Are There Black German Shepherds

Black & Tan German Shepherd

This color combination is the bread and butter, so to speak, of the German Shepherd. For most people, when they picture this breed, its with this color. But even with this common color, there is plenty of room for variation.

The tan fur can range from deeper hues to a shade that almost approaches silver along the edges. The black color usually appears as a saddle-like pattern along the back and can vary quite a bit in size.

Something to keep in mind is that GSDs born with this pattern usually begin life darker and slowly lighten as they mature. The best way to get an idea of how a pups coat will develop in adulthood is to meet the parents .

Darker, especially black, coloration is recessive in the German Shepherd. So if both the parents display the black and tan coloring, then the pup is more likely to as well.

Which German Shepherd Is The Best

German Shepherds can be divided into two groups show line German Shepherds and working line German Shepherds. Ultimately, your lifestyle and expectations will determine which German Shepherd is the best for you.

If you are looking for a canine companion, a show line German Shepherd is the right choice. These dogs are bred to accommodate the needs of pet parents, have lower energy levels, and make great family pets.

But, if you are looking for a capable working dog who will guard your property or herd cattle on a farm, a working line German Shepherd is a better choice. Dogs from West German working lines, Czech working lines, and East German DDR working lines are bred to meet the rigorous rules set by the German Shepherd Club of Germany.

These German Shepherds are bred to work and have little to no resemblance to German Shepherds that are found in most homes.

Black German Shepherd Dogs Are Loyal Protectors Of Family:

Since ages, GSDs have played the role of watchdogs and volunteers, and always helped humans whenever needed.

Black Shepherds have taken all these traits from their ancestors and can be a marvelous addition to the human-families.

Pro Tip: being cautious from this very canine for the sake of security is necessary.

It doesnt mean he is dangerous however, the big nails and sharp teeth can make even love bites from their side, hard for you.

Therefore, proper measures of love are necessary, like clipping the nails, etc.

You May Like: What Are The Different Colors Of German Shepherds

Things You Should Know

As with large breeds the life expectancy of a GSD is lower than smaller dogs, your Black German Shepherd likely to live between nine and 13 years. But kept well and healthy you can expect them to be pretty active and energetic, even as they hit their senior years. The other key factor to whether you buy a black GSD is that they are rare and so will likely come with a higher price tag than conventional colors. A price of between £700-$2,000 for a puppy is the norm. As well as making sure you always get your pup from a reputable breeder, here are some other essentials you need to know if you are looking to get a black GSD.

How Rare Are Liver German Shepherds

Liver German Shepherds are understandably rare. Thats because most breeders dont reproduce them. Then, only a few, and mostly backyard, breeders breed them to earn from their rarity.

Most of the reputable breeders dont intentionally produce liver German Shepherd dogs.

Why?

Thats because its color is not up to show standards. Ill explain more about that in answer #10.

With that, only a few breeders intentionally try to reproduce this breed. Some are doing it to earn extra.

Thats because liver German Shepherds rarity is a cause to cash in more money.

Now, only dog parents whose intentions are to take home a rare GSD will get one.

But liver GSDs arent favored if it were for the dog show business. With that, theyre bred less.

Moreover, the gene that causes this color is a recessive B locus.

To come up with a liver GSD, youd have to have parent GSDs that have that recessive gene.

To be clear, lets have a short genetic lesson:

Read Also: Female German Shepherd Growth Chart

German Shepherd Colors: Red & Black

Photo from:

If youve never seen a black and red German Shepherd, you are in for a treat! The rich red pigment replaces the standard tan one while the pattern remains much the same. Many red and black GSDs have the same saddleback and black mask of the standard black and tan variety.

The red color is produced by the pheomelanin gene. It can come in any shade of red, ranging from deep mahogany red to strawberry blonde.

Alongside black and tan, the red and black color combination is preferred over other color varieties by German Shepherd breeders.

Since both red and black are produced by dominant genes, this color combination is much easier to breed for. Therefore, many reputable breeders focus on producing purebred German Shepherds with deep red coloring.

Photo from:

One of the classic colors of the German Shepherd breed, sable comes in a variety of colors, but each hair typically sports a black tip. Sable German Shepherds can be grey, red, black, tan, or silver, and are also known as agouti.

Agouti is not a type of coloring that is only found in German Shepherd dogs. It is also present in other dog breeds like the Agouti Husky, for instance.

In this unique coloring, each hair has several bands of black and brown, leading to a typical wolf-like coloration. Some of the founding members of this breed believed that this should be the only color present in German Shepherd dogs.

You can mostly see these dogs in working lines.

Bring Changes In The Homes When German Shepherd Grows:

Shepherd puppy is small in size, but as an adult, he turns into a bigger sized hound that sometimes looks frightening to an outsider. You will also need to bring changes in his dedicated-area of your home as he grows to get bigger and bigger.

