Blue German Shepherds
A black/red pup next to a blue/red pup
The blue color in German Shepherds is the result of a dilution gene. This recessive gene dilutes any black pigment on the dog including coat color, nose leather, foot pads, toe nails, lips, etc. It also affects their eye color. Blue pups have a beautiful light gray coat as babies, as they age however is usually darkens up quite a bit, the ones that darken up are called "steel" blues. To the untrained eye, they can be mistaken for regular blacks. There is also "Powder" blues, they tend to lighten up in color and always stay a very noticeable gray color. Powder blues are not seen very often.
Blue German Shepherds whether steel blue or powder blue will also have light eyes, they usually stay bright blue till about 6-12 weeks of age then they go through varying shades of green and yellow, usually ending up yellow/amber or a light shade of brown.
A blue pup with sable markings
We have a couple blues and a few dogs who carry the blue gene. We have also incorporated white, liver & isabella into our breeding program over the years so we will occasionally have these unique colors available because of the genetics of some of our dogs. We do NOT charge more for certain colors like some breeders do and we will NEVER sacrifice our breeding principles for color. We choose these dogs first and foremost because their temperament, structure and health aligns with the goals of our breeding program. A beautiful unique color is just icing on the cake of an already exceptional dog. Our non-traditional color lines have some of the highest hip ratings in the US! We have produced non-traditional colored GSDs that compete in obedience, agility, nose work, etc. and a few are also therapy and service dogs. I personally love the non-traditional colored German Shepherds. These colors are been in the breed since the beginning and our foundation girl Rose just happened to be a blue!
Websites:
Steel Cross German Shepherds - We have worked with this breeder in the past and they have tons of pictures of the different colors/markings of GSDs.
