Color Discrimination

corbinam said:
I think that it could also be a bit of ignorance about the breed that places sables in higher demand with the general population.

I'm thinking about other threads where people have mentioned that their dogs are mistaken for other breeds because they "don't look like Lassie". I know that when I was little I had no idea that shelties came in any other color. I'm from a small(ish) town and I'm the only person that I knew that had a sheltie.

It may be that people see tris or bis or even merles as "not really shelties". If you think of a sheltie as a "mini Lassie", as many people do, then you probably have your heart set on that look...which is sable.

I don't feel the same way, but I can see how that might be the case, especially in more rural areas or where shelties are pretty rare.
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We have people in the neighborhood that have a beautiful blue merle sheltie possibly mixed with a sable. They say Cookie is not a real sheltie like our Mally (who is sable) I try to tell them Cookie is a sheltie, too but they say she isn't. She looks 100% sheltie to me she even has the blue eyes! I guess they want to think she isn't a sheltie because she doesn't look like the sable kind.
 
When I got Kiko I went out looking for a Merle. I didn't want a sable just for the fact that my family had a collie while I grew up named lassie by me (named her when I was 6 so give me a break lol). Either way she was always my favorite dog and I did not want to get a puppy that resembled her or would "take" her place. So when we got to the breeder the breeder had 2 puppies my Kiko and Kikos sister a blue merle. The breeder told us that Kiko was way shy and would never go up to anyone and she was having real troubles selling her. She said the Merle however everyone wanted, but no one would pass the "test". She said all the families just really didnt seem like they would take care of her. So We got there and the first thing that happens is Kiko sees us and our dachshund Lilly (we needed to make sure Lilly was ok with the puppy too) and ran right up to us and would not leave our laps the entire time we were there. Needless to say we had to take her. But I feel like I can see her expression all the time. Shes such a brat

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll188/expoz3d/IMG_0742.jpg
 
Im alittle like Labgirl... "tendency to pick a less common colour than is usual in the breed"

My excuse is I was raised around gorgeous appaloosas most of my life! We had blankets, leopards, and roans. Appaloosas are truley like a box of chocolate.. you never know what you will get!

I tend to favored the merles in the shelties because of that reason. If I had any other dog breed, I still be the same way. Before we settled on shelties, I was looking at chocolate lab, white german shepherd, merles aussies, and the blk/wht and chocolate dapples dachshunds. (and I know I probably spell that wrong)

but at the same time, they need the personality to go with it! I wont just buy a sheltie because of the way it look.

Beth~
 
BethH said:
My excuse is I was raised around gorgeous appaloosas most of my life! We had blankets, leopards, and roans. Appaloosas are truley like a box of chocolate.. you never know what you will get!
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My absolute FAVORITE. We have a leopard app right now :-)
 
This really is a great thread! So interesting to read everybody's color preferences. And the pictures are fantastic!

When I got Gus, I was really open to any color. I just happened to fall in love with his puppy pic and "knew" he was the one. After many, many discussions with his breeder re: temperment and background, I moved forward.

Delaware is pretty provincial. I've only ever seen one other Sheltie here and it was a sable. The blue merle really seems to throw people. I would love to meet a tri or bi-black.

OK, so now I'm thinking I'll have one of each... :lol:

PS: Even better: Found a pic of Gus' dad online yesterday (Ch. Cimmaron Northern Lights) and they look so much alike! His mom, Ancient day Belmark Protege, is a gorgeous tri. Breeder put mom up for sale about 6 months ago, but I couldn't swing the price. Kicking myself ever since. :(
 
My first Sheltie was a sable actually a tri factored sable. When we got Maggie I wanted a bi but could not find one and so we got our first tri. When we lost Katie I thought about getting another sable as not to compare the new one to her.
Well we went to look at a litter of sables and came home to Maggie, I looked at Mark and said " I do want another Tri" this time Zak's face is dark as Maggie has more tan. I have heard that some judges don't like tri's since you can't see the eyes.
 
When we decided to adopt a Sheltie, I called my breeder to ask about her available puppies. She asked me, ":What color Sheltie were you looking for?" I replied, "It doesn't matter. Dogs aren't accessories." She laughed and agreed. I always thought I'd want a merle because the first Sheltie I ever met was a merle, and he was so incredibly beautiful! But Ala selected Layla and Bits for us, and I couldn't be more of a sable fan. Someday a merle or tri or bi-black may come along -- I leave it all up to fate! :wink2:
 
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