What makes a Blue?

[Daisy1986]

I have seen a couple of threads about blue GSD's.

They do not look blue to me?

I do not think they are standard.

What is a blue GSD. What makes them called blue??
I know it is not their eyes, right?

[Castlemaid]

Others will have a more scientifically correct answer, but I'll give a stab at it:

A Blue GSD has inherited a pigment dilution gene. Instead of the black pigment being expressed as well, er . . . black, it gets diluted and is expressed as a dark grey. So not technically blue, but dark greys do look blue in certain light.

The dog may be genetically a black or black and tan, but has in addition the dilution gene which causes the blacks to be blue. This means that anywhere there is supposed to be a black colour, like the nose leather and the lips, for example, it will be blue.

The blue dilution gene is recessive, which means that both parents must carry the gene in order for the two recessive genes to match up and cause the dillution factor to be expressed. If a dog inherits only one blue dillution gene from only one parent, it will not be expressed as it is recessive, and a dominant colour will be expressed instead, but this dog will be carrier of the recessive gene and may in turn pass it on to an offspring.

So there can be a lot of matings down a number of generations, with dogs carrying the blue dillution gene, but never being expressed until one dog is mated with another dog with the same blue gene, and the two genes are inherited by a dog in the litter, and surprise! A blue pup! Nothing wrong with that, but then intentionally breeding the blue pup to get more blue pups is considered breeding against the standard, which ethical breeders will not do.

If mating two blue dogs, then all the pups will be blue (am I right on this?).

Hopefully, others will chime in and confirm or correct my explanation.

[lish91883]

Originally Posted By: Castlemaid
If mating two blue dogs, then all the pups will be blue (am I right on this?).

I think that you could get standard colors also. I do know that both parents have to have the "blue" gene in order to produce a blue puppy.

[lish91883]

Heres a website that might help you understand more.

http://www.4gsd.net/colours.html

[wolfstraum]

Another perspective.....aside from genetics cited above...

the dark gray, slate color is often called "blue" in the animal kingdom. We have

Blue roan horses
Russian Blue cats
Blue Great Danes (and Dobes and Weims and Kerry Blue Terriers!)

All of these are really more a shade of gray than sky blue! But look at any pantone color chart - or paint chip strip at the store...the blue tones can seque into gray to black as well.

Lee

[Chris Wild]

Originally Posted By: lish91883

I think that you could get standard colors also. I do know that both parents have to have the "blue" gene in order to produce a blue puppy.

No you can't get standard colors.

For a recessive (blue, liver, white, solid black) to appear in a dog, the dog must have 2 genes for that recessive. One from each parent.

If the dog shows the recessive, it therefore has 2 copies of that gene, and will give one copy to each pup. If the other parent shows the recessive, and therefore has 2 copies of that gene, it will also give one copy to each pup. Each pup will then be inheriting one copy from each parent, giving it the 2 it needs to express the recessive, and it will also show that recessive.

Two blacks bred together cannot produce any color but black. Two whites bred together cannot produce any color but white. Same holds true for blue and liver.

[SunCzarina]

So it's technically impossible to get blue dogs out of pure whites? (sort of a facetious question from that other thread)

What about whites that have a yellow or grey-ish saddle and faint markings on thier heads? I always thought those dogs weren't pure white but had some other classification?

Just curious - and these are the questions that make me totally unqualified to breed german shepherds!

[Chris Wild]

Originally Posted By: SunCzarinaSo it's technically impossible to get blue dogs out of pure whites? (sort of a facetious question from that other thread)

Yes, it is genetically impossible.

Originally Posted By: SunCzarinaWhat about whites that have a yellow or grey-ish saddle and faint markings on thier heads? I always thought those dogs weren't pure white but had some other classification?

That sort of bleed through isn't uncommon, especially in first generation whites, or whites produced by colored parents. White to white breeding, especially after several generations, tends to produce a more pure white dog.

[Daisy1986]

OK, I understand more now.

The link helped. I see it on the nose now.

I learned that there are liver GSD's did not know that either. I love learning stuff on here. (I am boring my DH with the knowledge, , he is on a motorcycle forum.) My 6 yr old DS, said I like dogs to much! I just said, do you like toys to much? He smiled and said, yes! and candy!


Jenn is was that other link- that was confusing me, it looked like a husky.

Thanks for clearing it up!!

[SunCzarina]

That other thread was, IMHO, meant to confuse people like us who don't breed, have no intention of breeding but love the breed and want to understand how these genetic anomalies happen. Just someone who likes to talk but should do more listening the OP said she was tking a break from the BB for a while and I'm thinking 'what, leaving so soon?'