Maybe Brutus is the only Saddle Back here. Amazing because if you ask a random person to describe a GSD to you-9 out of 10 times the person would describe a saddle back with a black muzzle.
Shelby lives back in Colorado with a friend of my sister in law. We got her from a bad situation where the woman's husband abused her. She was with us long enough to relax, learn to be around cats and learn that not everyone was out to get her. She's happy,healthy and spoiled rotten as the only dog with her new family. We were basically her foster family.
A blanket back has black extending down the thighs, a saddle back doesn't. They are both considered black and tan (the color) but the pattern (saddle vs blanket) is what differs. Can't tell on the above dog how much black goes down the thighs....
The genetic coats are sable, black and tan, bicolor, and solid.
Both saddle back and blanket back are identical genetically, and referred to as black and tans. Its just how "melanistic" or how much black is expressed that makes a difference, and can be personal opinion on where to draw the line.
clarke: thats actually not sable with a saddle... A sable dog that has the saddle is referred to as a patterned sable, and from a distance will look identical to a black and tan dog, only close up do you notice the agouti patterning on the hairs. I've asked in some threads here if any breeder knows if there is a difference gentically between a regular sable and a patterned sable, but haven't gotten an answer yet! The difference isn't the same between a "light" and "melanistic" sable, as the difference between a saddle and blanket back.
The genetic coats are sable, black and tan, bicolor, and solid.
Both saddle back and blanket back are identical genetically, and referred to as black and tans. Its just how "melanistic" or how much black is expressed that makes a difference, and can be personal opinion on where to draw the line.
clarke: thats actually not sable with a saddle... A sable dog that has the saddle is referred to as a patterned sable, and from a distance will look identical to a black and tan dog, only close up do you notice the agouti patterning on the hairs. I've asked in some threads here if any breeder knows if there is a difference gentically between a regular sable and a patterned sable, but haven't gotten an answer yet! The difference isn't the same between a "light" and "melanistic" sable, as the difference between a saddle and blanket back.
I learned something today, I had never even heard of a blanket back until I read these posts.
You can't see it in the picture that I posted but Brutus has red on his ears, his upper head between the ears and bits throughout his coat, including the tip of his tail. It looks pretty cool. Anyone else have red on their saddle back dog?
i'll try and find some better pictures of Shelby that i have somewhere after we move and get settled some. She's the only showline we've had as i'm not a fan but she had some fabulously soft fur and just nice pigment. If it werent for her personality and her snow nose, she would have been perfect for showing.
Ok-I will be looking forward to seeing them. My dog is difficult to take pictures off. He just doesn't stay still very long. If I can get any good pictures of him, I will post more also.
She is beautiful-what a gorgeous face. I am going to wait for an expert to answer your question regarding what she is. I was going to guess saddle back but with the black extending down part of her front legs, I am not certain.
When you see a pic or her a 2 month old she is mostly black. Sucks though most of my good pics were lost on my old phone.
Sometimes I swear she changes color though. Sometimes she is lighter almost silver then other years she might be more black. When you pull the black hairs back there are silver and tan colored hairs.
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