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How Many German Shepherd Colors Are There?

Just like many different breeds the German Shepherd can show a great variety of colors in their coats. The main difference between what is seen as okay and what is not usually comes when an owner wants to show their dog. These supposedly unacceptable colors are often considered faults and won’t be allowed. However, different colors have nothing to do with health, personality, or their overall fitness. Most German Shepherds are very smart and devoted pets as well as family-oriented dogs that can be highly protective. This alone makes them one of the most sought after dogs all over the world.

Common Colors

Most breeds have a very standard set of colors that they will be born with. The colors you might normally see on a German Shepherd include:

  • Black
  • Gray
  • Sable
  • Black and Tan
  • Blue
  • Red and Black
  • Black and Silver
  • Brown

German Shepherds are well known for usually being born with slightly darker, more earthier tones to their fur. It is not entirely uncommon to see Shepherds being born sporting other colors, but it is rare to see a great many born without some earthy tone to their fur.

These dogs also feature different types of coats dependent on their breeding, such as:

  • Short and wiry
  • Dense and thick
  • Medium thickness
  • Thick and very fluffy
  • Long and shaggy

As with many animals the coat tends to be a product of breeding and, in some cases, environment. For instance it makes sense for animals that live in the wilds or the cold to have longer fur in order to stay warm. While many dogs can’t just adapt on the spot in terms of their fur, their coats are a result of their heritage and where their progenitors came from.

A lot of German Shepherds also have more than one color in their coat, which is easily recognized by many. The most common colors that are seen together are:

Black and Tan

This is perhaps one of the most well-known color combinations that readily identifies the breed, and is known to many throughout the world as the defining colors of a German Shepherd

Black and Cream

Such dogs appear to have a blended bloodline thanks to their lighter tones, but they are more often than not pure bred.

Black and Silver

This color combination gives an almost regal look to any dog thanks to the distinguished appearance it brings.

Red and Black

Such a color combination gives a very healthy and robust look to the dogs that bear these hues.

Black and Red

Despite seeming like it would be the same look, this combination is a much stronger black with the red fur being almost completely relegated to the legs and underbelly.

Solid Black

While this is a very common look for Shepherds, it is still one that confuses people at times until they look closer and recognize the distinctive profile.

There are different variations that are a blend of those mentioned above, but the most common combination is typically the black and tan, which seems to have become synonymous with the breed.

Conclusion

German Shepherds are a very common and hard to miss breed that many people would recognize from a glance. However the colors that they are known to exhibit makes it possible to mistake them for a different dog altogether, as the variations listed above are normal and common enough to be seen in many dogs but are still not quite the norm when asking people to identify them.

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