# Black Sable or Tan Sable?



## grmnshprdfn (Oct 3, 2007)

Ok. Can someone please tell me what color my dog Stella would be considered? I have just always called her a "tan" Sable, but someone actually argued with me the other day, saying she was a "black" Sable. It makes no difference to me, but at this point, I'm just curious to see which of us is right.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

Not dark enough to be considered a "black" sable. Just regular ol' normal sable.


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## mkennels (Feb 12, 2008)

I agree she is not dark enough for a black sable, she is tan sable, a black sable is really dark and I believe that includes the undercoat being mainly dark


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## Gyggles1 (Nov 8, 2005)

I would say regular sable too, she looks a lot like my Duke so I will watch this post to see what others say.


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## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

Sable
I always consider a "black sable" to be one that carries the recessive black gene.


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## MoongazrNH04 (Feb 9, 2004)

Stella's color=beautiful


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## grmnshprdfn (Oct 3, 2007)

Thank you! I knew I was right. I had looked at so many pictures of Sable Shepherds, in the last 3 years, and knew that she really didn't look much like the Black Shepherds I had seen in the pictures.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: gagsd_pup1
> I always consider a "black sable" to be one that carries the recessive black gene.


Even having black recessive doesn't necessarily mean they are dark enough to be considered black sable. Black sables it seems always do carry black recessive, but not all sables with black recessive are black sables.

Our Kaiser carries black recessive, and he's not a black sable.

















Wulf also carries black recessive, and while he's definitely a dark sable, and darker than Kaiser, I wouldn't consider him a black sable.


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

That is a black sable. Yours is just what Chris said, a sable.







Looks like she is a sable with the bicolor pattern (tarheels and toe penciling).


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

This is what I consider a "Black" sable.


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

The darker the better! LOVE those black sables.


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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

beautiful sable


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## Manfred (Sep 15, 2008)

With the tan legs and chest , I'd defendantly go with tan sable , black sables have very little if any visible tan on them , there more all black / gun metal gray or wolf gray

I always figure you can best tell by thier puppy pictures........lol

like the picture BlackGSD has posted , the black sable puppies look like they have been playing in a bag of charcoal , where tan sables puppies are , well , tan


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

So far only the one Tracy posted is what I would call a black sable.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

Here's Masi her dad (kleinen hain's max here on the board) is a black sable..she seems to be darkening up more as the days go by)


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Lies, is this black sable enough for you?







(Actually I don't think this is black sable as we all think it is, I think it is an unusual color pattern.)

http://prosites-holtzbergk9.homestead.com/StudDogs.html
There's another good one. A beauty. Love how the black goes all the way down the legs.


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## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

OK Chris, I think I like your definition of black sable better than mine, much better looking!!!


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## KristinEnn (Oct 2, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: BlackGSDThis is what I consider a "Black" sable.




awww yay Tracy you posted our girls Daddy... he is SOOO stunning and handsome in every way!


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## kelso (Jan 22, 2007)

Kelso also carries black recessive..but I would not call him a black sable, maybe dark sable but not black..he has alot of "lighter" points on his legs

Anyway here is the blackest sable I have seen owned by someone on this board...member Morgan's dog Luke, the Thug..hope he doesnt mind if I repost the pic he took here..


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Steph, that's who I kept thinking of! I didn't remember the name but like heck I'd forget THAT face.







Look "black sable" up in the GSD dictionary and Luke's photo will be there.


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## geokon_2000 (Jan 25, 2005)

Diana, is that your dog? I know this is off topic a bit but my Fizban's coloring is very much like this guy. He's got banded hairs too.


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

No, that's the result of a Google Image Search.









I remember now that Fiz has the same color! It's a very neat coat pattern.


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## DancingCavy (Feb 19, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: DianaM
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It's a Risa-colored GSD!! I agree, he looks a LOT like Joan's Fizban.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Kelso, thank you for giving us the "thug" pic! I wish we could see more of him! He is exactly what I want my next GSD to look like!!!







Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with the drive.


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## kelso (Jan 22, 2007)

Here is the thread I stalked that pic from of the Thug









http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubb...true#Post804663


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