Color genetics question - Page 1

I have a black and tan bitch,with saddle markings and mask.Her mask and saddle were very dark up until she turned 1 and a half.Both parents were black and tans,and retained their dark pigmentation,as did her siblings.Her saddle is fading to silver/blue and turning much lighter and almost turning a dilute sable patterned.Her face ''mask'' is still very  black.She is about 2 yrs old.If she is bred,will she produce dilutes?

Can you post her picture?

The top image is her at  aprox 1 year old, middle was shot at 1 1/2 yrsold,the last photo is at 2 yrs old.

B&T bitch with badly faded saddle. My bitch has the same problem, though not quite as faded. I've been told poor pigment is one of the easiest faults to correct when breeding. Just pick a stud with really good pigment. A breeder with over 40 years experience told me the best way to judge pigment is to look at the toenails. They should look like they've been dipped in black India ink.

It's often hard to judge pigment in young puppies. My bitch's pigment at 8 weeks looked really good. However, when I went to take her home at 12 weeks, she had one white nail on a hind foot, and some of her other nails were grayish rather than black.

For some reason, fading seems to happen more often in females than males, judging by pictures I've seen on the data base. There still seems to be the old-fashioned idea that the stud matters more than the bitch when breeding. That's probably because the breeder can make more money off the stud, while a bitch can only give him a small number of litters before she's done with her reproductive days.

Here's another example of a faded saddle. This bitch was advertised as a 'great producer' by the seller. She's the grand-daughter of a VA dog.

Can you post a stacked shot of her?

Courtney

OMG I cant believe you even asked this question.  It does not matter.  You don't breed for looks.   You should stop now and not even consider breeding until you are more responsible. 

Coat color.  Give me a F******* break.