Do you also imagine a German Shepherd with a black and brown coat? Black and tan German Shepherds are the most famous, especially in the United States, thanks to Rin Tin Tin. But you may be surprised to learn that these great dogs come in a range of striking and attractive colors!

Black, gray, sable, black and tan, blue, red and black, black and silver, and brown are the most common coat colors for this breed. Kennel clubs accept liver, blue, and solid liver-colored shepherds as purebreds as well.

Let’s take a look at all of the German Shepherd colors to determine which one is your favorite!

1. Black and Tan

The most popular color combination for the German Shepherd is black and tan, and it’s definitely what you imagine when you think of one.

The black appears on the saddle, and they may also wear a mask with black on their face. Their chests, sides, underbellies, and necks will all have a brown color. Black spotting can also be found on the tails and paws of many typical black and tan German Shepherds.

This color of German Shepherd has been around since the end of the 19th century when the first was officially registered in Germany.

2. Black and Red

The black and red combination, which is probably the second most prevalent color pattern on German Shepherds, is really distinctive and stands out on its own.

Because they are genetically similar to black and tan Shepherds, these dogs have the same color pattern. The chest, much of the head and neck, the underbelly, and much of the tail have a very dark tan fur that appears reddish.

3. Black and Silver

Black and silver German Shepherds, or simply Silver German Shepherds have black saddles and faces, while the side and underbelly are silver.

The muted black gene is responsible for the silver hue. Although there is no obvious scientific or genetic proof for the silver coat in German Shepherd coat color genetics, scientists have discovered that they come from the A-series or Agouti series.

4. Black and Cream

The black and cream German Shepherds have the same black markings as the black and tan German Shepherd, including a black saddle patch on their back, a black snout, and black coloring around their cheeks and ears.

The primary distinction between these dogs is the tint of “tan.” This is an example of a severe shade shift that results in a dog that appears to be a different hue. These Shepherds have the same DNA as their black and tan ancestors. Their main distinguishing feature is that their brown fur seems to be a light cream hue.

5. Pure Black

To be termed a black German Shepherd, this dog must be completely black! If this dog exhibits any signs of another coloration, they will be classified as a bi-colored dog.

Due to their rarity, Black German Shepherds can be costly and difficult to come by. They are purebred dogs recognized by the AKC and have the same origins as other purebred German Shepherds, although they are less common.

6. Pure White

Many of us have seen white German Shepherd dogs, but few of us recognize what we’re seeing. These all-white dogs, with their beautiful white coats and upright ears, look exactly like Golden Retrievers.

These dogs are not albino, as the common opinion suggests. Instead, they have a hereditary illness known as “albinism,” which is characterized by a decreased rate of melanin synthesis.

And because the first German Shepherd was black, this dog appears to be the furthest removed from its forefathers. This is why it was viewed as a flaw, and the American Kennel Club still does not accept white German Shepherds.

7. Liver

The Liver German Shepherd dog is both unique and eye-catching, with its rich, reddish-brown coat and amber-colored eyes.

German Shepherds with liver colorings are extremely unusual, and they have a single-color coat that is a very dark brown, almost reddish in hue, comparable to the color of a liver.

8. Blue

Blue German Shepherds are somewhat uncommon, as the hue is considered a “defect” by breeders. Because the recessive gene that causes the blueish appearance is recessive, both parents must possess the gene in order to create blue puppies.

Blue eyes are frequent in these dogs, and their coat comes in three colors: blue and tan, blue and sable, and blue and black.

9. Gray

The lovely, dusty coat of the gray German Shepherd is due to a dominant gene that causes a dark grey color. These puppies are born with beautiful blue eyes that gradually fade to a light or dark brown as they grow older.

Although they are sometimes mistaken with blue and black German Shepherds, these canines are genetically distinct because their coat coloration is determined by a dominant gene rather than a recessive one.

10. Bi-color

Another variety of the black and tan German Shepherd is the bi-colored German Shepherd. Despite their bi-color designation, the bulk of their coat is black, with tan markings on their paws and legs, and maybe on their face. The ratio of black to tan on these canines is believed to be 9:1!

Because bicolor German Shepherds have very little tan or silver patterns across their chest and legs, you’d believe they’re virtually black.

They even have a touch of saddle that stretches significantly over them if you look attentively.

11. Sable

Sable is a traditional German Shepherd coat that comes in a variety of colors, including gray, tan, and silver hair with black points.

Sable is a pattern that is frequently seen as a color. This is because this pattern is color-dependent. It’s impossible to have a sable shepherd without reddish fur. What counts is the distribution of red and black or silver and a lot of blacks: the lighter fur serves as a backdrop against which the darker fur is strewn.

The sable hue of a puppy varies with time. Tri-colored sables are born as black and tan puppies, whereas black sables are born as all-black puppies. The coloration of the puppy varies as it grows older. It might take up to three years for some GSDs to reach their ultimate sable color.

12. Panda

Panda German Shepherds, as the name implies, are white dogs with black spots, similar to a panda rather than a Dalmatian. Their eyes have large black patches with a white undercoat that is typically tinted with brown.

They are German Shepherds with the piebald gene, a rare genetic abnormality that first appeared in the year 2000.

13. Isabella (Lavender)

Isabella German Shepherd dogs have double dilution genes responsible for both the liver and blue coloring, making them the rarest of all the colors. They can have the typical saddles, but they usually appear to be solid-colored dogs.

Their eyes can be bright blue or hazel, and their paw pads, noses, and eye rims will be free of black pigment.

Conclusion

You might be astonished to learn that German Shepherds come in a variety of colors, given how widespread black and tan coloring is. Whatever color pattern you pick, you can be confident that your dog will be as healthy as the others, and that you’ll be getting a dog that is exceptionally loyal, protective, and obedient, and that will make a great family companion.

Thank you for reading the article.

Here are other articles on German Shepherds that you might be interested in.

Now that you know all 13 German Shepherd colors, which one is the color of your choice? Let us know in the comments below!