| PATTERNS |
Solid

Dreamweaver Orya of Yentl's Yard ~ Photo
courtesy of Susan Gebur, Loujuan Shepherds
Solid is a recessive gene - both parents have to carry
it to produce it. True solids come in black, blue, and liver.
If BOTH parents of a litter are solids then all resulting puppies
will also be solid patterned - NO saddles, bi-colors, sables,
etc.
Above is a solid black long-coat. His dam is also a solid black
long-coat, and his sire is a solid blue long-coat.

Regalwise Oreo ~ Photo courtesy of Alicia
Lips, Kerstone Shepherds
The white gene is
not actually the solid gene, it is a masking gene that covers the
dogs true pattern/color.
They only phenotypically appear to be one solid color
For example, you could breed a solid white to a solid black and
get ALL saddle or sable patterned pups - no solids - depending on
what the white parent is "masking".
This dog is a champion. Both parents are whites with white
champion pedigrees.
Sable

Regalwise Wycliff Robin ~ Photo courtesy of Ronda
Beaupre, Regalwise Shepherds
Sire was a sable
German, SchH/working titled import and dam was a champion,
obedience, and working titled white bitch.
Saddle

Regalwise Dunkin Destiny ~ Photo courtesy
of Ronda Beaupre, Regalwise
Shepherds
Most
"saddle" patterned dogs have solid black saddles. Most
also have tan "ticking" (tips of fur shaft is
not black) coming through on the shoulders and back.
Sire is a champion white (Regalwise Jeromeo) and dam is a
long-coated black and red bitch from German lines.

Raebark's CPR Survivor ~ Photo courtesy of
Rachel Clark, Raebark Shepherds
However, some
sables have the "saddle" pattern. If the dog is a dark
sable it can be hard to tell whether
the saddle is black with lots of ticking or if it is actually sable
(shafts of fur will be banded with more than one color).
Sire is black & tan and dam is a sable .
Bi-Color

Beiko vom Raeuberwald ~ Photo courtesy of Andreas
Mueller, Zauberberg K9 Academy, Inc.
"Panda Shepherds"
Tri-Color
Lewcinkas Franka vom Phenom and 2 of her
puppies ~ Photos courtesy of Cindy McCann, Lewcinkas Kennels
Frankie & her pups are rare "Panda
Shepherds". Franka's sire is black & tan saddle
patterned and her dam is solid black.
Franka has been DNA-tested and is an AKC registered GSD.
Black & White

Phenom N Furrari's Flash ~ Photos courtesy of Marion Lopizzo, Furrari Shepherds
Dam is a tri-color Panda (Frankie, pictured above) and
sire is a champion white.
Sable

Lewcinka's Artemus von Phenom ~ Photo courtesy of Cindy
McCann, Phenom Shepherds
This puppy is a third generation "Panda
Shepherd". Dam is a tri-colored Panda and sire is a champion
white.
Brindle
"The
Lost Color"
See photos of
brindles from the early 1900's:
www.eastgermanshepherd.com/ds1.jpg, www.eastgermanshepherd.com/ds2.jpg, www.atlantic.net/~vcristel/images/brshep.jpg
© 2005, 2006, 2007
Please do not copy or use any information or photos without
permission.
Alicia
Lips