# What do “Pattern Sables” look like?



## Clausgsd2 (Mar 19, 2020)

What does their coat look like? Long or short. Does it resemble a saddle more than sable? How do pattern sables get produced?


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

in your case, a patterned sable is the result of a black and tan parent and a sable parent. they can have a long or short (color and coat length aren’t related) and will typically take on the pattern of the black and tan parent (blanket back or saddle back - which refers to the amount of black that covers the back) but with sable coloring instead of black. sometimes they look more like a traditional sable, other times it’s hard to tell them from an ordinary black and tan.

ultimately sable is sable and they will go through many MANY color phases before they’re done. your pup being a long coat adds in a few more.

just enjoy the ride - no one here (even with similar looking puppies) can predict exactly how your dog will turn out.

edit to add: although the photo is grainy, this is a nice example of a patterned sable (short stock coat).


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## Clausgsd2 (Mar 19, 2020)

Fodder said:


> in your case, a patterned sable is the result of a black and tan parent and a sable parent. they can have a long or short (color and coat length aren’t related) and will typically take on the pattern of the black and tan parent (blanket back or saddle back - which refers to the amount of black that covers the back) but with sable coloring instead of black. sometimes they look more like a traditional sable, other times it’s hard to tell them from an ordinary black and tan.
> 
> ultimately sable is sable and they will go through many MANY color phases before they’re done. your pup being a long coat adds in a few more.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the info! I’m excited to see how he turns out and pattern sable would definitely be neat.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Here's my girl! She's 13 1/2 now!


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## misfits (Jan 13, 2011)

I think mt Rueger is a patterned sable


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## whiskeypup (Mar 20, 2020)

I believe my Whiskey is a pattern sable. She gets comments on her looks quite often. I would say her coat changed a lot the first year or two of life. Here are some side shots:


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## Glenn Batson (Dec 1, 2019)

The guys here say my Maple is a Pattern Sable. Here is when I found that out with my noob question.

Is Maple now a Black and Tan

Pic from her today while my wife and I were out enjoying the great weather with her. Sorry for the pic with no tail visible. I have pictures of her from around 8-10 weeks on this site. She is now 5 months. Assume she will probably still change some.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Any patterned sables out there with black hair on the bottom of their feet and heels?


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Nigel said:


> Any patterned sables out there with black hair on the bottom of their feet and heels?


i believe that excludes them from being a patterned sable.
i personally have never seen one.


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## Clausgsd2 (Mar 19, 2020)

Fodder said:


> i believe that excludes them from being a patterned sable.
> i personally have never seen one.


Do patterned sables not have any black on their legs/feet?


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Clausgsd2 said:


> Do patterned sables not have any black on their legs/feet?


Nigel is asking about something very specific - often referred to as "pencil toes" and "tar heels". To my knowledge, only traditional sables and bi colors carry these markings into adulthood.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

Maybe it is just me but I have seen dogs that I would call light sables and they appear to be distinct, IMO, from dogs that are patterned sables. Would I be wrong in guessing that a patterned sable can be a blanket patterned sable or a saddle patterned sable?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

A patterned sable is a dog that has a saddle. When you check their hair, they have banded hair. Dark-light-dark. Often the dogs will be lighter and appear to be a black-tan saddle but when you check the hair it's banded.

I don't know why they couldn't also be a blanket back pattern but I think those would be harder to distinguish from a sable without a pattern.

There are plenty of light sables that are not patterned and I agree they are distinct from patterned sables. But then maybe their pattern is extended like a bi-color?


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## Clausgsd2 (Mar 19, 2020)

Are patterned sables still true sables?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Clausgsd2 said:


> Are patterned sables still true sables?


Yes. Sable is a color.

Saddle back - blanket back is a pattern. 

Different genes.


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## boomshaka (May 3, 2017)

What you guys think of his color? Sable or pattern sable? 
Thanks


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

boomshaka said:


> What you guys think of his color? Sable or pattern sable?
> Thanks


Also a patterned sable would be my guess. A very light one.

Edit: looks like a Shiloh Shepherd?


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## boomshaka (May 3, 2017)

Fodder said:


> Also a patterned sable would be my guess. A very light one.
> 
> Edit: looks like a Shiloh Shepherd?


Shiloh Shepherd? Hmm.. I always thought he is just a big goofy German shepherd.. Lol
BTW, he weighs around 115 pounds and 27 inches tall..


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## Clausgsd2 (Mar 19, 2020)

boomshaka said:


> What you guys think of his color? Sable or pattern sable?
> Thanks


What did he look like as a puppy? And do you have a better photo of him side view of his coat?


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

In my opinion he's a patterned sable, GSD. All of the Shiloh Shepherds I've seen were lighter boned, and had a narrower snout and head.

He's a handsome dog!


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## boomshaka (May 3, 2017)

Clausgsd2 said:


> What did he look like as a puppy? And do you have a better photo of him side view of his coat?


i got him when he was about 18 months old..so no idea how he looked when he was a puppy


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## boomshaka (May 3, 2017)

tim_s_adams said:


> In my opinion he's a patterned sable, GSD. All of the Shiloh Shepherds I've seen were lighter boned, and had a narrower snout and head.
> 
> He's a handsome dog!


thanks for your opinion..i was thinking the same. but, when i search "shiloh shepherd" there are many "shilohs" that doesn't have the narrow snout.


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

Do you have a pedigree? Without that a DNA test would be the only way to really "know".


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

boomshaka said:


> thanks for your opinion..i was thinking the same. but, when i search "shiloh shepherd" there are many "shilohs" that doesn't have the narrow snout.


Real Shiloh Shepherds should have good bone and very broad heads.


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

MineAreWorkingline said:


> Real Shiloh Shepherds should have good bone and very broad heads.


Hmm...

So all the one's I've seen over the years have been bad examples?

I find that a bit hard to believe...


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

tim_s_adams said:


> Hmm...
> 
> So all the one's I've seen over the years have been bad examples?
> 
> I find that a bit hard to believe...


Were the dogs you saw real Shiloh Shepherds or were people calling them Shiloh Shepherds but they were actually coated or oversized German Shepherds? Tina Barber Barber specifically created the breed with massive, Malamute type heads in mind. Both of mine had monstrous heads.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

It seems all sables have a pattern although when you hear a pattern sable it is often referring to a sable with saddle and are often American showlines and west German showlines or a mix of lines and they have a sable saddle. The lighter sables either have a sable saddle or a sable blanket pattern -a blanket pattern often being (wl or asl)and a darker sables are with Tar Heels and pencil toes that resemble a bicolor pattern. Often (asl or wl)


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## ins0ma (Feb 17, 2020)

What do you guys think of Felix? Any pattern to his Sable?


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

ins0ma said:


> View attachment 558661
> 
> What do you guys think of Felix? Any pattern to his Sable?


standard / traditional sable


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

ins0ma said:


> View attachment 558661
> 
> What do you guys think of Felix? Any pattern to his Sable?


 A sable but can be compared to a melanistic pattern


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## stmcfred (Aug 13, 2013)

I believe my guy is a patterned sable. Thoughts? 

Also, here is his pedigree. Icon Auf der Marquis


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## Pytheis (Sep 23, 2016)

stmcfred said:


> I believe my guy is a patterned sable. Thoughts?
> 
> Also, here is his pedigree. Icon Auf der Marquis


That is a patterned sable, yes.


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