# Choosing the puppy for me!



## Stamper (Mar 27, 2011)

Ok so here's the deal, I have put a deposit on a litter of White GS pups. But I am now looking through all this puppy info and I think I'm falling in love with the solid black GSD's. EEEKK! I feel if maybe I get some more opinions it would help BUNCHES!


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

What do you want opinions on? Whether you like black or white better?


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

can you pull your deposit back? all else fails..... stick with the white GSD pup and get a black GSD in a couple years. You cant have just one!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Pretty much, all black GSD's are from working lines and are usually higher drive than the whites. White GSD breeders usually are breeding for color/show not sportwork. 
So as far as what color you like best really should come down to what are your plans for the pup? Are you planning on doing any type of sport/activities?
I would research lines a bit more before you decide what you want, color should be your last choice.
Did you see this sticky:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/choosing-breeder/137533-things-look-responsible-breeder.html


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

onyx'girl said:


> Pretty much, all black GSD's are from working lines


Why is that?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Because most SL breeders breed for black&red or B&T. So genetically they don't carry the black gene(or sable for that matter)Though ASL have those colors now and then...
This thread is interesting, breaking down percentages:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/breed-standard/90051-color-breakdowns-s.html


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

onyx'girl said:


> Because most SL breeders breed for black&red or B&T. So genetically they don't carry the black gene(or sable for that matter)Though ASL have those colors now and then...
> This thread is interesting, breaking down percentages:
> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/breed-standard/90051-color-breakdowns-s.html


 
Absolutely not the case in the SL breeders that i have been around and shown with/against - in fact there are a few who specialize in *all* *blacks!* It is true there are fewer sables among the top show kennels but B&T and all blacks are very very common in the US show ring. One of my old show girls was very close to an all blck and he daddy was a top Select all black.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

American SL~yes....
Can you give some pedigree info on what you've seen or which kennels? 
I remember a thread awhile back(tried to search and didn't find it) asking for black SL examples. Only a couple were posted. And they were ASL not German.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

onyx'girl said:


> American SL~yes....
> Can you give some pedigree info on what you've seen or which kennels?
> I remember a thread awhile back(tried to search and didn't find it) asking for black SL examples. Only a couple were posted. And they were ASL not German.


I don't deal with German SL so don't know much about them; only American SL dogs.

Your original post simply refered to "SL" and didn't specify German or other nationality.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I did post: "Though ASL have those colors now and then.."
Didn't know I had to specify which SL... as blacks are not that common, regardless. 
Maybe you could help Stamper by suggesting kennels or pedigrees that "specialize" in them?


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Color really should be a minimal consideration there is SO MUCH variation between GSDs, it is worth loosing your deposit as a learning experience..........figure out what you want first then "all things being equal" perhaps you can find the color you want.

Spread the cost out over 12-14 years and it is minimal.


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## Marytess (Oct 25, 2010)

everyone thinks or at least most of the people think that the true/first GS was a B&T/Black&Red. but actually in the beginning only the solid black and the sable color existed then later on appeared the B&T color in GS.
there's also a difference between the real(WL dog only) sables and the "newer" sables (have some SL dogs in their blood lines). 

and yes the german SL mostly only have B&T. never saw a SL dog black or sable from germany.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

onyx'girl said:


> I did post: "Though ASL have those colors now and then.."
> Didn't know I had to specify which SL... as blacks are not that common, regardless.
> Maybe you could help Stamper by suggesting kennels or pedigrees that "specialize" in them?


 Actually all blacks are more popular than you might think, as you can usually see a few in almost any dog show.

Is Stamper looking for a US SL black?

If so, I would suggest that he first take a look in the German Shepherd Review - many pictures of the popular US show kennels and their winning show dogs in there as well as many contacts for US SL dogs. Also I would suggest that they look at the GSDCA web site for additional information about US show breeders who have all black dogs.

If they are looking for a non US SL dog, perhaps you or other members on this forum would be a good source of information?

Sorry you misunderstood me about SL breeders having all blacks.

I was going by what you posted = *"Because most SL breeders breed for black&red or B&T"*

Didn't guess that you were talking about only the non American SL when you said the above statment.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

codmaster, are you getting nit-picky? 
I didn't misunderstand anything you wrote. Blacks may be popular, but not common except in the working lines. I clarified what I posted.
Thanks for all that information, very helpful.


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## rjThor (Mar 27, 2011)

I went with the solid black GSD, from what i've read they are the bigger of GSD and mine is only four months, but is a quick learner, house broken already loves to fetch and has a very nice coat. We feed him Eukanuba for large breed puppies, he loves it. When we take him to the dog parks people fall in love with him real quick, I guess not many folks have seen an all black GSD


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

onyx'girl said:


> codmaster, are you getting nit-picky?
> I didn't misunderstand anything you wrote. Blacks may be popular, but not common except in the working lines. I clarified what I posted.
> Thanks for all that information, very helpful.


 
Nope! Not at all "nit picky". Just trying to understand what you were trying to say about black GSD's.

Don't you see when you say "SL" without specifying US or german or any other designation that a reader might take it to mean SL and not some sub set of the entire show line set of breeders.

And black GSD's are a relatively common occurence in the US SL's. 

As a small example, just to give you a sense on how common black GSD's are - we have a group of GSD owners here who meet every Saturday for training and socialization - maybe 10-15 different dogs on a weekly basis. Out of these dogs, there are two all black dogs. All of the dogs are from one top US SL kennel by the way.

Does that seem like all blacks are very uncommon to you?

Enough about the occurence of all black dogs - hopefully the OP has gotten enough out of this thread to find an all black dog.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

you have to decide on which color you like.
either one can be trained the same.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

what color was the dog Max bought before he refined the breed???



Marytess said:


> everyone thinks or at least most of the people think that the true/first GS was a B&T/Black&Red. but actually in the beginning only the solid black and the sable color existed then later on appeared the B&T color in GS.
> there's also a difference between the real(WL dog only) sables and the "newer" sables (have some SL dogs in their blood lines).
> 
> and yes the german SL mostly only have B&T. never saw a SL dog black or sable from germany.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

doggiedad said:


> what color was the dog Max bought before he refined the breed???


The dog generally considered to be the founding member of the GSD is Horand:
V Horand von Grafrath - German shepherd dog


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

doggiedad said:


> you have to decide on which color you like.
> either one can be trained the same.


Yea, dog color is sort of like hair color in people - no impact whatsoever on intelligence or other people characteristics!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I've heard redheads have quite a temper!


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

onyx'girl said:


> I've heard redheads have quite a temper!


 
That is VERY true! (I am married to one!)


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