Black German Shepherd dogs are beautiful. Their striking single tone comes from a rare combination of recessive genes for the black pigment eumelanin. This sets them apart from the majority of dog breeds, who inherit a solid black coat from a simple dominant gene. And the black German Shepherd is thought to have a few differences to your average sable GSD too. This is because to get that solid black shade, both parents need to carry a rare gene, so breeders don’t have a huge number of potential parents to choose from. This has potentially landed them with puppies that are rather more extreme than your average dogs in ways the go beyond color.
Contents
- Differences in appearance
- Temperament traits vs color
- Are black German Shepherds healthier?
- Black German Shepherd puppies
Black German Shepherd dogs have a large height and medium build. They come in long and short coated varieties, but have all the breed traits of any other German Shepherd dog. They are smart, powerful watchdogs, with a loyal and protective nature that makes them great guard dogs too.
What is a Black German Shepherd Dog?
A black German Shepherd is a German Shepherd like any other. Just with a dark inky hue to their coat.
Of all the larger breeds that a dog lover can choose from, there really is something quite special about the German Shepherd dog. When you see a solid black German Shepherd, your jaw may well drop to the floor. These wonderful animals are just beautiful. They’re not a separate breed, but line breeding has given them a few differences to your average dog.
Where Do Black German Shepherds Come From?
German Shepherds, like many other breeds of dog, were founded to create a ‘better working dog’. The GSDs we know and love today are the result of breeding from a number of other breeds, most notably the classic herding dog, the Berger Picard.
The first German Shepherds came about at the very tail end (pardon the pun) of the 19th century and quickly spread around the world. They’ve excelled in military careers, as service dogs, in search and rescue, and many more lines of work.
Black German Shepherds are nothing new. As long as the breed has existed, these incredible dogs have shown their impressive form beneath a fine and shiny dark coat.
Black German Shepherd Appearance
German Shepherds, regardless of coat color, share some rather unique characteristics with one another.
They have long necks, large ears (which are usually erect), fluffy bushy tails, domed heads, long muzzles, large brown eyes and black noses. Black German Shepherds follow all of these physical characteristics and traits as well.
Size and Weight
They are generally large dogs, standing around 20 to 25 inches tall. GSDs are all longer than they are tall and can weigh in anywhere from 60 all the way up to 100 pounds.
Black German Shepherd dogs are sometimes reported as being slightly larger and more muscular than non-black dogs of their breed. We can’t find any quantitive evidence of this, but it could well be that either by accident or design, breeders specialising in black GSDs also used larger than average dogs in their breeding lines.
Coat Type
Devotees of the black coated German Shepherd often say their coats are more luxurious and “flowing”. It’s true that German Shepherds can have short or long coats, and even fur that’s a little wavy. But at the time of writing, scientists haven’t uncovered much about the genes which control the length, curl or texture of dogs’ coats.
It could be possible that black German Shepherd breeders, having fallen in love with their canines’ unique looks, were especially attentive to finding breeding stock with long, thick, coat, and propagated the genes for this look!
Grooming and Shedding
The black German Shepherd dog has a double coat. This ‘extra’ hair doesn’t require much more effort on the grooming front, though. Twice weekly brushing of your black German Shepherd will usually suffice.
All German Shepherd dogs shed their coats quite significantly throughout the year, and “blow their coat” in spring and fall.
As you can imagine, an all black German Shepherd will really make an impact on your floors and furnishings as this happens! In other words, there will be plenty of hair to clear up. So make sure you keep your vacuum cleaner close at hand.
Are Black German Shepherds Hypoallergenic?
The black German Shepherd is not an allergy friendly dog. They are prolific shedders, and even if you keep on top of their grooming are likely to set off an allergy sufferer’s reaction.
Does Color Impact Temperament?
The answer here is simple. At the time of writing, there’s no evidence that coat color changes the German Shepherd’s disposition. Whether, sable, black, or bi-colored, your GSD will be loyal, quick to learn new commands, and a tireless worker.
Health of the Black German Shepherd
Anecdotally, it also seems that fewer black German Shepherds have been victims of the painful trend for “banana backed” German Shepherds – which is a good thing! An all black Shepherd is prone to the same health issues as any other colored German Shepherd. Unfortunately, German Shepherds are known for being at at a heightened risk of developing quite a few medical problems.
