Black Faces in Puppies

[Bellababy]

I know that puppies are dark when they're born, and grow lighter and lose some of that black as they become adults.

How can you tell how much black will be left in the face? At what age would you think what you see is what will stay?

Bella, my 3 month old black and red, is in my avatar.

TIA!

[dOg]

My guess would be she's going to stay rather dark...just her eyebrows and under her eyes getting a bit lighter, but no where near as light as
the side of her head.

But it's just a guess, I wouldn't bet the farm on it!

[EastGSD]

Bella you can go to my site (www.eastgsd.com) and look at photos of my pups when they were born up to mature, my B litter. I have different "shades" of pigment here so maybe that will be helpful. My opinion is that your girl will not retain a solid black mask but will have a bit of tan mixed through it like my Emma seen here




Cherri

[Chris Wild]

Originally Posted By: EastGSD My opinion is that your girl will not retain a solid black mask but will have a bit of tan mixed through it like my Emma seen here

This would be my guess too.

B/Ts usually tend to continue to lighten until at least a year old, sometimes longer. So at adulthood, while she'll still have a distinct mask and mantle, it won't be as heavy as it is now.

[EastGSD]

I just wanted to add that Emma has very good pigment, (I didn't want to imply that you puppy did not) this is a pattern "thing" This is a photo of the same dog taken a month ago, she is almost 9yrs of age



Cherri

[jakobi]

Jake is 3 months old. Here's what he looked like when we brought him home and what he looks like today. He's starting to get more and more tan hairs popping up all over his black areas....

[wolfstraum]

Look at the parents, the pups will usually end up with, or close to, the pattern of the parents

Lee

[Cassidy's Mom]

Here's Dena at exactly 3 months:



Keefer at 3 months is darker in the face:



Keefer on the left, Dena on the right - she's a couple months past three, and he's a couple months past two:



Although he's lightened up considerably, he's still darker in the face and head than she is.

[Brightelf]

SWOOOONNN.. those TeMar dogs!! Dena and Keefer are calender-dog GORGEOUS. I just had to say that!!

[kelso]

Not sure if there is a difference in b/t vs b/red, and the lines, but Meeka lightened a ton on the face (Meeka was American Lines) and I also think she just had what would be called "lighter" pigment

3-4 months


12 yrs old (but really she had about the same coloring from about 1 and a half yr old) minus the white hairs on her muzzle...and ignore that pesky lil Kelso by her feet



Kelso is sable and seems to have been getting darker with age