These dogs, when grown, can be excellent watchdogs as they have a unique sense of detecting danger and mischievous activities in the surroundings. They also have a great ability to smell and differentiate strangers from households.

Home is safe when a German shepherd is around.

Pro Tip: if you intend to turn your shepherd dog into a guardian of your home, make sure to start training from childhood.

Recommended Reading: My German Shepherd Puppy Is Skinny

Black German Shepherd Health Problems:

All dog breeds are prone to have certain health issues, including german shepherds in black color.

There are numerous health issues you can find in a Black german shepherd puppy or adult doggy, including:

• Bone inflammation that can lead to arthritis
• Degenerative Myelopathy
• Bloating, it can cause instant death of the dog,
• Heart issues
• Epilepsy

To keep your doggo from all sorts of health issues, regular vet checks are necessary.

Black And Red German Shepherd

Unlike most of the colors in the list, this color is most suited to show bloodlines, as opposed to working GSD bloodlines.

The black and red German Shepherd strongly resembles the black and tan variation.

One difference is that the tan-colored areas are replaced with reddish-brown areas. This red pigment is much stronger than the tan pigment.

These red areas sometimes appear to be lighter in color .

The black color on their fur is still the same as the other variations with a black saddle-like marking and a black mask marking.

Don’t Miss: Rottweiler Fighting Pitbull

Black German Shepherd With Blue Eyes

If you look at photos of black German Shepherds, you might notice that many of these dogs have blue eyes.

Most people consider black German Shepherds with blue eyes to be a crossbreed, most likely with a Siberian Husky.

And, its true that some of these dogs are mixed.

However, purebred black German Shepherds can come with blue eyes, although this is very rare.

Blue eyes are the result of a specific genetic variation. They usually occur in blue German Shepherds. The reason behind this is that blue is the result of a dilution gene that turns black pigment into dark grey or blue.

Solid black German Shepherds with blue eyes have this gene, but it affects their eyes only. Chances are most cannot even be considered black, but blue however, their coat is so dark that it is impossible to differentiate from pure black.

Still, just like with long-haired black German Shepherds, these pups arent recognized by the AKC and are considered faulty.

Also, if your black German Shepherd has grey markings and blue eyes, then he is likely a German Shepherd Husky mix.

German Shepherds Predisposal To Medical Problems

This research gathered data from nearly half a million dogs. The numbers are from 430 veterinary clinics across the UK.

The data revealed the following:

German Shepherds are most likely to die from musculoskeletal disorders. Data shows that 13.6% of the participants are casualties.

14.9% of casesof GSD deaths are due to the inability to stand up.

There are a total of 263 disorders thats recorded in German Shepherds. Here are the most common occurrences:

Also Check: German Shepherd Barking At Everything

German Shepherd Colors: White

While most of us have already seen white German Shepherds, few of us probably have a clue of what we are looking at. With their dashing white coats, these pale creatures look more like Golden Retrievers with erect ears.

They are often confused with the even more uncommon Berger Blanc Suisse, or White Swiss Shepherd, and are the cause of great controversy .

According to the American Kennel Club, white canines are always disqualified from dog shows. The UK Kennel Club shares this opinion, going as far as to say that a very pale color on the inside of the legs or light markings on the chest is permissible, but undesirable, while all-white and near white dogs are highly undesirable.

The United Kennel Club is one of the handfuls that recognizes white German Shepherds, pointing out that these dogs come in many different colors, including white.

However, despite this, in the 1900s, Germany began culling white GSDs from the German Shepherd breeding bloodlines because they saw these dogs as albinos. Breeders believed that the white gene was responsible for genetic issues, and that it washed out the breeds rich colors.

Other Expenses To Expect

Moreover, there are many costs to consider.

Yes, even after finally paying for the liver GSD that you want

You must prepare for more costs

These are the expenses that might sneak up on you:

• Insurance.

Moreover, you must split that requirement into 2. Thats because you must feed your GSD twice a day.

Although they can eat that in one go, its recommended to split it.

Why?

Eating so much food in one go can cause bloating in dogs.

Warning: Research from AKC says that larger dog breeds are more prone to bloating. The list includes German Shepherds. Thats why you should be extra mindful of your GSDs eating habits.

Don’t Miss: Full Size Female German Shepherd

Black German Shepherd Puppies Are Born Black

All German Shepherd puppies are either born black, gray or white and can change color as they grow. Their true coat color can usually be determined at about 8 weeks of age. Black German Shepherd puppies are born black and will stay black through adulthood.

So, if you are looking for a solid Black German Shepherd puppy, you will want to get her at this age, and not before, in order to be sure she is indeed a solid black color.

How To Raise A Healthy Black Gsd

Owners of Black German Shepherds will be delighted to know that raising a healthy pup is easy.

