In your experience, have you seen more yellow dogs with allergy issues?

Having done rescue for years my experience is that I saw allergies in all three colors but more in chocolates (I also saw a higher number of chocolates with epilepsy compared to the other two colors).
I don't have chocolates in my blood lines but the only dog that I know of that I personally produced that had allergies was a yellow male. He was tested at our vet school and the allergies were not food related but environmental (he was used for hunting and only had problems when out in the woods/fields, was fine at home). I don't have any dogs from that bloodline any more but did have a dog in rescue with severe allergies (foods included) that was related to that line (the owners surrendered the papers/pedigree with the dog). He was also a yellow male. Of interest, he had an anaphylactic reaction to a vaccine a couple of years before his allergies to other things showed up. His allergies also started up one fall after hunting which is why he was dumped on rescue -- owner didn't want a dog that couldn't hunt and didn't want to spend money on allergy testing, shots, special food, etc. if the dog couldn't hunt.....sigh......Bach was one of the nicest dogs I ever had the pleasure to know, was adopted into a great home and lived to be around age 12.

I have chocolates and blacks and in 20 years I have not been aware of any allergy issues. An old bloodline I had produced one dog that had seasonal allergies--he would get goopy ears in August-Sept.

I don't think this is strictly a color issue--bloodline, exposure level, etc. And how many dogs might have mild problems that we never hear about from the owners?

MK

I have always had more yellows than the other colors and never had an allergy problem.

My yellow has had problems. The chocolates never.
But since they both can come from blacks it must not be a color thing. In answer to your question, my yellow is my problem. Meds amd all ! Great pigment but very light colored skin if that has anything to do with any of it.

I don't think it's a color issue either. I have talked about this at length with breeders and pet owners. No one seems fully convinced that it's genetic but some feel that it's safer not to breed dogs who do show signs of allergies just in case. We have chocolates and no signs of troubles, even with our first BYB chocolate.

I agree, the only role color might play is that there might be more yellows out there in the pet world, hence, it could seem like more, but percentage wise, it probably isn't.

I also wonder if in the case of it being skin issues vs ear issues etc, if we don't just notice it more easily on yellows than blacks.
Annie

I WORKED FOR A VET IN A HOT CLIMATE FOR 12 YEARS AND I HAVE TO SAY IN THIS HOT CLIMATE THE LIGHTER PIGMENTED DOGS OF ANY BREED HAD MANY MORE SKIN PROBLEMS

I've had Allergy problems in all 3 colors from various different lines I tried out over the years.
This would be environmental allergies.

Yes, allergies can and are genetically passed on. Our one foundation girl had 7 surviving puppies and all of them developed worse allergies than the dam. 2 of her kids had to be put on allergy shots and prednisone.

Our girl gets lick granulomas, gunky ears, watery eyes and hot spots from the end of February to beginning of March all the way through November if I don't medicate her with small doses of Prednisone.

Some of her kids who are now 5 yrs old need more than just prednisone to keep the itching down to a dull roar.

I wish more breeders would think twice before breeding a dog or bitch who is showing signs of allergies. I know the word "Allergies" doesn't sound as scary as TVD, Epilepsy or any number of the other diseases Labradors suffer from but believe me, the families of these Allergy ridden dogs pay the price right along side their miserable dogs.