I love dachshunds and I have recently done a bunch of research on them. I have a question and I was hoping someone may be able to help me out. Doxies come in many colors (red, black and tan, chocolate, isabella, wild boar, etc.) and many patterns (dapple, brindle, etc.). My personal favorites are chocolate and tan, isabella and tan, and dapples. I have noticed that the vast majority of successful show dachshunds are red or black and tan. I am sure there are similar trends in other breeds. Does anyone know why? I would love to <eventually> get into showing a dachshund of my own (years from now) and I would love a chocolate and tan. I was just curious as to why this may be the case. Thanks!!
dachshund colors
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Usually what happens with trends is that there is a stunning example of the breed in a certain color, and so people end up breeding to that dog/for that color, and you get more nice examples of the breed in that color.
Then all of a sudden the famous black and tan is blown out of the water by a nice red dog...and so it goes.
Some colors remain constantly popular, regardless of minor fluxations (Black and Tan and Red in the smooths, Reds in the Longhairs, and Wild Boar in the wires), but they will sway back and forth.
The "big" colors in GSDs right now are going towards sables and melanistic black and tans. We've had some nice DARK dogs winning at the national, and so people are going to those (which is fine by me...color can be lacking in our American dogs).
Then all of a sudden the famous black and tan is blown out of the water by a nice red dog...and so it goes.
Some colors remain constantly popular, regardless of minor fluxations (Black and Tan and Red in the smooths, Reds in the Longhairs, and Wild Boar in the wires), but they will sway back and forth.
The "big" colors in GSDs right now are going towards sables and melanistic black and tans. We've had some nice DARK dogs winning at the national, and so people are going to those (which is fine by me...color can be lacking in our American dogs).
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The other thing about recessive colors is that some of them are linked to health problems (CDA and blues/isabellas), some can't be bred except to certain colors (dapples and piebalds) and some are just hard to finish. To get most of the recessive colors, you have to intentionally select for them, and usually color isn't at the top of your list of selection criteria but a nice bonus.
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Well, I know this doesn't really apply to dachshunds but most top papillons are black and white or tricolor and not sable. If they are sable, their ears will almost always be banded black. There is a reason for this. Sables and red and white bicolor do not grow as much fringe as their black counterparts. The theory is the hairs are finer and more brittle but overall it tends to be true. Rose has great fringe but her ears are black. Summer's fringe is thick but it can't grow as long. So that's one reason you rarely see top papillons that are light sable, or red and white.
even though lemon is perfectly allowed you will almost never see lemon papillons in the show ring for the same reason.
even though lemon is perfectly allowed you will almost never see lemon papillons in the show ring for the same reason.
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In addition to the already mentioned reasons, certain colors also create optical illusions. On black and tans, for example, the tan can high light the edges of the breastbone making it apear that they have a larger or wider chest, which is something you typical want in most breeds. The tan on the hind legs can also acentuate the angles and make them look more apealing. Color can also create negative optical illusions. In Afghan hounds there's a very neat color pattern called Domino. It has a widows peak marking on the forehead which can make thier top not appear to be flat, on some dogs they almost look bald. It also creates unusual and uneven shading of their side coat which makes them look super short and long.
There's also judges who just prefer certain colors over others, some are even suprisingly vocal about their dislike for certain colors. And typicaly speaking whenever a new or unsual color pops onto the scene it's quite taboo unless a top hander or breeder is attached to the other end of the leash.
As Dogstar said color shouldn't be the top pirority in selecting a show prospect. If you find a dog with the qualities and type that you like then go with it, regardless if the color is 'in' or not. As long as it's not a disqualifying color then there's no reason not to.
There's also judges who just prefer certain colors over others, some are even suprisingly vocal about their dislike for certain colors. And typicaly speaking whenever a new or unsual color pops onto the scene it's quite taboo unless a top hander or breeder is attached to the other end of the leash.
As Dogstar said color shouldn't be the top pirority in selecting a show prospect. If you find a dog with the qualities and type that you like then go with it, regardless if the color is 'in' or not. As long as it's not a disqualifying color then there's no reason not to.
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I'm glad you posted this thread, because I had wondered the same thing. I have a chocolate and tan man, and most people have never seen that coloring before and said I needed to get him into shows. I'm not educated enough about confirmation to have tried, but I think the chocolates are beautiful.
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Pap ears are confusing... Of mine, Summer has the best imo but her fringe won't grow long because of her color. Beau's are the worst but yet he's a show champion. His look REALLY bad right now because they've been chewed on by Bernard when they play. If you're growing fringe for show you have to take care they don't bite each other's fringe. It's their favorite 'handle' when they rough house.
There's also a big difference in amount of fringe based on the breeding of the dog. Certain lines (especially American lines) focused more on other aspects than the thick, heavy fringing. There's a lot of importing to other countries where the breed is a lot more 'refined' so to speak.
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it's also like in the Border Collies....most of what you see in the ring w/ the Barbie Collies is Bl/wh....alot of people believe that if it isn't bl/wh, it isn't a Border/Barbie Collie...that the breed only comes in that colour....sometimes you'll get reds in there as well, but i have only seen one merle in any of the shows i've ever seen....but, if you go to the BC museum website you'll see just how diverse the colours are....
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Lots of good points here.
It's also good to remember that when someone breeds ONLY for colour, many genetic things can go wrong as many genes are LINKED to others. For example, piebald colouring (black and white and their dilutes usually) in a merle pattern or harlequin (like in danes and dals..and many others) can be linked to deafness, though usually only if the dog has one or both eyes being blue.
If you breed two merles together, the genes can be a real mess...where you get neurological issues, deafness and microopthalmia (being born without or with extremely undersized eyeballs).
In cats, the calico colouring (including tortoiseshell, which is the same colour family, only much less white) is sex linked..where they are almost always born female, and if male, are usually infertile.
Many longhaired white cats with blue eyes are deaf.
Etc.
You also have the issues of breed standards. For the longest time chocolate in labrador retrievers was unaccepted and the pups were often culled from the litters...this is why many years ago people didn't know the colour existed.
It's also good to remember that when someone breeds ONLY for colour, many genetic things can go wrong as many genes are LINKED to others. For example, piebald colouring (black and white and their dilutes usually) in a merle pattern or harlequin (like in danes and dals..and many others) can be linked to deafness, though usually only if the dog has one or both eyes being blue.
If you breed two merles together, the genes can be a real mess...where you get neurological issues, deafness and microopthalmia (being born without or with extremely undersized eyeballs).
In cats, the calico colouring (including tortoiseshell, which is the same colour family, only much less white) is sex linked..where they are almost always born female, and if male, are usually infertile.
Many longhaired white cats with blue eyes are deaf.
Etc.
You also have the issues of breed standards. For the longest time chocolate in labrador retrievers was unaccepted and the pups were often culled from the litters...this is why many years ago people didn't know the colour existed.
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