turn dry when the puppy is growing. Is this true? Will it turn back white and smooth after a year of growth?


----------



## Jare (Aug 12, 2009)

Well, I would assume the brown itself is due to the fact there's not necessarily such a thing as a "white Labrador". Labs only come in three colors, yellow, chocolate, and black. "White labs" are just yellow labs bred to be lighter and lighter. Just like, if I am not mistaken, "silver labs" are chocolates that are dilute. 


As for the dryness, is there dandruff? I'm assuming if there's no dandruff and the coat doesn't look dull, it's likely just the beginnings of an adult coat showing up which is definitely rougher than a silky plush puppy coat. From the picture alone I would say he looks like your average, cute young lab puppy. Nothing noticeably wrong as far as I can tell.


----------



## MimiAzura (Jan 5, 2013)

Jare said:


> Well, I would assume the brown itself is due to the fact there's not necessarily such a thing as a "white Labrador". Labs only come in three colors, yellow, chocolate, and black. "White labs" are just yellow labs bred to be lighter and lighter. Just like, if I am not mistaken, "silver labs" are chocolates that are dilute.
> 
> 
> As for the dryness, is there dandruff? I'm assuming if there's no dandruff and the coat doesn't look dull, it's likely just the beginnings of an adult coat showing up which is definitely rougher than a silky plush puppy coat. From the picture alone I would say he looks like your average, cute young lab puppy. Nothing noticeably wrong as far as I can tell.


All of this. 
It looks a lot like there is nothing wrong with your puppy and you were just mistaeken as to what colour he/she would turn out.


----------



## Vikram (Nov 30, 2013)

Happy to hear! Thanks for the replies! 

@Jare There's no dandruff, and it's a "she". Her name is Sofie.


----------



## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

Jare said:


> Well, I would assume the brown itself is due to the fact there's not necessarily such a thing as a "white Labrador". Labs only come in three colors, yellow, chocolate, and black. "White labs" are just yellow labs bred to be lighter and lighter. Just like, if I am not mistaken, "silver labs" are chocolates that are dilute.


The breeding isn't the same tho, silver labs are much more controversial because to get that color (isabella) the dog has to have both the genes for chocolate and blue and labs don't come in blue.

And yep, no such thing as a white lab. you were jipped


----------



## asuna (Sep 26, 2013)

looks like hes just getting his color in him, expect something like this








makes food amazing traits , personally love the mix of colors


----------



## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

I agree with what everybody else has said. At four weeks of age your puppy just had puppy coat and it is now getting it's adult coat. Adult Lab hair is a lot coarser than the puppy coat. What color were the parents? I have seen some quite light colored labs but never are they actually "white" just a light colored yellow lab.


----------



## Brooklyn&Stellasmom (Dec 1, 2013)

I agree..She is losing her puppy coat, and her big girl labrador coat is coming in..which is water repellent so the dog does not get cold when taking to water in the winter. That means that the dog naturally has a slightly dry, oily coat and shed hair twice annually, or regularly throughout the year in temperate climates...and my boy sheds his winter coat something bad in the summer..LOL it's perfectly normal


----------



## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

I dunno why some black labs have beautiful, shiny, 'otter' coats. They don't seem to be any more repellant than the coarser ones. I think if you increase the fat in the diet (maybe an egg yolk?) and brush the dog everyday, the coat quality may improve. Not sure.


----------



## Little Wise Owl (Nov 12, 2011)

I would replace rice with eggs yolk and canned in water, salt free sardines/salmon. I'm not sure why you'd add more rice to an already carbohydrate rich diet.

Your puppy looks like a normal Yellow Labrador to me! Very cute


----------



## Safastak (Dec 2, 2013)

My Golden Retriever went through the same thing. I'm not sure about Labs, but Golden Retrievers grow darker from the age of 2 months to the age of 1 or 2 years. Then they start going lighter from that point on until they get old.


----------



## 3doglady (Jul 31, 2011)

Safastak said:


> My Golden Retriever went through the same thing. I'm not sure about Labs, but Golden Retrievers grow darker from the age of 2 months to the age of 1 or 2 years. Then they start going lighter from that point on until they get old.


My cream colored yellow lab is growing a few black strands of hair as she gets older ( 6 yrs old now) and her pink skin has turned grayish. When she was 4 months old she was a full cream color. She retained most of it, but her ears, nose and back developed a yellowish brown tinge when she was about 8 months old.


----------

