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What Colors Do German Shepherds Come In

Can You Shave A German Shepherd

What are the different German Shepherd Colors

The undercoat is a fantastic insulator, and youve probably guessed that it keeps them warm in the colder months. But those layers of fur also keep them cool in the summer, and insulate them from warm air.

This is why its very bad practice to shave a doubled coated breed.

You wont be doing them any favors by getting rid of the very thing that regulates their body temperature, and protects their skin from abrasions and harmful UV rays.

Is It Okay To Get A Rare

Rare colors are often seen as a marketing ploy by people attempting to make more money off the GSD litters that do not conform with its standard.

However, if you find a reputable breeder who has a rare-colored German Shepherd and is not intentionally breeding them, then theres no harm in getting that puppy.

Specific color patterns, such as the Panda Shepherd, are spontaneous mutations, which means reputable breeders would stay away from breeding for a particular color.

On top of that, they are usually expensive, banking in at around $1,000 to $3,000.

Do Black German Shepherd Puppies Change Color As They Grow

Black German Shepherd puppies are born black and will stay black even as they grow.;

This is because all German Shepherd puppies come out into the world in solid black, gray, or white colors.;

Since black GSDs do not develop markings, patterns, or the usually-inherited tan coat, they will remain the same well into adulthood.

Meanwhile, regular German Shepherds will usually grow into their true coat colors at about eight weeks old.

RELATED:Do German Shepherds Change Color As They Grow?

Recommended Reading: When To Start Training Your German Shepherd

Black And Tan German Shepherd

The most common coat color of German Shepherds is definitely black and tan.

Although this is true, the black and tan coloration is actually one of the recessive genes when it comes to coloration.

The black color usually appears on their back as a saddle, they also have black printed across their face like a mask.

Tan coloration is usually located on their chest, sides, underbellies, and on their necks.

The tan color may vary in light or dark tints across different puppies; generally, the depth of the tan is based on the parents and gene inheritance.

As puppies, this coat color appears more black than tan, however as they mature their coat lightens to more of a tan coloration.

Famous German Shepherds with this coat coloration include Rin Tin Tin, and is the best coat for show competitions.

Do German Shepherd Colors Changes By Age

Pin on German Shepard

There have been asking this questions lately, which is perhaps because they are noticing some color changes in their German shepherd.

The answer to this question is yes, the color of a German shepherd can change as they age. However, the severity of this color change depends on the original color.

To give you a better idea, heres a look at the different German shpherd coat colors that changes over time.

  • Black and Tan: They might be the most popular, but this information might not be known to many. Contrary to common belief, black and tan German shepherds are born as completely black dogs.The tan only starts to show itself after at least 6 months. But theres a limit to how tan they can be. To be more precise, a GSDs color will stop changing after 2 years.
  • Sable: Regardless of the main color of a sable GSD, be it tan, silver, or gray, the color will change as they grow older.Some may get darker by age, and some may get lighter. Either way, the period is the same as black and tan. It starts at 6 months and ends in 2 years.

These two are the color variations that undergoes the most significant color change in German shepherds. While other colors change, too, the change isnt that much.

There are, however, some German shepherds coat colors that do not change. In short, dogs with these colors live with it for the rest of their lives.

However, some opinions are false. Unfortunately, there have been many misconceptions nowadays about the different colors of German shepherd.

Recommended Reading: How To Train A German Shepherd To Protect

Showy Black And Red Gsd

Well-suited to show bloodlines, the black and red coloration also looks much like a black and tan ;German Shepherd.

A red pigmentation replaces the tan area, featuring a much stronger color saturation in a reddish-brown shade. Sometimes the red may vary in hue, from strawberry blonde to a rich copper, in light or dark variations.

With this color, although it isnt as common as the others, the puppies typically carry the iconic saddle pattern and black mask, as well.

What If These 2 Dogs Are

The charts below each picture are the possible outcomes for the puppies and what % chance each outcome has.

So if black dog has Em/Em, we had 3 possibilities: Solid Black, Black & Tan, or Dark Sable. Neat! But it gets a lot more interesting if the black dog carries e as well. Now, were going to assume that when black dog carries e, she is also carrying for very light or white Phaeomelanin.

So there you have it. In the majority of cases, breeding a white GSD to a black GSD would result in one of the above cases, but you cant be sure which unless youve tested the A Locus of the white dog and the E Locus of the Black dog.

Now, as luck would have it, I happen to have Embark test results for the black dog:

Black Dog:

  • E Locus: Em/Em

White Dog:

For the white dog, we dont know for SURE because he hasnt been tested, however based on litters he has produced he is almost certainly a/a. If you look at our possible permutations above, this means our made up pairing would produce only solid black puppies.

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Do German Shepherd Colors Affect Health

The color white has long been associated with deafness, but a good breeder will always make sure their dogs are free of genetic defects before breeding them.

