Not because the same genes that give them a black coat also change their behavior. This is widely considered to be the Lab color with the best working temperament. It’s interesting that in some other breeds, temperament has been linked to color by selective breeding. But, they do tend to be naturally disinterested in new people, and somewhat aloof. Responsible GSD breeders consider it an important trait of the breed that they are never fearful of strangers, nor aggressive. They’re likely to be smart, quick to learn new cues, energetic, and deeply devoted to their family. So on the whole, blue German Shepherds have the same personality as any other color. Blue German Shepherd TemperamentĬolor dilution doesn’t directly affect a dog’s temperament. Some breeders even choose to breed blue litters on purpose. So unexpected blue puppies can be easily rehomed. We’re also more likely to celebrate, and even prize, rare or unusual coat colors. So their show quality has less significance. These days people are more likely to keep dogs purely for companionship. But their siblings would go out in to the world, and some of them would be silent carriers of the dilution gene themselves. Historically, these puppies were likely to be euthanized at birth, they were so undesirable. Occasionally in the past, two carriers would be mated without their owners realising they carried the dilution gene, and blue puppies might appear in their litters. Since the dilution gene isn’t expressed if a dog only has one copy of it, it can be carried silently down many generations. And, breeders would continue their breeding lines using only dogs with the richest colors. Essentially: blue German Shepherds are inferior examples of the breed. “Serious fault” means that a blue GSD competing in a dog show would have a lot of points deducted for their color, and no chance of winning. Pale, washed-out colors and blues or livers are serious faults.” For German Shepherds, one of the things it says is: The breed standard describes what an ideal example of the breed should look like. All dog breeds have a written breed standard, agreed by their breed club and any breed registry they’re affiliated with (such as the American Kennel Club). Traditionally, blue GSDs (either solid, sable, or with tan markings) were very rare indeed. They will have a standard black, black and tan, or sable coat. Puppies who only inherit the dilution gene from one parent carry that copy silently. And if they also have the genes for tan or sable markings, they will be a blue and tan German Shepherd, or a blue sable one. So, solid blue GSDs are solid black German Shepherds, with two copies of the dilution gene. When this happens, fur which would have been black, is diluted to gray. So, it only shows when a puppy inherits copies from both their mom and their dad. The exact shade of gray can vary from deep slate, to pale and smoky. Because the pigment is less concentrated, it starts to look gray, rather than black. The color dilution gene restricts how much black pigment is made in dogs’ coats. Blue German Shepherd Geneticsīlue German Shepherds owe their color to a very specific gene, called the color dilution gene. Some blue GSDs also have light-colored eyes, like the pup in our photos. It’s even possible to get blue sable German Shepherd Dogs, where each shaft of hair has distinct bands of blue and other colors along its length. Or their coat can be broken up with tan markings. But they are not to be confused with Blue Bay Shepherds, a wolf-dog hybrid created by crossing gray wolves with German Shepherd Dogs, Huskies and Malamutes.īlue German Shepherd Dogs can be solid blue all over. Especially in the UK, where Alsatian gained popularity as an alternative name for GSDs after WW2. Blue GSDs are sometimes also called blue Alsatians. Of course, this doesn’t mean ‘blue like the sky!’ Blue is the name used by dog lovers for coats that are gray. What is a Blue German Shepherd?Ī blue German Shepherd is a German Shepherd dog with a blue-colored coat. Let’s take a closer look at this interesting coat color. So, it’s important to do your research before bringing a blue German Shepherd puppy into your home. But, there are health implications people should be aware of when searching for blue German Shepherd puppies. In every other respect, they closely resemble a German Shepherd in one of the traditional colors. A blue German Shepherd dog has an unusual gray coat, which doesn’t meet the traditional standard for the breed.
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