The GSD breed and black/tan dogs

The most common color seen in the German Shepherd breed is black and tan. This is also the color that the average person expects to see when they think of the GSD. Some even think that this is the only color that the breed comes in, which is obviously not correct. Acceptable colors for the German Shepherd Dog are sable, black/tan and solid black. There are also unacceptable disqualifying colors such as white, blue and liver.

Within the black/tan color, there are many variations that can be seen. The tan color can range from a deep rich red to a pale light almost silver color. The pattern of the black can range from a saddle back to blanket back to a bi color. A saddle back is just as it sounds, the black color looks like a saddle over the dogs back and sides. A blanket back is darker in color and the black covers more of the dogs back and sides, looking almost like a blanket lying over the dog. Some black/tan dogs have very little black covering their back, while a bi color is almost all black except for small amounts of tan.

Black/tan is recessive to the most dominant sable gene, but it is dominant over the solid black recessive gene. Black/tan dogs generally are born darker and lighten up as they mature, often getting lighter for the rest of their life. The black will recede and the tan will become more prominent. Some black/tans (especially females) will develop a grey strip down their back; this is often called a “bitch’s strip”. While this is most common in females, it can happen in some males especially if their pigment is lacking.

The West German show lines are almost always black and red, where as you see more black/tans and bi colors in the various working lines. The breed standard calls for nice dark pigment and rich colors, which means that the black/creams and black/silvers are undesirable. While these washed out colors do pop up in well bred lines, if you come across a breeder who is purposely producing the washed out light colors, it is probably a backyard breeder.

You should never choose your puppy based on color! While you may have a color preference, temperament, health, working ability and structure are all much more.