# White or silver



## mrudderman24 (Sep 5, 2011)

I noticed my guy's belly and inner legs have very light hair, almost white or silver. He is registered as a sable, though he is looking more and more like a black and tan as he ages. Is it normal to have almost white fur in those places? He is getting some silver on his tail and in front of ears like other sables I have seen. But I never paid attention to other sable's undersides

just curious that's all. His father is black and tan and his mother is black and red. It's hard to see in these pictures, but the light fur is on lower belly.

Also, I promise he isn't cross eyed. But he looks it in the 2nd pic!


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## cowgirlup_22 (May 11, 2011)

My 2 almost 3yr old male Kenai is a saddle pattern sable(golden sable I think someone on here said..if I am wrong please correct me) and he has white/silvery underbelly and such...here are a few pics..

On his "knees",paws and belly you can see that his hair is a white color.If you look up close its actually a silvery color.The markings by his shoulders are more silver in color too.



















I'm guessing that it might be a normal thing but I'm no expert...I'm sure others who are more knowledgeable will chime in  Oh and your boy is very handsome!


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

mrudderman24 said:


> I noticed my guy's belly and inner legs have very light hair, almost white or silver. *He is registered as a sable, *
> 
> just curious that's all. *His father is black and tan and his mother is black and red.*


I"m pretty sure that in order to have be a sable, one of the parents have to be a sable. My guess is that he is a black and tan and not a sable.


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## mrudderman24 (Sep 5, 2011)

Thanks for the responses! I think I am remembering incorrectly, I will have to look at his pedigree. Here are some pics of his mom and dad I have at work. Is his mom Sable? His dad is definitely a black and tan

cowgirl, your dog's topcoat looks very similar to mine


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Mom looks like a sable.  He could be a patterned sable.


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## cowgirlup_22 (May 11, 2011)

mrudderman24 said:


> cowgirl, your dog's topcoat looks very similar to mine



I was _just_ thinking that myself while looking at your boys pics.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Your dog is a black and tan. He may be working on a bitch stripe
but not too bad. Nice looking dog.
My dog's dam is a sable and her sire is a B&T. Sometimes I think I 
see the sable trying to come out but she is a B&T.
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...1915-abby-2-picture11092-abby20110920-018.jpg


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## mrudderman24 (Sep 5, 2011)

Here he is from when I picked him up around 8 weeks I think


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## cowgirlup_22 (May 11, 2011)

mrudderman24 said:


> Here he is from when I picked him up around 8 weeks I think



In that pic he looks similar to my boy when he was a pup


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## mrudderman24 (Sep 5, 2011)

PaddyD said:


> Your dog is a black and tan. He may be working on a bitch stripe
> but not too bad. Nice looking dog.
> My dog's dam is a sable and her sire is a B&T. Sometimes I think I
> see the sable trying to come out but she is a B&T.
> http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...1915-abby-2-picture11092-abby20110920-018.jpg


Paddy, your girl's coat is very close to my dogs. I took a look at his top coat. It does appear he has somewhat of a bitch stripe in the picture I posted. I think it just may be his coat though? Not questioning you, as I am very new to GSDs. Just throwing it out there . Here is another pic


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

mrudderman24 said:


> Here he is from when I picked him up around 8 weeks I think


If this is his puppy pic then he is a sable. Black and tans are almost completely black when they are very young. I have seen patterned sables that look like black and tans unless you look close.


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## cowgirlup_22 (May 11, 2011)

Here is what a bitch strip looks like on my b&t 7month old female.









I was told by another forum member to look at a piece of hair from the dog and if the dog is a sable it should have 3 colors in bands..or maybe I have that wrong?


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## mrudderman24 (Sep 5, 2011)

thanks guys! Nice pics cowgirl!


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

The puppy picture is of a sable puppy.....so if that is your dog....he is indeed a sable dog. Mom (in the pic?)....she is of course a sable looking dog.
Best wishes to you & your pal!


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## Dooney's Mom (May 10, 2011)

Mom looks sable to me- but there are more knowledgeable people on here than me..... I am sure they will chime in as well


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## Salix (Feb 13, 2011)

Your dog's mother is most definitely 'sable'. 

Your dog as young pup is sable. Sables are characteristically golden as new puppies and darken with age. As he matures, his coat will change (as do most sables'). He may darken and look more like his father's coat. 

In my mind, your dog still remains a sable as sables don't just 'turn' black and tan. His black back may have darkened with age. 

His white or silver streaks and patches are normal. 

Denver is a silver sable. His most recent fur coat colour change is a black streak down his undersides whereas it was pure silver for one full year since birth.


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## cowgirlup_22 (May 11, 2011)

mrudderman24 said:


> thanks guys! Nice pics cowgirl!


Yw and thank you  Not sure if you mentioned it and I'm sorry for this being off topic but what is your boys name?


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## TankGrrl66 (Jun 29, 2010)

I would vote sable, due to his appearance as a puppy and the fact that his mother was sable. 

My older male looks very, very similar to your dog. Also, if you pluck a guard hair off of almost anywhere on him...it is tan, white, then tipped with black. Most people call him a black and tan, though? Most of his body is tan, and he has a saddle. The tan has black hairs mixed with it, and he looks different than other black and tans.

Sometimes I don't even know myself, lol.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

mrudderman24 said:


> I noticed my guy's belly and inner legs have very light hair, almost white or silver. He is registered as a sable, though he is looking more and more like a black and tan as he ages. Is it normal to have almost white fur in those places?


Your dog *looks* like a black and tan, but he is genetically sable, if he was that golden color as a pup. Yes, the lighter hair on the underside is normal.


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## vomlittlehaus (Aug 24, 2010)

AKC doesnt allow for much color specification. Your choices are: Black, Black & Cream, Black & Red, Black & Silver, Black & Tan, Blue, Gray, Liver, Sable, White, Bi-color. They do not recognize any markings for GSD's. So depending what color was being expressed in the pup at the time the paper work was filled out, is what you will have on the registration. And depending on how much experience the breeder has with the breed and colors, it may not always be correct. (and I am not saying your breeder doesnt know, just saying in general).
I was under the impression that the color is called saddleback sable. That is more specific than just saying sable.


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