Monday, February 7, 2011

What I Is

Reading Bunny's Post yesterday about Blueberry's color got me thinking about all the times I've been called something other than a German Shepherd due to my fancy coat coloring.

Most people know GSDs by the traditional Black and Tan, or Rin-Tin-Tin look. That's what mom and dad knew before they got me. They also knew of the solid white GSDs. Then, after meeting me they were introduced to the whole new world of GSD coloring!

I'm what they call a Bi-color GSD...it's one of the rarest GSD coat colorings. I only have tan on my legs and a little bit around my bum and some brown tips in my ears and on my belly. Other than that, I'm all black. This pattern makes most people think that I'm either a:

1. Petite Rottie



2. Some sort of Doberman

These are the most common things people think I'm mixed with. But on occasion, I've heard some doozies! Like when we were hiking in NC and I was wearing my blue backpack and this woman freaked out saying: OMG THAT WOLF IS WEARING A BACKPACK!! ON THE TRAIL!!!

Do what? Does this guy look like the blue-backpack, coordinated pink leash and collar wearing guy to you??



I think the best though, and mom's alltime favorite, was when a woman actually stopped her car, backed up to us and asked mom if I was a Jackal. Mom was dumbfounded and looked at the lady like she had an arm growing out of her head....wow.


There are also sable GSDs that do look kinda wolflike...mom and dad think they're very pretty! Then there's the solid blacks and blanket-blacks that have a lot of black on their bodies, but not enough to be a bicolor.

Mom and dad also got a lot of "You cropped her ears to be like that, right?" I'm guessing because I looked like a Dobe. Mom would reply "If this is what her ears look like cropped, how big do you think they were before?!?!?!?"

So there you go...I'm not a Rottie-Dobe-Wolf-Jackal cross, just a plain ol' GSD!

13 comments:

  1. This is freaking hilarious! A jackal? Really? We get the wolf comment ALOT! People are very surprised to hear GSD and we always have to point out the brown between the toes, the bum,the ears and McIver has brown under his eyes too. McIver is full-on German line which means he doesn't really have the exagerated low-rider backend. That throws people off a bit too. Nikki is like one-quarter American so she has a tendency to get kinda low during a trot. She also looks like an all black border collie. AND YES, the ears come this way! I've seen a few GSD's w/ floppy ears and they are too cute!

    Mamma Heartbeat

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  2. Hehehehehehe people can be so silly! You're just an Anna-O! :-)
    -Corbin

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  3. We are amazed at all the different colors pups can be called. Thunder is supposed to be a silver and white, but he is more gray than silver. Ciara is a red and white, but she is more amber brown in color. And Phantom is called dilute black, even though he looks mostly black and white.

    But we don't care what you are called color-wise because we think you are really beautiful. When Dakota was young and Mom had her in obedience classes, the trainer was a GSD person. She always called Dakota a GSD-wannabe:)

    Woos ~ Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara

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  4. This post made me laugh out loud! Hilarious! Lady throws people off too, because her coloring is so light. People will stop and ask "Is that a German Shepherd, or....?" We have yet to hear wolf or jackal though - LOL!! Anna may confuse people, but she is one GORGEOUS girl.

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  5. What a wonderful post! I can't quit laughing!! A jackel or a wolf wearing a pink collar and leash with backpack....what is with these people! I personally think Anna-O is very striking and beautiful and really...if she had her ears cropped....how big would they really be by now! That's another great one!! Thanks for the laugh....that felt good!!! Lots of love, Debbie and Holly

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  6. Peeples mostly know wot I is but coz my furs be flat not floofy and I has white on my tail, they always ask if'n I be purebred or a mix and that makes mom ten kinds of angry coz who gibs a hoot? (She dussn't say "hoot" but I cannot rite wot she says.) So mom just says "She's a shelter shepherd." One man replied back once, "Oh, that's a new one - never heard of that type of shepherd before." Yeah, he did has an arm growing out of his hed. Oh, and Pee Ess, now you can be a jackal with a pink collah, backpack and sunglasses!

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  7. BOL! Anna, we've always thought you were one of the prettiest Shepherds we've seen. Mom says if she could order up the one she wants, she'd probably get a solid black or white one, but really personality is so much more important. Before we had Morgan, we had no idea just how many colors Shepherds came in -- they even have a blue version called "steel".

    I had no idea someone could mistake you for a jackal! I guess Mom better stop calling Morgan "Dingo" out in public. It's one of her nicknames, but we'd hate to confuse the feeble-minded!

    Bunny

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  8. Hello Anna :)


    Doesn't matter what people said, for me you looks awesome!! I bet mommy gonna say that she fell in love with you!! GSD has been one of favorite breeds that mom hope to own. While many people prefer the black and tan color, mom prefer solid black and those working line type.

    Hope we could be friends :)


    Autumn & Jasmine

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  9. BOL, it's so hilarious and I almost fell off the chair and I'm still laughing.
    Don't worry, Anna! You're the most beautiful, gorgeous, intelligent GSD that I've ever known. You made me want a GSD too!

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  10. Oh WOW!!! A Wolf?!!!! People ARE interesting!

    Woofs and Kisses!
    The Fiesty Three

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  11. LOL! People amuse me! I have a Weimaraner and since he is gray, people always ask me if he is a Greyhound! I've gotten that so many times it's amazing.

    -Amy
    Talented K9

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  12. OMD, that is so funny! i know loki isn't full GSD ...he's definitely heavily GSD with his ridiculously tall ears, but the bi-color thing is intriguing and makes me think he may be that...he's black and tan like a dobbie, but there's no dobbie in him. just GSD and taiwan mt. dog i think. nobody really questions him though, except people who own malinois and think he's part malinois because of his short coat.

    gsd's are definitely a favorite of mine tho! and you're a pretty one!

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