do all b&t saddle backs....

[triordan]

lighten up with age?

[Liesje]

Yes. They all come out looking pretty "bi-color" (lots of black). They don't all fade to the extent that some do, but yes I think they pretty much all are going to lighten from how they look at 8 weeks.

[mjbgsd]

Yes they do, especially in the face and hip area.

Cody at 4 months


Cody at a year


Cody at 3 years


Cody now at 6 1/2 years



I have pictures of Isa major changes, she doesn't even look like the same dog 2 years ago but I'm too lazy to try and find them, lol.

[mjbgsd]

I can't find many photos of her pre 4 year age but here are a few

Isa at 5 months


Isa at 2 years


Isa now at 4 1/2 years

[Martie]

Luther at 3 months:

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/l.../Luther007.jpg

And at 1 year:

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/l...18-09004-1.jpg

I'm waiting a little while longer to share a current photo, but can't believe how he has darkened since starting a raw diet! The tan is now a rich reddish color - amazing...

[Martie]

Sorry about the last message - easier this way...

Luther at 3 months:



and 1 year:

[triordan]

i know that puppies lighten up, i guess i should have been more clear, what i meant to say~ as the dogs get into the older years the color seems to fade a bit?? not like graying around the muzzle...

[GrandJan]

Originally Posted by Martie

...but can't believe how he has darkened since starting a raw diet! The tan is now a rich reddish color - amazing...

I, too, have found that the tan on my dogs turned a golden red since I've fed raw. Interesting.

[Samba]

I think the amount of fading can be genetic. There is a gene for the fading of the mantle. Also, saddles can fade. My experience with this has mostly been in WGSLs. My female's mantle faded and her saddle faded enough that most people thought her a sable.

I have seen other saddle pattern dogs with no fading at all through their life.

Illustrated Standard of the German Shepherd Dog, COLOR & PIGMENT

[JKlatsky]

I don't know personally about black and tan dogs, but I've always found that my sable dogs "redden" more in their tan as they get older. I believe it was true for their B&T siblings as well, based on pictures that I have seen. As far as age goes, dogs gray on the face, and while it's pretty obvious in black sections, I imagine enough gray/white hairs could come in on the tan section that it could make the overall impression faded, sort of like an old yellow lab. If that's what you mean by "fade". I'm still not 100% clear.

Obviously most sable dogs darken up in their black, while B&T tend to lost some of the black they had as puppies and gain more tan. Also some B&T dogs will get bitch striping in their saddle which can make them look more salt and pepper than rich black.