Sables... - Page 1

I have a question about sables.  In my last litter, I had some sables. This litter.. the sables are almost black (which I love), I know they will change alot over time.  I have heard/read that most sables will revert to the dark color they were born with.  Is this correct?  That would make me super happy.

Most prbably that is correct, that is what I heard form breeders on this board many times, I believe them, they know through past experience with sable puppies. Good luck and be happ either way, just be happy

Ibrahim

I was just hoping for some black sables... I was just saying that would be super awesome!  I am happy either way.. the whole litter is lovely.

Yes, generally the shade of sable that the pup is born with does a pretty good job of foretelling the shade that it will be as an adult.  It may not ever be as dark as it was as a newborn, but it will be dark as an adult.  My second GSD litter I had (solid black sire, red patterned sable dam) the 2 pups born were so dark that at first I thought they were solid black (which was impossible since mom didn't carry it) but the next day I could see just the faintest grizzling behind the ears and under the tail.  The pups grew up to be "black" sables, very dark but clearly sables and not solid black (like they looked when newborn.)  My 3rd litter, from the same dam but a medium dark sable sire, all the sable pups in that litter were dark when born, but clearly sable and they grew up to be dark patterned sables.  

Amy....u might like this....http://www.bodeus.com/changes.htm

Bodeus however I suspect  was like the sables I'm more used to - born rather light sable, judged by the 9 weeks pic. 
Used to be you could spot them as distinct from Black'n'Golds as soon as they dried off.  No longer always the case,
with all the darker sable colours coming (back?) in, from various European WL sources.  Not sure if that applies to Show
Lines, as I don't see many very young pups anymore.  May be a result of sable to sable matings, which people always
avoided years ago.

EuroShepherd... Ahh.. same thing happened to me.. .I actually thought I had two blacks!  Until they dried... same scenario.. .faint grizzling behind the ears.  I was wondering how the heck I got Blacks!!!

LadyFrost ... I'm having trouble getting that link to work, not sure if its incorrect or if I'm having trouble because I'm in the middle of uploading a video... I'll try it again later.. .thank you.

Hundmutter... Why did people avoid sable to sable matings?  

My Sable I'm hoping he gets darker as he gets older...his cousins were light like him when little now they are very dark and beautiful.

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/picturegallery/40594.html

 

The link Lady Frost posted worked fine for me

My experience has been that birth color determines adult color. The ones born almost solid black are the ones I consider black sables.