Colour / Pattern / Markings - Importance?

[Sayreovi]

I get that everyone has a preference I guess what I really wanted to know was if people would actually turn down a puppy because it wasn't the colour they preferred but it was the most suitable in every other aspect.

As much as I would like to say I wouldn't, I know I would With the breeds I've wanted to own I would probably ever get to own one so would like to get what I am after physically/mentally as well as being the colour I've wanted for years! Would be willing to wait along time as well.

I would turn down the perfect dog based on colour and markings. HOWEVER I wouldn't take a dog that didn't tick the other boxes but was the right colour. I would simply wait as long as it took to find the pup with the best temperament, conformation, health that ALSO was a colour or marking that I preferred. I think there is a big difference between the two.

Agreed

Edited September 23, 2011 by tollersowned

[Mim]

The results of this poll are very interesting..

55 people have voted "yes" to "When selecting a puppy/adult, is colour/pattern/markings of great importance to you?", yet only 19 people have voted that colour/pattern/markings are highly important to them..

Anyway, I would want to live with the puppy most suitable for me and my current dogs, regardless of colour (or gender for that matter) despite any preferences I may have.

[sandgrubber]

In what way are labradors affected?

I think that's a reference to the latest chocolate craze, which has produced a lot of badly bred dogs, but has also stimulated the import of some excellent chocolates and is gradually producing some lovely dogs. It also produces a lot of acrimony, because many breeders put a premium on price for chocolate dogs. Others come back with accusations of putting colour and $ above quality.. . which is sometimes true. The same thing happened with yellow Labs half a century ago (more?).

Australian show circles have historically discriminated against chocolates and many breeders avoided them. The public has taken a liking to the colour. There has been a major increase in chocos taking titles in recent years . . . including BIS at the NZ Golden Jubilee specialty show. Give it another 20 years and chocolate in Australia will be just another colour, as it is in the US or UK.

Many breeders will probably continue to go either the chocolate + black or the yellow + black route in effort to avoid the ugly lack of colouration you sometimes get by mixing choco and yellow.

Note, if breeders were truly colour blind, the vast majority of Labradors would be black. Black is genetically dominant and there were far more blacks than yellows or chocos when the stud books closed. The fact that there are at least as many yellows as blacks is strong evidence that popular colour preferences have affected breeders colour decision for many generations.

The next controversy will probably be about 'white' Labradors. There are a number of US breeders producing whites that appear to get their colour from the same colour chromosomes that produce white in the Westie. No tint of yellow, very black noses. These dogs are accepted in the ring as 'yellow' and some people seek them out.

Edited September 23, 2011 by sandgrubber

[SkySoaringMagpie]

When I was looking at getting my first IW many years ago, all I knew was he had to be grey - a proper iw. Needless to say, all on offer was a fawn. Which I took and never regretted. Maybe people should be more realistic in expectations for a pet or not so shallow as some appear.

To me it's a bit like the colour of a new car, only important while deciding and it matters less and less as time goes by.

This.

My first Saluki was an unpopular coat pattern (parti-colour, she's the model for my avatar cartoon). It wasn't a coat I was particularly excited about but I was more interested in getting a well bred Saluki than anything else. Having lived with a parti-colour, I now have a huge soft spot for them and while my subsequent dogs have all been different colours and coat patterns I love a parti.

Never been a big fan of cream feathereds which are the most popular Saluki colour, followed by blacks. Probably means i'm going to end up with a cream fluffy one day and all my mates are never going to let me hear the end of it.

[The Spotted Devil]

For me, it is important, but only in certain breeds. We had a kelpie x husky pup for 6 short months before she crossed the rainbow bridge and ANY breed with her brown/tan markings wrenches my heart, I love those markings and would buy another dog like it. I still like other kelpie colours though, I just have a preference for this particular type.

In my own breed, like Horus said, marking are important (dalmatian). The colour not so much, I love b&w which I have, and would love a liver! The markings though, I would never go more heavily spotted than Cleo is, just doesn't appeal to me. She is more heavily spotted than we were looking for at the time though, so I've already been through the "if the most suitable puppy came up" option. That said, too lightly spotted isn't very nice either, a good spattering of spots is just right.

I would also take on a blue-eyed dal if one popped up, blue eyes are a fault in the ring (which I am getting into) but they are so gorgeous, I couldn't turn it down. I would only take it if it popped up randomly/recessively though.