The most common issue that these dogs face – black, black and tan or otherwise – is hip and elbow dysplasia. This malformation of the socket, pain and eventual lameness can really impact the dog’s life. To protect their litters, good breeders health test the parents, including through joint exams.
German Shepherd Coat Genetics
Our dogs come in a huge spectrum of colors, but did you know that they all boil down to just two types of pigment? Those pigments are eumelanin (black), and phaeomelanin (red).
Then, there are lots of genes which orchestrate which of those pigments is produced in each individual hair, and how intensely it is expressed.
When dogs have the gene for the black pigment eumelanin, their default color is usually black. But other genes can modulate that color to brown, grey or silver, and still further genes can create patterns or white markings.
Furthermore, most black dogs are black because they possess a gene for producing eumelanin which overrides any other instruction – known as a dominant gene. In fact, all-black German Shepherds are an exception.
Sable vs Black German Shepherd Genes
GSDs don’t carry the dominant black gene at all. Their default color is sable. Instead, black German Shepherds get their color by inheriting two copies of a different, recessive gene for eumelanin. Recessive genes need to be inherited from both mom and dad in order to be expressed. If two sable German Shepherds carrying the recessive black gene mate, approximately one quarter of their puppies will be black.
When a black German Shepherd mates with a sable dog carrying the recessive gene, the proportion of black puppies in the litter rises to around half. Only mating two black GSDs together guarantees a litter of black puppies.
But a good breeder prioritises their litter’s health over their color, and it’s often difficult to find two black German Shepherds local to one another who are unrelated enough to breed safely.
Popularity of the Black German Shepherd
These dogs are, unsurprisingly, in demand. German Shepherds are sought after animals – they consistently hold the position of the AKC’s second most popular dog, pipped only by the Labrador Retriever. And with long, black hair? They look incredible.
Since all black German Shepherds, and unusual colors like black and red or black and white German Shepherd dogs are rare, be prepared to join a waiting list when you find a breeder. You might also find that these dogs command a premium price.
Make sure your breeder has health-tested their puppies’ parents, and their fee is based on raising healthy, well socialised and cared for puppies, not just their unusual coat.
Black German Shepherd Puppies
All black German Shepherd puppies are born either black, grey or white. The color shifts and gradually changes over the first few weeks, with the black settling in by around the 8-10 week mark.
In fact, only 6.8% of all German Shepherds puppies born in the world go on to be black. And that is accounting for intentional breeding of black Shepherds.
Black German Shepherd Breeders
Great German Shepherd breeders are passionate about the welfare of their dogs. Protecting the next generation from inherited disorders is top priority, so they always make sure sire and dam are health tested, and completely unrelated.
This is why, in well-reared litters, the frequency of solid black puppies remains low. When you find a breeder, be prepared to join a waiting list if you’ve got your heart set on a black puppy.
We also recommend taking your time to meet several breeders, visit their homes, and get to know their dogs. Black German Shepherd puppies are very desirable and sought after, so they’re an easy choice for puppy farms.
Unscrupulous breeders can guarantee a high proportion of black puppies in a litter by mating two all black parents together, without regard to how closely they are related.
If you meet a litter of all black German Shepherd puppies, ask the breeder about inbreeding – they should leap to offer you proof of a low inbreeding co-efficient! This is a simple DNA test of both parents, which good breeders arrange through their vet before mating takes place.
Black German Shepherd Rescue
Another way to find a gorgeous black GSD to share your life is by rescuing or re-homing one. Rescue dogs find their way to shelters for all kinds of reasons. A big advantage in rescuing a dog is being able to bring them home with a clear picture of their adult temperament and health.
Since German Shepherds are such relied upon working dogs, you might also find an older black GSD looking for a loving home to live out his honorable retirement.
