# Is blue a 'real' coat color?



## ~Saphira~ (Apr 25, 2012)

I have been seeing a lot of advertisements around here for blue and blue & tan german shepherds. I didn't think those were accepted coat colors, but they were talking about how rare they were, and that they were show quality. Would that be true, or are they just making things up?


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Yes, blue is a real color. My dog Nikon has a blue and red nephew. They are not acceptable because a blue dog does not have black leather. The pigment itself is not correct. Also the eyes are light. People who breed for this color seem to just be making a buck passing something off as "rare". It is rare, but probably more because people *don't* breed for it since it's not correct or desirable, but it does happen and when it does there's no reason not to give the puppy a good home.

A few puppies from my dog's littermate. The blue one is obvious. Sire and dam both come from titled, healthy lines.


----------



## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

Blue is a considered a serious but not a disqualifying fault. Technically they can be shown in the ring, but I don't think you'll see too many of them winning.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Whiteshepherds said:


> Blue is a considered a serious but not a disqualifying fault. Technically they can be shown in the ring, but I don't think you'll see too many of them winning.


I have always herd a blue GSD will have a gray nose. A liver will have a brown nose. Both of these are disqualifying faults so you will not see a blue in the show ring. Now a washed out black and tan, or a dog with poor pigment, maybe, but probably a waste of money and time.


----------



## ~Saphira~ (Apr 25, 2012)

Okay, thanks guys! : )
I know that blue is a real color for the coat, I just didn't know whether it was acceptable for show. 
I don't really want a show dog, but I was just curious. Thanks for your answers!

Liesje- Those are adorable puppies!


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I've never seen a blue dog in the show ring (AKC, UKC, SV). I don't know why anyone would even bother, especially since it's not something that just pops up (like a possible undescended testicle or poor color or light eyes or missing teeth). You can tell by that picture of puppies at birth which one is blue.


----------



## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

Liesje said:


> Yes, blue is a real color. My dog Nikon has a blue and red nephew. They are not acceptable because a blue dog does not have black leather. The pigment itself is not correct. Also the eyes are light. People who breed for this color seem to just be making a buck passing something off as "rare". It is rare, but probably more because people *don't* breed for it since it's not correct or desirable, but it does happen and when it does there's no reason not to give the puppy a good home.
> 
> A few puppies from my dog's littermate. The blue one is obvious. Sire and dam both come from titled, healthy lines.


I'd love to see what he looks like now. If he looks like a blue version of Nikon , I'd be left speechless!


----------



## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

i have a beautiful blue girl...would be pointless to show a blue shepherd tho. there is also some speculation amongst many in the veterinary field that blue dogs (of any breed), have more health issues. 

THE ADVENTURES OF SERAPHINA BLUE & THE MAN IN BLACK 

you can check out the difference in a blue and a black and tan. miss serablue has the most beautiful opalescent rims around her ears, her "tan" is more caramel-colored and her "black" is more steel blue. she was powder blue when she was born. i had no intention of buying a female and certainly not a blue one...she was three weeks old when i first saw her, and despite the fact that she was not at all what i was looking for...she was destined to be mine. she is going to be 10 years old in july and it looks as tho she will be my first shepherd to reach double digits. i treasure every single day she is still with me.


----------



## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

selzer said:


> I have always herd a blue GSD will have a gray nose. A liver will have a brown nose. Both of these are disqualifying faults so you will not see a blue in the show ring.


You're right, I forgot about their noses.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

LOL, I must have herding on the the brain, I have always _heard. _Ah well. Where is the spelling-police when you need them?


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

GatorDog said:


> I'd love to see what he looks like now. If he looks like a blue version of Nikon , I'd be left speechless!


He actually kind of is! He's very red. His mother is Nikon's littermate that probably looked the most like Nikon (at least from the littermates I can still keep track of).









http://24kgsd.com/blog/2012/02/06/happy-1st-birthday-dutch-ronnie-blue-r-litter-2011/


----------



## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

Liesje said:


> He actually kind of is! He's very red. His mother is Nikon's littermate that probably looked the most like Nikon (at least from the littermates I can still keep track of).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


And I was right..He's stunning! :wub:


----------



## ~Saphira~ (Apr 25, 2012)

So what I'm wondering: Is it right for breeders to charge 2000+ dollars for a solid blue puppy?