Serious question.. are more heavily spotted Dals and those with darker ears (like your avatar dog) less likely to be deaf? I know coloured ears are an indicator of hearing in another mostly white breed.

Not that I'm aware of. The incidence of patching (anywhere) and brown (vs blue eyes) is associated with lower incidence of deafness.

With my ESS - black, liver or tri - don't mind at all. Bloody hard getting one to retrieve if it's just a pretty face. I'm lucky as I love my Em's markings but I looked straight past them when I was choosing.

With my Dally - I actually wanted a liver for something different but the breeder only bred blacks (although liver has now popped up after 20 years!!!!) A poorly spotted dog can really affect it's appearance - although it is only cosmetic it can throw a dog's conformation out. Personally I like lighter more even spotting but my real preference is for excellent pigmentation, great skin and a coat that just wipes clean. So more about the quality of the coat than the spotting or colour. Again I was lucky as the aspects of structure, temperament and spotting came together for me although he's not perfect.

Edited September 23, 2011 by The Spotted Devil

[espinay2]

When I got my first Pyr I told the breeder I wanted an all white one. An all white one wasn't available and while I wasnt so sure about getting a pup with markings at the time, I decided that as everything else was good, I would learn to live with it. Best move I could have made. I have since learnt to appreciate the beauty and benefit of marked pyrs. I have also chosen dogs with less than ideal markings because they were the best dog in other respects. Asking for an 'all white' Pyr is a reasonably common request among first time Pyr owners. Most will have to wait a long time for one if they are determined to have one and I have not met one who didn't change their mind once they had owned a Pyr with markings.

When it comes to Dallies, while the placement of spots can create an optical illusion which can sometimes influence in the show ring (though if a judge is actually half decent and puts their hands on the dog it is not soo much of an issue), when it comes to a pet spotting is really not important to me. My girl Cookie (who was also shown until she had to be desexed and then shown again as a veteran) was not perfectly spotted, but she was not badly spotted either. She was not chosen based on her spotting. In fact I had a choice of another bitch in the litter who had better spotting. Cookie however ticked more boxes overall. A lot of pet owners also seem to not want Liver Dallies as they are not 'proper' Dallies . A lot change their mind once they have one or own the breed for any length of time and many come to prefer them.

Edited September 23, 2011 by espinay2

[espinay2]

Serious question.. are more heavily spotted Dals and those with darker ears (like your avatar dog) less likely to be deaf? I know coloured ears are an indicator of hearing in another mostly white breed.

Deafness is associated with a lack of 'pigment' in the inner ear (using non-technical terms ;) ). Good pigment on the skin around the head and ears can be one possible indicator that the dog is less likely to be deaf but is not a guarantee (though patches on the ears, which are different to spotting, Can provide more assurance). Dr Bruce Cattanach has a good article on the subject: The Dalmatian Dilemma

[CaseyKay]

I used to think colour was important to me as a pet owner; in border collies I don't like merles or ones with a lot of white (and not so keen on light ee red or chocolate!). Love black and whites and black tris. Contacted a breeder I was interested in to order a girl, black tri. She asked me a lot of questions about the training and sports I wanted this puppy for, and I ended up with a blue white girl (a color I had seen a total of once in real life) no blaze and freaky yellow eyes. If I had had a choice between her and my "perfectly marked" imagined tri girl (none in Gael's litter anyway) I would probably have taken the latter just because I love that colour and because Gael was an odd looking puppy. But can't imagine life without my ideally matched to me stunningly gorgeous blue girl She is such a dark slate grey as an adult most people hardly notice she is different to black and white now anyway. Next puppy I want a boy and suspect I will take the most suited puppy, having learnt my lesson but he would have to be perfect in temperament and structure to overcome my merle aversion.

[BJean]

Caseykay

BC's have never done much for me

but I just saw your signature pic, and thought

Wow! Nice looking dog!

[Monah]

No no no...

I have never added a pet to the family with colour in mind.

Vizssss only come in one colour

[becks]

Yes, colour is important to me, as are markings. I don't like dogs who have non-symetrical markings, I don't like dogs with light eyes (which to me is anything over dark brown/black) or eyes which are oddly coloured/marked and within my breeds I have a liking for particular colours. So I would turn down an otherwise perfect dog as it wouldn't be the perfect dog for me.

