Italian Greyhounds (affectionately called “Iggys”) are a charming and lovable breed with an adorable appearance. Although their coats are very short, they do come in a large variety of colours, so there is plenty to choose from.
In the guide, we’ve looked at some of the most common coat colours for Italian Greyhounds to get you up to speed.
The most common coat colours include blue, fawn, and black, with fawn being particularly popular. Italian Greyhounds can also come in various shades, including cream and chocolate, often with white markings.
They come in a variety of colours, each adding to their charm. Here are the main colours you can find in Italian Greyhounds:
Black Italian Greyhounds have a solid black coat, and this is actually one of the rarer colours to be found in the breed.
Sable is a relatively common colour in Italian Greyhounds. The dog’s coat is made up of red hair with black tips and can often resemble the colour of chocolate. As Italian Greyhounds have short coats, this colour can look very interesting on them.
Seal Italian Greyhounds have a dark brown colour that can look almost black or dark grey. The seal colour will usually be darker on the legs and tail than it is on the rest of the dog’s body, and seal Italian Greyhounds will also often have a black stripe along their backs.
A blue coat is actually a diluted shade of black that gives the appearance of being blue in certain types of light. This appearance of metallic blue means you may sometimes hear the blue-coloured dog referred to as a ‘blue dog’, but they are not actually blue.
The fawn coat colouring is a shade of tan and will usually feature darker tan markings on the back of the body and a solid colour on the legs, chest, neck, feet and head. Often, Iggys with this coat colour will also have a black mask.
This colouring is the same in terms of colour tones as the normal fawn coat colouring but some of the coat’s overlying hair has a blueish tint to it.
The red fawn coat colouring is also the same as fawn, with darker colour tones on the back of the body but with an attractive red tint to the hair.
A red Italian Greyhound has a solid coat with a red appearance. Although it appears red, it is actually a deep brown colour that gives off this appearance.
Cream Italian Greyhounds have a solid cream coat with a dull white appearance.
The German Shorthaired Pointer colours recognised by the Australian National Kennel Council include a solid dark brown/liver. Alternatively, white markings or specks are also accepted, including roan and white with liver patches. One of the rarest colours recognised by the ANKC is a black-coated German Shorthaired Pointer.
The ANKC also accepts white German Shorthaired Pointers if they are roan or have other markings and coat patterns.
Coat colours can be more important than you might think. For example, if you would like to participate in dog sports categorised according to different dog breeds, satisfying the colour criteria of German Shorthaired Pointers is paramount.
In a non-competitive light, the colour shouldn’t make much difference unless you are planning to parade your dog in shows. GSPs do not tend to be predisposed to certain health conditions due to their colour, and it has no effect on their personalities or any other factors. Just offer them high-quality dog food and regular grooming, and they will be the perfect family pet.
At times, the coat colour could even directly impact the price of this hound. For example, rare colours might be slightly more expensive than standard shades and patterns. No matter the colour you choose, you will still end up with the most amazing companion!
Do these gun dogs experience significant colour changes as they grow older?
Since the German Shorthaired Pointer’s coat colours adapt at a young age, there aren’t many significant differences between the puppy and adult pointers’ coats.
For example, GSP puppies with the liver gene will continue to grow a liver coat as they get older. So, their colours might get darker as time goes on when compared to what it was in puppyhood.
If you want to own one of these beautiful GSPs, carefully assessing its coat colour could verify whether or not it is the real deal. This is vital if you want your pooch to compete in dog shows. The colours for this hound differentiate it from other breeds and set high breeding standards. However, if you want your dog to take part in the German bird dog tradition or just to be a family pet, whichever colour you choose is completely up to you.
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