# GSD Markings - the black dots on the face?



## POWERSCOL

I have been looking at a lot of pictures here and searched a bit, but have not seen a discussion on typical GSD markings.

Emma is now 4 1/2 months and her adult coloration is beginning to show. Sorry I don't have a picture, but she is the typical black and tan with a bit of red at the ear base and forehead. I love the red showing up. Was a bit of a surprise.

My question is the two black dots on each side of the face that she has always had. The small one is equal distance from the eye and ear base about midpoint on the side of her head. The larger one (twice the size of the smaller one, is forward of that dot near her solid black snout coloring.

Are these dots genetic? I have seen a lot in pictures, mostly showing just one black dot, but the second is hard to see. Some GSD pictures here have no dots. Just curious. I have also seen the dots on the other breed that is similar to GSD's from europe. It was on the TV show Alpha dogs.

Juts curious and trying to learn the proper GSD markings.

Thanks


----------



## Courtney

Oh no, you have to post a picture so I know what your talking about. I'm so visual, even though your description is good!


----------



## Odin24

Both of my GSD's have had those black spots. I tell people those are the bolts that hold his head on (like Frankenstein).


----------



## lily's master

I think OP is talking about that little black dot on the face that the one whisker comes out of. lol I have wondered about that too, why its a different color. Or I might be totally off base.


----------



## POWERSCOL

Here is a picture


----------



## lily's master

these


----------



## POWERSCOL

Two More - One is of what I had to go through to get the last one 

Can anyone say Land Shark:laugh:


----------



## Cheyanna

Fiona has those. I wondered what they are and then I saw other GSD with them. So I figured it must be normal. Tell people that is where bubbi (grandma) pinch her cheeks for being so cute.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## POWERSCOL

lily's master 

Yep - exactly


----------



## lily's master

POWERSCOL said:


> Two More - One is of what I had to go through to get the last one


:spittingcoffee: Ack! landshark! love that first one.


----------



## EmeryGSD

My girls dots 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## lily's master

I dont know what they are but they are all so cute.:wub:


----------



## atourya

It has to be something inherent in european shepherds... my belgian has them as well. I wonder if white shepherds have some discoloration in those spots as well?


----------



## Seth08

The black dots are where their whiskers come out of, just like lily said.










My little girl is black and white and her whisker dots are black on both sides.


----------



## 3GSD92_00_12

Gypsy has two on both sides of her face. I think my dad said they were moles, like the beauty marks some people have on their bodies.


----------



## POWERSCOL

Seth08 said:


> The black dots are where their whiskers come out of, just like lily said.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My little girl is black and white and her whisker dots are black on both sides.


Is there just the one, or is the second hidden behind the crate bar?
Beautiful girl too.


----------



## Cheyanna

Fiona's face has gotten darker since her first heat. Her Beauty marks were obvious. Now they are. Blending in.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Seth08

POWERSCOL said:


> Beautiful girl too.


2nd is hidden behind the crate bar she has 2 of em on both sides of her face one is a little higher then the other

and thank you


----------



## Sarah~

Eko has them too, I thought it was where his whiskers came out but when I checked its more like a marking, on him anyway.


----------



## MichaelE

Lisl has them too and so did Ossie.


----------



## LoveOscar

They are for identifying Germam Shepherds.


----------



## Shaolin

Finn has the two divots on both sides, but they don't have any discoloration in them. When looked at from a certain angle, they divots look dark, but, as his breed, he doesn't have a speck of color on him fur wise.


----------



## EmeryGSD

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Us2Folk

A very good and puzzling question, my shepherds have always had them.


(Our German Shepherd Lovers Community on Google Plus)
https://plus.google.com/communities/100513987527342709786?hl=en


----------



## Axel'smommy

My Axel has them too. I call them his beauty marks.


----------



## Piper'sgrl

Piper has them too..so does Zeus. Here are a few of Piper, showing the black dot on her cheek


----------



## POWERSCOL

atourya said:


> It has to be something inherent in european shepherds... my belgian has them as well. I wonder if white shepherds have some discoloration in those spots as well?


