Contemplating a Blue

[Liesje]

There's a blue female GSD available at the SW MI GSD rescue right now.

[Anubis_Star]

IMHO - take it how you will, I would NEVER in a million years purchase a blue pup from a breeder. Largely because breeders I know and respect for producing quality dogs don't produce blues.

In my mind, blue is an undesired color in the breed (a dilute, actually). Therefor, no GOOD breeder would be breeding blues. Could one pop up? Yes, obviously the dilution gene is there in the breed because people do produce blues and livers. But I find it very unlikely outside of a freak accident. Therefor, if a breeder had a blue pup, that would be the last person I would want to buy from.

Breeding for "rare" colors produces poorly bred dogs with physical health issues and temperament problems, usually in the form of fear aggression.

As far as RESCUING a blue dog, completely different. End the end, it is not a dog's fault what breeding produced it. But by RESCUING, you are not rewarding poor breeding practices and promoting their continuance.

[onyx'girl]

Blues do pop up, I wouldn't judge the breeder if a blue was in a litter....as long as they weren't breeding for the rare color or charging extra due to coloration.

[Kejasa]

Yep, blue is a recessive gene so you don't know your dog is even carrying it until you breed to another dog that is also carrying that recessive gene. A dog that carries this gene can breed for a lifetime without ever being bred to another dog carrying that same genetic mutation (and therefore without ever producing a blue pup). If two dogs meet up that do both carry the recessive blue gene, a blue pup may result...or may not. It does occasionally happen...even in good lines. The person I got my blue from was really shocked that she got a blue.

[ChancetheGSD]

WHAT?! That makes NO sense to me. Breeders can still be considered "good" if some pups from litters end up with health/joint problems, why can't they be good if a pairing happens to throw a blue or liver?? Most WON'T re-pair if the dogs throw dilutes but just because it happened once or twice doesn't mean they're bad! Are all white breeders horrible people too??

Breeding for "rare" colors produces poorly bred dogs with physical health issues and temperament problems, usually in the form of fear aggression.

*** Removed by ADMIN *** First of all, they're not rare. There are thousands of them. Second of all, color in our breed has NO connection to any health or temperament problems. Any color regardless of who bred it and why can have aggression and health problems. *** Removed by ADMIN *** I'd take on a blue or liver in a heartbeat, they all need good homes and YES, even well meaning breeders end up having them sometimes.

[katieliz]

back in my grandfather's day blues were culled at birth. blues crop up occasionally in litters from the very best breeders (or not). no way to really know. only decision the breeder has to make is whether to let the whelp live or not. frankly, with all the rampant health issues in the breed, color might be the least of one's concerns. relative to concurrent health issues, several vets i've spoken to do believe there is some correlation between dilute gene animals and a predisposition to different health problems...but, they all say, there are so many health issues in the breed that it's very hard to tell.

of course, i'm not speaking of breeders who specifically breed for "rare" colors, which would speak to ethical compromise, since it's not in keeping with the breed standard.

[Liesje]

Originally Posted by Anubis_Star

IMHO - take it how you will, I would NEVER in a million years purchase a blue pup from a breeder. Largely because breeders I know and respect for producing quality dogs don't produce blues.

In my mind, blue is an undesired color in the breed (a dilute, actually). Therefor, no GOOD breeder would be breeding blues. Could one pop up? Yes, obviously the dilution gene is there in the breed because people do produce blues and livers. But I find it very unlikely outside of a freak accident. Therefor, if a breeder had a blue pup, that would be the last person I would want to buy from.

Breeding for "rare" colors produces poorly bred dogs with physical health issues and temperament problems, usually in the form of fear aggression.

My dog has a "nephew" that is blue. I guess that means I'm a horrible breeder and should just cull my dog from breeding?

Also blue in GSD has nothing to do with health or temperament. Please do your research before making such inflammatory claims. It is not the same as lethal whites/double merles or the blue Dobermans (which can have skin issues). Blue in GSDs is simply a color dilution. There are absolutely no health or temperament issues associated with this dilution that anyone has proven. Unfortunately blues are usually culled at birth (and I don't mean sent home on a spay/neuter contract but drowned) so I doubt anyone has a pool of blues large enough for research to support your claims but I have never met a blue that had a health problem *because* of a color dilution.

[rlv6161]

i would love love to know where to get a blue shepherd pup, Im not a breeder I just love interesting dogs ? can anyone let me know?

[WISLADY]

I am going to get my puppy today, she is a Blue/Tan. Not getting registered, as she will be spayed.