# Puppy Behavor



## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

I was looking at a litter of 2 1/2 week old GSD pups the other day and saw one of the males mount, and hump another pup. Is this normal at this age?

Also, the color of one of the males was black but the little bit of color on his paws, chest (small amount), and under his tail looked to be a type of slate gray. For those that breed, any idea what color he may turn out to be?


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## Melissa Thom (Jun 21, 2011)

Are you sure they weren't older? 2 - 3 weeks is still pretty infant in behavior normally. Their eyes are fully open, they're starting to stagger around more but usually still with a bit of effort.


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

puppies humping other puppies - normal puppy behavior that starts pretty young. My current litters eyes opened at 10 days and they were up walking and out of the nest at 2.5 wks, by 3 exploring

Can't really advise you on GSD colour but if you see lighter colour under the tail that can show you what the undercoat and/or trim colour will eventually be. Agouti(sables) and change quite drastically.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Thanks you two. The humping occurred when the pup was 18 days old. I found it rather advanced as they could hardly walk. Just curious if anyone had seen this before and how the pup developed over time regarding pack rank.


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

No I think in young puppies it is just something they do. As they get older you see more behaviours about who the trouble puppies are - my current litter it's a little female who is the most dominant puppy.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

He was pretty deliberate, just like an older dog. Was just wondering. Thanks.


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

I'm not sure about the humping at that age. I think it was just muscle reactions, nothing more. The color sounds to be bi-color. My favorite.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Jerry Lyda said:


> I'm not sure about the humping at that age. I think it was just muscle reactions, nothing more. The color sounds to be bi-color. My favorite.



Jerry,
I wish I had it on video. He was gettin after it. It wasn't a muscle reaction. He climbed up on one of the other pups and went at it. He did it a day or so later as well.

I was thinking bi-color as well. I always liked those. With the dark gray is it a possibility it may be a dark sable also? I know....just wait and I'll know for sure.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Howard Knauf said:


> Jerry,
> I wish I had it on video. He was gettin after it. It wasn't a muscle reaction. He climbed up on one of the other pups and went at it. He did it a day or so later as well.
> 
> I was thinking bi-color as well. I always liked those. With the dark gray is it a possibility it may be a dark sable also? I know....just wait and I'll know for sure.


Sables "generally" start out lighter and darken over time.
Even the "classic" saddle back GSD will have a full blanket that may take a couple of years to "shrink" the saddle.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Bob Scott said:


> Sables "generally" start out lighter and darken over time.
> Even the "classic" saddle back GSD will have a full blanket that may take a couple of years to "shrink" the saddle.


 I have a puppy pic from Holland of the dog I was supposed to get a few years ago. He was a sable but the thing was blonde for a long time.

I know RJ was mostly black as a young dog and it did take a while for the color to run all the way up his legs and to his shoulders. The dog in Jerry's avatar is a bi-color. How much lighter fur do the bi-colors have when they are very young? Is it a case by case deal?


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Howard Knauf said:


> I have a puppy pic from Holland of the dog I was supposed to get a few years ago. He was a sable but the thing was blonde for a long time.
> 
> I know RJ was mostly black as a young dog and it did take a while for the color to run all the way up his legs and to his shoulders. The dog in Jerry's avatar is a bi-color. How much lighter fur do the bi-colors have when they are very young? Is it a case by case deal?



both my sables were tan with a darker stripe down the middle of the back.
Thunder's litter was 6 bi-color and two sable. The Bi-color dogs were damn close to being solid black when very young. 
There is often confusion about a color being bi or saddle back. I believe it has to do with how much color comes up the legs and how much is on the face and chest.
To me, a true bi is almost marked as a dobe or rottie.


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## Christina Kennedy (Aug 25, 2010)

bi-color vs black and tan still confuses me. I finally thought I got it when a different breeder said I was wrong. Was initially told by several that Bi-colors never have tan on the BACKS of their ears and they have tar-heels. Often toe penciling also but not always. I saw a lot of dogs called bi-color that I thought were true black and tan because of the tan backs of ears and the complete lack of tar-heels. Then another breeder who had all hers listed as bi-color (and I thought were very dark/extended black and tan) threw me for another loop......


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Jerry's dog has tan high on the legs, a bit higher than some bi-colors that I've been told were true bi-color dogs. Even so, he's a good looking lad.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

In looking up GSD color on the net it seems most are as confused as we are about the Bi-color.
This is Thunder's mom. Definitely a bi in my books as were most of her pups.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

In looking up GSD color on the net it seems most are as confused as we are about the Bi-color.
This is Thunder's mom. Definitely a bi in my books as were most of her pups.
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=572364


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I see the humping question was way to hard so everyone went to color instead. HA HA

I have seen this twice and I saw nothing come of it later.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Bob, Nice looking girl. 

Jeff, Thanks.
In regard to the two part question...I'm all about choices.=D> Gotta maximize the reply count ya know.:-D Saving bandwidth.


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## Christina Kennedy (Aug 25, 2010)

LOL- I would say Lens is a bi-color for sure. As to the humping, I have seen 3-4 week old puppies do that but never 18 days.


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