FYI: If you make a purchase via a link on this site, I may receive a commission from various affiliate programs, and as an Amazon Associate and Chewy affiliate I also earn commissions from qualifying purchases—at NO extra cost to you. See the Disclosure page for more information. Thank you!

Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

Home

What Is Happening To My Puppy?

by Kristin
(Southwest Florida)

9 months

My pup is about 9 months old now and at about 5 months she has begun to change color. She is going from black tri to having blonde/copper highlights everywhere. It is especially obvious along her neck and front legs. She does have heavy copper markings. I just don't know what is happening to my the little dear. She gets brushed daily and that fur doesn't disappear it seems to be growing and spreading.

Any help would be appreciated.

Comments for What Is Happening To My Puppy?

Click here to add your own comments

Puppy is changing
by: Linn

We have two Aussies. Our youngest one has two different coats on her and when she started getting close to a year old, her markings were changing along with her hair. some areas like around her neck and higher back are thick and wavy and some other parts are too. She is full blooded, our other Aussie who is 3 has just the long wavy hair and her colors didnt change. hopefully this helped u a little.

Changes
by: jcrply

They can change somewhat in coloration. My black-tri's blaze has almost completely disappeared, and patches of blue merle have appeared here and there... not noticeable unless you push back the hair, but definitely not there when I got her.

Interesting
by: Nonnie

I would like to know also!

Some more research...
by: Kristin

I have been hunting around the web for answers. The only things I have found would be sable. Is it normal for hair pigmentation to alter that much?

Also, she is a very petite mini. Her mother a blue merle and father a black bi. Just wanted to add extra info if it would help.

I know she isn't ill but I just am trying to learn as much as I can. The breeder has not seen this before with other litters and is also doing research but with little luck too.

Coat color change
by: Rhonda "Round em up Aussies"

Hi, I just read your article about coat color change and have noticed it in several of my litters. Especially in solids the tan points that are not their at birth up to six weeks either become more pronounced or develop from nowhere at 6 months up to a year of age.. A Two year old female named Mocha was solid red, no white no tan at birth. I spoke to an elderly breeder I knew about her. He said he had seen old herd stock from out west like her. Her mother a blue eyed blue merle Betsy from Colorado herding stock and her father Romeo a red tri from herd stock here in Mississippi, well I really thought I had stumbled across something special. At six months old she started developing cream smudging on her paws and as she aged it gradually extended up the lower portion of her legs. At Two she has a few cream smudges around her lower jaw and on the feathers of her hindquarters. Her paws are smudged and her lower legs. A year later when Betsy and Romeo produced another Red female that I was looking forward to keeping. I just went ahead and named her Love that Smudge. She did have some cream points at birth but now at 8 months they crept up her legs and around her mouth. Both of these pups were trying to work livestock at 3 months old. Mocha has no fear.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Australian Shepherd Q & A.

Have Dog Training Questions?

Check out these introductory dog training videos...

I want my dog to stop being aggressive.

I want some help training my new puppy.

I want my dog to stop barking at everything.

I want my dog to walk nicely and calmly on the leash.

I want my dog to listen and come every time I call!

Back to Home

⌃ TOP ⌃

All Content Copyright © 2006-2024 by Anton Hout,
Australian-Shepherd-Lovers.com. All rights reserved.

Disclosure: If you make a purchase via a link on this site, I may receive a commission from various affiliate programs, and as an Amazon Associate and Chewy affiliate I also earn commissions from qualifying purchases—at NO extra cost to you. See the Disclosure page for more information. Thank you!

As stated in our Privacy Policy, Australian-Shepherd-Lovers.com
does not sell your personal information.