Why Are White Labradors So Costly? 101 Factsheet

White Labradors, every once in a while, you may have seen them online or at the premium dog shows. But ever wondered why aren’t they often spotted with dog enthusiasts like other color Labradors? Well, because White Labradors are rare, premium, and very costly.

White Labradors are attractive and very distinctive looking. What makes them expensive is them being uncommon but still in high demand. Even when unique dog breeding is an easy task today, White Labradors are still rare and lesser in number.

If an enthusiast wants one, he/she may have to search for different breeders, and they still might fail. And even if they succeed in finding one, White Labrador will cost nowhere less than $1000 to $3000. The price may hike depending upon the region, dog’s age, size, gender, and special skills. 

Labradors And Their Different Colors

Labradors are beautiful dogs popular all across the world. They come in three different colours, including Black, Yellow, and Chocolate (both lighter and darker shades of Chocolate Brown). Depending upon the dilute genes, all colors can be of lighter or deeper hues. Due to that, one can easily find Labrador in shades including Silver, Champagne, Charcoal, Pale and more. Some Labradors may even have mismarked shades with different colors across their different body parts. 

And after all of these Labs comes the Pure White Labrador Retriever. White Labradors are not distinctive but identical to all other Labs in general. They have an entirely white body except for the nose, eyelids, gum line, and paw pads in similar darker shades to other Labradors. 

Below are some detailed insights about White Labradors:

Are White Labradors Purebred?

Yes, White Labradors are purebred, and they fall under the Yellow Labrador category. They, in reality, are the Yellow Labrador Retrievers with really light fur, probably white. Some of them are even Albino and, therefore, extremely rare.

However, not all Yellow Labradors can produce White Labradors. It is even possible that of multiple yellow puppies, only one surprisingly turns white while the other remains yellow.

The phenomenon is completely natural, and none of the parent breeds contributes to the White fur production. Therefore, no breeder can purposely breed White Labradors, making these dogs very rare and expensive. 

White Labradors Cost- Everything You Need To Know

White Labradors are expensive, and there are a handful of reasons for the same. The most common amongst them are these dogs being very rare. But for understanding other reasons, you would also have to get through these unique dog types first. 

The Yellow-White Labrador Retrievers

White Labradors, as we insisted, are purebred puppies of Yellow Labrador Retrievers. They are just a sub-color of Yellow Labradors and have similar personalities as any other Lab.

White Labradors have playful and friendly behavior; with that, they are easy to train. They are usually athletic and active, but each dog has his unique temperament. 

Yellow Labradors cannot confirm a White Labrador puppy, and that is why the latter is extremely rare. Therefore, the odds of breeding Yellow Labradors are very slim, which makes them the most expensive in the entire Labrador chain. 

Even not all breeders can breed a White Labrador. Given this color is a consequence of a rare genetic combination, they occur randomly. Only a few experienced and executive breeders know the standardized method of breeding White Labradors, but since the procedure is time-consuming, hefty, not 100% successful, and expensive, not everyone gets into the risk.

The Albino Labradors

White Labradors or Albino Labradors are purely white in color. Not all Yellow turned White Labs are Albino, but some of them can be a result of Albinism. 

Albinism is a common genetical condition amongst animals, but it is rare in dogs. For example, a White Labrador may be an Albino due to the presence of a gene that disables colouration. It will result in the dog with extremely pale skin and white fur.

But unlike Yellow turned White Labs, Albino Labs have unique nose, eyes, and paws colors as well. Even their eyes can turn out blue or a distinctive red color sometimes. 

However, there’s a downside of Albinism in Labradors. These White Labs, due to lack of pigmentation, are susceptible to sun damage. As a result, they are prone to developing multiple skin problems, including tumours and skin cancer as well. 

In some rare cases, Albino Labradors suffer from eye deformities, or they may even be born/ turn blind.

The Leucitic White Labrador

Leucitic is a third type of White Labrador which means the dogs with Low Pigment. Unlike Albinos (who cannot produce pigmentation at all),

Leucitic Labs rather produce low pigment, but their relevant cells are blocked from migrating to the areas where pigmentation is required. Leucitic in Labradors can classify as similar to Vitiligo in humans.

