Sable GSDs Discussions

There is always quite a lot of talk on here about the sable colouring of GSDs and how it is not a colour but a pattern. So, what would this dog be classed as? Is he a black sable?

And, as I like this colour very much, how would I go about identifying (at 8 weeks or younger) a pup that could ultimately turn out as dark as this. And before anyone jumps on me, of course the litter would also have to be from health tested parents etc etc ;-)

I just love this dog (he is a US police dog).

ooooo Kirsty stop it!!! That is exactly what i'd like next!! I know how a sable pup would look but not sure how to describe! Google sable gsd puppy and you'll get a rough idea!

I'm not sure how to tell how dark they'll become (same as B&T to be fair), but when Sables are pups, they have a stripe on their back (where the hackles are). I presume the darker they are born, the darker they'd stay.

I'm not a fan of sables, but that dog's got a gorgeous look about him!

He sure is gorgeous.....................and what colour am I having........sable

My dog must be the exception then. When he was a pup he did not have a stripe on his back. He looked like a Malinois, he was caramel coloured with a black mask.

Now he looks like this:

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=515728

I am liking the dark dogs ...

Thanks all. I do know what sable pups look like in a mixed litter but I really meant whether you can tell how dark they will end up as adults. It obviously isn't the most important consideration when looking for a pup, but is in my list of preferences.

I believe (but could be proven wrong lol!) that sable pups are born quite light and get darker as they get older - never heard about the stripe on the back though.

Lovely dog Murf ... is it an A1K9 dog?

Yeah I was looking at the site earlier and remembered him..

My dog was on of a litter of 8, all grey (sables) and he was the only one who was caramel and as I say, people thought he was a Malinois for weeks, he just had the black face and a black "V" on his tail.

Several very experienced people said that THAT was the colour his overlay would be when mature and they were right.

So he has a caramel colouring over the grey? Do you have any other pics of him (other than the pedigree database one) that may show his colouring up a little better?

Don't know if its the same with sables but in black & tans the skin pigment is often an indication of how dark they will stay.

No he is not caramel over grey. When he was a tiddler he looked like a Malinois Pup, now as you can see from the photo nothing like.

No I do not really do photos.

Thanks Sue. I hadn't heard that before.

<<My dog was on of a litter of 8, all grey (sables) and he was the only one who was caramel and as I say, people thought he was a Malinois for weeks, he just had the black face and a black "V" on his tail.
Several very experienced people said that THAT was the colour his overlay would be when mature and they were right.>>

Sorry SB, probably just my being a bit thick today, but what was the colour the experienced people said he would be when mature? If he looked like a Mali pup, he won't have been grey at all? :?

The black V on his tail was how dark his overlay would be and as for him not being grey as he was the colour of a Mali, well all I can say is he is registered as grey and everyone who has seen him including experienced breeders and judges from here and abroad (and at the British Sieger) consider him grey too!

I don't think I made myself very clear. I now understand what you meant about the overlay (ie the black V on his tail, rather than the caramel colouring) and of course he is grey ... I can see that from the pedigree database pic!

Kirsty, sables are usually born dark and then lighten as they loose their puppy fur/get adult coat and then continue to darken into adulthood. So unlike the black/tans who lighten as they get older, sables generally darken.

Some say that the final adult colour will be close to the colour they were when they were born but I dont know how true that is.

A general indication of how dark they will be is to look at the legs. Most dark sables have the black stripes down the legs and black pencil toe markings. If your pup has these at 8 weeks, he/she will likely be a dark sable.

Edited to add...

This is Kofi at 5 weeks. He had already started to lighten since birth. He is the one on the far left of the piccie, the other lighter pups in the pic turned out lighter as adults.

Aww Fiona - what a bunch of cuties! I think I would have chosen Kofi from that litter too ... or perhaps the more fluffy looking pup in the right corner ;-)

Anyway, thanks for that info - and I will definitely look out for the stripes and pencil toe markings

Wondered if you would spot the fluffy one, that was a long haired..

Were you not tempted??

I think they were sold (can't remember) but the 2 long haired were the lowest drive pups so not want I really wanted anyway.

I do still love the long haired but after the ease of having a short coat, I don't think I would have one again...mud is so much less of a problem!