My Labrador puppy's coat is changing color. Is he still purebred?

The lighter hair may be old puppy hair which after it falls out, will likely grow in much darker. Also, if your puppy is outside in the sun a lot the hair will bleach, especially on the head, ears and tail. So unfortunately this is why it is not possible to say whether he will get lighter permanent fur in these areas. I dare say not. Best to wait until his permanent adult coat comes in, as until then the hair coat can and will change in shade several times. Feeding a top quality puppy food will also influence the hair coat positively and will ensure that the coloring and texture is at its best.

Those colors can both darken and lighten over time. Generally speaking Labrador retrievers can be prone to hip dysplasia, ear infections, allergies, elbow dysplasia and as they get older certain types of cancer such as lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma. For this puppy you could discuss with the breeder if any testing was done on either parent such as OFA hip/Penn Hip radiographs, health guarantee or veterinary records for the puppy.

That could be completely normal and if there are no other signs related to it (like itch, any bumps, lumps or any skin lesion) there is nothing to be worried about. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, this is normal. Form your pictures Eva looks to have a very normal coat pattern for a Beagle. Puppies can change coat colors and patterns as they grow up. Have a great day!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tupac. It is difficult to say without seeing a picture. You are welcome to submit your question again including pictures of his face and coat. It is likely not a problem that his face is turning white. If he is losing hair or has scabs on his face though this can be a sign of a disease. If the hair color is simply changing, this may happen as he grows and develops. I hope this information helps!

White hairs can be a normal color variant for a Labrador, and can also be part of the aging process. Feeding a balanced diet is always best, but if you are seeing other issues such as hair loss, itching, or irritation, or changes in appetite or weight in addition to the color change, then it is always a good idea to have Tasha checked by your vet to rule out any issues such as illness, allergy, or metabolic disease.

It's not uncommon to find a patch of different colour. Technically yellow, black and brown labradors are the same breed, coat colour is determined at a genetic level. If you think she may have another breed in her, you can get DNA testing kits on line which yiubsend off to a lab and they tell you the exact make up of the dog.