Color (revisited) - Page 1

I hear everybody say that sable will help improve the color of the next generations, but what about solid black? Would adding a solid black dog to breeding help improve color. For instance it has been said that Esko vom Dänischen Hof's progeny lack a solid black saddle, would adding a solid black help with that? Why aren't there any solid black show shepherds? Was the solid black gene bred out of the showline gsd's in germany? I know in Amer. show lines the black gene is still present do to the extensive black I have seen on many Amer. show line dogs. Whats wrong with solid black dogs?

Hi Gimme10 Although people say Sanle can improve colour it can to a degree. The term colour is slightly misleading however. It is generally accepted that Sable will improve pigmentation rather than just colur which is very important. I have sables in my line and have always had strong pigment. Coat patterning is a different case altogether. Many years ago a German Import came to England Dux De Burg Esch. He was all black and not a bad dog either. When I used him all the pups were bi-colour which was great. Unfortunately I didn't keep anything from the litter and therefore lost all genetic info this mating brought. There have been a number of import lines that have come to England that carried the all black gene. Unfortunatley these only come to light when mated to females carrying the Gene. One of these dogs I believe was Maureen Kemps Mutz V D Mainbeine(spelling incorrect) As far as breeding out the all black gene it cant be done, being recessive. It will pop up somewhere.As ar as all black German show dogs this is a German prejudice thing. They just don't like them Hope this helps JohnnyK

Wasn't Highland Lad of Lexicade a solid black English dog from German Sieger lines? He appears many times in my dogs' ten-generation pedigree as well as other black English GSD's.