Giancarlo D'Urso Cunsolo says
Jessa Lauren says
MAY 23, 2019 AT 08:13
Hi there 🙂 As pups, German Shepherds are interesting, in terms of color determination, and can be quite confusing if you aren’t too familiar with the breed or simply just don’t have experience with handling GSD pups. The thing with these dogs is: in order to result in a black pup that stays black throughout the entirety of it’s life, at least one parent must be solid black him/herself. The eumelanin gene is double recessive and quite rare. It will not present itself in the coat coloring of any pups without one or both parents possessing the gene. Often the pups that appear as the typically seen, saddled, black and tan GSD, will grow up to actually possess an adult coat of sable color pigmentation; whereas the pups that look nearly solid black, will acquire tan fur as they grow, thus turning what seemed at 8 weeks to be a full coat of black into a simple saddle, and making these pups into the tradition black and tan saddled German Shepherds. The key here is to make note of ANY coloring in addition to the black that is almost entirely prevalent, and most likely you will discover a hint of tan on each paw, or on the bottom of each leg. That alone will allow you to determine that the pups with these markings will possess adult coats of traditional, saddled pigmentation. Looking to the parents, however, as I previously mentioned, can be a reliable way to get an idea of what your potential pup will grow up to look like. Usually fur length, adult size, temperament, overall health, intelligence, and coat pigmentation will mimic that of one or both parents, and like I said, to produce a solid black GSD, you must have one or both solid black parents. Any pup that is 100% solid black, nevertheless, with no hints of any other colors whatsoever, will remain to be solid black throughout his or her lifetime. I hope this helps!
Giancarlo D'Urso Cunsolo says
Dear Jessa.
We think you have shared some great information that are not easy to find about the DDR GSD, which stands for Deutsche Demokratische Republik-German Shepherd Dog, a bloodline of the traditional mixed coloured German Shepherd. You should write articles and books about the unique Black German Shepherd Line. We have one, and we strongly agree with all you have mentioned in your studies and researches. Thank you for your contributions and wish you all the best for more research and studies about this beautiful creatures.
LaTrecia says
I have a solid black GSD. He is my 4th GSD in 20 years. We had the black and tan with the blanket, black and tan with saddle, silver sable and now all black. He has been the only velcro we have ever had. He isn’t nervous and has no separation anxiety. He is very protective of us. He is a giant in size but still very lean. He is 20 months old, and weighs a little over 90 pounds. I love this breed so much. They are so loyal and loving.
Marsha says
Hello I have a solid black German Shepherd who is 12 1/2 years old. He is 140lbs. I am 5’7 and when I lay beside him he is only a few inches short of my length. So about 4ft long. He is an amazing dog, great temperament and simply a gentle giant. Well behaved and naturally disciplined. Simply majestic, beautiful.and the best dog anyone could ask for.
I have read many articles where they state the max weight is 100lbs and that solid black GSDs are not larger and in reading your article you also state that larger than 100lbs has not been proven so I wanted to tell you Aquiles is proof that the all Black GSD can be significantly larger. Another fact is that larger breeds tend not to live long and he is 140lbs and 12 1/2 years old. He was quite healthy until late last year/ beginning of this year. But I am sure he still has some years left in him. So place consider him as proof to your statement.
Cynthia says
Mine was 125 pounds. Gentle giant except he had a loose screw regarding other dogs. Mostly males. He was too big for me to control if a loose dog ran up and all that so he stayed home. Car trips large yard house dog. He got put down 9 months ago at 11. 1/2 year before that i lost pleasure in things as i knew it was coming….hips went. Wellllllll….just got a puppy May 13. Female. American bred lime he was. Her dad looked a whole lot like him but the mom a different style. Shell be big for a female. Shes got a pretty balanced personality. More scaredy cat but recovers gamely. I really like her!! 69 this summer. Last one….that makes 5 all blacks in my life. All quite different. I prefer american. The german line one i got was so hard and high drive. Too much!
Marion says
I have an all black female GSD pup that is one of the sweetest and smartest dogs I have ever had. The only difference in the all black and other collared GSD’s is that that I have found is that its harder to read the expressions on her face. GSD are very expressive which you can easily see but with her its harder to see. In other words their is no meaningful differences between the color patters.
Richard John Guevarra says
“In fact, only 6.8% of all German Shepherds puppies born in the world go on to be black.
And that is accounting for intentional breeding of black Shepherds.”
Good day! I just want to know where can I read this one? What’s the source for this part. Thanks!