These Labs have normal eye color, but instead, they appear quite similar to Albino Labradors. In addition, they, too, pose the same skin risk under the sun but not for their eyes.

Factors That Affect The Cost Of A White Labrador Dog

Currently, given the conditions in the year 2022, a White Labrador can cost anywhere from $1000 to $3000.

Here are some factors that can influence their price:

• The number of (and cost) health tests their parents had. 
• The number of show champions in their family tree.
• How prestigious their ancestry is.
• Veterinary care before and after pregnancy.
• If they have any special traits, including unique eye color.
• The area where the dog is being sold/bred.

What Does It Take To Breed A White Labrador?

Breeding a White Labrador isn’t as easy as it may sound. For the maximum percentage, this Lab type occurs naturally and very randomly. But for chances when breeders can try breeding them, there goes a lot of hard work and patience behind the same. 

While a breeder tries breeding White Labrador, he will first need to determine breeding dogs’ genes using testing kits. Unfortunately, doing so may take multiple trials and errors, and there isn’t any surety that one will get success in the end. 

Labrador’s gene pool contains two primary pigments, and breeders continuously test dogs until they identify two with a sufficient level of Pheonelanin.

However, even when the identification process succeeds, the breeding can take months, and still, there is no assurance that the puppies will birth pure white. 

Are White Labradors Expensive to Maintain?

Yes, White Labradors aren’t just expensive to purchase but even more expensive to maintain. They suffer from common Lab problems, including parvovirus, rabies, and distemper, which are avoidable through immunization.

However, it is a paid affair. But the biggest medical concern amongst White Labradors is skin and eye-related problems.

If they will spend more hours under sunlight, they can easily develop skin cancer, become blind, or get into different types of trouble.

Therefore, dog enthusiasts who own a White Lab must stay prepared to be extra careful and attentive with their dogs.

Does The American Kennel Club Recognize White Labradors?

White Labradors aren’t a recognized Lab type. Even the American Kennel Club, aka AKC, recognizes White Labs under the Yellow Labrador category. 

No matter how different the White Labradors appear or how expensive they are, they, in reality, are only a paler version of Yellow Labradors. Or they are white only because of some genetic variation, which is self-occurring though very rare. 

Instead of White, AKC recognizes only three Labrador colors, including Black, Yellow, and Chocolate. Their sub-shades or deeper and lighter variants are specially categorized. 

What Is The Rarest Color Of Labrador? 

How rare is a white lab? Labradors are present in three major and nearly 10 sub colors. However, amongst all of them, Silver is the rarest color for Labradors to have. 

Silver Labradors are light grey to blueish in the shade, and they shine uniquely under the sun. Labs get the silver color due to a dilute gene that often overrides the original chocolate color coat.

Silver Labs are decedents of Chocolate color Labs. Similarly, Yellow and Black Labs may sometimes produce Champagne and Charcoal Labs due to the same dilute gene. 

Silver Labradors are undoubtedly stunning with a regal and sleek appearance. However, given their genetic differences, they are prone to developing a genetic disorder known as “color dilution alopecia”. The said disorder can easily lead to skin and fur problems.

Which Labradors Are The Most Expensive?

White Labradors are undoubtedly the most expensive of all in this entire breed line. They, for a minimum, will cost $1000, and the price can go up to $3000, $7000, or even beyond. Their cost can vary depending upon the gender, size, region, and precisely breeding and bloodlines.

After White Labradors, Silver Labradors are the next costliest, and they may price at $1,250 and $1,500 on average.

Cost of White Labrador Puppies

Now since we know all the rare entities of different White Labradors, it is obvious to learn that they are expensive/ costly. And given they are a relatively uncommon variation, White Labradors are in very high demand. Dog enthusiasts want them for social status and to mark their presence in dog shows.

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Wrapping up…

And that was all for why White Labradors are so expensive. 

White Labradors aren’t one of the types in the breed line. Instead, they occur naturally during the breeding process, and there is no biological science that can help breeders produce White Labs without fail. 

While you are looking for a White Labrador, make sure you deal only with a reputed breeder. Also, make sure you confirm all extensive testing and heritable health problems about the White Lab before you bring them home. Also, search and contact an experienced Vet nearby since you will need him quite often.