I had never heard the term Ay Sable much less know of their existence.  Ay is a genetic code for a color in the canine genome.  It is documented in breeds such as: Great Danes, Pugs, Chihuahuas, Belgium Malinois, and others.  As it turns out there are many Ay Sables showing up throughout the GSD gene pool. They have been called; reds, crèmes, and Tans.

 

I personally feel they should be called ‘Fawns as that is what they are called in other breeds such as the Great Dane. 

 

They are showing up when white GSD are bred to a colored GSD, which leads me to believe this color/pattern has been hiding in the white GSD pedigreed GSD. 

 

This is how I came to have one myself.  I bred a white female (whose pedigree is at least 4 generations of white GSD) to my liver/tan male.  She had 8 puppies; 4 aw sables (traditional sables) and 3 Ay sables (Fawns).  I kept an Ay Fawn female and named her Mya.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see from the pictures above, Mya started out a light crème color and as her coat matured all traces of black fur disappeared.  Ay’s may or may not have black hairs mixed in their coat.  If you think you have an Ay and want to have DNA documentation proof positive you can contact www.vetgen.com for the test.  There are now at least 4 DNA documented Ay Fawns.  This gene is inherited autosomal dominant.  Meaning all it takes is one parent to be the color to get it in the offspring.  This Ay color can be as light as Mya or as deep rich red as a mahogany boxer.

 

Mya was bred to my white male Tunder and she gave birth to: whites, 1 saddle pattern, and 4 Ay Fawns.  One of which we are keeping—her name is Pumpkin Pie (watch for her page soon).   Pumpkin has a curious pattern on her we will be testing soon to see if it is what I think it is.

 

To see Mya’s page click here

3 Fawns on left 4 Sables on right 3 days old

16 days old (Mya bottom left)

5 wks old showing black stripe down the backs

5 wks Mya on left other 2 Ay on right

5 wks sable on left Ay Fawn on right

5 wks Faces of 3 Ay Fawns Mya in Middle

5 wks Mya (note white tipped toes!)

9 wks Mya on left; Ay sis on right

Mya Pregnant with first litter; all black down her back is gone.

Vetgen as done her DNA and the results show she is in fact an Ay aka ‘Fawn’.