Lisa Bannan says
Hi. My name is Lisa. I had a long haired, solid black German shepherd named BoBo, but unfortunately, he passed away at only 7 years old. He was actually born in my own house. I purchased his mom from a breeder near me, who was a long-haired, sable colored GSD. Her pregnancy was unexpected. My son also owned a sable colored GSD named Titan. He was a majestic dog! Very tall and very beautiful. I agreed to dog sit Titan for an afternoon, not realizing my female was in heat, and wallah! Two months later, we have a litter of full bred GSD’s. Though the pregnancy wasn’t planned, I was excited to have such beautiful puppies. But we think there had to be some inbreeding from the breeders we purchased our GSD’s from because a few of the pups had birth defects, including my BoBo. I do remember questioning this when I picked up BoBo’s mother because the environment was suspect, but the breeder denied it. Since I had no future plans for breeding, I let it go. My son’s GSD was purchased at a different time from a different locale, so if they were related, it was entirely unsuspected. All that being said, with 3 out of 8 pups having some kind of small birth defect, we concluded it was likely they were related somewhere down the line. BoBo had the most severe birth defect. He had a cleft lip and could not nurse. I didn’t discover this until a couple days after he was born. He cried a lot and was always off to the side while the other pups were nursing. After a couple days of this, I woke in the middle of the night to his cries and finally picked him up to take a good look at him, and sure enough, I discovered his deformity. Being completely distraught and worried for this little guy’s life, I rushed him to a vet ER at 3 am, where they gave me an ultimatum…euthanasia or tube feeding round the clock until he was weaned. I couldn’t fathom ending this beautiful baby’s life so it wasn’t even a matter of choice! The vet quickly trained me on placing a tube down into his belly and equipped me with some puppy formula to last a few days, until I could purchase more. And so began a MARVELOUS relationship! I must admit it was exhausting! Every two hours he had to be fed. But BoBo became an extension of my heart! He was MY BABY! I loved him more than I ever thought possible! And he reciprocated! Needless to say, his passing at just 7 years old was VERY difficult, AND unexpected! It started as a normal day, but soon turned disastrous! What seemed a sudden turn of events, BoBo laid down at the foot of my bed and began crying a lot. And every time he moved, he would let out a loud yelp! I had a sinking feeling that whatever was going on was no small thing. I cried with him because I couldn’t stand seeing him in such agony. Once again, I rushed him to the hospital. After a few tests, the vet came in with some devastating news! BoBo was in kidney failure and there was nothing they could do for him. The choice was clear…he had to be euthanized. It was the only choice! Anything else would only be a selfish and cruel choice. I had to let my baby go 😭. It was one of the hardest decisions of my life! It was over quickly and he was at peace, but I mourned for a very long time. I still can’t tell his story without weeping like a baby ♥️. BoBo is the only dog I’ve ever enshrined by purchasing a plaster cast of his paw print and keeping his ashes on my mantle. I will miss him for the rest of my life! He was also the most beautiful dog I’ve ever owned, with his long, solid black coat, and unmistakable German Shepherd features! He had an inquisitive and gentle personality…VERY loving! Very smart! But, I couldn’t take a chance on breeding him with the possibility of inbreeding in his genes, so I have nothing left of BoBo, except his paw print and ashes. RIP BoBo! You’ll forever be in my heart 💝
german shepherd puppy says
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about german shepherd behavior.
Regards
Mirtha says
We recently adopted an all black female GSD, 1 1/2, from a county shelter. We did not go there for her but it was meant to be. She inspected my son, then me, went back to him and basically within a couple of minutes lay on his feet and rested against his legs. I am trying to educate myself. She is extremely energetic, and has escaped from the backyard three times. We believe she jumped the 6′ fence – we have seen her jump and get her front paws almost to the top. So, unfortunately she is not allowed outside unsupervised. She is pretty good inside, although she loves to get my clothes from my hamper, but only my work clothes. She also likes to jump on the furniture by the window so she can get a better view. We’re trying to work on those behavior issues, seems it’s more when I leave the house. It’s like having a hyper toddler. We had never seen an all black GSD, so we were doubtful she was a pure GS.
Mike says
I rescued and then adopted my black shepherd a few days after she turned 10 years. She does t her life in a outdoor kennel that bred shepherds for watchdogs. I do t know how many litters she produced. The owner has died and the caretaker didn’t know. My girl and 4 other girls were thought to be vicious and were a day away from euthanization. My baby was flea infested, malnourished with very little coat. She was shivering in the cold. My mobile vet came the next day to treat for fleas so I could take her home in 2 days. Long story short, my Zelda is the sweetest gsd I’ve ever had. Her personality is finally coming out. We are best friends. I hope she lives a long life. We’re both happy!