One of the first things you will want to do is bring your pup to the veterinarian for a check-up and discussing any health issues that need to be addressed.

You will always want to keep vaccinations current. Providing your German Shepherd with a healthy diet is essential to his health.

It is best to choose a dog food brand that includes healthy, natural ingredients and offers the food in dry and wet forms.

Your Black German Shepherds teeth need to be used, and it is wise to provide dry food for him to crunch and exercise his gums.

Since GSDs need daily exercise, they are usually prone to getting a bit dirty. Make sure you groom and clean your dog on a regular basis. Grooming should include bathing, nail cutting, ear cleaning, and teeth cleaning.

Recommended Reading: Easy Drawings Of German Shepherds

The Solid Black German Shepherd Is Born Black

Stating that the solid black German Shepherd is born black might sound obvious. But did you know that most German Shepherd puppies only show their true color weeks after they are born?

For example, the black & red, and the black & tan puppies are born almost completely black. The color variations on their coat only become clear weeks after their birth and continue to become more pronounced during the first two years of their life. Solid black coat puppies are born black and keep their coat color in adulthood.

But how do you know you are buying a solid black German Shepherd puppy? It appears that breeders have learned to tell puppy coat colors soon as they are born you may just have to trust them. Learn about the qualities of a trustworthy German Shepherd breeder in my article on How to Buy a German Shepherd A Complete Buyers Guide.

Waiting to bring your puppy home until the recommended eight weeks will also give him time to show his true coat color. Once home, youll discover that you made a great color choice, as we discuss in the next fact!

Different German Shepherd Coat Colors: Bicolor

Photo from:

Bicolor German Shepherds appear almost completely black at first glance. But, in order to fit into the breeds standard, these pups must have black legs, backs, heads, and tails.

Even if the paws of these dogs are brown, the heels must be black by the color standard definition.

Some German Shepherd enthusiasts have questioned if bicolor is actually a coat color or just a pattern of a different color.

Whatever the case may be, the AKC accepts bicolor as a recessive color in the breed.

And, even though bicolor German Shepherds are technically allowed in the AKC conformation events, they are also mostly found in working dog lines.

Don’t Miss: German Shepherd Color Variations

Are Black German Shepherds Aggressive

Black German Shepherds have the same temperament as any regular German Shepherd who is a great working and family dog. They remain loyal, intelligent, and active members of your pack.

However, without proper socialization and basic training, your black shepherd puppy or any other dog breed will grow destructive and sometimes aggressive. There is no bad dog breed, just bad owners.

Before you go out and get an active herding dog such as the black German Shepherd, consider if your lifestyle will match your future poochs needs.

Will you be able to make time for daily exercise and training? Are you patient enough to deal with its high energy levels? These are just some of the basic questions to keep in mind.

What Is A Black German Shepherd Dog

This dog was originally bred as the perfect herding dog and is now used in a variety of companion and working dog situations. Its no surprise that this breed is ranked at number 2 of Americas favorite dog breeds.

These dogs are loyal, intelligent, loving, fearless companions who will protect you and your family with their life.

The Black German Shepherd can be a working dog or a companion animal.

German Shepherds are often used as police dogs and in the military. They can be trained as guard dogs, or attack dogs, however, they are not naturally an aggressive breed.

These dogs are great with children and have a very calm temperament when raised and socialized appropriately.

The black coloration is the result of a genetic mutation, as many rare color variations are in dogs.

It can occur randomly when two standard Shepherds breed it is determined by a recessive gene that might not show in the parents. If two black Shepherds breed, the puppies will always have the black coloration as both have the recessive gene.

Recommended Reading: How Easy Is It To Train A German Shepherd

Suitable Home Environments For A Black German Shepherd

If you dont already have this breed as a pet, have you fallen in love with them yet?

What more can you ask for when one amazing dog can provide you with companionship, security, loyalty, and the capability of getting along well with children and other pets in your household.

If you have already brought your pup home or you, plan to soon, make sure you are providing a healthy environment that is suitable to his needs.

This includes a comfortable, supportive bed, plenty of chew toys, room to exercise outdoors, food and water bowls and space to call his own.

You will want to designate an area that can be blocked off with a baby gate or a large crate that he can seek refuge and relaxation in any time he needs.

Black German Shepherds can be comfortable living outdoors or indoors as long as you provide balance into theirdaily schedule.

This means you cant leave your dog outdoors or indoors alone for long periods of time. Your dog needs attention from his owner and family.

If you plan to house your dog outdoors, you will need to provide a safe house for him. You can either purchase a dog house or build one yourself.

It is wise to provide a doghouse that is large enough for an adult sized Black German Shepherd to stand up in and turn around easily.

Weather conditions can cause dirt to go inside the dog house it is essential that it remains clean at all times.