Types of shepherd colors

Sheepdog is a dog that is perfectly adapted for life in a metropolis. She can be a working dog, or she can be kept in an apartment as a companion. Devotion, helpfulness, obedience - all these are character traits of a purebred shepherd dog.

And, of course, every dog ​​lover wants to become the owner of a true representative of the breed that meets the standards. After all, it is in such individuals that all the best qualities are manifested. You can determine belonging to the standard by the color of the pet.

The color of these dogs is determined by three genes: a - black, aw - zoned, at - black and back. All other color variants are mutated. In case of significant deviation from color, the individual is discarded.

Malcolm B. Willis created a lot of work on the genetics of shepherd dogs. He points out that differences in color depend on the presence of a pigment, melanin, which may be present in the form of eumelanin and pheomelanin. Eumelanin provokes the formation of a black or dark brown coat in a shepherd dog, and pheomelanin affects the development of a yellow or reddish color.

In addition to color, when an individual is included in the breed standard, the type of cover is also taken into account. It can be short-haired or long-haired dogs. It is impossible to predict in advance how long the hair will be in the animal, only after a few molts the length of the cover will become clear. It is impossible to cross two individuals with different types of wool. The "Germans" are considered valuable, with a rich dark nose and a faint gray undercoat.

The standard includes four options for acceptable colors for dogs of the presented breed.

The most common color. This is a traditional option, although in terms of their working qualities such dogs are inferior to some other specimens. Black-backed color is called, implying the presence of a large dark area in the form of a V-shaped mantle on the back, falling to the sides to the elbows. There are black, gray and blackened versions of the black-and-back color.

Also, this color option can be divided into deep and weakened saddlecloth. The lightened area is called tan, and it can be reddish, brown, gray or yellow. Color saturation varies. Such dogs are characterized by a dark mask on the muzzle.

In this case, the chest can be completely black, partially black, or with the absence of black coat color. Each black-backed or tanned individual has an individual pattern of these areas.

It was this color that the most ancient ancestors of German shepherds had. Each hair of wool is colored in several shades, which come in the following order:

• the area is light;
• black;
• yellow or brown;
• black.

Different combinations and color saturation determine the type of color, there are two of them - zone-gray (wolf) and zone-red. In the first case, gray and dark gray shades and a whitish undercoat predominate. A feature of the red-haired dogs is the presence of black-backed, black and red areas with the preservation of a light shade and a ring-shaped hairline.

The gene inherent in dogs with a zonal color is dominant. This means that when two different colors are mixed, the puppies will definitely get exactly this color. This color has lost its popularity after the active breeding of black-backed dogs, although it is the animals with the zoned coat that have some advantages:

• these individuals are superior to other shepherd dogs in their working qualities;
• this is the most successful option for improving pigmentation during selection;
• there are no long-haired cubs from zone-gray individuals.

This type is characterized by a black shiny coat without other shades. This is a very rare color, only 0.1% of "Germans" have a black coat. Most often, representatives of the black variety are used as working dogs; they practically do not participate in exhibitions.

Obtaining such a puppy is possible only by crossing two of the same shepherd dogs. The fact is that if only one of the parents is black, then the genes of his partner will prevail in the color of the cub, since black is a recessive color when breeding shepherd dogs. Such dogs are highly prized.

An even rarer color option. This suit looks like this: its predominant color is black, and the tan is formed on the cheekbones and eyebrows, on the chest, on the legs, under the tail. The color in some cases can be compared with the color of the Doberman's coat. The black and tan copies are for service only. This option is not always considered as an independent color, as it is derived from other shades.

Such individuals can be classified into dogs of darkened, weakened color and with a color similar to the Doberman. In the first case, the puppy is born almost black, but under the tail you can see a gray, red or fawn area, as well as spots on the paws. The color of an adult looks like black and back, only a darker shade.

Cubs with a weakened tan are born completely black, but with age they develop a brown or yellow undercoat, light areas on their paws - these signs form a beautiful, impressive tan. However, the inheritance of this color is very unstable, it leads to a weakening of pigmentation in pups. Even if you cross such an individual with a dark partner, the offspring will be significantly lighter.

In the third case, we mean the Doberman color, when the animal has gray or yellow uniform areas on the paws, on the chest, under the larynx. Light arches above the eyebrows and on the cheekbones look spectacular, the mask is often very weak.

The color variants presented below are rare and belong to marriage. Such dogs must not be bred or sent to the exhibition. However, such puppies by nature remain just as loyal and obedient, therefore non-standard dogs are given as companions.

• White... The appearance of a white baby is possible if a recessive gene responsible for the color of such a coat comes into play in both of its parents. These shepherd dogs do not belong to albinos, they have the same black nose, eyes and claws, as in individuals admitted to the standard.
• Ginger. These are very spectacular outwardly individuals, but they are not recognized by the standard. At the same time, a red tan or a zone-red color may be allowed.
• Gray. This color is achieved in the event of a weakening of the gene responsible for black color. Sometimes gray shepherd dogs are called blue.
• Golden. Animals called golden have a light coat. This unusual shade is due to the presence of a specific pigment.
• Spotted... The wool of these individuals has numerous pigmented areas throughout the body, spots are located in a chaotic manner on all parts of the body. Usually mongrels or mongrels are spotted.
• Roan. A dog can get such a coloring due to old age. The older the dog gets, the more gray hair appears on its hairline. When gray hairs cover most of the body, then it can be called roan.

Many dog ​​breeders want to become the owner of a shepherd dog of a unique color, but before you get yourself such a pet, it is worth remembering that the special color of the coat is not recognized by the standard. If the dog is needed exclusively as a friend, then a dog of a non-standard color or a mestizo is quite suitable for these purposes.

The following video will tell you about the types of shepherd dogs.