I have recently turned down a pick of litter as when I went to see them, I didn't think the pups had enough work potential.

I think I've got more fussy now I have a few dogs already, so the next one has to tick all the boxes, not just most of them.

[CaseyKay]

Caseykay

BC's have never done much for me

but I just saw your signature pic, and thought

Wow! Nice looking dog!

Thanks. My favourite photos of her

[BJean]

Caseykay

BC's have never done much for me

but I just saw your signature pic, and thought

Wow! Nice looking dog!

Thanks. My favourite photos of her

She is the image of verve; I thought She was a he.

She is a very special she then

[Steve]

I like tri coloured beagles but I do have a couple of Tan and whites in my breeding program because of the other good things they bring to the table but if I were pet shopping Id wait for a tri colour .

Im also fussy about the genes in the boys to ensure I don't get too many which are not tri colour when I mate him to a Tan and white girl. I would never own a tan and white stud dog no matter how good he was.

[Guest Clover]

I would be lying if i said colour was not important, but in saying that it would not stop me from getting a pup if everything else was perfect. I am not a fan of merles in Border Collies, adore the black and whites, and dont like the look of too much white or split faced/ clown faced markings.

[Clyde]

My house interior and furnishings are all with black dogs in mind so as to not show up any coat.

I've now ended up with two very fluffy white dogs (Maremmas) .

My almost black floorboards and the Maremmas are not good friends.

Asking for an 'all white' Pyr is a reasonably common request among first time Pyr owners.

It's funny you should say that as when I was looking in to the breed I had my heart set on all white. Now we've got the new boy and he has markings on him and I couldn't care less, I barely notice them.

But yes I am very particular about a dogs markings/colours - they don't necessarily have to be good looking (I have had some shockers in the past), but I'm not in to boring looking dogs. Although I'm sure people say my dogs are plain, but in my eyes they're the best dogs out there!

I think though over time I have realised that the best looking dog isn't always the best dog for me. I've chosen for that reason before and it didn't work out so now I'd be more open minded. There are markings/colours I would not ever own though.

Edited September 25, 2011 by Clyde

[OSoSwift]

Having Whippets they can be any colours or markings. While I do have colours I like or see a dog and think I love those markings colour comes way down the list for me.

I said it had low importance though not zero as I am not into pure white Whippets, or even mostly white Whippets and pigmentation is something I consider. White eye rims and testicles and vulvas can lead to skin burn issues and having had a dog that I have had sunburn issues with I prefer for it not to be an issue.

When I was talking to Rommi's breeder I asked for a bitch, solid in colour (could have white trim, but not more white than colour due to worries about sunburnt bits) What that colour was I didn't care. Blue Brindle parti colours have always been a love of mine. When Lewis became available I fell in love with him and I just happened to get a Blue Brindle parti colour although it wasn't until later I thought hey, I got one

Now having been exposed to many of the rainbow of Whippet colours I have many otehr loves, but temperment and conformation will always be most important and the colour last with good pigmentation coming in just above that :D

Edited September 25, 2011 by OSoSwift

[helen]

I would say that color is the least important thing for me, as long as it is within the standard as I like to show, so I would knock back a dog not within the standard, not that I have seen too many in Brittanys anyway. Unless it is a mating I really really wanted I would prefer not to have liver and white, as the color is hard to maintain for the showing, ie fading with sun etc, not a problem with orange and white or black and white.

ETA - I would knock a dog back based on temperment before I would on color/markings - I wouldn't want a weak temperment no matter how good it looks

Edited September 25, 2011 by helen

[raineth]

well I said it was of little/no importance. But that's not completely true as some colours/coat patterns are associated with certain health issues and so in regards to that I would avoid those colours coat patterns.

There is a terrible surplus of un-ethical breeders in the harlequin colour family in Danes and I would not get a Dane from the harl family again (except an adult from rescue like my current girl).

[poocow]

For me colour isn't that important - for a pet (obviously for showing you wouldn't want a mismark etc).

From talking to breeders about the pet market in Aussies the clear winner is blue merle bitches - everyone wants them, I think because they are "different". Its funny the amount of comments my OH gets on his morning walks with Flynn. Last week an elderly man commented that he was a nice looking dog and obviously didn't know what colour to be when he woke up this morning