# Do you prefer saddle back markings or the blanket markings for a german shepherd?



## AndrewT1993 (Aug 6, 2012)

I prefer the ones that are black and tan with the blanket back.


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

I like blanket backs more than saddle backs. The more black, the better!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

The darker the better, IMO.


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## AndrewT1993 (Aug 6, 2012)

Agreeded the darker and more black markings the better, makes them look more primitive IMO


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

Wild Wolf said:


> I like blanket backs more than saddle backs. The more black, the better!


Ditto


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Personally if I had to pick I'd choose saddle back over blanket


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## harmony (May 30, 2002)

How cute! but I would like a blanket back over a saddle back any day . Not that I have one now, it's black, sable and bi color. But then again I love my horses too and none of them is my dream color or they would be a bay ...


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i like both of them but i lean towards the saddle.


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## TheNamesNelson (Apr 4, 2011)

I've had and currently have blanket backs, but I've always love a saddle back black and red. Saddle back reds are what I have always envisioned the GSD breed is supposed to look like, and I've always dreamed of having one.

Not that I don't think my blanket back looks great, and I've recently became a huge fan of sables.


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

Before I got a GSD I thought I liked the saddle back best but now that I have a blanket back, I really think that color pattern is more attractive. Go figure.


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## GsdLoverr729 (Jun 20, 2010)

I voted for blanket back, because I love darker colors. But my girl is a saddleback and I love her look. And I adore red/black saddlebacks.


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## paulag1955 (Jun 29, 2010)

I'm leaning towards the saddle back, as my frequent questions about Thor's coloration may have led y'all to believe. BUT if Thor turns out to be a blanket back the, obviously, blanket back will be best!


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

I've had almost exclusively saddle backs... black and red. My first sable is coming. I used to not be overly fond of the sables, but over the years they've grown on me. I've also seen a few blankets that I thought were stunning.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I grew up with the typical saddle (West German Showlines) but when Stark came home, I quickly changed my tune! I LOVE the blanketed look!


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

I like 'em both, but I guess I prefer the blanket backs!!!


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## SueDoNimm (Jul 3, 2012)

I have a preference for saddle backs, but I love the striping (like Stark's above) that blanket backs sometimes have on their chests/shoulders.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I like the saddle look more. Rushie was a blanket and Ninja is, Gretta could go either way I guess. All the rest are saddles. If that is Stark in the photos, I would call that a saddle, not that it matters really. But I always thought that a blanket back is pretty much dark from the neck to the tail area, though Rush's started to fade a bit.

My blankets:
Rush:









Ninja:

















Ninja's litter sister, Milla on the same day, definitely a saddle back in the making:


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## WendyDsMom (Nov 18, 2011)

I love the saddle backs. Kayla was a saddle and most of my GSDs growing up were saddle. It's just a nice distinction...

So why weren't SABLES mentioned? It's DISCRIMINATION!!! Poor Sables, get no love. Just 'cause they look like Mals.


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## SueDoNimm (Jul 3, 2012)

selzer said:


> But I always thought that a blanket back is pretty much dark from the neck to the tail area, though Rush's started to fade a bit.


One thing I read said that blanket backs have black extending down to the elbow, but then what is a bi-color? Just a tiny bit of tan/red on the feet and the rest black?


This is a dog that we were going to adopt from the rescue. We were just waiting for his neuter and then we were going to bring him home, but they found a serious heart murmur when he went to be neutered. I still think he's one of the prettiest shepherds I've seen.


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## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

I can't decide between the two. My last GSD was a saddle back, but Bear hasn't made up his mind yet and he could go either way at this point.
At what age do they have their adult coat?


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I don't care between saddle or blanket but I like a really rich, full black and not the salt and pepper or washed out look. I like my saddles to be like Stark and Nikon and a blanket to be a full blanket.


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

Blanket, simply because you will RARELY find saddle markings in working lines. They are almost non-existant. A lot more blanket backs (that's what Zeke is, and I see a lot of people wrongly label blankets as bi-colors, when in fact they have too much extension of the tans to be bi-colors).

Some old DDR lines have black and tans still. Rare though. Sable, bi-color, blacks. And some blankets.


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

SueDoNimm said:


> One thing I read said that blanket backs have black extending down to the elbow, but then what is a bi-color? Just a tiny bit of tan/red on the feet and the rest black?
> 
> 
> This is a dog that we were going to adopt from the rescue. We were just waiting for his neuter and then we were going to bring him home, but they found a serious heart murmur when he went to be neutered. I still think he's one of the prettiest shepherds I've seen.


I see a TON of mislabele saddles! Bi-colors basically are tans on the distal limbs, tar heels or pencil toes, with minimal tan markings on the face. No tan on the chest or underside, although I've seen numerous arguments about some tan on the neck right below the jaw (where Zeke has a large region of tan).

Zeke is a blanket, even though many would call him a bi-color. Too much tan, and he does not have tar heels or pencil toes.











TRUE bi-colors


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## Meeah'sMom (Sep 21, 2012)

I love the saddle backs and got one, but I now have a real fondness for black. Although, it really depends on the individual GSD as I've never seen one that I didn't think was beautiful in some way!


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## Capone22 (Sep 16, 2012)

The darker the better here too. Saddle is my least favorite of all the markings. 


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


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## Argus (Nov 4, 2012)

I don't have a preference but have one saddle back and two blankets.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Sable - darker the better
Solid Black
Dark Bi color, as little tan/red as possible


way down the list
blanket
saddle

That being my preference - there is no bad color on a good dog!!!  

Lee


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

Wolfstraum's preferences are identical to mine, except I would reverse the order of bi-colors and solid blacks. 

But since all my GSD's are adopted, color wasn't really a preference/option. So I have two saddle backs and one bi-color.


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## LARHAGE (Jul 24, 2006)

Saddle backs only, and as red and black as possible, I personally do not like blanket back or Bi or sable.


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

blanket back for me.


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