Greetings all!
I have a solid black female GSD, Jennifer z Eurosportu, that is right at 7 months old right now. This is the first black that i have owned so I dont have a clue as to whats normal and what is not normal with their coats. At any rate, I have noticed over the last couple of weeks that there is alot more white hairs showing thru in her coat. Is this normal for a solid black? Is there something that maybe I need to be doing differently? Or could it be that im just being a little paranoid? My initial thought is that its something she will grow out of but I would still be thankful for any wisdom that could be shared on this.

Thanks in advance!

Is the white showing up all over? Or near the toes? chest? Top of shoulders?

Im sorry, It is pretty much all over...its no specific spot. Its almost like one hair out of every thousand is white...

I have my own question about "solid black coat" and sorry if I'm changing the subject - if someone could give me input on my pups' coat I would also appreciate it. I have a solid black pup, he is just-turning 10 months old. His head, neck, legs, and the stripe down his back is black, shiney, beautiful normal coat. His tail too. The rest of his body (majority of his back, sides, shoulders, rump, thighs) is brown. The brown is reddish, and not shiney - I thought it must be dead coat, and it may be - but it's not shedding out - though there are some shiney black hairs now sticking through it. So it might be undercoat - but brown? His puppy undercoat was black..... anyway I thought it might be something I am feeding. I feed Chicken Soup kibble dog food - but my other black dog, a female, has a gorgeous black-as-black shiney coat and she's eating the same food - she is 1/5 years old. All of my dogs get a handful of Olewo carrots (could that be it - red) - anyway, any ideas? I am willing to change foods, get rid of the carrots - want his beautiful black coat back!
(ps he has no white hairs anywhere on his body and I have not seen that in any of my black dogs though I am not looking at their coats with a microscope either)

molly

Molly,
I finally got in touch with another reputable kennel that has a few blacks as well and I was told the random white hairs with my dog is perfectly normal. I was also told that it has been their past experiences with solid blacks that during the hotter months that they will sometimes have a tendency to kinda slightly temporarily develop a reddish tint to their coats.
If there is anyone else out there that has solid black GSD's, I would still love to hear any feedback on this. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

My black female has a few white hairs between her toes. Although she does not have the stripe down her back as Molly described, when she is losing her under coat she will have areas that are brownish in coloration. Is your pup a "Nuky" daughter?

Yes she is. Jennifer came from the Olka z Mnichovy Zahrady (Olina) SchH 3 litter. I cant say enough good things about her. Shes awesome!

My black girl is also a Nuky daughter. Ata is out of Ajka Vlador SVV 1. 2004 breeding. I would second you in saying these girls are awesome.

I've got a Nuky daughter too! (not black though) One of my other females is daughter of A-litter Zeleznicna policia so her bottom half is about the same as Ata's bottom quarter.

Back to black though, I do have a black that has never ever once revealed a grey or white hair. Black gums are a sign of good pigmentation in black. No pink at nose to toes is preferred, but what an animal makes up for in working quality, exceptions can be worth making. In the working dog world, what difference is a little tuft of white going to make on performance, right?

Daryl,
Your Darina and Athena are stunning.