Black and Tan German Shepherds

The black tan German Shepherd Dogs can be rich black and tan, melanistic black and tan or faded black and tan GSD.

The black and tan German Shepherds also show a rich tan marking, but have black saddles or blankets which are black varying in intensity. The black mantle in a standard black tan German Shepherd should cover the nape its neck, the shoulder and the dog’s back and sides down close to the belly region, and croup and tail. It is noticed quite often that the tan or the grey markings showing at the region of neck and down the tail. At the same time if this is noticed over the croup or along the sides of the dog or if the tail does not end up with a black tip, it is an indication of pale color in German Shepherd Dogs.

As we are talking about black and tan German Shepherds, we should talk about a pattern that appears like "Salt and pepper mix look” in the region of back and withers. This is very common in German Shepherd females, and is sometimes found even in the darker females too. This pattern in found, although not too frequently, in the faded male German Shepherd Dogs. There are very faded black tan German Shepherd Dogs that are easily confused with light sable GSDs. At times the black and tan German Shepherds tend to be so fade in pigmentation that judges usually consider them faulty. Most people who are not very much acquainted with the German Shepherd Dog breed mistakenly believe that there is only one color and that is typical 'black and tan'.

Very dark black and tan German Shepherds are often confused with bi color, and may come up with nearly solid black heads, necks and bodies. Melanistic black and tan German Shepherds look quite similar to bi color ones. They usually show little bit of tan markings around the base of the ears, and have very few or no black hairs down the region of pasterns, and on the toes and hock portions.

The black and tan German Shepherd puppies are born all black.

Rich black and tan German Shepherd, Melanistic black tan German Shepherd and faded black and tan Shepherd

 

 Note: The images of Black-Tan German Shepherds have been reproduced from the original work of Linda J Shaw (www.shawlein.com)