Sable German Shepherd
aka Agouti or Wolf Gray
A sable German Shepherd is not as popular as a black and tan even though the sable gene is dominant.
While a black and tan is the most commonly seen German Shepherd, this color pattern is recessive to the sable or agouti gene.
German Shepherd Sable - Agouti Appearance
Sable GSDs go through a variety of color changes before they mature at the age of three. They can periodically appear lighter or darker, and tend to darken with age. And many will have a mask as their facial hairs become predominantly dark.
The hairs in a sable coat are often tan with black tips. But this can vary greatly from one GSD to another. The tips can vary in the amount of black on the ends. The rest of the hair is another color (or colors).
Many sable shepherd puppies are born all tan before the trademark black tipping appears.
The sable, or agouti appearance, refers to the color bands on the individual hairs. While this color is also referred to as wolf gray, this color banding results in a large variety of shades and colors which can run the gamut from:
- gold
- gray
- mahogany
- red
- silver
- tan
Rich colors of sable are preferred. By contrast, washed out colors and shades of blue or liver are considered faults. The eyes should be dark and the nose black.
As always, coat color should not be the predominant reason in choosing your GSD. Temperament and health should be the primary considerations.
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