“It started with a spot …”
When Miles Webs was a teenager, he brought home a small black puppy, never imagining that her sleek, dark coat would someday transform. But seven years later, his once-solid-black dog began changing in a way no one expected.
From the day she joined the family, Beobi stood out for her bold attitude and spirited personality. Still, nothing prepared the Webs family for what happened in 2023, when the Labrador developed a small white mark just beneath one eye — the first sign of a dramatic shift.
At the time, Webs was away on a family vacation. When his wife noticed the pale patch forming, they assumed it was stress-related, possibly caused by Beobi missing him.
“While I was gone, my wife started seeing these white spots appear,” Webs told The Dodo. “We figured it was anxiety from me being away.”
When Webs returned home, Beobi was overjoyed — but the markings didn’t fade. Instead, they slowly expanded.
“It began as a single spot,” Webs said, “and then it turned into a shape like a crescent moon.”
Over the following months, the pale areas continued spreading around Beobi’s eyes. When Webs left again for his yearly family trip, the changes became even more noticeable.
“That’s when it really took off,” he said. “It happened fast.”
While he was away, Webs received frequent photo updates showing new white patches appearing across Beobi’s face and body. The transformation amazed not only him, but extended family members as well, who began requesting fresh pictures just to keep up with how much she had changed.
Despite her striking new, panda-like markings, Beobi remained her usual cheerful, playful self. A visit to the veterinarian confirmed she was perfectly healthy.
“The vet didn’t find anything wrong,” Webs said. “She’s still just as happy and energetic.”
Although no official diagnosis was given, the family suspects Beobi has vitiligo — a condition that affects pigmentation and causes fur to lose its color over time.
Now, two years after that first white spot appeared, Beobi’s coat features pale patches across her head, ears, and body. While Webs never expected to watch his black Lab change colors, the experience has only deepened his love for her.
“I’ve loved seeing her transformation,” he said. “She’s always been my beautiful baby — just in a different way now.”