# sables from puppy to adult



## Kaiser2012

I see a lot of questions regarding what kind of coat a sable puppy will have as an adult (and yes, I'm one of those with a big ol' question mark slapped on my forehead). The general answer is unclear and generally recommends observing the parents, viewing images of the puppy when it was born, asking the breeder, and just waiting until the dog matures over the next 3 years. Unfortunately, not everyone has a dog that comes from a reputable breeder, and therefore have very little background information to go on. 

I have no experience in this, other than with observing Kaiser as he's grown over the last 2.5 months (and knowing what his parents look like) and of course with the various pictures I've observed on the internet. I think I may have noticed a bit of a trend though.

It seems that some puppies possess strong pigmentation, even while young, and end up having striking black sable coats as adults. I've seen some pictures that show the pups with darker tipping throughout the body as well as stronger pigmentation on the front of their legs and toes (as compared to the dogs I'll describe later on).

The following images are of different puppies over 3 different ages. I feel like all of them will end up with dark coats. 

_This image is from Alpinek9.com and shows an 8week old pup:_










_A 13 week old puppy photographed by vombanachk9 
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_16.5 weeks from pedigreedatabase.com (I can't find the original page)
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That, compared to puppies which, while they still darken as they mature, generally end up with a lighter cream/gray coat as adults. Kaiser is one of these dogs (my prediction anyway). He came to me at 6 weeks with a darkish cream/black coat, but has significantly lightened over the last few months. In no way do I expect him to end up with a dark black coat, though I am hoping his will do some darkening up over the next few years. 

Here are 5 pictures I've taken of Kaiser. 

_8 weeks old:_


side view of lil man by jsnail17, on Flickr

_And then 9 weeks:_


sideview by jsnail17, on Flickr

_12 weeks:


diggin' in by jsnail17, on Flickr

14 weeks:


stalking dakota 2 by jsnail17, on Flickr
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_He is currently 16 weeks but I don't have a readily accessible image of his coat from the side, but hopefully this will kind of give you an idea:_


train1 by jsnail17, on Flickr

I've also noticed that puppies that end up as darker adults seem to darken along the body more quickly through the first few months than those dogs who end up with lighter coats. 

Maybe this is just me, but it seems that while the ability to predict an adult coat is a gamble in and of itself, there are clues that might suggest which direction a puppy might go. 

Just my .02 for the day 

Feel free to share your pictures, thoughts, comments, and experiences!


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## juliejujubean

this is dia before i got her!









looking a little darker...









all solid puppy fuzz









Her "racing stripe" started to form









stripe spreading as she is losing her puppy fur.









darkening









getting really dark.









kinda balanced out. she seems a little lighter in person than some of her pictures, but i think it is her summer coat. but this is one of the most recent pictures taken of her. 


and that is my sable transformation


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## Kaiser2012

She is gorgeous!  And definitely falls within the "darker puppy=darker adult" category!


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## martemchik

My boy is also in the darker puppy/darker adult category. He was never ever as light as some of the pictures of Kaiser. We always had black fur on him no matter what age, and he quickly developed the darker sable pattern that julie's dog has. Tell you the truth, it was shocking to me to see some of the lighter sables and their cream colored coat the first time I saw those pictures. Our boy came home brown/black, turned more black, and then finally got his final coat. It changes color a little bit with the season, but its only noticeable when I look at pictures.


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## Kaiser2012

Although the pictures I posted of Kaiser are under varying lighting conditions, its still easy to see that he started off pretty darn dark compared to how much his coat has lightened up. We obviously have a VERY long way to go yet, but I will be [pleasantly] surprised if he darkens up significantly. He is still my handsome little stud muffin though, regardless of what his adult coat will look like  I just find it interesting to read about the debates many people have over the sable coat.


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## Emoore

Just born:









Two weeks:









24 Days:









5 Weeks:









8 weeks:









11 weeks, his only light phase:









16 weeks, dark again:









6 months:









16 months:


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## Ashley_M

My girl Zelda:

3 weeks









6 weeks









A few days ago at 16 weeks (apologies for the quality)









For more comparison, her mother Rogue:

3-4 weeks









9 weeks









16 weeks









5 months









2.5 years


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## Dainerra

4-6 weeks. I can't remember right now!









