hoping someone can help - Page 1

i am just wondering if anyone caould let me know if there is a way to determine if a german shepherd will stay black there were 7 pups born 4 are showing color and 3 are no color at all the mom is black and tan and the dad is bicolor i believe i can send pics if someone can help i was hoping for a bit of color as i had no idea there were all black but i fell inlove with him he is only 13 days old now i read somewhere that the fur around the vent can tell but im not sure what im looking for if someone could help that would be great

If the parents are both black & tan (bi-colour is a black & tan variant), rather than either of them being an all-black, then it is very unlikely you will see all-black offspring, genetically.

GSD pups when very young are often deceptive as to the colour they will end up, [apart, that is, from sables] with pups being born very dark and then smaller amounts of tan markings taking a while to develop. This is particularly true of bi-colour pups as there isn't so much tan to develop, obviously. But a dog which ends up more tan than anything AS AN ADULT can still be a very dark coated puppy while still in the nest.  [ In fact, MOST  black & tan pups go through a period where they LOOK 'bi-colour' ! ]

Give the colour time to develop; as the pup's coat changes with its overall growth, you will eventually be able to see classic bi-colour markings, if that is what your pup is going to be - these will usually be:  tan 'eyebrows'; maybe some limited tan patches on the face or, sometimes, ears; tan on the feet (probably with accompanying 'pencil' marks, i.e. black lines on the feet and 'ankles') - all 4 feet; and a little up the legs; and, yes, tan vent (limited area under the tail, around the anus).  The back, sides and tail will remain black in a bi-colour dog.  The length of the under-belly may show lighter colour, tan or creamy-grey.

From your description of this litter, it is likely (though not 'guaranteed' !) that the 3 which look darkest at present are more likely to take after their sire and be bi-colour.