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The short answer
A white Lab is a yellow Lab. The AKC recognizes three Labrador colors — black, chocolate, and yellow — and “yellow” is a spectrum that runs from deep fox red to a coat so pale it reads as white. A white Lab sits at the palest end of that spectrum, with the same dark nose, eye rims, and paw pads as any yellow Lab; on its registration papers, it says yellow. What separates a white Lab from a classic yellow Lab isn’t the breed or the genetics of color itself — it’s intensity genes dialing the same pigment down, and usually the calmer English (bench) breeding lines those pale coats come from.
Those bench lines have a name — here’s what an English Lab actually is.
Labrador retrievers are America’s most popular dogs to own — in fact, they held the #1 spot in AKC registrations for more than 30 straight years — a record run — and remain among America’s most popular breeds today. And there is no surprise as to why: labs are friendly and desirable to families of all sizes. So when most families begin looking for a dog to add to their homes, it’s not uncommon to settle on a lab. Still, within choosing a lab as your new family member, you have to decide which kind you want — and might wonder if there’s a difference selecting between a white lab and a classic yellow. Are White and Yellow Labs Different? The short answer is no: white and yellow labs are not different types of dogs. However, they obviously are different in color due to the variation of their coats. White labs are essentially the paler version of your classic yellow lab. In fact, the American Kennel Club recognizes white labs as yellow labs. Typically, white labs will have pigmented noses and dark eyes along with their distinctive white fur. Despite their name, their fur will still have touches of cream or yellow, especially around the ears. The Difference Between White Coats And Albinism 
When some people think of white fur, they might wonder if white labs have any sort of relevance to albino dogs. Albinism is a genetic defect where dogs have white skin, white fur, red eyes, pink noses, and often leads to other health issues, like a higher risk of cancer and neurological problems. Although white labs have a similar coat color to albino dogs, they are not the same thing. An easy way to tell whether or not a dog with a white coat is albino is by observing the color of their nose and the skin around their eyes. Dogs with white coats and pink noises with pink skin are most likely albino. More About White Lab Genetics Lab coats come in three colors: black, chocolate, and yellow — but some people might not realize that there are several shades and variations within these coats. For example, the black coat color can look like a jet black to a brownish-black with hints of gray. The chocolate coat can range from a dark chocolate color to a more milky variation. And the yellow coat can go from an orange to a bright white — which is where our white labs come in.
Here’s the mechanism behind that spectrum. Dog coats are built from two pigments: eumelanin (black or brown) and pheomelanin (red through yellow). Every Lab carries the machinery for both — and one gene decides which shows in the coat. That gene is called MC1R, known to breeders as the E locus. A Lab that inherits two copies of the recessive version (written ee) can’t place black or brown pigment in its coat at all; only the red-yellow pigment shows. That dog is a yellow Lab — every yellow Lab, from the deepest fox red to the palest white.
And here’s the part most “rare white Lab” marketing hopes you never learn: the gene that makes a Lab yellow is identical in a fox-red field Lab and the palest white English Lab. The only difference between those coats is a set of additional genes that dial the intensity of the pigment up or down. Pale parents tend to produce pale puppies — ordinary, predictable inheritance, not rarity.
| 1 · The E locus | EE or Ee: black or brown pigment shows → black or chocolate coat. ee: only red-yellow pigment shows → yellow, every shade of it. |
| 2 · The intensity dial | Fox red → yellow → pale → white. Every stop is genetically yellow; the palest end is what gets marketed as a “white Lab.” |
| 3 · The B locus | Nose color. Black-pigment genetics keep the black nose and eye rims; brown-pigment genetics give a liver nose (sometimes sold as a “Dudley”). Cosmetic either way. |
The same answer, on camera — straight from the people who breed them (2½ minutes):
So what is a white lab? And, uh, I’ll answer this. So, uh, from the the guy who started and owns the company, Snowy Pines White Labs. There’s actually no such thing as White Lab. There’s not, uh, and we don’t have white labs as a breed. We have yellow labs, uh, and golden retrievers. But if we’re talking labs right now, we have yellow labs that are very white in color, but genetically, they are pure yellow labs. Um, there’s no dilute genes. There’s no albinism. There’s none of that. Uh, they are yellow labs that are light in color.
And when you take a yellow lab that’s light in color and you breed that to another yellow lab that’s light in color, you get a lab that turns out to be pretty white. And so are there such things as white labs as a breed? No. Are there such things as white labs? As a yellow lab? That’s white and color 100%. Uh, plus, it would be super difficult to put Snowy Pines, yellow labs that are white in color on a shirt that just wouldn’t fit. Wouldn’t fit on the website. So we are white labs and white golden retrievers in color, but not in breed.
Yeah, I think that’s perfect. I mean, that’s the best way to describe it. Um, and it’s what we tell every family we’ve ever served. Yep.
You see things out on the internet, though, that. Oh, there’s no such thing as a white lab. There’s, you know, that’s some kind of genetic defect. And there there could be an albino lab, an albino deer, an albino, any kind of animal. But there’s also just because of the shade of the yellow in what we do, they just turn out white in color when done correctly.