Are German Shepherds related to the Belgian Malinoi? I probably could not tell them apart from photos, but I am sure the experts could. They do appear to have these two black dots in their marking from the photos I have looked at.

So the questions is do ALL purebred German Shepherds have these dots and if not is that an indication of not being pure bred?

I'm really getting curious now.

Thanks for sharing the photos. You all have some very beautiful dogs, or should I say family members.


----------



## Fan1angels

POWERSCOL said:


> I have been looking at a lot of pictures here and searched a bit, but have not seen a discussion on typical GSD markings.
> 
> Emma is now 4 1/2 months and her adult coloration is beginning to show. Sorry I don't have a picture, but she is the typical black and tan with a bit of red at the ear base and forehead. I love the red showing up. Was a bit of a surprise.
> 
> My question is the two black dots on each side of the face that she has always had. The small one is equal distance from the eye and ear base about midpoint on the side of her head. The larger one (twice the size of the smaller one, is forward of that dot near her solid black snout coloring.
> 
> Are these dots genetic? I have seen a lot in pictures, mostly showing just one black dot, but the second is hard to see. Some GSD pictures here have no dots. Just curious. I have also seen the dots on the other breed that is similar to GSD's from europe. It was on the TV show Alpha dogs.
> 
> Juts curious and trying to learn the proper GSD markings.
> 
> Thanks


----------



## Boiii

POWERSCOL said:


> I have been looking at a lot of pictures here and searched a bit, but have not seen a discussion on typical GSD markings.
> 
> Emma is now 4 1/2 months and her adult coloration is beginning to show. Sorry I don't have a picture, but she is the typical black and tan with a bit of red at the ear base and forehead. I love the red showing up. Was a bit of a surprise.
> 
> My question is the two black dots on each side of the face that she has always had. The small one is equal distance from the eye and ear base about midpoint on the side of her head. The larger one (twice the size of the smaller one, is forward of that dot near her solid black snout coloring.
> 
> Are these dots genetic? I have seen a lot in pictures, mostly showing just one black dot, but the second is hard to see. Some GSD pictures here have no dots. Just curious. I have also seen the dots on the other breed that is similar to GSD's from europe. It was on the TV show Alpha dogs.
> 
> Juts curious and trying to learn the proper GSD markings.
> 
> Thanks


Those lovely small spots on a German Shepherds’ face are not moles at all. Instead, they are the home to vibrissae, a special type of whiskers that help the dog learn about his or her surroundings by transmitting sensory images to the dog’s brain. Regular moles look very different.

Those sweet little beauty marks or ‘moles’ that appear as dark patches of fur on the sides of your German Shepherd’s face have nothing to do with the sort of moles humans, and yes, dogs get. Instead, they’re part of your pooches shared genetic inheritance. The dark fur spots aren’t universal, but they’re prevalent for GSDs. (German Shepherd Dogs)
The little whiskers that stick out of these ‘moles’ are actually part of a complex set of sensory organs. The hairs sense things from the environment around your dog. It’s like having an extra set of eyes or a nose that smells in a different spectrum.
Vibrissae transmit sensory data directly into your dog’s brain. It helps paint a picture of their world. In turn, that picture helps them understand and translate their surroundings. Rather than being aesthetic, the vibrissae are functional, though I think they’re darn cute too.


----------



## Justjo303

I had to go look on my old man as i never really noticed that 😅 His are very faint but he is 11 now and i remember them being darker before the gray took over his face.


----------



## EgansMom

My first girl Visa and my boy Egan had beauty marks also.
Eggroll (cat) RIP & Egan (the alligator) RIP


----------



## banzai555

Even Charlie B. Barkin has them.


----------



## emtpjill

Does anybody know if having 2 black spots on each side is more rare than only having one?


----------



## wolfy dog

Charming beauty spots.


----------



## WNGD

I think all GSD have them


----------

