Are chocolate labs puppies born black and then go chocolate?

That's a great question! Chocolate Labrador Retriever puppies are born black and gradually change to their chocolate color over the first few weeks of life.

Here's why:

* Pigmentation: The color of a Labrador's coat is determined by the amount of eumelanin, a type of melanin pigment. Black labs have a lot of eumelanin, while chocolate labs have less.

* Early Development: Puppies are born with less eumelanin than they will have as adults. This is why black labs often appear very dark, almost black, at birth.

* Color Change: As the puppies mature, their eumelanin production increases, leading to the change in color. The exact shade of chocolate can vary depending on the specific genes involved.

So, even though a chocolate lab puppy may appear black at birth, you can rest assured that their true chocolate color will emerge as they grow.