In fact, many coat colors are considered faults and, as a result, they are not acceptable by most major kennel clubs.

However, this doesn’t mean that kennel clubs recognize all of them. German Shepherds, just like other dog breeds, can come in many colors and patterns. Are Sable German Shepherds Recognized by the AKC? In fact, there isn’t enough evidence for claims that sable is in any way distinct from any other GSD color. While sable was the original German Shepherd color, there isn’t enough evidence to prove that black and tan GSDs are descendants of these pups. However, the exact genetics behind these sable patterns aren’t known. It comes in four variations, each for a specific pattern of the black tips on the dog’s coat. It is known that the agouti gene controls the sable color in these dogs. Other than wolves, it is found in only a few dog breeds. While German Shepherds aren’t the only breed of dog with a sable pattern, this particular gene is very rare. Standard sable German Shepherds have a mixture of tan and black coloration. Sable GSDs resemble wolves in that each individual hair has a black tip. Overall, the only thing that makes sable German Shepherds different from any other German Shepherd is their coat color. Are Sable German Shepherds Different from Other German Shepherds? They can easily be confused with black German Shepherds. These pups look just like solid black German Shepherds, but they carry tan or sable genes hidden in their bloodlines. In fact, this is the rarest of all German Shepherd colors, whether sable or not. The rarest combination of all is recessive black. For example, silver sable German Shepherds are quite rare, while tan sable German Shepherds are fairly common. Still, if a base color is rare, that makes the sable variation of it even rarer. This makes them a lot rarer than standard black and tan German Shepherds, although they are still not considered rare – at least not red and tan sable GSDs. However, sable German Shepherds are not a popular choice among regular GSD owners. They are not a crossbreed, and the sable gene exists in all GSD bloodlines. Sable German Shepherds are simply a variation of regular GSDs. The only thing that will change is the shade of its base coat, and sometimes some individual hairs might become lighter or darker. Overall, though, your puppy should keep the markings it has when it is very young. However, if his parents are in quite different colors, then predicting the adult coat color can be challenging. You can get a general idea of what your sable German Shepherd puppy will look like by looking at his parents. This makes it hard for sable German Shepherd breeders to confirm the exact shade that your new puppy will be.

Still, until they are fully grown, their coat color might darken again, or become lighter over time. As they reach 8 weeks of age, however, their color will become lighter. Usually, sable German Shepherds will be born with a solid black coat. In fact, before they reach adulthood, they will change color several times! Most, if not all sable German Shepherds change their coat color as they age.

However, the most common ones are liver on cream, black on cream, black on red, and sometimes even silver on cream. Sable German Shepherds come in various color patterns. As for their base coat, it can be in any color that GSDs can come in, but it’ll usually be brown, red, silver, or sometimes even black.

They won’t always have the saddle markings that this breed is known for. We’ve already mentioned that their fur is multi-colored, or banded. Females can weigh between 55 and 73 lbs, while males can reach a weight of 95 lbs! This makes them significantly larger than females. These dogs can grow up to be between 24 and 26 inches depending on whether you have a female or a male GSD, respectively. Other than their unique coat color, sable German Shepherds look just like any other German Shepherd. Instead, you can hear them use the term German Shepherd Agouti. Some breeders don’t call these pups sable German Shepherds. In the German Shepherd breed, this is usually red or tan. Sable color actually means that the coat is multi-colored and has black tips. This is also the most dominant gene in the German Shepherd genetics.Īll of the first German Shepherds were sable colored. Sable German Shepherds are considered archetypal dogs as they have DNA similar to wolves. While most people know German Shepherds for their black and tan coat, the first GSD, Horand von Grafrath (also known as Hektor Linksrhein) was, in fact, a sable dog bred by Max von Stephanitz. 16 Is a Sable German Shepherd the Right Dog for You? What Is a Sable German Shepherd?Ī sable German Shepherd is a GSD with a specific coat color and pattern.

Sable german shepherd puppies