Brown Undercoat? - Page 1

Brown Undercoat?

Does this dog have one sable parent and one bi-color? Just curious... have a bi-color girl w/brown undercoat, though not as extensive as this one.
Melissa

I've never groomed a shepherd with black undercoat that wasn't solid black. Yes i would say this is normal.
Fry

If you click on the dog's pictures it takes you to their pedigrees. These dogs are I think a decade old. I'm just curious as to their color. every once  in a while I find one like this. I'm not sure what is going on with their color.

Normal, dead, undercoat. Undercoat isn't shiny- it's a totally different texture than that of guard hairs. I've never had a bi that didn't shed like that. 

Jenni, 
In your experience does the brown undercoat change to a blackish undercoat where one would expect a saddle to be, on your bi-colors? Or is the undercoat all the same brownish/ tan color?

Also, something different re: undercoats, that I used to think meant "melanistc",  but have since been corrected that word is inaccurate, is the blackish undercoat seen on the tan parts of my B&T. Not sure how that should be worded correctly!

Have a bi-color, heavy tar heels, toe markings, black face, cheeks, chest, true bi-color. black undercoat and stays black shedding or not.

I've only ever seen the black undercoat type on bi-colors in person as well. Actually a little blonde undercoat only on the tan parts. I think both pictured above do also have a sable parent.

Jenni, You could take close up shots of these bi-colors spreading the guard hairs apart with your hand?

Black hair can turn orange/brown from the sun also.

I've seen black dogs that shed like that.... just before they shed their fur turns brownish. My dog will do that *very little though* on her haunches where her fur is thicker, *just* before she sheds, where she is generally a very deep black any other time. Could also be a trick of lighting/bad photo edit, making them look funny.

I've also heard, when I had a friend with horses, and when I showed my cat that if they get more sun they will look more brown. Whether or not that's true, who knows, I don't have horses, and Chey has always had "highlights" in the sun, of course I've never denied her access to the sunlight either. I was actually told when we were at a show once "You shouldn't let her lay in the sunlight, it will make her look dull." Then they also tried to tell me to bathe her with "blackening shampoo".  


You can see the difference.

BUT, Chey is a cat, and I know their hair is way different than a dogs, so I don't know if that is relevant or not... but I thought I'd mention it. :P