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Illustrative imageCoat colour
Blue German Shepherd
Health riskNot standard-conforming
Other colours in the German Shepherd
Genetics & coat
Pattern: 
Solid
Coat colour:Blue
This colour is tied to breeding for harmful extremes
Dilute colours (blue, silver, isabella) are linked to skin and coat disease. Paying a premium for a ‘rare’ colour rewards risky breeding.
Three questions for the breeder
- Has this line produced cases of colour dilution alopecia (CDA) or recurring skin problems?
- How old are the oldest offspring of this pairing, and what does their coat look like today?
- Is this colour bred for deliberately, or does it simply turn up?
Blue German Shepherd
Blue German Shepherd: what this coat colour looks like — with a photo, how it sits in the breed standard, and the questions to ask a breeder. Fuller copy appears once it has been reviewed.
Breed standard
Blue is not standard-conforming in the German Shepherd.
Colour is not a mark of quality. A price premium for a ‘rare’ colour is a warning sign.