Color

[glenny123]

We are looking to buy a male rottweiler. After much researching, we are still confused about the white hair issue. For example, how do you determine between a few white hairs vs. a white patch/spot which is deemed unsatisfactory as we understand. We have located a beautiful male but he has a few white hairs in his chest region. He is currently 3 weeks old and no other simblings nor parent have white markings. We have been told that this "area" may fade and blend in as the puppy matures. There is a fairly hefty price tag with this puppy and the breeder is very reputable. We will be keeping him intact for breeding purposes so this brings up another issue of heritability/genetics of this white area. Just looking for some help and opinions,
thanks,
darrell

[frontierrots]

I personally sell all pups who are born with any amount of white- even if it is gone by 10 weeks old (and those born with rear dewclaws) on spay/neuter contracts as companions/working dogs

Pups born with any amount of white carry the white mark gene that I don't want to deal with. In several years of selecting against wite hairs (and rear dewclaws) I now rarely if ever get pups with any white hairs (or rear dewclaws)

I know that other trais are important too but these are easily controlled ones and I see no point at all in perpetuating them

[Charles V]

I was planning to buy a Rott from what I believed to be a reputable breeder. In a twist of fate my mother and wife plotted together and purchased two 9 week old males from this same breeder as an X-Mas present. I was well aware about the white hair issue and how it is a disqualification according to AKC standards, however my wife and mother were not.

I spent a couple weeks worrying if they made the right choice, it really didnt matter though, because they are such great puppies that it didnt matter once they became part of the family. Anyways, they are 14 weeks old now and since they lost their puppy hair and grew their dense, jet black coats, their white is all but gone.

[fahril]

i have my male,his name is lucky ,he is 1 year and 4 months old and guest what he use to have some white hair on his chest too i even counted it and it had more than 12,just right between the 2 yellow triangulars spots that are on his chest and he still has it but only few now ,you can't barely see it thou, but when u get very close to it u will see it, i tried to pull em out but i don't know if that is a good idea to do, He is a good full blood rottie but with only those few thiny white hairs he has on his chest

[ILoveRotts]

Are you going to show?

If not I wouldn't worry. I have 4 Rotts - all rescued - all purebread. 1 has a white spot on her chest. I don't care 'cause we don't show any of our dogs. They are family members only.

By the way, she is a very beautiful, stricking Rott.

[Homerhomer]

Originally posted by glenny123
There is a fairly hefty price tag with this puppy and the breeder is very reputable. We will be keeping him intact for breeding purposes so this brings up another issue of heritability/genetics of this white area. Just looking for some help and opinions,
thanks,
darrell

What is the breeder's reputation based on? It is my understanding that reputable breeder would include something in the contract that the animal can only be used for breeding purposes if it becames a good representative of the breed in comformation, health and temperament, and this you will find out no earlier than 2 years from now.

[fbkeays]

I have a show puppy, now nine months old that has a few white hairs where his butterfly markings meet. When I got him at eight weeks he had a spot about the size of a quarter. His father never had any white, but his brother did have a big "Z" of white as a puppy and still has a blaze as an adult. He had several points and both majors before his owners neutered. White is a fault- not a disqualifying fault.
Will I breed my male- who knows for sure, but I really don't have any plans to do so at this point. Right now I am having too much fun tracking and herding with him.
:)

[glenny123]

As far as showing, we won't be showing this particular dog in question. However, we will be breeding him with our female in hopes of showing their offspring. This brings about my concern of passing this trait on and so forth. The breeder sells their puppies to trainers/handlers and have fantastic bloodlines and champion dogs out there. What has me worried, though, is that they assured us that it would probably fade as the puppy matured. Again, these are a few hairs at his chest and not a full patch. Unfortunately, I don't want to be propagating an undesirable trait. All replies have been very helpful. What I gather thus far is if neutered or non-showing, I shouldn't worry about it. But if he'll be for breeding purposes I should think twice. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[fbkeays]

Originally posted by glenny123
As far as showing, we won't be showing this particular dog in question. However, we will be breeding him with our female in hopes of showing their offspring.

Why would you not show this dog, but are willing to show its offspring? I must be missing something. I am showing my male and doubt I will ever breed him.
As a person that buys dogs to show, I would not be looking to buy a show dog from parents that have not been shown and proven.