# What's going on with his coloring?



## brebrehj (Jan 18, 2013)

I've never had a GSD puppy so watching boxers coat and colors change has been pretty cool. 
He's about 8 months now...what else should I expect to happen? 

Sorry the pictures aren't great. He's sooo squirrelly! 


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Handsome boy! I think the most drastic changes are done by that age though I'm not 100%. Zoey started out mostly black and changed to typical blk and tan, but she did wash out a bit after a year.


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## VTGirlT (May 23, 2013)

Zelda has been changing a lot too around this age! Black is going to tan especially around her eyes. Looks kind of silly and cute at the same time! 
It is fun watching them change isnt it!
Sorry that didnt answer your question!
BUT I really wanted to post to tell you that the third picture is just too much for me! I LOVE the arm on the other dog! It's so funny and so true! Zelda does this to me and the other dogs a lot, it just is an awesome photo


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## brebrehj (Jan 18, 2013)

VTGirlT said:


> Zelda has been changing a lot too around this age! Black is going to tan especially around her eyes. Looks kind of silly and cute at the same time!
> It is fun watching them change isnt it!
> Sorry that didnt answer your question!
> BUT I really wanted to post to tell you that the third picture is just too much for me! I LOVE the arm on the other dog! It's so funny and so true! Zelda does this to me and the other dogs a lot, it just is an awesome photo


Lol oh yes he is a love bug! He loves having touch and contact with people and other dogs.
Thats my sisters dog roscoe. Boxer sadly believes he is smaller than roscoe lol

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## brebrehj (Jan 18, 2013)

Nigel said:


> Handsome boy! I think the most drastic changes are done by that age though I'm not 100%. Zoey started out mostly black and changed to typical blk and tan, but she did wash out a bit after a year.


Thank you. I just wasn't sure whate going on with his "racing stripe" down his back. 
I rescued him at 6 weeks so I haven't the slightest idea what his parents look like or what he will look like when his coat is done changing

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## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

He has what is called a 'bitch stripe'. Lots of females get it, but males can also. I've seen it happen a lot to males that are neutered early in life.... whether that's a direct connection or not, I don't know exactly.

Forgot to add: GSDs change their colors drastically over their first year or so. Blk and tans will start out mostly black and can turn into saddle backs within the year.... other keep some extra black and turn into blanket backs. He'll most likely gain more tan and lighter areas until he's about two.... then it settles down.... but many will change slightly throughout their whole life.


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## brebrehj (Jan 18, 2013)

TrickyShepherd said:


> He has what is called a 'bitch stripe'. Lots of females get it, but males can also. I've seen it happen a lot to males that are neutered early in life.... whether that's a direct connection or not, I don't know exactly.


I would guess so....makes sense. He was neutered at 6 weeks exactly. 

Thank you for an idea of all the changes I have to look forward to. He was almost all black with a tiny bit of tan on his legs when I got him. Its been pretty cool to watch him change so drastically from that tiny 6week old pup he once was


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Now that I think about it, Zoey still changes when she blows her coat. This last time she darkened up a bit.


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## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

brebrehj said:


> I would guess so....makes sense. He was neutered at 6 weeks exactly.
> 
> Thank you for an idea of all the changes I have to look forward to. He was almost all black with a tiny bit of tan on his legs when I got him. Its been pretty cool to watch him change so drastically from that tiny 6week old pup he once was
> 
> ...


Oh this breed is known for pretty drastic changes. Sables are even worse. Most of the time their puppy pictures barely even look like the same dog at all (color wise).

This is my blk & tan female over time:
3.5 months

















5 months









8 months









1 year

















Now (almost 3)









This was from a few months ago... but you can see how much her black receded:









And she actually kept a lot more black than most. I've seen almost all black pups go to a tiny tiny saddle and a light face. It's poor pigment, but it does happen. This breed is fun to watch mature.

**Just to give an idea of sables.... here's my female sable at 9 weeks and now at 1.5 years (as a newborn and up until about 7-8 weeks she was pure fawn with just a black mask):


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## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

Nigel said:


> Now that I think about it, Zoey still changes when she blows her coat. This last time she darkened up a bit.


Yes, that will lighten them up too. Darken from that is a bit more rare from what I've seen. My dogs are always much darker before their coat blows out. Afterwards, they are "naked"... meaning the coat is thinner and lighter. It's VERY noticeable with my black and red german showline. It's almost 2 different dogs.


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## atourya (Mar 23, 2013)

What a pretty girl! at 8 months, you're pretty set in color I would assume. Mine stopped changing at around the 7 month mark.


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## brebrehj (Jan 18, 2013)

TrickyShepherd said:


> Oh this breed is known for pretty drastic changes. Sables are even worse. Most of the time their puppy pictures barely even look like the same dog at all (color wise).
> 
> This is my blk & tan female over time:
> 3.5 months
> ...


Wow your pups are beautiful. Im in awe at your sables change in color



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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

TrickyShepherd said:


> Yes, that will lighten them up too. Darken from that is a bit more rare from what I've seen. My dogs are always much darker before their coat blows out. Afterwards, they are "naked"... meaning the coat is thinner and lighter. It's VERY noticeable with my black and red german showline. It's almost 2 different dogs.


Your version is correct, she too thins out and does look like a different dog, I looked it at as the cycle was finished when her full coat returned. When her coat returned to normal last time it was noticeably darker. She blew her coat several times last year, might have been the cyclosporine she was on.


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## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

brebrehj said:


> Wow your pups are beautiful. Im in awe at your sables change in color
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Thank you! And yes, her change is pretty amazing.... she's still changing month to month. I used to tell my SO, I never know what color of dog I'm waking up to! When she was little, she would literally change overnight. Now she's starting to slow down (she's 1.5yrs old), but she's still gradually getting darker. Sables are known to get darker as they age (not always, some will lighten, but most get darker.... some reverse this too when they get into senior years)..... but black and tans (black and reds too) get lighter as they age.... as they reach senior years, some of these lighten up a bit more. Zira is still changing a little (she'll be 3 in Jan.), but for the most part, she's done. Her tan on her hips just rises a little more every few months... She'll stop here pretty soon though.

Most stop the *dramatic* changes by 1... but slowly continue until 2.5-3 depending on the dog.



Nigel said:


> Your version is correct, she too thins out and does look like a different dog, I looked it at as the cycle was finished when her full coat returned. When her coat returned to normal last time it was noticeably darker. She blew her coat several times last year, might have been the cyclosporine she was on.


Could have been. Though, our dogs blew their coat twice so far this year..... and we still have 1 more left to go later in the year. I think it's just this darn weather and the off and on of the temperature. 

But that's definitely odd! Though, I wish mine went darker! lol! Instead they look naked and ugly for months.


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