With that said, we believe that this is the only time that color should be a concern.

As a large breed dog, they are prone to shoulder or hip dysplasia, and bloat. This is due to the breed itself and NOT due to their coloration.

Genetic Testing And Dog Colors

7 Different GERMAN SHEPHERD Coat Color Patterns

With all living things genes influence pretty much everything about that being, and the coat color of your dog is no exception.

Generally, a dogs hair color is determined by the melanin pigment which occurs as eumelanin and phaeomelanin. Eumelanin is the pigment for black and brown while phaeomelanin is for lighter colors such as red, yellow, and orange.

The color of your German Shepherd will be determined by the presence of either the dominant eumelanin or phaeomelanin genes. Both of these two main gene pigments are usually modified by alleles to give rise to the different colors youve seen above.

Genetic testing can help in determining the specific melanin type your dog has and the different genes that give him a distinct color.;

Read Also: What To Feed A 1 Month Old German Shepherd Puppy

History Of The German Shepherd

The German Shepherd was first discovered by Von Stephanitz who spotted them at a dog show and decided that this breed was the perfect standard for a working dog. He adopted one of these dogs and named them Horand and then created the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde, the Society for the German Shepherd Dog.

Horand was the first breed standard for the German Shepherd breed and was bred alongside dogs with a similar appearance to give German Shepherd litters. They are thought to have first appeared in the United States in 1906 and were recognized by the AKC in 1908.

Places To Find Black German Shepherds Puppies For Sale And Adoption

If you manage to find a black German Shepherd puppy available for sale near you, then youve struck gold. Other people find it hard to find reputable breeders that sell quality GSDs in their local areas.;

To help speed up the buying process for you, Im going to suggest some black German Shepherd breeders:

  • Kraftwerk K9 Kraftwerk founder and trainer Wayne Curry is considered the only reputable breeder in history to bring back their American-bred GSDs to mainland Germany for competition and the canines actually end up winning. On Kraftwerks site, they also have allotted sections for owners self-education and detailed outlines of their obedience training programs for German Shepherd Dogs.
  • Kennel Von Wiese Von Wiese means the meadows in German. It makes perfect sense that the Kennel Von Wiese is situated within the vast lush meadows of Lake Norman in North Carolina. Other than the ideal environment wherein they raise their litters, the breeder takes pride in their world-famous lines of black GSDs stemming from champions such as Paska vom Salztalblick, Troll von der bosen Nachbarschaft, Olex de Valsory, and Nick vom Heiligenbösch.
  • Ruskin House of Shepherds Whats great about this breeder is that their site has always offered a 10 percent discount purchase for people in the military, police, coast guard, and any other service members.;

RELATED:Best German Shepherd Breeders : 10 Places to Find German Shepherd Puppies for Sale

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Do German Shepherd Colors Affect Behavior

No, the color of your GSD should not dictate how he behaves. Temperament is determined by breeding, care, and training.

Germans of all colors should embody the characteristics of an alert, protective, obedient, and calm type of dog that the world has come to know and love.

However, it has been noted that White Shepherds make better family pets as they have milder personalities and less aggressive.

Black And White Panda

Sprague

German Shepherds of the Panda coloration may be mistaken as another dog breed altogether, or a mixture of breeds.

This genetic mutation is considered quite rare and has been carried through a single bloodline. The mother features pure black fur, while the father displayed standard black and tan.

Up to 40% of a panda German Shepherds body is white. However, there havent been any white German Shepherds throughout their ancestry.

This appearance is simply due to a genetic anomaly, which causes white spotting. This purebred German Shepherd Dog closely resembles a pandas coloration and is sure to catch the eye of many.

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The Truth About Single And Double Coated

German Shepherds are typically a Double Coated breed, meaning they have two layers of fur:

A top layer called the Guard coat that is slightly more wiry and abrasive.

Underneath youll find a softer and light colored under-layer called the Undercoat.

Combined these layers are used to regulate body temperature, protect from harmful UV rays, repel water, and protect their skin.

What About Single Coats?

Although its quiet rare some German Shepherds are considered Single-Coated.

In the dog show ring we refer to them as Smoothies, or Smooth-Coated Shepherds.

Technically, they still have both layers, but the undercoat is so sparse theyre considered as single coated.

Note: Single coated German Shepherds are considered a breed fault, and not recognized by the AKC. Therefore, many years of selective breeding have made single coated litters a rare occurrence.

Other Unique Shepherd Colors

Although rare, pure white, solid blue, fawn color, pure red and spotted black and white are also found. However, neither of these colors are accepted when it comes to competitions as these colors will only be found due to severe genetic mutations, or they simply dont match the breed standards for the show. A breeds color doesnt necessarily come with health issues, and neither of these do.