Yeah. And if you do it correctly, it’s nothing that like. Because they’re true DNA yellow Labradors. It’s nothing that compromises the genetics or temperament or health or anything on that side of things, which is why those are our top two priorities.
Yeah. So to answer the internet’s questions, there’s no such thing as a white lab. But come see us and we’ll show you a lot of white labs.
In some cases, it goes further than genetic chance. In fact, there are two distinct labrador retriever genetic lines, which are the English lab and the American lab. They are both retrievers and come from the same breed — but they look different in their build. This allows them to serve different purposes. The English lab is called a “show dog,” while the American lab is a “working dog.” The English white lab has broader shoulders, shorter legs, a wider head, slimmer neck, straight tail, filled face, and thick hair coat. The English labrador also has a much calmer temperament than its American counterpart. But that’s where the differences end: no matter the color or type of lab, all labs are friendly, loyal, and wonderful family pets. The Origin Of White Labs Did you know that the root of the Labrador goes all the way back to Newfoundland? The name of the Labrador even comes from the Labrador sea that surrounds the coast of Newfoundland. Early settlers of the 16th century started to make their livelihood by fishing, and since dogs were already man’s best friend they decided to begin breeding dogs that would better match their daily lives. So, villagers and settlers began to breed native Newfoundland dogs with other breeds to create a new breed that was slightly more compact and had shorter hair. They began nicknaming present-day Labradors as “water dogs” because they were used to help fishermen retrieve fish and crab traps from the water. They were also nicknamed this because they were excellent swimmers. These “water dogs” were intelligent, loyal, and always willing to work alongside their masters. Eventually, their nickname evolved into “retrievers.” Because of this, hunters began preferring these dogs over other types of hunting dogs. The rest is history: Labrador retrievers were bred consistently as one of the world’s most loyal and intelligent dogs, which is why they are still so popular today. Finding A White Lab Puppy White labs are gorgeous, loyal dogs. When it comes down to it, you want to find the perfect lab puppy for your family — and the place to start is finding the right breeder. At Snowy Pines White Labs, we do things differently. We are an AKC Bred with H.E.A.R.T. breeder and take pride in breeding the happiest and healthiest white labrador puppies in the United States. From the moment our puppies are born, they play all over our beautiful property to play and socialize. We believe in continuing the class of white labradors by breeding healthy, active, and friendly dogs that are perfect for your home. Check out our available puppies or contact us today to get started on finding your new family member! 
The pale coat attracts families — which means it also attracts breeders who market the coat instead of the dog. Whether you buy from us or anyone else, walk away when you see these:
Our own standard is simple: we love how our dogs look, but we won’t sell the coat as rare, because it isn’t, and we won’t charge for a shade. Distinctive, never “rare.” Every parent dog is health-tested and we publish the original certificates — not summaries. Want the full checklist? See how to vet any English Labrador breeder — the five things to demand and the walk-away signals.
No. A white Lab is a purebred Labrador Retriever with a very pale yellow coat. The AKC recognizes three Lab colors — black, chocolate, and yellow — and registers white Labs as yellow. Same breed, same standard, lightest end of the yellow spectrum.
No — and be cautious of any breeder who says otherwise. The palest shades are less common than mid-yellow, but they’re the predictable result of pairing pale-coated parents, not a rarity. “Rare” in a white Lab listing is a pricing strategy, not a fact. We call the coat distinctive, because that’s what it is.
The pale coat itself doesn’t add health risk. A white Lab is a yellow Lab with normal dark pigment in its nose, eye rims, and skin — it is not albino, which is a different condition with real health implications. A white Lab’s health depends on the same things every Lab’s does: the health of its parents and the testing behind the pairing.
Our white Labs are English-type Labs from lines selected for steady, people-focused temperament, which is why they do well in busy family homes. Some also qualify for service work, where a dog is trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability — qualification depends on the individual puppy’s temperament evaluation, never on color.
A little, sometimes. Many pale puppies develop slightly richer shading on the ears and along the back as the adult coat comes in. It’s normal, it’s subtle, and it’s the yellow spectrum doing what it does.
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The color may be what caught your eye — what keeps families with us is everything under the coat: health-tested parents, published certificates, and a 5-year genetic guarantee.
Written by the Snowy Pines team · Reviewed by Chloe, Atlas-CT Certified, AKC-approved CGC Evaluator · Updated July 2026.
If a pale, calm English-type Lab is what you’re picturing, that’s what we breed. Learn what an English Lab is and why the white coat is simply the lightest shade of yellow — or see our current white Lab puppies and their parents’ published health testing.
Tom Massey has owned and operated Snowy Pines White Labs for 15 years, breeding and training White English Labradors and English Cream Golden Retrievers on 120 acres in the Ozarks. His team has placed dogs with families across the U.S. and in Europe, with health testing, training documentation, and outcomes published across this site.