Keith says
Blue color in GSD is considered a
FAULT
& should breed those parents
Sharon says
Wow, great reading.
I’m due to pick up my solid black gs in 3 weeks. I’ve never owned a gs, I’m very much looking forward to the journey.
Renee Miller says
We have always had a GSD. Jake passed away at 13.5 years old a year ago this month, he was a Black GSD and the love of my life. He had a gentle soul, easy to train, loved his family. I miss him everyday. I have a 6 year old Sable female who is wonderful and crazy intelligent. I will be looking soon for another Black GSD puppy.
German says
I have black german shepherd puppy 1-year-old, Yout article helps me a lot. I love the black GS. It’s too cute.
Richard says
I have a 1.5 year old black German Shepherd I adopted and he drives me crazy. He barks at nothing, doesn’t bark when someone pulls in the driveway and Is constantly running around tearing up the yard. He is constantly lunging at my chickens and I am so tired of yelling at him I just leave him on the chain. My last dog was NEVER on the chain so this dog is very frustrating. I have no idea what to do with him.
Ken says
If it’s that bad send him to me, he needs love and training.
Deb says
Please don’t leave him on the chain. Even though his behaviour is full on, he needs exercise and stimulation for his brain.
john says
dog has a lot of catch up training to do at 1.5
Marion says
MY 10 month old 95 lb Sable is/was a Bark too. Unfortunately to stop it we had to get a no bark collar for him. It took only a few barks for him to get the hint to stop. We have to laugh when we take the collar off and see that we forgot to turn it on.
Mildred J Sargent says
Obedience training is your best bet.
Susie says
They are very easy to train. Once trained it’s permanent. We adopted Ours and he was wild . I could not stop him. He was crazy! I thought aggressive tendencies. I paid for 5 lessons from a trainer and he’s been perfect ever since. No 👀 back. The best dog. They are super smart. Do not train with aggression, hitting, yelling. You must be patient. You give command, e.g. lay down. Hold the leash and wait until he lays down. Don’t let him go anywhere keep him there with the lease snug. It can take a few minutes. But they hear you, understand you, and will do it. Don’t keep giving the command, just wait. Be consistent. It might take inky 1 time. They are amazing dogs.
Benparr says
I just had a litter and had a couple of interesting sheprd coats including the blue and the black coats
Chris says
Is this your first litter?
Ana says
I am looking to obtain a black GSD
Do you have puppies available ?
Holly says
My 7 year old black GSD is very smart, loyal and quick to please. she is a velcro dog, she must sleep, sit on me feet or curl in the chair next to me or on top of me. At 110 lbs she thinks she is a lap dog She loves people and other animals. She is a dream dog and I would definitely get another black GSD.
Rachel Moody says
I also have a black German Shepherd pup she is approximately 10 months old very gorgeous beautiful very energetic but she is different than my original Luke is 5 years old he’s black and tan and he’s huge and fluffy and obedient and perfect in every way I fell in love with the breed I’ve had him his entire life and wanted to give him a companion I’ve always wanted a black German Shepherd and was looking for one when I came across Luke who was in a bad home so I gave him a good home. now I have Lily and she is defiant she is very intelligent but she’s relentless on anything that she sets her mind to do she will accomplish it whether you’re watching her do it or she’s waiting on you to leave so she can do it. very stubborn she needs a purpose the drive is strong with this one LOL so yes I have also heard from another friend of mine who has bread GSD dogs for many years, and she has silver and black and a black and tan and then with her solid black pup she got, she said this dog was straight from hell LOL and not that it was a bad dog he was just into everything tore up everything eating the couch not listening running away when he got outside or bolting through the door stuff like that so maybe it is the color she thinks it is..
john says
my third black and it sounds typical
Rejean Ragas says
I have a black german shepherd and he is just 10 months old named Rhino. He is a very good dog, calm temperament and always observing what we do and very smart too.
Shelby says
Hi! I just rescued a GSD, my first one ever. She came from a high kill shelter before being adopted by a local organization. She was placed with a wonderful foster mom until we found her and were blessed with being able to add her to our family. She was listed as a GSD mix but from what I can tell she’s full GSD. She is definitely on the smaller side of only 50-55 pounds, but shows all the traits of a GSD. She’s loving, loyal, energetic, smart, and everything I could ask for. From what we’ve been told she’s about 11 months. She LOVES humans, especially kids, but we have had some difficulties with other dogs. She has been fairly good with our 9 yo pure Min Pin boy but not so much with the dogs in our neighborhood and with our friends’ dogs and puppies. She is all black, but has some gray at her roots in some places and a tiny bit of brown that peeks through between her toes.
