Colour / Pattern / Markings - Importance?

[Aziah]

Simple poll - I'd like to get a feel from the general population

Edited to clarify - not talking show dogs (so mismarks don't come into it).

Edited September 23, 2011 by Aziah

[Dogs4Fun]

It depends rather.

If the colour / patterns / marking don't affect my intended use of the dog, then no.

If they do eg a mismark that excludes me from showing the dog when I intend to show, then yes, it would be of high importance.

[TrinaJ]

For me it has to b black and tan and meet the breed standard of the Rottweiler ;)

My order of importance, Temperament, structure then cosmetics. The reason for this is firstly I will not breed with a dog whos temperament is questionable and conformation wise is incorrect according to the breed standard. Cosmetics can be fixed later down the line in the breeding program, whereas a bad temperament is typically a generic inheritance, and construction wise, the Rottweiler is a working dog and needs to be built correctly

Eta: petwise, as long as it's got a good temperament and built correctly I could care less about the markings IF I were just after a pet.

Edited September 23, 2011 by TrinaJ

[Rainy]

Hubby and i are always disagree about colour He likes more solid colours and i like flashy colours.

However i would never pass up the appropriate pup for our family just on colour alone.

[WreckitWhippet]

Colour is important to me but only so far as the breed standard is concerned.

I have colour preferences, like everyone does, there are some things I like more than others.

I would not have a blue, black and tan or liver SBT, regardless of how good the rest of it was.

In breeds, like the Whippet, where anything goes, colour is the last thing on my mind.

[Aziah]

It depends rather.

If the colour / patterns / marking don't affect my intended use of the dog, then no.

If they do eg a mismark that excludes me from showing the dog when I intend to show, then yes, it would be of high importance.

I've edied my OP to advise that I'm not talking about show dogs (whilst that's important to me as a breeder and exhibitor - it's not as a pet owner).

[Aziah]

Colour is important to me but only so far as the breed standard is concerned.

I have colour preferences, like everyone does, there are some things I like more than others.

I would not have a blue, black and tan or liver SBT, regardless of how good the rest of it was.

In breeds, like the Whippet, where anything goes, colour is the last thing on my mind.

That's what I'm after your "pet" opinion - so you do have preference

[KumaAkita]

While there are variations on the Akita coat that I am not fond of (brindle markings or long haired), but if the dog was fromt he right lines and had the right temperament for me I'd still take it.

[poodlefan]

I think colour preferences are natural.

I don't think they should be rated more importantly than issues like structure,health and temperament though.

And breeders who breed for popular colours (or supposedly "rare" ones) in a breed are responsible for sending breed quality down the toilet every time.

ETA: I have a Whippet in a colour that I'd never have selected if I'd had choice of many and now I love it.

Edited September 23, 2011 by poodlefan

[WreckitWhippet]

It depends rather.

If the colour / patterns / marking don't affect my intended use of the dog, then no.

If they do eg a mismark that excludes me from showing the dog when I intend to show, then yes, it would be of high importance.

I've edied my OP to advise that I'm not talking about show dogs (whilst that's important to me as a breeder and exhibitor - it's not as a pet owner).

I'd still respond in the same way. I pick my pets based on confromation and temperament and colour is again way down the list. I'm not interested in owning a "rare" pet that is a non standard colour either.

Conformation determines the health and longevity of a pet.

[Bisart Dobes]

Not enough importance is placed on Dobermanns markings - they should be a deep rust, clearly defined in shape & size and have little to no specking through them.

Even the ANKC registration of our breed was changed last year to require rust markings on registration papers. If you actually look at the dobermanns in the show ring alot of them have an almost cream marking and alot have the 'tan' markings running up the whole rear leg - its not correct and it should be more highly regarded both by breeders and judges.

It is the same as a light eye - its not desirable.

Edited to add:

I have no preference in colour when selecting a puppy from our litters - black or brown but I would if buying a puppy decline it if it was mismarked / miscoloured as above - the same goes for stud dog selection. It is not the most important thing - health, conformation & temperament rate above it but it is about our breed type.

Edited September 23, 2011 by Bisart Dobes

[Cosmolo]

I have colour preferences as well as preference for certain markings on dogs and may actively seek out a dog that has these in addition to all of the other characteristics. I don't think i would knock back the a puppy based on colour alone though at the same time i would always be happy to wait for the perfect puppy.

[TrinaJ]

Conformation determines the health and longevity of a pet.

Well said

[EISHUND]

Yes, it seems that everyone that enquires about one of my pups wants a WHITE one!

In all seriousness though, we've had many enquiries where the buyer only wants a specific coat length.

I personally would have liked a long coat girl, but I only have long coat boys in this litter, and the person taking pick boy would have preferred long as well, however the pick so far is a short coat. For us, coat length is of no relevance in our puppy selection, it would have just been a bonus :D

Edited September 23, 2011 by EISHUND

[Remarkabull]

I have a preference for B & T in Dobes and have no problems admitting it. I am currently waiting for a pup (bitch has been mated during the last week) and I will have a go at showing her so if by chance the best bitch in the litter is brown then I would accept that and still take her, but I would prefer it if she was B & T. I would not really be interested in having a blue or fawn Dobe - they just don't look nice to me (the colour, not the dog). Although that is probably more because the only adult Blue Dobe I've ever seen had health issues and had terrible skin and coat. In the litter I got Acheron from there were blue pups and they were a lovely dark blue and did not appear to have any skin problems at all, so I guess if they stayed that colour and had no issues because of the colour they were then I would be ok with that too.

[Aziah]

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.

[Kavik]

I have a preference in colour but temperament/structure/health are more important. In Kelpies the colours I would NOT want, and would knock back if offered, are the dilutes, due to colour dilution alopecia possibilities.

ETA: considering that my preferred colours are far more common than dilutes in the lines I like, I doubt it would ever be an issue.

Edited September 23, 2011 by Kavik

[WreckitWhippet]

Yes, it seems that everyone that enquires about one of my pups wants a WHITE one!

Lucky you

Jokes aside, the general publics desire for non-standard rare colours, often serves only to fuel those who breed for colour, are out for a quick $$$. For those " breeders" , the rest comes a piss poor second best, if even considered at all.

[whiskedaway]

I have a preference for markings. I used to have a preference for colour, but having a show dog has made me appreciate different colours (and maybe I've become biased towards my lovely black and tan!) I like a dog to have a light face (though I have seen some stunning darkies), but if the dog that suited us the most was dark, I'd take it.

[Maxiewolf]

My Problems with coat colours more stem from losses.... eg. I get teary when ever I see a dapple/merle dog. I can Just cope with it now on another breed, but I could not have another dog the same breed and colour. Just too upsetting.

And the same for dobes, I lost a Brown and Tan dachshund, I think I had just come to the point where I could probably cope with a Dobermann that colour... but not another Dachie (fortunatly Dachshunds come in so many colours in 20 years of having them I never had to have the same colour twice. )

Other than that deep down, except for show purposes.... colour isnt really that important. Except I guess on the basis of a really lightly pigmented dog around the face and sun concerns or something like that when living up here.