"Blue" RR?

[Eminem]

Last night I was walking Bogie through the North End in Boston and a man called out to us "Is that a Rhodesian?"  He had what at first glance looked like a weimeraner (sp?) pup with him.  We went up to him and he introduced us to his 3 month old female Rhodesian.  Sure enough she had a ridge and looked quite a bit like every other RR pup I've seen except she was BLUE!  She had a little bit of red mixed in but was almost solid blue.  The fellow who owned her said that she would change colors as she aged but I've never heard of that much of a color change.  Maybe a little deeper red or little lighter, but not a complete color change.  I've seen a few RR's that seemed to have some black in their coat but this was totally different she was nearly solid light gray with blue eyes.  She was a stunner but I didn't know that could even happen?  Has anyone heard of such a thing?  I wish, I wish I had my camera. 

Melanie

[la_vista_baby]

Melanie, there is a blue gene in ridgebacks, and the pups who inherit the gene look bluish in comparison next to other ridgebacks. Here is an example of a blue ridgeback on this page:
http://kalaharirr.tripod.com/oddcolors.html
However, what you're describing sounds more like a mix. Last summer there was a litter of purposely bred RR and Weim mixes - I believe it was either in Louisiana or Alabama - and I did save some photos posted on the Net as advertisement. The person was advertising pups as purebred (since both parents were AKC registered, even if of different breeds) and asked for a rather nice sum of money. Maybe you met one of the pups from such breeder.

[la_vista_baby]

Also, lately in Europe people rather routinely tested their Ridgebacks for dilute blue gene in attempts of identifying the carriers. Maybe someone from Europe can elaborate more on the subject.

[Eminem]

Thanks for the info.  I had no idea that purebred RR's could end up with such differing coats. 

The man who had the pup said this was their 3rd RR and he'd gotten them all from the same breeder in Maine?  He couldn't remember the woman's name.  He was the kinda guy who looked embarrassed that he could remember and said sheepishly "my wife would know".  I looked on the RRCUS site but I don't see a breeder listed from Maine.  We've met another RR in our neighborhood that's from Maine so I'm wondering if it's the same breeder.  It's possible she was a mix but I'd be surprised.  She also looked to me to have had a dermoid sinus taken our as she had a little scar on the back of her neck.
 

[la_vista_baby]

Melanie, that is very interesting! Please share if you ever get to meet that RR again and talk more about the blue gene with the owner. If that pup is from a purebred litter, then that little girl could be the only blue one in the litter, or maybe there are couple, but definately not the entire litter. I bet she's gorgeous. I would absolutely love to the a photo of your baby next to baby blue!!!

[la_vista_baby]

Hey, how about this chocolate RR? He goes to the shows and is very popular. Of course, no conformation classes for him, but how interesting!!!
I know you do not speak the language, but keep scrolling down and check out the choco ridgie:
http://sosnovay.3bb.ru/viewtopic.php?id=158&p=4

[AliCap]

Wow!  That is really amazing, Asta.  I have never even heard of this color.  The picture where you can see his ridge is awesome, the ridge is really outlined . . . . .

[la_vista_baby]

Alice, it is a mix of a ridgeless RR female and a Shorthaired German Pointer. But the dog participates in the ring - just not the breed ring (my guess is junior handler?). BUT the oddest and most interesting thing is, most of that litter had great ridges.... Did we not learn that a rr dog cannot produce ridge in the offspring? So technically this litter had no way of getting ridged pups in it, right? Nature is unpredictable at times! Any thoughts?

P.s. this is why I said that maybe that blue pup that Melanie spotted was from a litter similar to this - two purebred parents, but of different breeds, i.e. not really a RR.

[AliCap]

Aah, that makes much more sense - I was thinking it was a purebred RR!!

alice

[la_vista_baby]

Amongst all of the recessive genes, I do not think we can find a chocolate. But it makes me wonder.... Maybe in the early ridgebacks there were some of this color?

P.s. I am fascinated to find out in what ring the pup performs though - his ring photos threw me off at first also. I know it cannot be a class ring of conformation...

[WAARHEID]

Amongst all of the recessive genes, I do not think we can find a chocolate. But it makes me wonder.... Maybe in the early ridgebacks there were some of this color?

Yes. There are photographs and drawings of early dogs that are this color, though the seemed to typically have some white in the coat also.

What I found most interesting looking at this dog is that he is, in Ridgeback terms, a chocolate pointed liver nose.

[la_vista_baby]

What I found most interesting looking at this dog is that he is, in Ridgeback terms, a chocolate pointed liver nose.

Yes, there is an ongoing debate on who the dog resembles more in personality and temperament.  The owner says it's a ridgeback at heart. I wonder what about working in the field... Interesting. Maybe later we'll find out.

[k9crazyrr]

There is a RR mix, from rescue, that got an ILP number here in Michigan.  He is an interesting looking dog.  Dark with a thicker coat and white markings.  He loves to course and the owner has done a lot with him.  Sweet temperment too.  Thanks for sharing the pictures Asta. 

Angie G

[kotchfam]

The Kalahari link at the top does list that Black wheaten did exist so alot of this isnt all that hard to believe.

I get a kick out fo the black and tan's. They look like ridged uncropped dobies to me.

[caro]

I love the black and tans also.  Ever since I saw pictures of "Shona" some years back, I thought how beautiful they were and what a shame they were disqualified.  Here's Shona's website.  Sadly she died in 2006 but she was very beautiful.

Caroline

http://class.csueastbay.edu/commsci/dogs.htm