How Chocolate Labrador Retrievers Gained Popularity
The Labrador Retriever was noticed in Canada in the 19th century by aristocrats visiting from England. When they returned to England, they took a few of these dogs with them. Chocolate and yellow Labs at the time were considered undesirable and sadly, often killed. The black Lab was considered pure and allowed to breed.
Yellow and chocolate colors eventually started capturing people’s interest and the demand for the dogs increased. They were much less common than black Labs, but they would appear in litters from time to time.
The first chocolate Lab to be registered by the AKC in 1940 was named Kennoway’s Fudge. After that, the popularity of the dogs continued to grow. By the 1960s, the chocolate Lab was a popular and highly desired pet.