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Colors   And   Color   History


Pawball IconAlpats Kennel is home to the original colored Miniature Schnauzers as they were found in the beginning of the breed in Germany. Here you will see photos of these nearly lost colors. All are eligible for registration with the AKC but are not allowed to be shown.

It is my intention to breed these colors into show lines to improve on the conformation and make these colors the same as the 3 allowed colors. I am presently working on this and would encourage any other breeder currently breeding these colors to work on improving them also.

The Abbagamba Kennel in Germany was producing 'Parti' colors in 1929, first appearing from a pair of 'Blacks' and in the U.S. from a pair of 'Salt/Peppers'. 'Red', 'Yellow', and 'Brown' were the prominante colors in the early days of the breed. Many of the first ones imported and bred here in the U.S. were shades of these colors.

Pinto 
"Pinto" 		    Paisley 
"Paisley"


Tejas Music Maker
"Tejas Music Maker"
He already has 3 white champion offspring plus white champion grandkids and more working on their titles all the time!		     Jarred
"Jarred"
A 'White' son of Tex is producing nice 'White' kids as well as 'Salt/Pepper' and 'Black/Silver'. Hopefully he will follow in
his Sire's pawprints.


Chocolate Palomino
"Chocolate Palomino"		     Trigger
"Trigger"		     Eyes Tested Normal
"Eyes Tested Normal"


I will give a brief description of these colors.
This is not a genetics chart or a lesson.


'Black'   is self explanatory.

Example of a Black Coat


'Salt/Pepper'

'Salt/Pepper' is the most common of all colors in this breed here in the USA. 'Salt/Pepper' is banded hairs in shades of gray to black with lighter silver markings. Usually the hair tips are black but not always. This color ranges from a very dark nearly black dog to what is commonly called 'Silver'. The undercoat can be any shade and is inherited separately. If the dog has a dark undercoat when it's clipped it remains dark. If it has a light undercoat after clipping, the dog appears light. Clipping destroys the outer guard coat, so on most pet dogs you will only see the undercoat and not the actual dog's color. Below are examples of 'Salt/Pepper' ranging from nearly black to the palest silver white after clipping.

Chatty
"Chatty" 		  Blossom
"Trigger" 		  Lash
"Lash"


'Black/Silver'

'Black/Silver' is the same as a black doberman, solid black with silver to nearly white markings. The 'Black/Silver' with white markings is NOT a phantom. That is a term some breeders use to extract more money from the buyers pockets. Many times the "Black and Silver" with white markings will fade quicker and become even lighter till it looks like a pale silver color. When looking at a litter of 'Salt/Pepper' and 'Black/Silver' pups check behind the ears and around the hocks for light hair or a brownish color. These are 'Salt/Pepper', not  'Black/Silver', no matter how dark they appear!!!
Example of a Black and Silver Coat
Arial Was Born And Raised At  Alpats


'Liver'

All 'Livers' must have a 'Liver' nose, paw pads, lips and eye rims. NO exceptions! Eyes are usually a greenish Hazel. I have seen some that stay almost Blue. They should be Hazel. 'Liver' is a recessive to 'Black'. MS come in 'Liver', not 'Chocolate' because AKC has made this decision, therefore I will call it 'Liver'.

There are 3 'Liver' colors and 2 different patterns:

Example of a Liver Coat - 1     Example of a Liver Coat - 2
1 - 'Liver' - Recessive to 'Black'. This is a solid 'Liver' and can have white markings on the chest and toes just like 'Black'.


Example of a Liver Pepper Coat - 1     Example of a Liver Pepper Coat - 2
2 - 'Liver Pepper' - Recessive to 'Salt/Pepper'. The coloring is the same, banded hairs being shades of dark to light liver instead of black to gray as a on 'Salt/Pepper'.


Example of a Liver and Tan Coat - 1     Example of a Liver and Tan Coat - 2
3 - 'Liver/Tan' - Recessive to 'Black/Silver'. Solid 'Liver' body with tan to silver markings exactly like a 'Black/Silver'.


'White'

With 'Liver' nose and points is a recessive to 'White' with 'Black' points. This color is a 'White' "masking" for 'Liver'. I add it here because it's an expression of the 'Liver' gene but actually should be under 'White'.


Pattern

'Parti' is a pattern and can be any color on 'White'. All three AKC accepted colors come in 'Parti' as well as all three 'Liver' colors. The pattern can be spots on a 'White' background or a colored jacket on a 'White' background. head can be any combination.

Example of Liver Pepper Parti Coat - 1     Example of Liver Pepper Parti Coat - 2


Ticking

Small self colored spots found on 'Parti's' or 'Parti' carriers. Ticking is dominate over non ticking.

Parti Ticking - 1     Parti Ticking - 2


'White'

'White' is a recessive. 'White' is always born 'White' and never "turns" 'White'. 'White' is not pure 'White'. You can almost always find a yellow or cream hair or even a yellow stripe down the center of the back or yellow ears. There is NO pure 'White' like seen on a 'Parti' color. 'White' is an absence of color in the hair shafts but it's also a "masking" color. Every 'White' is carrying the gene to make it produce exactly like the color it's "masking". For instance, a white masking for 'Salt/Pepper' will sport the banded hair shafts in the guard coat. The absence of banded hairs tells you the dog is not a 'Salt/Pepper' and can be any other color. The only way to tell is to breed the dog. White masking to 'Black/Silver' bred to a 'Black/Silver' will produce 100% 'Black/Silver', unless the 'Black/Silver' is also carrying for 'White'. In other words, whatever the 'White' is masking for, it will produce in the same manner as that color. This is as far as I will go into the way the 'White' gene works.

Example of a White Coat - 1     Example of a White Coat - 2

Another note about 'White'. It is not a Dapple Gene nor a Harliquin or Dalmation Spotting Gene. 'White' in Miniature Schnauzers is the exact gene as in the 'White' Poodle.

Note for those who have what they call a turned 'White'. These are 'Salt/Peppers' expressing an extreme fading gene. They were born 'Salt/Pepper' and will be a genetic 'Salt/Pepper' their entire lives. A genetic 'White' bred to a ike White will produce 100% 'White' every time. This turned 'White' color will breed like a 'Salt/Pepper'.

For those of you who have one of those RARE "PHANTOM" colored minis. There is NO such color. The gene is a 'Black/Silver'. 'Black/Silver' are 'Black' marked with a dark 'Silver' to nearly pure 'White'. Just like 'Salt/Pepper' the marking vary in shade intensity. This does not make it a new gene.

And finally for those of you who have the SILVER dogs. There's also NO such thing as a genetic 'Liver'. The 'Salt/Pepper' looses it's guard coat after repeated clippings and all you see left is the undercoat which is a Silver color. If this dog's coat was stripped a time or two it would grow the 'Salt/Pepper' once again. Most pet owners will call their light colored 'Salt/Pepper's Silvers.


How To Register A "Non-Allowed Color"

On the bottom of the registration application write in the appropriate color. Don't make up something new. Don't use silver, phantom etc. Take 2 color photos of the pup. One must be of the side and one of the front. Make one photo standing and one sitting. Mail the application plus the photos and address the envelope Att: Special Services. If you have problems contact me; I'll try to help you. I can be reached at alpats@blueriver.net


Color Codes are as follows:

Salt/Pepper
Black
Black/Silver
Liver
Liver/Pepper
Liver/Tan
Wheaten
White
Parti Pattern		   167
007
016
123
498
124
224
199
038

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