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

~Saphira~ said:


> So what I'm wondering: Is it right for breeders to charge 2000+ dollars for a solid blue puppy?



Sure. No on is twisting the arms of people to buy them, or holding a gun to their heads. It is our right NOT to buy from people who are breeding specifically for things out of the standard. But it is other people's right to look for off-colors, whites, blues, over-sized, and long-coats -- though those are becoming more acceptable now. 

I suppose that a solid blue is less common than a patterned blue. And if there are buyers, they can charge what the pups will draw. 

They charge $1,800 for mutts and call them designer dogs. I don't see how charging $2k for a purebred dog with an off color is much worse. 

The world has to have in place those individuals who are willing and able to separate fools from their money.


----------



## ~Saphira~ (Apr 25, 2012)

Okay, that makes sense. Thanks


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

If you had a litter of top puppies and they are going for 2.5-3.5k, and you have a blue in the litter, you might be coming down because of the fault, but the dog's bloodlines are the same, and they cost just as much to produce and raise as puppies of the proper color. So they may be giving a break for the blue color. Hard to say.


----------



## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

"separate fools from their money"...made me laugh right out loud...lololol...

seriously, it is up to all individuals to educate and protect themselves from being taken advantage of. especially nowadays...gosh, that sounds really old, lolol...no market will ever police itself (themselves?), tho.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I think it is much more likely though that they are aiming for those people who like to have something that looks original, or different, and these people are willing to pay for the puppy that is of a "rare" color. Personally, I think it absolutely sucks to have people focus on color so much that they might deliberately breed for this type of thing. But they do, and if that was what they are doing, then no way would I buy from them.


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

As gorgeous as I think blues are, people shouldn't be breeding them IMO. It's a disqualifying fault, but aside from that, anytime someone is breeding for color, you know their priorities are a bit out of whack. But there's one born every minute, so money-minded breeders can tout them as "rare" and charge $2000 for a blue puppy. It's not very ethical.


----------



## ~Saphira~ (Apr 25, 2012)

That's what I was wondering...
Also, what does anyone know of PB America's Top Breeders? I was on their website, and I saw lots of solid blue and blue & tan puppies on there...


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

~Saphira~ said:


> That's what I was wondering...
> Also, what does anyone know of PB America's Top Breeders? I was on their website, and I saw lots of solid blue and blue & tan puppies on there...


Top breeders in whose opinion? I can make a website tomorrow and call myself the #1 N. American GSD breeder, and that can be challenged, but how many people are just going to take it for granted? People have to back their statements up with accomplishments. If someone produced 5 out of the last six Grand Victor/Victrixes, then maybe they can make such a claim. But these people with all the blues are probably not trotting them out if they are aiming for the show crowd. 

Top in what way? Someone who produces the greatest number of GSDs? 

It is just impossible for anyone to claim that and it would be a huge turn-off for me.

PB America's doesn't sound like they are limiting themselves to any breed or breeds. It sounds like a puppy mill or some type of conglomeration of puppy mills.


----------



## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

if you're talking about purebredbreeders.com, whata bunch of bs that site is. an internet puppymill is what it looks like to me. ugh.


----------



## ~Saphira~ (Apr 25, 2012)

Top breeders is just what it's called... Here's the link.

German Shepherd Puppies for Sale Utah - German Shepherd breeders


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I wish anyone looking for a puppy would do some research before buying off a site like that. ONE reason for the breed going downhill is right there as an example. 
This one: Cece (Liver and tan) - Utah German Shepherd Breeders - Top Breeders what a representation of the breed 
Puppy MILLER BROKER sad, sad, sad.


----------



## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

different url jane, same outfit as the purebredbreeders.com addy. yup, miller/broker. double ugh.


----------



## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

onyx'girl said:


> I wish anyone looking for a puppy would do some research before buying off a site like that. ONE reason for the breed going downhill is right there as an example.
> This one: Cece (Liver and tan) - Utah German Shepherd Breeders - Top Breeders what a representation of the breed
> Puppy MILLER BROKER sad, sad, sad.


There is people who is just begging to be ripped off... in a very Darwinist way.


----------

