Some breeders don't pay much attention to the details of genetics - some, like me, take some interest in the topic - and some folks, like your breeder, REALLY take it seriously, for 30 years.
Those are the folks who do what 'couldn't be done'. Congratulations to her.
It's hard to get a really good eye color in the Lilacs, so you had a really good kitty!
Talking about the star on the bloodhounds' hip, an interesting mark in Chocolate Labs is what they call "Bolo Spots" or "Bolo Pads". One of the main Chocolate foundation sires (who appears in almost all American field type Chocolate pedigrees) was a black English dog named Dual CH (dual = field & conformation) Banchory Bolo, whelped in 1915.
Not only did he throw the chocolate color, he also threw these funny little white spots on the bottom of the feet, in the hair behind the main paw pad.
My Shelley dog is descended via her grandsire NFC/AFC Storm's Riptide Star from Banchory Bolo. Sure enough, she has the white spots on her paws!
I know they don’t. I can call my friend anytime(I got both girls and my boy from her) and she will know the lines of any of this breed. It’s amazing. What was cute before she had this litter her daughter, 4 at the time told her she wanted a white puppy from white parents. The founder was there and said it couldn’t be done. Lindsay told her “miracles do happen”. Well it did.
I didn’t know that about lilacs. Her brother’s eyes were the same too. They were a beautiful litter.
That is one beautiful lab in the pic. I love the white spot. Amazing about genetics; isn’t it? I am going to ask my friend if her chocolate lab has one on his foot. LOL She’s probably going to tell me yes. Are they on all of the feet? That one is pretty. My friends two labs are field trial champions. I am not sure about conformation. But their mastiffs love to field trial. Both have been doing it since they were babies. And they have won. LOL It seems one day, the lab pups didn’t want to for some reason retrieve that thing; so Rumor went in a got it and won a big ribbon. It was so cute. And they all have such a good time. I believe Angus, who is my godson puppy, is 6th or 8th in the nation now and his uncle and Rumor’s father was the top mastiff in the country. I am so proud of them.
You won’t believe this but my guys are out of a kennel called Bolo and of course it’s in their name
Bolo’s Gallant Thunder(gallant watch is my kennel name)
Bolo’s Hi Stepin Keeley
Bolo’s Yellow Rose of Texas