Lately, there has been growing interest in liver colored German Shepherds. In this article, you will find comprehensive information on the liver colored German Shepherds: including how exactly they look, how they come into being and how to acquire one.
A liver colored German Shepherd has a distinctive shade of dark brown color. This sets it apart from other German Shepherds, which tend to be in various hues of black and tan. The liver color is the manifestation of a certain recessive gene known as B locus.
In a German Shepherd liver color is quite rare. That is understandable, because for a liver German Shepherd puppy to be born, two parents with the recessive B locus gene have to mate.
Chances of two dogs that have the recessive B locus gene mating – then producing an offspring in which the effect of the B locus gene manifests – are quite low. That is why the liver shepherd dog is quite rare.
Liver Colored German Shepherd Dog
It is definitely rarer than the fawn colored German Shepherd and the chocolate brown German Shepherd.
And if you happen to find someone offering liver German Shepherd puppies for sale, chances are that the price will be a premium one.
The usually premium liver colored German Shepherd price aside though, these tend to be truly fascinating dogs.
It is important to mention that these liver German Shepherds are like other German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) in all respects. The only thing that sets the liver color German Shepherd aside is its appearance color-wise.
What Is A Liver Colored German Shepherd?
A liver color German Shepherd is one whose coat color has the distinctive dark brown shade we refer to as ‘liver’.
Usually, German Shepherds come in various hues of black and tan. But other colors are also possible: including the liver color in question here
So in the context of dog coloration, ‘liver’ refers to a certain shade of dark brown. And a German Shepherd that happens to have this color is the one we refer to as being a liver GSD.
What makes a liver German Shepherd to have that color is the presence of a certain recessive gene. The name of the gene in question is B locus.
Is There A Liver Colored German Shepherd In The Real World?
There are people who don’t believe in the existence of liver German Shepherds.
That is because of the misconception that German Shepherds can only be in various hues of black and tan.
And that is what leads to a question like this one, on whether there are truly liver colored German Shepherds.
The truth of the matter is that the liver colored German Shepherds do exist. They are very rare though. There are many people who have never set their eyes on a liver GSD.
But just to be sure, liver German Shepherds do exist.
Indeed, in the list of German Shepherd AKC colors, ‘liver’ is present. Thus one of the German Shepherd colors AKC recognizes is ‘liver’.
What Does A Liver Colored German Shepherd Look Like?
A liver colored German Shepherd dog has a coat whose color is a certain shade of dark brown.
That may be a solid liver colored German Shepherd: in which the liver color is present throughout the dog’s coat.
So in that case, you have a solid liver German Shepherd.
If you don’t find a German Shepherd solid liver coloration, you may find other patterns.
You may find a liver and tan German Shepherd dog. Sometimes, you do find breeders offering such liver and tan German Shepherd puppies for sale.
Also possible to find is a liver sable GSD. In this liver sable German Shepherd, you find the distinctive dark brown liver color, with a sable pattern.
The dog may even turn out to be a liver silver sable German Shepherd.
If you are dealing with a bi-color German Shepherd, you may find it being a blue liver German Shepherd. So that turns out to be a blue liver colored German Shepherd.
That is (more precisely) a bi-color liver and blue German Shepherd.
Also possible to find, in a bi-color scheme, may be something like a liver chocolate German Shepherd. Even a bi-color tan and liver German Shepherd may be a possibility.
Looking at pictures of liver colored German Shepherds, these features are very easy to pick out.
In the liver German Shepherd short hair may not be present. German Shepherds tend to have lots of hair, and they shed a lot. Thus a long hair liver German Shepherd is what you should typically expect to find.
How Are Liver Colored German Shepherds Different From The Others?
The only way in which a liver German Shepherd differs from any other is in terms of appearance.
But in terms of temperament, care needs, intelligence and so on, it is exactly like any other German Shepherd dog.
In fact, if you place it next to an ordinary all brown German Shepherd, the untrained eye may not be able to tell the difference.
