Color question - Page 1

At what age are you able to reliably determine color of pups? Some of my new pups, when the light hits them sideways look like they are a deep chocolate color, of course that could be an optical illusion ( I need better glasses lol) I dont know if this might be the true color or if it might just be because they are newborn. I will try to get pics when I get my batteries recharged but I dont know if the color difference will show on a pic.

thanks in advance :)
Therese

New puppy fluffy looks like that (at least mine did)  until they they lose the puppy fur and grow thier new shine black coats.

That is also without  seeing the color coats in the pedigree and parents, but most likely puppy fur.

As for color permently I would say anywhere from 6 months to a year. Black and tan/reds saddle backs do a lot of changing, while solids don't , sables change  they can go from a soft gray with a strip down the back to almost a bi black  or somewhere in between.

Time will tell.

Unless one parent is sable you cannot have a sable in your litter. I remember Tino was not but don't  know what your female is. The color could be puppy fur, when I bred I remember some looking more a smokey color and thought they were blue. But they weren't. Usually about 3 months (if I remember right) there is a little ring of adult hair that comes out on their tail and it will be shiny ,coal black. I suppose a possibility they are liver... blues and livers are a registerable color in AKC but a fault and should not be bred so sell only with Limited Papers for pets.

I can usually tell the color of the pups at birth - however, I cannot always tell the actual depth of the pigment or the shade of the undercoat on the dark sables until about an hour of brith, as soon as they are good and dry.

I can usually tell the color of the pups at birth - however, I cannot always tell the actual depth of the pigment or the shade of the undercoat on the dark sables until about an hour of brith, as soon as they are good and dry.

I've heard that too, that at birth is the best time to tell the actual colors.  It changes so much as they are growing.

As a general rule Sables will grow to be darker. It seems to me that with every shed they change a little. In the fall they seem to be lighter and the spring shed is darker. Although I have seen some that stay almost the same. But as far as birth color, sables are usually lighter than when they are adults.

Solid blacks are easier, but still can fool you with some minor color as they mature. Bi-colors are the hardest to me, as they could look the same as a black and tan/red puppy when born, but COULD keep all of the dark as they mature.

In general on black and reds/tans. They usually get lighter as they grow and they do not have their true adult color until after a year old. On the reds, the red seems to get darker as they mature.  Even up to 3 years old!

As far as your puppies, I would guess that it is just the puppy coat that has the brownish tint.  That should go away when they shed the puppy coat, by 6 months old.

The best way to tell for sure is to know your bloodlines and what has been produced in the past.  By knowing that you can more easily be able to tell at birth what they will be.

Hope that helps some,

Debby

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