We receive a lot of questions from people before and after they purchase a Red Fox Labrador puppy. Here, we cover the top five things we are asked about most frequently for Labs and what to expect with your new puppy.
My husband I have been raising Labradors for almost 30 years and have quite a bit of experience with the breed. We’ve also owned every color of Labrador from Chocolate to Yellow and, honestly, the Red Fox Lab is our favorite (but we’ve loved them all). Read more about us and our Labs.
Let’s dive right into our top five questions…
Are Red Fox Labs more expensive than other Labrador breeds?
In my opinion, no. If you are shopping for a new dog, you will likely find prices ranging from $500-$3,000 for a Red Fox Lab puppy. Like anything else in life, you get what you pay for. Breeding high quality dogs with top genetics has a significant cost. The breeding expense doesn’t even include the care and feeding for the 8 weeks after they are born. While you may find a “deal” on a puppy from someone that needs to sell it, I would caution you about buying a “cheap” dog. Low priced dogs that claim to be purebreds will likely have some kind of health issue, might be stolen, or could have possibly come from a “puppy mill”. You can check out this list of known puppy mills from the Humane Society.
On the other side of the coin, dogs with high price tags will come with health guarantees, be genetically tested and likely come from championship level parents. A reasonable range for a quality Red Fox Lab puppy is between $1,500-$2,500. If you find a dog for less than that be sure you do your homework and know the history of the puppy and parents. If the person you are buying the dog from can’t provide an AKC registration or pedigree, be suspect. If the puppy is higher than this range, it might be worth it, especially if both parents have solid pedigrees and hunting or show awards….just do your research on the puppy and the breeder.
Do Red Fox Labs have inherited health issues like the Silver Labrador?
Labradors are considered ‘large breed’ dogs and all large breeds are vulnerable to hip dysplasia. Another potential condition for Labradors are retinal issues which can impact their vision. However, both hip dysplasia and retinal problems are genetically linked. Both can be screened for and detected prior to breeding. You should ask your breeder for a copy of the genetic screening tests to make sure none of the known genetic markers are present in the parents. Another safeguard is to have the adult breeding pair OFA Certified for both their hips and eyes. A licensed vet will physically examine the adult parents (at least two years old) hips and eyes to ensure there are no early signs of either disease. Does this guarantee your puppy will never have hip or eye issues in their lifetime? No, but it greatly reduces the risk of either issue occurring.
Silver Labradors are considered very controversial and have a genetic “fault” which contributes to their color…it also makes them susceptible to other health issues. We have owned a Silver Lab, before we knew much about them, and while Gracie was a great dog, we had a number of expensive health issues with her even as a puppy. Can Silver Labs be great dogs? Absolutely! However, that silver color and associated genetics does make them more prone health issues.
Is the Red Fox Lab temperment different than other colors of Labradors?
Nope, the Red Fox Lab is still a Labrador and a wonderful dog. This breed is known for being hard working, loyal, great hunters (if trained) and an affectionate companion. There is some Internet tall tale out there that says Red Fox Labs are “crazy” but that’s pure fiction.
Overall, they are a great family dog and protectors of their “pack”. Both our kids have been raised with multiple Labradors in the house from birth through high school and we have never had any behavior issues or aggressive traits in any of our Labs. Now, some of this can be attributed to the positive environment in our home…but other dog breeds can be inherently aggressive. Or, they can become aggressive if neglected or abused, but we’ve never had that experience. Sure, our dogs have growled and barked at strangers in the yard but that’s what you want a dog to do.
I have had my Red Fox Lab puppy for a few weeks. Their color has changed from when I brought it home...why?
This is completely normal and should be expected. Puppies are just just like humans and their coats are constantly shedding and being replaced as they grow. Anyone who has kids can attest to their child’s hair color being different at birth compared to when they are 2-3 years old….puppies are the same way. While Red Fox lab puppies will always remain some shade of red, it’s not unusual to see them get lighter or darker as they mature.
Based on our experience, the Red Fox Labs will change their color density up to three times before they get their final adult coat somewhere in the 9-12 month range. Make sure you are aware of this when picking your puppy from a breeder. Our clients typically select their puppy between 4-6 weeks of age. We tell them not to pick a puppy based on their color at that time because it will likely get lighter or darker as they grow… but they always be some shade of “fox red”.
As long as we are talking about their coats, I wrote another article that addresses How Much Do Red Fox Labs Shed. Check it out to see what I think about this color versus the others and shedding.
When I go to the AKC website, they do not list "red" as a color for the Labrador breed? Can I still register my new Red Fox Lab puppy with the AKC?
Yes, absolutely! Some colors of Labradors are considered extremely controversial, like the Silver Lab (mentioned above). Without going into great detail here, Silver Labs have a genetic “fault” that gives them the Silver color. Unfortunately, this “fault” can contribute to other conditions and the AKC will not recognize Silver Labs as purebred Labradors. Owners do register Silver Labradors but they will usually list them as Chocolate or Black Labs. The ethics of this is a story for another article. We owned a Silver Lab and while she was a wonder animal, she did have the most health problems of any Labrador we have ever owned. Our vet told us it was due to “poor genetics” of Silver Labradors.
Back to the question, Red Fox Labs are registered as “yellow” with the AKC and this is perfectly legitimate. Their red color is from selective breeding of “dark yellow” dogs until the red look was achieved, but technically they are a deep yellow color. The Red Fox Lab originated in Canada, off the Atlantic coast, and is fully recognized as yellow by the American Kennel Club.
Think about Labradors that are advertised as “white”. The AKC does not recognize “white” as a Labrador color. It’s because white labs are considered a pale yellow and registered as yellow labradors. The white lab is just another shade of yellow, like the Red Fox Lab.
Final Thoughts...
Whether you buy your Red Fox Lab puppy from us or another breeder, I hope you enjoy your new best friend for many years to come.
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