Can a 9 month old puppy have a lighter hair behind his ears?

[Marchie]

Hi, everybody. My baby's name is Orso and is nine months old. A good boy --well within the limits of what they say about puppies e.g. that they can get away with "murder"-- and very pretty. A friend gave him to us about 2 months ago with not too clear description of the source. As I personally do not believe in aristocracy and approve the adoption's role in the happiness of an animal, I did not commit suicide for not knowing his parents. It was clearly a sample of rottweilerian beauty. With time the esthetic qualities became stronger but... Hey, now comes my Orso's but: My husband showed me some hair behind his ears which is not very black to its roots and says that this is a sign of a possibility of Orso's having something not absolutely pure in his past. Is it true? Or his being a puppy lets him get away with this innocent murder too? I mean, of still having a temporarily colored lighter hair. Thanks a lot.

[Burns]

he's relatively young and these lighter areas could very well darken up.

i've seen young rotties with almost brown colored ears, nothing to worry about though...

now picking up those black hairs all over my place--that can be a problem

[Bucky's Mom]

Hello and welcome - the hair should be black - but can you post a picture? - that would help with the description - Lisa (Bucky's Mom)

[Nancy Estes]

It is very common for puppies to have lighter, softer *fluff* behind their ears - quite often it is brownish or even grey. It normally sheds out when they get their adult coat.

Nancy

[Deborah Reid]

AKC Rottweiler Standard... :

Coat

Outer coat is straight, coarse, dense, of medium length and lying flat. Undercoat should be present on neck and thighs, but the amount is influenced by climatic conditions. Undercoat should not show through outer coat. The coat is shortest on head, ears and legs, longest on breeching. The Rottweiler is to be exhibited in the natural condition with no trimming. Fault--Wavy coat. Serious Faults--Open, excessively short, or curly coat; total lack of undercoat; any trimming that alters the length of the natural coat. Disqualification--Long coat.

Color

Always black with rust to mahogany markings. The demarcation between black and rust is to be clearly defined. The markings should be located as follows: a spot over each eye; on cheeks; as a strip around each side of muzzle, but not on the bridge of the nose; on throat; triangular mark on both sides of prosternum;on forelegs from carpus downward to the toes; on inside of rear legs showing down the front of the stifle and broadening out to front of rear legs from hock to toes, but not completely eliminating black from rear of pasterns; un-der tail; black penciling on toes. The undercoat is gray, tan, or black. Quantity and location of rust markings is important and should not exceed ten percent of body color. Serious Faults--Straw-colored, excessive, insufficient or sooty markings; rust marking other than described above; white marking any place on dog (a few rust or white hairs do not constitute a marking). Disqualifications--Any base color other than black; absence of all markings.

[Marchie]

Thank you very very much for all of your knowlegeable and kind responses, Debbie especially making the most complete description. The undercoat described --kind of gray-- that my husband discovered is at the back of neck area and I believe that the collar has a certain role in betraying it at certain moves of the hand. The rest of the markings are absolutely the ones described by Debbie, quality & quantity of rust vs. shiny black (especially after bathing). Being a cat owner for years, in the beginning I struggled very much to do something with the coarse hair, trying all kind of human moisturizing conditioners. I even made the effort to imagine feeling some softening for an hour after bathing, but then...
So my "little bear" is what I thought it was, thanks again.:)

[Judi W]

The collarif left on all the time will often break off the guard hairs allowing the undercoat to show through and that is what you are seeing there. It is not unusual if the pup has somewhat fuzzy ears for there to be undercoat there also and I suspect that is what you are seeing. It will likely shed out.

[mccoy]

Hello!:) Welcome to the forum.
We have three puppies that are
3 months old and they have the
lighter colored hairs around
their ears also nothing to worry
about. Other Rotties I've owned
have been the same it will all
change as your Rottie losses his
puppy coat.:)

[LORHEL]

Don't know if this helps, but our rescue girl who is now two, has alot of brown tint on her ears, and head and has mixture of white/grayish hairs deep down in the back of her neck area, (right around the collar area) that aren't visible unless you dig down deep, and they are mixed in with the other hairs...

and we have a big time shedder too right now, must be that time...someone told us she might lose the white hairs when she blows her coat, we don't mind either way, since we are not showing etc...

I do believe AKC does consider that a "fault". (Just for FYI in showing purposes) ..such as would be our girls underbite...

[Marchie]

I have never thought of it, the only picture that I have of him being a half hidden. Not that I am for showing (I do not have any certificate or proof of parents etc) but just curious. As they say and I was suggested a little before, a picture is worth thousand words. How do you do when you want to post a picture (okay, after you take it)? I am impressed with the 6 dogs mccoy has and their beautiful names. Judy thanks. Lorhel, so I still have to worry? Hm. To worry or not to worry? This is the question.

[frontierrots]

Manymany Rottweilers have rust color undercoat on their heads and some have rust undercoat on their backs. Years ago this was not correct but the last standard revision made it allowable.

My foundation bitch had rust undercoat on her head and ear base and top of her back she had grey undercoat all other areas. It showed through when she was shedding. Showing through is not good when in coat, but it often does on a dog with a great deal of undercoat or not enough top coat

[Marchie]

How do they get along, your 13 dogs? Like brothers? And how does the cat brotherhood work? You must have a nice big property. Thanks for completion.