Even in comparison to an ordinary German Shepherd light brown dog, the dog has lots of similarities.
In fact, some laymen may mistakenly describe it as a light brown German Shepherd, especially if they encounter it under low light conditions.
Others may mistakenly describe it as a dark solid tan German Shepherd. This is especially the case for those who are unaware of the existence of the ‘liver’ German Shepherd dog color.
What Are The Different Types Of Liver Colored German Shepherds?
There are solid liver color German Shepherd dogs. Then there are bi-color German Shepherd dogs.
In the solid liver color German Shepherd, this color will be present throughout the dog’s coat.
But in the bi-color German Shepherd, another coat color may be present. For instance, a liver and tan GSD would be in this category. So would a liver red German Shepherd.
By the way, Isabella German Shepherds are easily mistakable for liver German Shepherds. But there is a slight difference between the two.
How To Groom A Liver Colored German Shepherd
Like any other German Shepherd, the liver color German Shepherd will tend to have lots of body hair.
Thus the typically long haired liver German Shepherd requires regular brushing, washing and trimming.
The brushing aspect is especially critical, and it is something you may need to do daily or every other day.
Trimming too is not something to overlook: as this dog’s hair grows very fast.
Are Liver Colored German Shepherds Rare?
Liver color German Shepherds are quite rare.
In fact, if you research on what are the rarest colors of German Shepherds, you will tend to find ‘liver’ in that list.
Indeed, of all German Shepherd colors liver is one of the rarest.
How rare is a liver colored German Shepherd? So rare that there are many German Shepherd enthusiasts who have never encountered it.
To know how rare this color is, you only need to undertake an online search on, say, ‘liver colored German Shepherd puppies for sale near me’.
There are times when you may not find any liver German Shepherd puppies up for sale.
And if you do find a liver colored German Shepherd for sale, chances are that the price will be premium.
This only goes to show how relatively rare liver German Shepherds are.
Liver Colored German Shepherd Dog
How To Breed For A Liver Colored German Shepherd?
For a liver colored German Shepherd puppy to be born, two parent dogs with the (recessive) B locus gene need to mate.
Thus your first task, as a liver German Shepherd breeder will be that of getting dogs with the B locus gene.
The dogs in question need not have the liver color themselves. They only need to be carriers of the gene that causes the liver color, even if they themselves don’t have the liver color.
In practical terms though, you may end up having to get two dogs that actually have liver color to mate.
That is because, in the absence of genetic testing, the only way you can know that dogs carry this gene is if they are liver colored themselves.
Then again, you need to know that even when the two parent dogs with the B locus gene mate, the offspring will not necessarily be liver-colored.
The offspring may, for instance, turn out to be a golden color German Shepherd. Actually getting German Shepherd liver puppies is a matter of luck.
Thus being a liver colored German Shepherd breeder is quite a challenging task.
How To Acquire A Liver Colored German Shepherd Dog?
One way to acquire a liver German Shepherd dog is by buying from a commercial breeder. If you find a breeder with liver GSD puppies for sale, you can make a purchase there.
Another way to acquire a liver German Shepherd dog is by adopting from a rescue shelter. If someone abandoned or gave up their liver GSD for adoption, and you like it, you can proceed to make an adoption.
Yet another way to acquire a liver German Shepherd dog is by adopting informally. For instance, if someone in your circle has a liver German Shepherd they are unable to continue keeping, you can adopt informally from them.
Let us look at what each of these liver color German Shepherd dog acquisition options entails.
Buying A Liver Colored German Shepherd From A Commercial Breeder
This is arguably the easiest and most straightforward way to gain ownership of a liver German Shepherd puppy.
You start by engaging local breeders, to see if any has a liver German Shepherd for sale.
You need to be as specific as possible, in order to get a dog that meets your requirements as well as possible.
For instance, if you are in search of a blue nose German Shepherd for sale, you need to be specific about the nose color right from the outset.