To know if your German Shepherd is genuinely black, you need to make sure there are no patches or stripes of another color. Black Shepherds have unique features that are associated with the color, including a straighter back. Youll notice that the average German Shepherd has a slanted back with short legs.

Although black Shepherds still have short legs, they stand taller, making them appear bigger and stronger. There are black varients with spots, creme, silver or tanned patches or combined with a red coat, but these variants look like the average Shepherd and are hard to mix up with the black version.

Read Also: How Much Food Does A German Shepherd Need

Which German Shepherd Color Should You Opt For

The personality and character traits of all these German Shepherds are the same, so it really comes down to your personal choice.

Theres no right or wrong choice for people looking to keep their German Shepherd just as a family dog. But, if you want your dog to stand out of all others around you, get one of the rare color varieties.

However, if you plan to take your dog to showings, make sure you get one from the qualified varieties.

Black Tri Australian Shepherds

What is a BLUE GERMAN SHEPHERD?

The black tri Australian Shepherd is one of the most common and basic colors combination of this dog. With this color scheme, they look like a leaner version of the Bernese Mountain Dog.

Often times, but not always, the black coat is highlighted with white markings on the face, chest, belly and legs. In addition, copper/tan highlights are also sometimes present on both the face and legs. When this happens, you have a black tri Aussie.

Black tri coats can be both trimmed or untrimmed, and officially accepted either way. However, every black Aussie may vary in the location and amount of a certain color. Its what makes them so unique.

What Is A Blue German Shepherd Dog

A blue German Shepherd is simply one color variation of the German Shepherd Dog breed. They are distinctive as their coats are a blue/gray color and they also have blue eyes. There are actually three variations of a blue German Shepherd Dog as they come in blue and tan, blue and sable, or blue and black.

German Shepherd Puppy Stage Coat Changes

It is a known factor that your GSP color coating will change variant from birth until they are up to 2 years of age. I know that probably sound shocking to you but thats how unique these breed of puppies are they are even known to be called confused colored breed of dogs.

First Stage: You are going to notice changes in your puppies coating in regards to their color and hair length. If you are new to owning a German Shepherd dog these dogs carry medium-length coats and others carry long length coating, these are all-natural and all true breed.

The signs of this normally show within a months time period from the birth of your GSP, in that time period you will also know if your puppy will be a solid color or 2 colored like the majority. You will also start to see as the color changes on them that the textile of their coat tends to feel different as well.

Second Stage: This stage is where you will find the most obvious changes occur, most would call it the confusing stage. This is where you will notice the big color changes that will be taking place on your German Shepherd puppy, this minute the color shade on your puppy will get from light to dark or dark to light and its gonna keep changing.

After the two year mark, your GSP will not change much after, at that stage they have completed their color coating look and pattern in regards to the color tone. Most things at that age will come to a standstill in a Germans shepherd life in terms of maturity growth.

What Are The Colors Of A German Shepherd

Traditionally German Shepherds were sable or solid white or black. These dogs had working bloodlines and were able to perform the hunting or farming tasks asked of them.

These colors changed over time as owners wanted dogs for more than just working purposes.

Some owners prefer the black and red color so they can show their dog in a conformation ring. Others would rather have a blue German Shepherd that was bred for just companionship. Some might even be drawn to the idea of rare colors such as liver or panda.

There are now 13 German Shepherd colors. These different colors can be seen on working, show and companion dogs. Certain colors are more suited for work, but that is not determined by their coat color, rather their bloodline:

Color
Black Work

Breeding for a specific color is not easy. It requires careful genetic selection, especially when dealing with rare colors such as panda.

Sometimes coat color is determined by a recessive gene . Breeders must ensure that both parents are carriers of that gene. Even then, they may end up with no puppies of that particular color. Genetics are tricky.

Color may make them look different, but it will not make them act different. It has no impact on temperament or personality. Their parents genetics, bloodline and how they were raised can make them act very different from each other.

Original German Shepherd Color

Sprague

The original German Shepherd color included color genes for both dark and white coat colors.

In German Shepherd colors sable, also called agouti, is the dominant color today.

Some purists regard sable as a German Shepherd color pattern rather than a color. On a sable GSD, each hair has multiple colors.

This means no two sable German Shepherd dogs will ever look exactly alike!

Which German Shepherd Color Will You Choose

Personal preferences aside, think about why you want a German Shepherd. If you want your dog to enter the show ring, its much better to choose those shades or combinations instead.

Working lines are different from show lines, so if youre not up to join dog shows or use your dog in a particular canine job, this versatile breed can also be a family pet.

And besides, your German Shepherds color or looks wouldnt matter because that companion will never judge based on appearances, either.

As long as your GSD puppy came from a reputable breeder and had parents with excellent temperaments and health, physical qualities shouldnt be a priority.

Now that youve learned all there is to know about the stunning German Shepherd colors, which one made your jaw drop? Share with us your thoughts by commenting on the box below.

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