What is suggested about the historical prevalence of the sable coat color in German Shepherds?
Answer
Sable was possibly the original coat color for the breed.
Historical accounts suggest that the sable coat pattern holds significant importance in the lineage of the German Shepherd breed, predating the widespread popularity of the currently common black and tan presentation. This indicates that sable was foundational to the breed's early development. Although breeding preferences have shifted over time toward favoring the high-contrast black and tan or the solid black phenotypes, the sable pattern, including its dark black sable variant, represents a color that was prevalent when the breed was first being standardized.
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