What are some suggestions in how to find out what her genetic make up is as well as working to socialize her.
Jim says
I have a 7 year old black female GSD with light brown eyes and gray frosting on the back of her front legs (frosting came in with her first winter coat). She too has been accused of being a wolf. She is 78 pounds and a frisbee nut. She is my shadow and goes everywhere with me. Very friendly and great with grandkids aged 2 to 11. High prey drive, trained to German commands at 9 months of age, is always ready to rip, listens and obeys better than most kids, and is a pleasure to have in my house. She was a replacement for a rescued black GSD that died in 2012. That dog was the perfect companion and family protector. You are blessed to have one of those in a lifetime. It’s hard to believe I have had two in a row. Or is there a possibility that black shepherds ARE special.
Antoinette says
My Black German Shepherd Female was routinely confused with a wolf. She was smart as a whip, obedient loving motherly protecting and amazingly intuitive. She knew what made me angry, scared-even when I was acting bravely or calmly. She was a rescue-and worth her weight in gold. She gave me 16 years of devotion. She died laying next to my bed in her sleep. She gave me everything she could. She’s waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge.
Viviana Ruiz Sanchez says
So sweet she was!!! Mine is so protective I cried the other day and she knew exactly what was going on and kiss me. She is 1 year 5 months, so protective she sometimes gets a bit anxious if ppl approach her/us. (Which is a bit concerning should I be worry?
Jim says
Good article, I wish you had touched on coated German Shepherd dogs.
I have an all black coated German Shepherd that is 130 pounds. I have read that the coated German Shepherd is much more sociable than a regular German Shepherd. It has been my experience that this is true as this is my third but first coated. Gus shows none of the Leary of strangers trait that my other two gsd showed.
shannon says
is there any way to tell if a german shepherd will stay black the momma is black and tan and the dad is bicolor they had 7 pups 4 are showing a tan color and the other 3 are still pure black is there a way to tell if they will have color or stay black any thoughts would be great
Jessa Lauren says
Hi there 🙂 As pups, German Shepherds are interesting, in terms of color determination, and can be quite confusing if you aren’t too familiar with the breed or simply just don’t have experience with handling GSD pups. The thing with these dogs is: in order to result in a black pup that stays black throughout the entirety of it’s life, at least one parent must be solid black him/herself. The eumelanin gene is double recessive and quite rare. It will not present itself in the coat coloring of any pups without one or both parents possessing the gene. Often the pups that appear as the typically seen, saddled, black and tan GSD, will grow up to actually possess an adult coat of sable color pigmentation; whereas the pups that look nearly solid black, will acquire tan fur as they grow, thus turning what seemed at 8 weeks to be a full coat of black into a simple saddle, and making these pups into the tradition black and tan saddled German Shepherds. The key here is to make note of ANY coloring in addition to the black that is almost entirely prevalent, and most likely you will discover a hint of tan on each paw, or on the bottom of each leg. That alone will allow you to determine that the pups with these markings will possess adult coats of traditional, saddled pigmentation. Looking to the parents, however, as I previously mentioned, can be a reliable way to get an idea of what your potential pup will grow up to look like. Usually fur length, adult size, temperament, overall health, intelligence, and coat pigmentation will mimic that of one or both parents, and like I said, to produce a solid black GSD, you must have one or both solid black parents. Any pup that is 100% solid black, nevertheless, with no hints of any other colors whatsoever, will remain to be solid black throughout his or her lifetime. I hope this helps!
Keith says
You can tell if a german shepherd puppy is all black at 1 day old
Despite all the people who say different
Over been breeding black gsd for 50 years
Of the pup is only black EVERYWHERE the pup will remain all black
You can check around anus
If there is ANY other color in a ring around the anus
It will eventually spread to other places on dog
If no ring of tan, white or red is NOT there the dog will remain all black
NO IFFS
RUBEN says
Hello Keith, for a long time, I’m looking for a puppy german shepherd male solid black and long hair, is it possible that the mother and father are black, You can recommend a good breeder, the little I have found do not inspire me confidence ….thank you!
