# Dark sable ~ or ~ Black sable?



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Had a debate with someone tonight and they think that Zefra will turn out to be a black sable. I said, nope, probably a dark sable but not a black.

So, I thought it would be fun to see what everyone's opinion was on the topic.

Do you think she is/will be a black sable or just a dark sable?






























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My vote is DARK SABLE.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Do you have a picture?


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Emoore said:


> Do you have a picture?


Photo's are up now, for some reason they didn't work the first time.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I say dark sable.


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## JPF (Feb 5, 2011)

elisabeth_00117 said:


> Had a debate with someone tonight and they think that Zefra will turn out to be a black sable. I said, nope, probably a dark sable but not a black.
> 
> So, I thought it would be fun to see what everyone's opinion was on the topic.
> 
> ...


didn't realize there was a difference. I thought sables were all the same except for the variation on the amount of pigment (ie- light sable to dark sable)


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## JPF (Feb 5, 2011)

elisabeth_00117 said:


> Had a debate with someone tonight and they think that Zefra will turn out to be a black sable. I said, nope, probably a dark sable but not a black.
> 
> So, I thought it would be fun to see what everyone's opinion was on the topic.
> 
> ...


beautiful dog though, whatever the color. how old?


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

JPF said:


> didn't realize there was a difference. I thought sables were all the same except for the variation on the amount of pigment (ie- light sable to dark sable)


You're right in a way. There's no clear defining line between a "light sable," a "medium sable," "dark sable," and "black sable." A dog is either a sable or not, and there are sables with varying amounts of pigment. Just like a dog is either black and tan or not, but some black and tans are very rich and dark while some look light. Technically a black and cream, black and red, and a black and silver are all black and tans, while a black sable and a light sable both have the sable gene, just with varying amounts of pigment. 

However, a "black sable" is generally agreed to be a very very dark sable dog, where the dog's pigmentation is so dark as to be basically black, but with the charicteristic sable banding on the fur.




JPF said:


> beautiful dog though, whatever the color. how old?


 As you can see in Elisabeth's signature, Zefra's birthday is 4/15/11. So around 4 months.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Thanks, she is 17 weeks old (I think about 15-16 weeks in the photo's).


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Colour wise, I think she will end up like her brother (same breeding, different litter obviously) as they were very close in colour/pattern at 8 weeks and again at 16 weeks.


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## paulag1955 (Jun 29, 2010)

Hmm, how would Shasta be categorized, I wonder? She looks completely different than Zefra and most of the other sables I've seen.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

Shasta looks like a black/tan in that photo. Though could be patterned sable. Hard to tell for sure from that angle.

On Zephra, dark sable, but not black sable. Not dark and black enough to fit into the black sable category. And absolutely gorgeous! I think she'll look a lot like our Wulfie.


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## paulag1955 (Jun 29, 2010)

Chris Wild said:


> Shasta looks like a black/tan in that photo. Though could be patterned sable. Hard to tell for sure from that angle.
> 
> On Zephra, dark sable, but not black sable. Not dark and black enough to fit into the black sable category. And absolutely gorgeous! I think she'll look a lot like our Wulfie.


Shasta is a sable...I've never heard the term "patterned sable" before but I'm thinking that about sums it up. Thanks!


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## 1sttimeforgsd (Jul 29, 2010)

Your girl Zephra is a beautiful girl, I voted dark sable.


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## suzzyq01 (Feb 15, 2011)

I say black sable, the feet normally give it away. Her feet are super black. Sonar is a black sable.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Just wanted to update this with more photo's instead of making a new thread.

Zefra turned 19 weeks old today.


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