it is still a purebred lab, there is a gene which dilutes the original colour which is how you get the very pale yellow but almost white labs too, that has got into the chocolate colour too and so genetically they are chocolate, I dont mind them to be honest but I wouldnt choose to own one, but them I wouldnt choose to own a choccie either, doesnt mean that theyre not lovely dogs. However I feel dogs should be bred for their health and temprament rather than aethetic values or price, for instance in the last 10 years I feel choccies have grown so much in popularity (certainly in Southampton) and I know more choccies walk there than yellows or blacks and some of them are badly bred in an effort to get chocolate pups rather than yellow or black, that is wrong. at the end of the day a lab is a lab is a lab and there all sweethearts who make their owners very happy and thats what matters.
Anna