Julia Susanne Bryan says
We have been breeding gsds for 30 years, pure blacks are more likely to bond with only one owner, they make better search and drug dogs, over all less play drive , need more socializing. Very sweet, loving and great with kids.
Viviana Ruiz Sanchez says
Hi, how can I help mine with more intense socialising? She is 1 year 5 months and she is been a bit upset when ppl approach her /us 2 times already recently. She’s adorable so protective and loving overprotective perhaps. First time dog owner..
Keith says
O also have been breeding World level GSD for 50 years
Black Gsd come from 2 specific genetic backgrounds
1 ) old east german ddr lines or Czech border patrol
Both very similar common backgrounds
2) west german WORKING lines & Belgian working line gsd
Both very similar & common backgrounds
Bred for high sport Schutzund competition.
These 2 backgrounds are Vastly different in looks & temperaments
Many black gsd are a combination of both backgrounds.
Dogs that are from these same backgrounds that are stable or black & Tan act the same as the black gsd from these backgrounds.
It’s not the black color that makes them act differently than the more common showlines backgrounds its because of their genetic backgrounds that make them act differently
RUBEN says
Hello Julia, for a long time, I’m looking for a puppy german shepherd male solid black and long hair, is it possible that the mother and father are black, You can recommend a good breeder, the little I have found do not inspire me confidence ….thank you!
Henry Gardner says
My
name is Henry .l have a good looking black GSD his name is Moses. He is handsome with his unique markings. About 2yrs ago his legs and paws chg colors. His inter legs are light grey and his outside legs has tan hair mixed with the black. His paws have grey hair between the toes. Most people who see him thinks he’s a wolf . He is over 5 ft. standing on his hind legs. He is about 30 inch at the shoulder and weighs about 130 .lbs. He is 4yrs old now and he is a good guard dog. His mom name is Spooky von haus she is a plush black coat his dad is Blitz Vom Kieferwald ll he is a black and tan with a little sable on his back. I have had a GSD for over 40yrs Moses is one of my most handsome one .
Jerry says
I had 3 different German Shepherd and this is my first Black GSD. I always wanted a Black GSD since I was young. I was amazed by their appearance and ability to learn and protect. My GSD was 9 months old when I got him weighed 70. I got him from a rescue shelter. He is 140 now very alert and gentle around other dog and people. When I bring him around BBQ or gathering he will check who is nice or not so nice then he will socialize with the one he loves like. At these gatherings I let him roam freely yet he will always check to see where I am. I live by a State Highway and will not step on the highway. I am very proud and happy with my GSD and yes from that I do spoil him. I will be getting a larger place so I can get another GSD.
Theresa says
We have litter mates. One red sable and one black. My black boy is super chill, laid back, a real momma’s boy. He’s 9 months old and weighs at 98#. His brother is a red sable, 87#, and is the silly, playful one of the two. They’re both amazing pups that are super easy going, love to play, love to learn, and get along with everyone (human and dog alike).
Kyra says
We have a 2 year old female solid black, long coat german shepherd and she is incredible! Amazing personality, smart, loyal and she is super sweet to the people she loves. She is a true german shepherd when it comes to protecting her family and is extremely confident…which is a good thing, Our sweet girl is a huge blessing in our lives. She has a beautiful appearance, inside and out. We have a lab puppy as well, and interestingly enough, the lab sheds more than our german shepherd does. I can’t say enough about this incredible breed, German shepherds require a lot of work and do best when they have a “job” to do…even if that job is as simple as bringing in the paper and “helping” with basic chores around the house. Our GSD puts away her own toys and gets super excited when she thinks she is “helping” me out. These dogs are so smart and extremely easy to train.
Dottie says
LOVE my 7 1/2 old black GSD! He is already 85 pounds and growing and learning so fast! Got him from a great breeder! Beautiful coat and disposition and so very brave! People are so surprised to see a black GSD!
Taylor says
Crazy about our all Black GSD! He’s a loving dog and definitely bonds with us all, very protective 110 lb. TEDDY BEAR; however, I wouldn’t advise anyone attempt to mess with our family…not on his watch! His black coat is regal! Our GSD was hand picked from a select breeder and the only one of his kind in the bunch. Overjoyed by the love he brings us all…you will never regret a black GSD. He’s a gift from above.