In case none of the local breeders has what you need (a liver German Shepherd), you can extend the search further.
It may get to a point at which you have to import the liver German Shepherd dog you need from another country.
The most important thing is to ensure that the breeder you are seeking to buy the liver GSD from has a decent reputation.
If you are undertaking the purchase online, you need to be sure that you are not dealing with scammers either.
In case you are dealing with a breeder in another country, you need to beware of logistical challenges that may arise. Those are challenges that may pertain to moving a dog from one country to another.
Once you get a suitable breeder, you need to make enquiries on the liver German Shepherd price they are charging.
After agreeing to a figure, you can check the dog out properly, before ultimately making the purchase.
Adopting A Liver Colored German Shepherd From A Shelter
Sometimes, people who are unable to sustain their German Shepherd dogs give them up for adoption.
There are also cases in which abandoned German Shepherds end up being rescued and taken to shelters.
What all this means is that it may be possible for you to get the liver color German Shepherd you need from a local dog rescue shelter.
To be sure, high value dogs such as German Shepherds rarely end up in these shelters. But there are those few cases in which they do.
Therefore in theoretical terms at least, you may be able to find a liver German Shepherd at a shelter.
The good thing with these shelters is that they don’t sell the dogs. So you won’t be buying the dog, but adopting. Therefore you probably won’t have to spend a great deal of money.
All you may have to make is a small monetary or non-monetary donation to the charity that runs the shelter you are adopting the liver German Shepherd from.
Then again, you need to know that some of the dogs that end up in these shelters are dog that have gone through very hard times.
Most shelters will, however, allow you to interact with a dog for quite a while, before making a decision to adopt.
Ultimately, if you decide to adopt the dog, there will be some paperwork to complete. Then you can take the liver color German Shepherd home, to start a new life with it.
Others Ways To Acquire A Liver Colored German Shepherd
Another way in which you can acquire a liver color German Shepherd is by adopting it informally.
For instance, if someone in your circle has a liver German Shepherd that they can no longer keep, you may adopt from them.
Similarly, someone in your circle whose dog happens to have given birth to a large litter of German Shepherd puppies may be willing to give some to folks who are able to sustain them.
Thus you can check them out, and if one happens to be of the liver color you like, you can proceed to take it up.
There may also be the option of posting on a site like Craigslist, indicating your desire to get the dog. Even the various online forums on which German Shepherd enthusiasts share ideas are viable.
So you just post saying that you are looking for a liver German Shepherd. Someone with such a dog that they want to rehome may get to see your message.
And that may generate a process that culminates in you getting the liver GSD you desire.
How Much Does A Liver Colored German Shepherd Cost?
Because they are quite rare, liver colored German Shepherds cost quite a bit of money.
It is not uncommon to find a liver German Shepherd going for a price in the $3,500 to $4,500 range.
That may even be higher than the Isabella German Shepherd price.
Of course, what you actually pay for the liver German Shepard dog depends on the breeder.
Some breeders deal with high-end clients and charge high-end prices. There is no harm in shopping around, until you find a breeder charging an amount you can afford.
What is important is for you to understand that you are unlikely to find a very cheap liver German Shepherd.
The only way in which you may get a liver German Shepherd without spending too much is if you opt for the adoption route.
Final Verdict – Liver Colored German Shepherd
A liver colored German Shepherd is one whose coat color is the dark brown shade normally known as ‘liver’.
It can be a solid liver German Shepherd or it can have other patterns: including bi-color and tri-color patterns.
The liver color is one of those that the AKC recognizes as a proper German Shepherd color.
To get a liver color German Shepherd, you have to breed two German Shepherds carrying the (recessive) B locus gene.
You may acquire a liver color German Shepherd by purchasing from a commercial breeder. Or if you are lucky, you may find one at a dog rescue shelter, which you can proceed to adopt.
Most commercial breeders who sell liver color German Shepherds typically charge prices in the $3,500 to $4,500 for them.
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