# Black Masked GSDs



## tysonsingh (May 9, 2012)

Hi everyone, this post is directed to the Canadian breeders. I was wondering if anyone knows of any breeders in Canada that are producing red and black saddle back pups with a full black mask. Obviously taking health and temperament into consideration. I know there will be plenty of people pointing out that looks should be one of the last things to consider. I feel like health testing and temperament should be something that is bare minimum when breeding dogs.

So with that in mind, does anyone know of any kennels producing dogs shepherds with that specific look. Rich red and black saddle backs with a full black mask.

Im not looking to get another pup anytime soon but it would be nice to know if anyone is breeding with that look in mind along with the Health and temperament tests.


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

Stunning face on that dog


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

Just about any WGSL breeder.


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## violetmd (Aug 7, 2020)

Amalaberg definitely has a few dogs with that look. I also LOVE that full mask look. One of the things I don't like about the SL is how they "fade" with age. I had been on the waitlist for a litter by Danica and she was my favourite because of her full mask.


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## Supermode (Aug 18, 2008)

Our 5 month old has a black mask and we love it. Never had one with a mask before, but we couldn't be happier. He's just hard to see at night sometimes 😆


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

Supermode said:


> Our 5 month old has a black mask and we love it. Never had one with a mask before, but we couldn't be happier. He's just hard to see at night sometimes 😆
> 
> View attachment 572913


That tan on his forehead will continue to grow in and become more prominent


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## tysonsingh (May 9, 2012)

Supermode said:


> Our 5 month old has a black mask and we love it. Never had one with a mask before, but we couldn't be happier. He's just hard to see at night sometimes 😆
> 
> View attachment 572913


My girls have pretty dark faces but their tan if pretty light tan. My older boy has rich red and black pigment but his face was just a black muzzle. I love all of my dogs and think they are are beautiful but I have to say the lookI described above is my favourite in the breed.
My 11 year old male (he has lightened up over the years) and one of my 6 month old girls.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Some dogs have richer pigment and keep their pigment for the most part and some fade to all different degrees whether that be temporary or permanent in different degrees. Dogs do get lighter when they blow their coats and depending on the season get richer colors. Dogs with not much pigment will fade. I saw a long coated wgsl it was the deepest cherry wood with the blackest face. He was about 7 years old. It was some beautiful color it remind me of dark red wine.


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## dickwol (Mar 29, 2021)

Fairly














dark face but very deep red saddle in my boy.


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

My 7 year old girl. ♥


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## cagal (Sep 3, 2013)

Hunter kept his black mask for life but he was a very “yellow” tan


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

@Cassidy's Mom... This thread needs some Keefer!!


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## tysonsingh (May 9, 2012)

from what I’ve gathered this is a really popular look and what a lot of breeders in places like Serbia or the Middle East are trending towards.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Keefer. ❤


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## markoff (Nov 20, 2020)

I was wondering if It is even possible to predict..
My puppy has a dark face, but I start noticing some read started to appear. Not sure how much dark will be left when she grows. Her mother has very rich full dark mask, but father just pretty much his nose


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## tysonsingh (May 9, 2012)

markoff said:


> I was wondering if It is even possible to predict..
> My puppy has a dark face, but I start noticing some read started to appear. Not sure how much dark will be left when she grows. Her mother has very rich full dark mask, but father just pretty much his nose


A small breakdown of how the mask occurs. Only one parent needs to carry the gene to pass it on to the pups. Not all pups in the litter will get it. I feel like you can get a good idea of how dark the mask is going to be when you look at a 5-8week old pup (no guarantees but pretty close). I don’t think a puppy with a full black mask will have any tan or red points showing as a pup at all. It would most likely but completely black with no break in pigment on the brows, bridge of nose, cheeks

My girls have fairly dark faces but the tan points that were present as pups have just expanded somewhat. Their littermates with more prominent tan points as pups have much lighter faces now.










Black Mask German Shepherds - Canine HQ


When people think of German Shepherd Dogs, the first image that may come to mind is that of a guard dog from a POW camp in a World War II movie.




caninehq.com





My girls as pups vs now































































As you can see they clearly had dark faces as pups but you could see the tan/brown already coming through.Then you have these pups with almost no tan points or red coming through.


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

That last one is a ridiculously cool photo


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## markoff (Nov 20, 2020)

tysonsingh said:


> A small breakdown of how the mask occurs. Only one parent needs to carry the gene to pass it on to the pups. Not all pups in the litter will get it. I feel like you can get a good idea of how dark the mask is going to be when you look at a 5-8week old pup (no guarantees but pretty close). I don’t think a puppy with a full black mask will have any tan or red points showing as a pup at all. It would most likely but completely black with no break in pigment on the brows, bridge of nose, cheeks
> 
> My girls have fairly dark faces but the tan points that were present as pups have just expanded somewhat. Their littermates with more prominent tan points as pups have much lighter faces now.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the explanation.
Misha’s masks looks like this now. You can see red hair on it. It’s not the best picture light-wise, but in that contrast you can see it clearer (in some pictures you wouldn’t even see those pigments, although in real life it’s noticeable very well)


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## tysonsingh (May 9, 2012)

markoff said:


> Thanks for the explanation.
> Misha’s masks looks like this now. You can see red hair on it. It’s not the best picture light-wise, but in that contrast you can see it clearer (in some pictures you wouldn’t even see those pigments, although in real life it’s noticeable very well)
> View attachment 573108


Yea she looks like she will have a break in the mask at some point as she grows. However, she does have good pigmentation and the remaining black fur will be dark. Kind of like my girls I posted above.


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## Buddy Vom (9 mo ago)

tysonsingh said:


> Hi everyone, this post is directed to the Canadian breeders. I was wondering if anyone knows of any breeders in Canada that are producing red and black saddle back pups with a full black mask. Obviously taking health and temperament into consideration. I know there will be plenty of people pointing out that looks should be one of the last things to consider. I feel like health testing and temperament should be something that is bare minimum when breeding dogs.
> 
> So with that in mind, does anyone know of any kennels producing dogs shepherds with that specific look. Rich red and black saddle backs with a full black mask.
> 
> ...



Not in Canada... But this is Buddy at 4 month...


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