9 weeks









11 weeks









11 weeks also









16 weeks. you can see how much of the dark coloring has reappeared on his back!









5 months









6 months









10 months









16 months

ETA: so don't be surprised to see him starting to darken up a LOT!


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## Ashley_M

Phoenix at about 3 months or so I believe...she was still at her co-owners house. 




























Home with me at about 4, maybe 5 months:










Adult, around 2 years:


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## Kaiser2012

Dainerra said:


> ETA: so don't be surprised to see him starting to darken up a LOT!


I'm very excited and hope that is the case. I LOVE seeing other puppies that have similar coat colors as Kaiser, especially the progression. Aww heck, I love seeing the progression of ANY puppy


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## KZoppa

Shasta starting at 12 weeks old on up....




































And pretty much what she looks like now at 2 years old.


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## Kaiser2012

I even see some darkening in Shasta, moreso than Kaiser at the same-ish age. But then it looked like she lightened up again in the picture with the cat? Soooo interesting   

LOVE all the dogs that are posted! The progression is very cool.


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## Kittilicious

Here is Knuckles' progression - 





































(this week)









I started a weekly picture folder on Facebook called "Growing Up Knuckles" (which is why they are already labeled by age). It was/is fun to watch how he filled his colors out.


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## GatorDog

My boy started out looking darker than he is now. He's a patterned sable. I got him at 5 months, so I only have one or two pictures that his previous owner had from him as a puppy. Then he was lighter from 2 years on and now, at almost 3, is is darkening up again.

A few weeks old.

















When I took him at 5 months.









7ish months.









1 year.









2 years.









A few weeks ago, almost 3 years old.


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## Msmaria

10 weeks










4 months










1 year


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## lbriggs

Here is my sable from 4 months to 18 months old (5 photos).
Little Pup Grew Up! - a set on Flickr

And a recent photo at two years old.
Bosco, Two Years Old | Flickr - Photo Sharing!


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## KZoppa

I know this an old thread but lets throw Dax in here.... 

8 weeks.










9 weeks










about 12 weeks









about 5 months old









and today, his 1st birthday










comparison from 1 week to a year old









Going off him, I'd say you can probably get a good idea of the adult color based on the puppy color before the coat change.


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## Piper'sgrl

I'll keep the thread going 
Here is my girl Piper just a bit over 13 weeks old. Brought her home just shy of 12 weeks



around 6 months old


Her 1st birthday 



This fall almost 2 yrs old




Her now at 2 yrs 2 months


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## fredh

Jake at 7 weeks:


Now at 3 and a half:


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## PMRonan

Awesome thread I will have to remember it as my boy ages.


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## andrea04

Lucie at 7 weeks 


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## andrea04

Lucie at 9 weeks


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## andrea04

Lucie at 10 weeks









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## andrea04

Lucie at 11weeks









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## andrea04

Lucie at 12 weeks this is just her face









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## andrea04

I really hope Lucie keeps her light sable coloring but I know it will continue to change as she grows more pics to come as she grows!!!


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## andrea04

Here are 2 more of Lucie at 14 weeks















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## andrea04

Lucie at 15 weeks















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## PMRonan

Will be uploading some later today.


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## QballK

A video of our sable male. It is from birth up until 9 months old. 
Athos von den Sturmfalken - YouTube


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## Srombola24

Dainerra said:


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Would you mind sharing breeder info for your pup?


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## Srombola24

Emoore said:


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Would you be willing to share breed info for Kopper, he’s perfect!


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## EgansMom

Jamie Ella Grace 6wks








8wks








12 wks








14 wks








16wks








18 wks








Any excuse for pics. I hope she keeps getting darker !
For reference..her Mom








and her Dad


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## RMK1

Kato is a couple days from 11 weeks. Both his parents are beautiful dark sables. It doesn’t look like going to get much lighter. The coat change as puppies is amazing. Apparently most puppy coat lightens up before 11 weeks so I’m thinking he’s going to be very dark. Some of the pups in the litter were lighter I’m sure they’ll end up dark as well.


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